FreightGate MCP Server

Get Container Freight Station (CFS) handling tariffs — charges for LCL (Less than Container Load) cargo consolidation and deconsolidation at port warehouses.

Use this for LCL shipments to estimate warehouse handling costs. Returns per-unit handling rates, minimum charges, and storage fees at the specified port. Not relevant for FCL (Full Container Load) shipments.

PAID: $0.05/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { facility, service_type, cargo_type, rate_per_unit, unit, minimum_charge, currency }.

Get port congestion metrics — vessel waiting times, berth occupancy, and delay trends for a specific port.

Use this to assess port efficiency and anticipate detention risk. High congestion often leads to longer container dwell times and higher D&D costs. For shipping disruption news and alerts (Red Sea, Suez, chokepoints), use shippingrates_congestion_news instead.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { port, congestion_level, avg_waiting_hours, berth_occupancy_pct, vessel_count, trend, period_days }.

Get shipping disruption news aggregated from 7 trade press sources — with port tagging and severity classification. Covers Hormuz Strait, Red Sea/Houthi, Suez Canal, Bab el-Mandeb, port congestion, and weather events.

Use this for situational awareness — answers "are there any active disruptions affecting my route?" For quantitative port congestion metrics (waiting times, berth occupancy), use shippingrates_congestion instead. For route-level risk scoring, use shippingrates_risk_score.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { headline, source, published_at, severity, affected_ports[], chokepoint, summary }.

Calculate demurrage and detention (D&D) costs for one carrier in one country.

Use this when the user needs a detailed cost breakdown for a specific carrier. Returns free days, per-diem rates for each tariff slab, and total cost. This is the core tool for logistics cost analysis — it answers "how much will I pay if my container is detained X days?"

To compare D&D costs across all carriers at once, use shippingrates_dd_compare instead.

By default this returns carrier detention/demurrage. Pass charge_type="storage" to instead get TERMINAL port storage — a distinct charge billed by the terminal, not the carrier, and never mixed into the default D&D answer. Storage coverage is thin — only a handful of carrier/country lanes have it. Any uncovered combo returns an explicit 'no data' error (never a false $0), and that error names the lanes that ARE covered, derived live from the database rather than from a hardcoded list that would go stale.

PAID: $0.10/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { line, country, container_type, days, free_days, breakdown, total_cost, currency, charge_type_served, charge_family: 'carrier_dd'|'terminal_storage' }

Compare demurrage and detention costs across ALL available carriers for the same country, container type, and detention days.

Use this for freight procurement and carrier selection — it answers "which carrier has the cheapest D&D in this country?" Returns a side-by-side comparison with each carrier's free days, slab rates, and total cost sorted cheapest first.

For a single carrier's detailed D&D breakdown, use shippingrates_dd_calculate instead.

PAID: $0.25/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { line, free_days, total_cost, currency, slabs } for each available carrier, sorted by total_cost ascending.

Given a container's carrier, country, container type and ARRIVAL DATE, report how many free days remain, the first chargeable day, the per-diem once charging starts, cost accrued so far, and a forward cost projection.

Use this to answer "how long until this container starts costing demurrage, and how much per day?" — the proactive companion to shippingrates_dd_calculate (which answers a fixed number of days). Same underlying tariff engine, so the numbers agree.

The free-time clock starts at the carrier-defined event (port discharge or ICD rail arrival) — the arrival_date is taken as supplied, not carrier-confirmed (data_basis = user_supplied_arrival).

Pass charge_type="storage" for a TERMINAL storage countdown instead of carrier D&D (thin coverage — see charge_type param). The response's charge_family field ('carrier_dd' | 'terminal_storage') always discloses which one answered the request.

PAID: $0.10/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { free_days_total, days_elapsed, free_days_remaining, free_time_ends_on, status, accrued_cost, current_daily_rate, currency, forecast[] }

Search India's Inland Container Depot (ICD) and Container Freight Station (CFS) facility directory — GPS coordinates, rail connectivity, operator details, and capacity.

Use this to find facilities near an inland destination in India, or to check if a specific ICD/CFS has rail connectivity. Useful for inland logistics planning in combination with shippingrates_inland_haulage.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { code, name, type, state, city, lat, lon, operator, rail_connected, capacity }.

Get current exchange rate between two currencies — useful for converting shipping costs quoted in different currencies (USD, EUR, INR, AED, SGD, CNY, etc.).

Use this to normalize costs from different carriers/countries to a common currency for comparison. Rates are updated daily.

FREE — no payment required.

Returns: { from, to, rate, timestamp }

Compare inland haulage rates across ALL available carriers for a port-to-ICD/city pair — sorted cheapest first.

Use this for carrier selection on inland legs — answers "which carrier offers the cheapest trucking/rail from port X to city Y?" For a single carrier's rates, use shippingrates_inland_haulage instead. To discover what routes exist, use shippingrates_inland_search first.

Ramp (ICD/CFS pickup) and door delivery rates are never mixed in one comparison — delivery_mode defaults to 'ramp'. Set delivery_mode='door' to compare door-delivery rates instead.

PAID: $0.08/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { carrier, mode, container_type, rate, currency, transit_days, weight_bracket, delivery_mode, icd_code } sorted by rate ascending.

Get inland haulage (trucking/rail) rates for moving containers between a port and an inland location.

Use this when you know the specific origin port and destination and need rate quotes. Returns route-specific rates by container type including base rate, fuel surcharges, and estimated transit times.

To discover what routes exist first, use shippingrates_inland_search. To compare rates across all carriers for the same route, use shippingrates_inland_compare.

PAID: $0.05/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { carrier, origin, destination, container_type, rate, fuel_surcharge, total, currency, transit_days, mode, delivery_mode, icd_code }.

Search for available inland transport routes (road/rail haulage) from port to inland destinations for a specific carrier.

Use this to discover what haulage routes a carrier offers in a country. For example, search "ahmedabad" to find routes from Nhava Sheva to Ahmedabad via Maersk. Returns route options with ICD/CFS codes and available container types.

For actual haulage rate quotes, use shippingrates_inland_haulage. For cross-carrier rate comparison, use shippingrates_inland_compare.

PAID: $0.03/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { origin, destination, mode, container_types, icd_code } matching the search criteria.

List all shipping lines in the ShippingRates database with per-country record counts.

Use this to discover which carriers and countries have data before querying specific tools. Returns each carrier's name, slug, SCAC code, and a breakdown of available D&D tariff and local charge records per country.

FREE — no payment required.

Returns: Array of { line, slug, scac, countries: [{ code, name, dd_records, lc_records }] }

Related tools: Use shippingrates_stats for aggregate totals, shippingrates_search for keyword-based discovery.

Get local charges at a port for a specific carrier — Terminal Handling Charges (THC), documentation fees (BL/DO), seal fees, and other port-specific charges.

Use this when calculating total shipping costs at origin or destination. Combine with shippingrates_dd_calculate for a complete port cost picture, or use shippingrates_total_cost for an all-in-one landed cost estimate.

PAID: $0.05/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { charge_type, charge_name, amount, currency, container_type, direction } for all applicable charges at the port.

Look up port details by UN/LOCODE — name, country, coordinates, timezone, and terminal facilities.

Use this to validate port codes or get port metadata. If you don't know the UN/LOCODE, use shippingrates_search with the port or city name first.

PAID: $0.01/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { port_code, port_name, country, country_code, lat, lon, timezone, facilities }

Get ocean freight rates between two ports, optionally filtered by container type.

Use this to compare base freight costs across carriers for a specific trade lane. Returns current spot rates and contract rate indicators with trend data. For a complete cost picture including surcharges and local charges, use shippingrates_total_cost instead.

PAID: $0.03/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { carrier, origin, destination, container_type, rate, currency, effective_date, trend }.

Get recent shipping regulatory updates and compliance requirements for a specific country — customs regulations, documentation requirements, trade restrictions, and policy changes.

Use this to stay current on regulatory changes that may affect shipments to/from a country.

PAID: $0.01/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { title, description, effective_date, impact_level, category, country }.

Get schedule reliability metrics for a carrier — on-time performance percentage, average delay in days, and sample size.

Use this for carrier selection and benchmarking — answers "how reliable is this carrier on this trade lane?" On-time is defined as arriving within ±1 day of scheduled ETA (industry standard per Sea-Intelligence).

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { line, trade_lane, on_time_pct, avg_delay_days, sample_size, period }.

Get a composite risk score (0-100) for a shipping route — combines port congestion, active disruption news, and chokepoint impact analysis (Hormuz, Suez, Bab el-Mandeb, Panama Canal).

Use this for route risk screening — answers "how risky is this trade lane right now?" Scores above 70 indicate elevated risk. For detailed congestion metrics, use shippingrates_congestion. For news detail, use shippingrates_congestion_news.

PAID: $0.10/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { origin, destination, risk_score, risk_level, congestion_factor, disruption_factor, chokepoints_affected[], recommendation }.

Search the ShippingRates database by keyword — matches against carrier names, port names, country names, and charge types.

Use this for exploratory queries when you don't know exact codes. For example, search "mumbai" to find port codes, or "hapag" to find Hapag-Lloyd data coverage. Returns matching trade lanes, local charges, and shipping line information.

FREE — no payment required.

Returns: { trade_lanes: [...], local_charges: [...], lines: [...] } matching the keyword.

Related tools: Use shippingrates_port for structured port lookup by UN/LOCODE, shippingrates_lines for full carrier listing.

Get current statistics for the ShippingRates shipping intelligence database.

Use this as a starting point to understand what data is available before calling other tools. Returns record counts for D&D tariffs, local charges, transit schedules, freight rates, surcharges, ports, shipping lines, countries, and the last data refresh timestamp.

FREE — no payment required.

Returns: { tariff_records, ports, transit_schedules, freight_rates, local_charges, shipping_lines, countries, last_scrape (ISO datetime) }

Related tools: Use shippingrates_lines for per-carrier breakdowns, shippingrates_search for keyword discovery.

Get carrier-specific surcharges — BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor), CAF (Currency Adjustment Factor), PSS (Peak Season Surcharge), EBS (Emergency Bunker Surcharge), and more.

Use this to understand surcharge exposure for a carrier in a specific country/direction. These are charges added on top of base freight rates. For a complete cost breakdown, use shippingrates_total_cost which includes surcharges automatically.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { surcharge_type, surcharge_name, amount, currency, per_unit, effective_from, effective_to, direction }.

Calculate the full landed cost of shipping a container — combines freight rates, surcharges, local charges (origin + destination), demurrage/detention estimates, and transit time into one comprehensive estimate.

This is the most comprehensive tool — a single call replaces 5-6 individual queries. Use this when the user needs an all-in cost estimate for a specific shipment. For individual cost components, use the dedicated tools: shippingrates_rates (freight), shippingrates_surcharges, shippingrates_local_charges, shippingrates_dd_calculate (detention).

PAID: $0.15/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { components: { freight: { amount, currency, basis, verified }, origin_local_charges / destination_local_charges: { port, items: [{ charge, amount, currency, charge_type ('mandatory'|'additional'), charge_type_reason? }], total, mandatory_total, additional_total, currency: 'INR', verified }, surcharges: { items, total, verified }, detention_demurrage? }, coverage, data_gaps?, transit_days, total_estimated_cost_usd, total_estimated_cost_inr, totals_basis: 'mandatory_only', total_additional_cost_usd/inr, total_all_inclusive_cost_usd/inr }.

IMPORTANT: the headline total_estimated_cost_* sums MANDATORY charges only (freight, lane surcharges, mandatory local charges, requested D&D). Conditional/if-applicable fees (amendments, penalties, cargo-type surcharges) are excluded from the headline — they are itemized with charge_type='additional' and summed in total_additional_cost_*; total_all_inclusive_cost_* is the sum of both.

Get estimated ocean transit times between two ports across all available carriers.

Use this for quick transit time comparison between ports — answers "how long does it take to ship from A to B?" Returns carrier-specific transit durations, service types, and frequencies.

For detailed routing with transhipment ports and service codes, use shippingrates_transit_schedules instead.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { carrier, transit_days, service_type, frequency, direct_or_transhipment }.

Get detailed transit schedules for a specific carrier — service codes, routing via transhipment ports, transit days, and sailing frequency.

Use this when you need routing details beyond just transit time — e.g., which transhipment ports are used, what service string applies, or weekly frequency. For a quick transit time comparison across all carriers, use shippingrates_transit instead.

PAID: $0.03/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { carrier, service_code, origin, destination, transit_days, transhipment_ports[], frequency, direct }.

Get upcoming vessel arrivals and departures at a specific port.

Use this to check what vessels are expected at a port — useful for booking planning and tracking. Returns vessel names, carriers, ETAs/ETDs, and service routes.

For transit time estimates between two ports, use shippingrates_transit. For detailed service-level routing, use shippingrates_transit_schedules.

PAID: $0.02/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: Array of { vessel_name, carrier, voyage, eta, etd, service, from_port, to_port }.

Get carrier vessel/voyage schedule options between an origin and destination, including operational cutoff deadlines when the carrier source publishes them.

Use this for booking planning questions that need vessel details, voyage number, transshipment ports, ETA/ETD, and port/SI/VGM cutoffs. Missing cutoff fields remain null or absent; ShippingRates does not infer unpublished deadlines.

For port-call monitoring without cutoff details, use shippingrates_vessel_schedule.

PAID: $0.03/call via x402 (USDC on Base or Solana). Without payment, returns 402 with payment instructions.

Returns: { origin, destination, options: Array<{ carrier, vessel_name, vessel_imo, voyage_number, etd, eta, transshipment_ports, cutoffs, source_url }>, coverage }.