Freight RFQ leakage
Freight is not a back-office line item on a physical desk — it moves voyage economics. Leakage happens before the charter party is signed, when RFQs run on email without a clean comparison or award file.
Three leakage points
- Normalization gap — brokers quote different demurrage, laytime, and bonuses; the lowest headline rate is not always the lowest true cost.
- Bid signalling — on tight panels, informal visibility narrows spreads.
- Timing — slow awards misalign laycan and cargo windows; demurrage follows.
Broker offer comparison · RFQ benchmarking · Closed-bid tendering
Find leakage in your brokered freight RFQs
Walk through one recent brokered RFQ: comparison, benchmark gap, timing, and award evidence.
FAQ
What is freight RFQ leakage?
Margin lost in pre-fixture procurement: uncompetitive spreads, slow awards, or award files that finance cannot defend. Common on email-heavy desks.
Where does rate leakage show up?
Unstructured offers (different demurrage and laytime terms), weak bid isolation on tight panels, and no index reference beside quotes before award.
How do you reduce leakage?
Structured RFQ, sealed bids, side-by-side normalization, benchmark check, and a written award rationale with timestamps.