Air Freight
Air freight cost: the per-kilo bands and what moves them
Air freight cost in 2026: per-kilo bands by weight break, what the tariff covers, lane rates from Asia and Europe to the US, and a worked example.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Max Kershnitskii is Operations Manager at Platton, where he runs the day-to-day movement of import shipments for US businesses: carrier booking at origin in Asia, ocean and air transit, US customs clearance through licensed customs brokers, drayage, and final delivery to the warehouse.
He works directly with importers on the cost and compliance calls that shape a shipment, from HTS classification and Section 301 exposure to demurrage and per-diem control and the documentation that keeps cargo moving. He writes for Platton Insights on the practical side of import logistics, the parts that decide whether a shipment lands on time and on budget.
Platton Insights
Articles by Max Kershnitskii
42 published articles
Air Freight
Air freight transit times: where the days go between door and door
Air freight transit times in 2026: the real door-to-door timeline from China, Vietnam, India, and Europe to the US, and what adds days when it slips.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Air Freight
Air vs ocean freight: the break-even by weight, value, and time
Air vs ocean freight for US importers: the weight and volume break-even, honest door-to-door times, what air fixes, and what stays the same.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Air Freight
Chargeable weight: how air freight decides what you pay for
How air freight chargeable weight works: the divide-by-6,000 formula, worked examples, mode-by-mode divisors, and the rate breakpoints that follow.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Air Freight
Ocean to air restock: flying part of the order to save the season
When a stockout threatens, fly the cover and sail the bulk: the split-shipment playbook, the trigger timing, and how to avoid panic air pricing.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Documentation & Incoterms
Bill of lading vs air waybill: title, release, and liability
Bill of lading vs air waybill: title and negotiability, release at destination, Montreal Convention vs COGSA liability, and which document your freight gets.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Documentation & Incoterms
Bill of lading: what it does, every field, and how cargo gets released
What a bill of lading does, every field on the form, straight vs order vs seaway bill, MBL vs HBL, and what to do when an original goes missing.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Documentation & Incoterms
Certificate of origin: when you need one and who signs it
When a US import needs a certificate of origin, the three formats, the nine USMCA data elements, who certifies, and the mistakes that void preference claims.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Documentation & Incoterms
Commercial invoice: what CBP requires and what mistakes cost
What a commercial invoice must contain under 19 CFR 141.86, how it differs from proforma and customs invoices, and the mistakes that trigger CBP holds.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
Chassis fees: the rented frame under every container
Every chassis fee on a drayage invoice: the daily rental, split and flip fees, tri-axle premiums, and why container frames became a rented commodity.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
Container detention and per-diem: how the clock really runs
How container per-diem days actually accrue, from EIR timestamps to empty return appointments, and the audit checklist for every detention bill.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
Drayage costs by port: what a container move runs in 2026
What drayage costs per container in 2026, the rate bands by distance, and why the same move prices differently across all 15 major US gateways.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
FTL vs LTL: which way your freight rides inland
FTL vs LTL for imported freight: the pallet and weight break-even, how each is priced, where partial truckload fits, and why LTL is not ocean FCL.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
Transloading: moving the cargo out of the container, and why
Transloading explained: the three-containers-into-two-trailers math, when moving cargo out of the box saves money, and when it just adds handling.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Trucking & Drayage
What is drayage? The short haul that decides your import timeline
Drayage explained for US importers: what the short haul covers, the six job types, who may pull your container, weight limits, and what a quote contains.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Country of origin and USMCA rules of origin explained
Country of origin explained for US importers: substantial transformation, why origin drives duty and Section 301, marking rules, and USMCA rules of origin.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Continuous vs single-entry customs bond: which one you need
Customs bond explained: what it is, continuous vs single-entry, how the bond amount is calculated, what each costs, and which one a US importer needs.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
How US import customs clearance works
US import customs clearance explained: the step-by-step process, who is involved, the documents and fees, how long it takes, and what happens on a hold or exam.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Customs hold or exam: why it happens and what to do
Customs hold and exam explained: why CBP holds a shipment, the types of exams, how long they take, what they cost, and how to get your cargo released faster.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Duty drawback: how to recover duties you already paid
Duty drawback explained: how US importers recover up to 99% of duties, Section 301, and fees on re-exported goods, plus the four types and the 5-year window.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
HTS and HS codes: how to classify your imports
HTS and HS codes explained for US importers: HS vs HTS vs Schedule B, how the code is structured, how to find yours, and why classification sets your duty rate.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
ISF filing (10+2) and the $5,000 penalty explained
ISF filing explained: the Importer Security Filing 10+2 data elements, the 24-hour deadline, the $5,000 penalty, who files it, and how to avoid it.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Schedule B number explained: what it is and when you need one
Schedule B number explained: what it is, how it differs from an HTS code and an ECCN, when you need one, and how to find your product's Schedule B number.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Section 301 tariffs on China: how they work and how to manage them
Section 301 tariffs explained: what they are, the China Lists 1 to 4 and rates, how they differ from IEEPA and Section 232, and how to reduce exposure.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Section 321 and the de minimis exemption: what changed and what it means now
De minimis and Section 321 explained: the $800 duty-free threshold, how it worked, what changed in 2025 and 2026, and what importers do now.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
Container types and sizes: dimensions, capacity, and payload
Shipping container types and sizes for importers: 20ft, 40ft, and high cube dimensions, capacity and payload, special formats, and the US road-weight limit.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
Demurrage vs detention vs per-diem: which clock is costing you
Demurrage, detention, and per-diem explained: which clock is which, typical free time and daily rates, the FMC billing rule, and how importers stop the charges.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
FCL vs LCL: how to choose, with the CBM break-even
FCL vs LCL for US importers: the cost stack line by line, the 13 to 15 CBM break-even, transit and handling differences, and when each mode wins.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
Ocean freight rates and surcharges: what you are actually paying for
Ocean freight rates explained: what the base rate covers, every surcharge from BAF to GRI one by one, why rates move, and seven ways to cut the cost.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
Ocean transit times from China to US ports
Shipping time from China to every major US port: direct and all-water ranges, origin-port differences, transshipment, seasonality, and the door-to-door math.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Ocean Freight
What is CBM in shipping and how to calculate it
CBM explained for importers: the cubic meter formula with worked examples, a full conversion reference, CBM to KG chargeable weight, and container capacities.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
Do you need cargo insurance? The COGSA $500-per-package limit explained
Do you need cargo insurance for imports? Why the carrier's COGSA $500-per-package limit leaves you exposed, what a policy covers, the ICC types, and the cost.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
CIF Incoterm explained: what Cost, Insurance and Freight means for US importers
CIF Incoterm explained for US importers: what Cost, Insurance and Freight covers, where risk transfers, why the insurance is thin, and CIF vs FOB and CFR.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
FOB vs EXW: which Incoterm should a US importer buy on
FOB vs EXW for US importers: who clears export, who pays freight, where risk transfers, why EXW looks cheaper but rarely is, and which Incoterm to buy on.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
How to import from China to the USA: a step-by-step guide for 2026
How to import from China to the USA step by step: supplier terms, Incoterms, freight, customs, duty and Section 301, and the 2026 de minimis change.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
Supplier document validation: getting the paperwork right before you ship
Supplier document validation for US importers: the documents an import needs, and why a completeness and consistency check keeps cargo out of a customs hold.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
FOB meaning in shipping: shipping point vs destination explained
FOB meaning in shipping: Incoterms FOB for imports, FOB shipping point vs destination, who pays freight, what a FOB price includes, and the costly mix-ups.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
Freight forwarder vs customs broker vs 3PL vs NVOCC
Freight forwarder vs customs broker vs 3PL vs NVOCC for US importers: who is licensed for what, who is liable, and which one your import actually needs.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
Incoterms 2020 explained: all 11 rules and which to buy on
All 11 Incoterms 2020 rules for US importers: who pays what, where risk transfers, which term to buy on, plus a full chart and the 2010-to-2020 changes.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
Landed cost: formula, full breakdown, and a real example
Landed cost for US importers: the formula, every component, two worked per-unit examples, the 2026 duty changes, and the fees that wreck estimates.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Freight Forwarding
What is a freight forwarder and what do they do for US importers
What a freight forwarder does for US importers, what one charges, how long shipping takes, and how to verify an FMC license before you book.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide
Customs
Mitigating tariff impacts with bonded warehouses and foreign trade zones
How US importers use bonded warehouses and foreign-trade zones to defer or cut import duty, which duty rate applies at withdrawal, and when each tool fits.
By Max KershnitskiiRead guide