A forwarder quotes you a container rate. A buyer asks what the car costs delivered. Turning the first into the second is where most first-time quotes go wrong, usually in the same three places.
Start from the container, not the car
Current 40HQ freight bands from Nansha:
| Destination | 40HQ band |
|---|---|
| Tema, Ghana | $5,000–5,500 |
| Apapa (Lagos), Nigeria | $6,000–6,500 |
A 40HQ takes three passenger cars. So the per-car freight is the container rate divided by three, plus a margin for handling and variance — we apply about 10% and round to the hundred, which puts a car to Tema near $2,000 and a car to Lagos near $2,400.
Mistake one: quoting the container rate as though it were a per-car rate. It is out by a factor of three in the wrong direction.
Mistake two: dividing by three when you are only shipping one car. If the box is not full, one car carries the whole band.
Then remember the freight is taxed
Duty is assessed on CIF — cost, insurance and freight. Your freight bill is inside the taxed amount.
In Nigeria, where combined charges commonly land near 50–70% of CIF, $2,400 of freight can carry roughly $1,200–1,700 of duty attributable to the freight alone. In Ghana at 30–35%, the same freight carries several hundred dollars of duty.
Mistake three: adding freight to the car price and applying duty only to the car. The freight is part of the base.
This is also the quiet argument for filling a container: lower per-car freight reduces the freight bill and the duty assessed on it, in the same movement.
A worked example
A 2024 BYD Atto 3 at $11,111.11 FOB Nansha:
| Ghana (Tema) | Nigeria (Lagos) | |
|---|---|---|
| FOB Nansha | $11,111.11 | $11,111.11 |
| Freight, one of three in a 40HQ | $2,000 | $2,400 |
| Estimated duty and taxes | $4,196 | $7,836 |
| Total landed | $17,307 | $21,347 |
Same car, same month, $4,040 apart. Freight explains only $400 of that gap. The rest is the duty regime.
Now the same exercise on a cheaper car — a 2023 Geely Coolray at $8,888.89 FOB lands near $14,373 in Ghana and $17,837 in Nigeria. The gap narrows to $3,464, because duty is proportional. Every $1,000 cut from FOB saves the $1,000 and the duty on it.
What is not in the freight number
Freight gets the car to the port. These get it to your buyer, and they belong in the quote:
- Marine insurance, which also flows into CIF and therefore into duty
- Terminal handling charges
- Storage or safe-bond rent while the vehicle waits
- Clearing agent fees
- In Ghana, a trade number plate at GH₵154
- Inland transport from port to yard
- Any peak season surcharge in force for your sailing
The PSS deserves particular attention because it arrives as a separate line and can be announced after you have quoted. CMA CGM publishes PSS notices for China to West Africa Central and South ranges. Ask whether one applies to your sailing window before committing to a price.
From October 2026, add certification
Ghana’s incoming requirement adds a per-vehicle cost: a Certificate of Conformance, issued in the country of origin by a GSA-approved third-party inspection body, before shipment.
What that costs per unit and how much time it adds were not settled in the GSA notice. Ask the Vehicle Homologation Unit directly at [email protected] or 030 398 0177 rather than budgeting a guess.
The rule for quoting buyers
Quote a range, state what it excludes, and get your clearing agent’s number before you commit to a price rather than after.
Anyone giving you an exact landed figure for a shipment that has not been filed is estimating. We publish estimates so you can start the arithmetic and know roughly where you stand — the number that counts is the one your agent produces against the actual valuation for your VIN.
Common questions
Q: What is freight per car from China to Ghana? A: Around $2,000 as one of three cars in a 40HQ to Tema, derived from a $5,000–5,500 container band plus handling margin.
Q: Why is Nigeria more expensive overall? A: Freight is about $400 higher per car, and combined import charges commonly run 50–70% of CIF against Ghana’s 30–35%.
Q: Is insurance worth taking? A: Yes. It is inexpensive against what it covers. Declare the value honestly, since it feeds CIF and therefore duty.
Q: Can I get an exact landed cost before shipping? A: A close estimate, yes. An exact figure requires your clearing agent’s assessment against the valuation for that specific vehicle.
