A practical, per‑kilogram budgeting method for Indonesian vegetable shippers to calculate 2026 reefer surcharges—covering plug‑in power, monitoring, PTI, genset, LSS/BAF, PSS, terminal power, and reefer D&D—with a worked 40RH example ex‑Tanjung Priok.
If you ship vegetables out of Indonesia, you’ve probably felt that “Where did that extra $600 come from?” moment. We’ve been there too. Reefer surcharges aren’t glamorous, but they make or break margins. In this 2026 guide, we’ll show you how we budget surcharges per kilogram, lane by lane, so your quotes are sharp without risking product quality.
We’re writing as the Indonesia‑Vegetables Team. We move fresh lines like Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri), Tomatoes, Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce), and Red Radish weekly. The numbers below reflect what we’ve seen across Jakarta (Tanjung Priok) and Surabaya (Tanjung Perak) this year. Use them as planning ranges, then confirm with your forwarder and shipping line.
What counts as a reefer surcharge in 2026?
We’re not talking about base ocean freight, customs, insurance, or non‑reefer cargo. This is the reefer‑specific stack most shippers face:
- Plug‑in electricity at terminal or depot
- Reefer monitoring at terminal
- PTI (pre‑trip inspection)
- Genset for truck drayage
- LSS/BAF (low sulfur fuel and bunker adjustments)
- PSS (peak season surcharge, if applied)
- Terminal power and storage after free time
- Reefer detention and demurrage (D&D)
- Cold treatment (rare for vegetables, but we’ll cover it)
Here’s the thing. Each line publishes slightly different tariff names and buckets. Don’t chase labels. Focus on the function and who bills it.
Typical 2026 ranges we’re seeing in Indonesia
The reality is these are ballpark. They vary by line, port, season, and even by day when terminals are tight. But they’re a reliable starting point for budgeting.
What is a reefer plug‑in fee in Indonesia and how is it billed?
Plug‑in is the electricity to power your container while it waits. You’ll see it billed per day at the terminal or depot. In 2026 we’re seeing:
- Tanjung Priok: USD 25–40 per day per box
- Tanjung Perak (Surabaya): USD 20–35 per day per box Billed from the first plug‑in hour. It’s usually charged even if you’re still within storage free time. Monitoring is separate.
How much should I budget for reefer monitoring per day at Tanjung Priok in 2026?
Monitoring covers temperature checks, alarms, and status logs. Typical ranges:
- Tanjung Priok: USD 10–20 per day
- Tanjung Perak: USD 8–15 per day Some lines combine electricity and monitoring. Ask for the split so you can compare apples to apples across quotes.
PTI: Is it mandatory and what’s the 2026 cost?
PTI (pre‑trip inspection) is a basic health check on the reefer unit. It’s effectively mandatory if you want the line to accept your box without dispute.
- Indonesia export PTI: USD 40–80 per container If you pre‑cool produce like Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce) or Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri), keep your PTI record handy. It speeds up claims if there’s an issue later.
Do I need a genset for drayage and what does it cost in Jakarta?
If the reefer must stay cold door‑to‑door on the truck, you need a genset. In Jakarta, traffic and port queues make it risky to skip.
- Genset rental for Jakarta drayage: USD 60–100 per trip
- Fuel and standby: often an extra USD 15–40, depending on time
For short depot‑to‑CY runs with rapid gate‑in, some shippers go without. We don’t recommend that for sensitive lines like Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce). You’re one traffic jam away from a warm box.
LSS/BAF and PSS on reefer containers in 2026
Fuel‑linked charges have crept up since late 2025 with VLSFO price volatility. In Q1–Q2 2026 we’ve seen:
- Short haul (Indonesia–Singapore/Malaysia): 40RH BAF/LSS around USD 120–220
- Intra‑Asia mid‑haul: 40RH BAF/LSS around USD 250–450
- To Middle East/EU/USWC: 40RH BAF/LSS ranges widely from USD 700 to 2,000 Peak season surcharge (PSS) appears intermittently on reefer. Budget USD 100–300 per container when capacity tightens.
Cold treatment surcharge: do vegetables need it?
Most Indonesian vegetables don’t require cold treatment. It’s more common on fruit. When it’s mandated by the buyer or a national protocol, expect:
- In‑transit cold treatment surcharge: USD 900–1,500
- Data loggers and certification: USD 50–150 If your buyer in the USA mentions cold treatment for vegetables, clarify the HS code and protocol. Often an alternative like irradiation or inspection exists that’s more practical.
Reefer detention, demurrage, and free time rules in 2026
Export free time for reefers keeps tightening. What we’re seeing most often:
- Export demurrage (container in terminal): 2–3 days free, then USD 80–150/day for days 1–5 and USD 150–250/day after
- Export detention (container outside terminal): 3–5 days free, then USD 50–120/day rising afterward Electricity and monitoring usually bill from day 1 regardless of storage free time. Confirm the exact matrix with your line.
Step‑by‑step: convert surcharges to a per‑kilogram cost
We’ve found the cleanest way to compare quotes is to push every surcharge down to a per‑kg number.
- Pick your realistic net weight.
- 40RH with heavier veg like Tomatoes or Red Radish: 18–22 metric tons net
- 40RH with leafy veg like Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce): 14–18 metric tons net
- List all reefer surcharges expected for the lane.
- PTI
- Electricity days x rate
- Monitoring days x rate
- Genset and fuel
- BAF/LSS, PSS
- Any expected D&D risk days
-
Sum them to a container total.
-
Divide by net kg for a per‑kg figure. That’s your “reefer overhead” to add to base freight when building a CIF model.
Need a lane‑specific calculator you can plug into quotes? We’re happy to share our template and run your numbers together. Contact us on whatsapp.
Worked example: 40RH ex‑Tanjung Priok to Singapore (2026)
Assumptions
- Commodity: fresh Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri)
- Setpoint: 5°C, vent 15–20%
- Net weight: 19,000 kg
- CY dwell: 2 days before vessel cut‑off
Surcharges
- PTI: USD 65
- Electricity: 2 days x USD 30 = USD 60
- Monitoring: 2 days x USD 12 = USD 24
- Genset + fuel for drayage: USD 95
- BAF/LSS short haul: USD 180
- PSS: USD 0 this week (budget USD 100 in peak months)
- D&D: USD 0 (we return within free time)
Container total: 65 + 60 + 24 + 95 + 180 = USD 424
Per‑kg reefer overhead: 424 / 19,000 = USD 0.0223 per kg
If you switch to leafy Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce) at 16,000 kg net, the same 424 becomes USD 0.0265 per kg. This is why product density and packing efficiency matter so much when you price CIF.
20RH vs 40RH: does the surcharge stack change?
- PTI: roughly the same for 20RH and 40RH
- Electricity and monitoring: the same daily rates per box
- Genset: the same per trip
- BAF/LSS: can be per TEU or per container. Many lines scale it with size. Expect 40RH to be 1.5–2x a 20RH on fuel‑linked charges. Net result. Per‑kg costs tend to be lower on a 40RH because you spread similar fixed fees over more kilograms, provided your product can safely cube out.
Why do reefer surcharges vary by shipping line and route?
Three reasons drive the spread:
- Equipment positioning. Indonesia sometimes runs hot or cold on 40RH availability. Repositioning costs get baked into surcharges.
- Terminal contracts. Each line negotiates different electricity and monitoring terms with terminals and depots.
- Fuel and capacity swings. In the last 6 months, we’ve seen fuel adjustment formulas tick up and occasional PSS spikes when yards get tight. Always compare total landed surcharges, not individual line items, when choosing a carrier.
Common mistakes we still see (and how to avoid them)
- Counting free time as free power. Storage free time rarely includes electricity. Budget plug‑in from day 1.
- Underestimating Jakarta drayage. Genset hours creep when gates are congested. Add a buffer, especially on Friday afternoons.
- Ignoring net weight reality. Pricing a leafy load using tomato densities underquotes by 15–25%. Validate carton counts and pallet patterns.
- No contingency for PSS. If you quote harvest‑season lanes without a PSS placeholder, you’ll eat the difference.
How can I reduce reefer surcharges without risking quality?
- Move fast through the terminal. Book earlier windows. Aim for 0–1 CY day dwell. That alone can trim USD 35–60 per day in Priok.
- Pre‑cool the product and the container. Faster temperature pull‑down means fewer alarms and less tinkering at the terminal.
- Consolidate to 40RH when possible. Spreading fixed PTI, genset, and admin over more kg usually wins.
- Use reliable setpoints. For cucumbers and tomatoes, 7–12°C setpoints are common. For romaine, 0–4°C. Wrong setpoints trigger alarms and extra handling.
Surabaya specifics: terminal power and storage
We like Surabaya for East Java loads because power/monitoring is often a few dollars cheaper per day than Priok. But free time can be shorter on some lines. Double‑check:
- Electricity: USD 20–35/day
- Monitoring: USD 8–15/day
- Free time: sometimes 2 days demurrage only, with detention strict outside What’s interesting is a one‑day delay can erase the savings. Keep your trucker, depot, and SI timing tight.
Quick answers to the most common questions
- How do I convert surcharges into a per‑kg cost? Sum all reefer surcharges for the box and divide by realistic net kg. Keep a different profile by SKU group.
- Are cold treatment and PTI charges mandatory for Indonesian vegetable exports? PTI is effectively mandatory. Cold treatment is rare for vegetables and only required if your buyer or the destination authority mandates a specific protocol.
If you’d like to compare our typical carton counts, weights, and pack specs to refine your net‑kg assumptions, you can also View our products for quick reference.
Bottom line. Get your per‑kg reefer overhead right, and you’ll quote with confidence. In our experience, shippers who model electricity from day 1, add a small genset buffer, and carry a seasonal PSS placeholder avoid 90% of surprise costs. And that’s the difference between a smooth season and a margin headache.