Honduras Container Calculator: From $864, 2026 Rates

Quick Answer: A 20-foot container to Puerto Cortés starts at $864 from Houston and $1,674 from Miami, port to port. A 40-foot high cube runs $972 from Houston and $2,081 from Miami. Ocean transit is 3 days from Houston, 17 from New Jersey, 21 from Miami. The calculator on this page prices your exact origin.

Every rate on this page comes from our live quoting system as of September 2026, not from a market index. The calculadora contenedor Honduras embedded below prices your exact origin ZIP, container size and commodity in seconds.

What is a container calculator and how does it work?

Quick Answer: A container calculator is a pricing tool that turns your cargo details into a real freight number. You enter origin, destination, container size or cubic meters, and commodity. It returns an ocean freight rate and transit time in seconds. The one on this page is pre-set for Honduras lanes.

The inputs are simple. You give the tool your origin ZIP code or city, the destination port, the container type or your total CBM, gross weight and the commodity. The output is a rate in USD plus the port-to-port transit days.

No email gate. No sales call before you see a number. The calculadora contenedor Honduras on this page is already configured for Puerto Cortés as the default destination.

What the calculator prices automatically

It auto-prices port-to-port FCL and LCL ocean freight from any origin in the USA or Canada to Honduras. That covers 20' DV, 40' DV, 40' HC and consolidated LCL shipments measured in cubic meters.

• FCL ocean freight — 20', 40' and 40' high cube to Puerto Cortés
• LCL consolidated freight priced per CBM or per revenue ton
• Port-to-port transit days for the gateway that serves your region
• General cargo commodities with standard packaging

What comes back as a custom quote instead

Some cargo cannot be auto-priced honestly. For those, the same form at #quote-calc switches to a custom quote request and a specialist replies with a firm number.

• RoRo vehicle shipping and flat-rack loads
• Air freight to Palmerola or Ramón Villeda Morales
• Destination charges and door-to-door delivery inside Honduras
• Dangerous goods, reefer cargo and oversized machinery

Which US or Canadian gateway serves your region?

Your gateway drives both price and transit time on this lane. Florida ships through PortMiami. Texas and the central states move through Port Houston, which is the fastest and cheapest door into Honduras.

California and the Southwest route through Los Angeles/Long Beach. The Northeast uses Port of New York and New Jersey. The Southeast goes through Savannah, the Midwest moves by rail via Chicago, Ontario ships through Toronto and Western Canada through Vancouver.

How much does it cost to ship a container from the United States to Honduras?

Quick Answer: Port to port to Puerto Cortés, a 20-foot container costs from $864 out of Houston and $1,674 out of Miami. A 40-foot high cube costs from $972 out of Houston and $2,081 out of Miami. Those figures cover ocean freight only; Honduran duties and inland delivery are separate.

These are live quoting-system rates from September 2026 for general cargo. They answer the question cuánto cuesta enviar un contenedor de Estados Unidos a Honduras on a port-to-port basis.

FCL

Houston(USHOU)

→

Puerto Cortés(HNPCR)

from USD $864

FCL

Miami(USMIA)

→

Puerto Cortés(HNPCR)

from USD $1,674

Why Houston beats Miami on this lane

Gulf sailings to Puerto Cortés are short and frequent. A vessel leaving Port Houston reaches the Honduran Caribbean coast in 3 days. Carriers run dense weekly services on that loop and price aggressively to keep the boxes moving.

Miami service to Honduras often routes with additional port calls or transshipment, which is why 21 days is normal there. Shorter ocean time also means less working capital tied up in inventory.

What "port to port" actually includes

Port to port means the shipper delivers the loaded container to the origin terminal. The consignee collects it at Puerto Cortés. Nothing else is inside that price.

• Not included: origin trucking to the terminal
• Not included: destination handling (THC) at Puerto Cortés
• Not included: DUCA clearance, DAI and ISV
• Not included: drayage to San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa

If you are quoting more than one Latin American market this season, compare against our Container Calculator Ecuador: FCL Rates 2026 to see how lane economics shift between the Caribbean and the Pacific coast.

Which Incoterm does your quote include?

Incoterms 2020 decide who pays for each leg. That matters twice: once for your freight bill, and again for your Honduran duty base.

FOB origin is the cleanest basis for this calculator. The rate you see is exactly the leg you are buying — nothing hidden, nothing assumed about the destination side.

One more point that costs importers money: Honduran customs values duty on the CIF value, meaning goods plus freight plus insurance. A higher freight bill raises your tax bill. That is another argument for the Houston gateway.

How many cubic meters fit in a 20-foot container?

Quick Answer: A 20-foot dry container holds about 33.2 CBM of usable space, with internal dimensions near 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 meters. A 40-foot dry holds about 67.7 CBM, a 40' high cube 76.4 CBM, and a 45' high cube about 86 CBM. Payload limits often bite before volume does.

Plan for 85-90% of nominal capacity

Nominal CBM is a geometry number. Real loading never hits it. Pallet footprints, dunnage, airbags and stacking limits eat space.

Use 85-90% of nominal volume in your planning. A 20' DV realistically takes 28-30 CBM of palletized cargo. A 40' HC takes about 65-69 CBM.

How many pallets fit in a 40-foot container?

About 20-21 standard 48×40 pallets fit on the floor of a 40' DV or 40' HC in a single tier. Euro pallets (120×80 cm) give you 24-25. A 20' DV takes 10 standard or 11 euro pallets.

The high cube adds height, not floor space. You get the same pallet count as a 40' DV, but you can double-stack taller cartons — which is exactly why the 40' HC at $972 from Houston is the value pick for light, bulky freight.

Need the full spec sheet including open top, flat rack and reefer variants? See our FCL Container Sizes and Capacities: Complete Guide for Exporters 2026.

How do you calculate CBM for a shipment to Honduras?

Quick Answer: CBM equals length × width × height in meters, multiplied by the number of pieces. A carton of 1.20 × 0.80 × 1.00 m is 0.96 CBM; twelve of them are 11.52 CBM. For inches, divide the cubic inches by 61,024. Chargeable weight compares that volume against actual weight.

What is CBM in international logistics?

CBM (cubic meter, metro cúbico) is the volume unit every ocean and air quote is built on. One CBM equals a cube one meter on each side, or about 35.3 cubic feet.

LCL freight is priced per CBM or per 1,000 kg, whichever is higher. That is the W/M rule — weight or measurement, also called a revenue ton. Dense cargo pays on weight; bulky cargo pays on volume.

The calculator takes your CBM and does one of two things. Under the break-even, it returns an LCL price per cubic meter. Over it, it returns the smallest container that fits your load.

Worked example in meters

1. Measure one pallet including the pallet base: 1.20 m long × 1.00 m wide × 1.45 m high.
2. Multiply the three dimensions: 1.20 × 1.00 × 1.45 = 1.74 CBM per pallet.
3. Scale by piece count: 20 pallets × 1.74 = 34.8 CBM total.
4. Match to a container: 34.8 CBM exceeds the 33.2 CBM of a 20' DV. You need a 40' DV or 40' HC.

That single calculation changes your quote from a 20' to a 40' HC. From Houston that is $864 versus $972 — only $108 more for double the space.

Worked example in inches and pounds

1. Measure the crate: 96 in × 48 in × 42 in.
2. Multiply: 96 × 48 × 42 = 193,536 cubic inches.
3. Divide by 61,024 to get cubic meters: 193,536 ÷ 61,024 = 3.17 CBM.
4. Convert weight: pounds ÷ 2.2046 = kilograms. A 2,800 lb crate is 1,270 kg.

What is chargeable weight?

Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight. That is the figure the carrier bills you on — not the one on your scale.

When is LCL better than a full container to Honduras?

Quick Answer: LCL usually wins below roughly 13-15 CBM on US-to-Honduras lanes. Above that, a 20-foot container is cheaper per cubic meter and far faster to clear. LCL adds consolidation, deconsolidation and CFS handling at destination, which raises per-CBM cost and adds days at Puerto Cortés.

Why the Honduras break-even sits above 10 CBM

The classic industry rule puts the FCL crossover near 10 CBM. On this lane it sits higher — around 13-15 CBM. Two things push it there.

First, the 20' rate from Houston is unusually low at $864. Spread over 30 usable CBM, that is under $30 per cubic meter. Second, LCL to Honduras carries destination CFS handling that many importers underestimate.

For the full cost model behind the threshold, read USA-Latin America FCL vs LCL: The 10 CBM Breakpoint.

Which Honduran ports and airports receive your container?

Quick Answer: Puerto Cortés, operated by OPC, handles the large majority of Honduran container volume and is the default destination in the calculator. Puerto Castilla serves the northeast, San Lorenzo (Henecán) serves the Pacific side, and Roatán handles island cargo. Air cargo clears at Palmerola and Ramón Villeda Morales.

Puerto Cortés (HNPCR) — the default gateway

Puerto Cortés sits on the Caribbean coast and is the deepest, best-equipped port in Central America's northern triangle. It runs gantry cranes, scanning equipment and weekly direct services from Houston, Miami and New Jersey.

Asian and European cargo reaches it through transshipment at Caucedo, Kingston or Colón. Roughly nine of every ten containerized imports into Honduras land here.

The secondary ports and when they make sense

• Puerto Castilla: serves the northeast and the Trujillo region. Thinner sailing frequency, so expect a higher per-container rate.
• San Lorenzo (Henecán): the Pacific option on the Gulf of Fonseca. Useful for cargo coming from Asia without a Panama Canal transit.
• Roatán: island cargo, usually fed from Puerto Cortés by barge or small feeder.
• Palmerola (XPL) and Ramón Villeda Morales (SAP): air cargo clearance points for urgent freight.

Transit times to Puerto Cortés by lane

Non-US transit ranges are carrier schedule references. ABGS prices and guarantees the US and Canada origins through the calculator.

The inland leg from Puerto Cortés

Puerto Cortés to San Pedro Sula is about 60 km — the standard drayage run for distribution warehouses. Tegucigalpa is roughly 250-260 km, a full day round trip for a tractor-trailer. Both are quoted separately as drayage or FTL.

What taxes do you pay on a container arriving in Honduras?

Quick Answer: Honduras charges DAI (import duty) of roughly 0-15% on most goods under the CAUCA tariff, plus ISV of 15% on the duty-paid value. Selected goods carry ISC. All of it is calculated on the CIF value, not on the freight alone. Rates depend on the HS code.

The landed cost formula

Your true landed cost is not the freight rate. Build it like this:

CIF (goods + freight + insurance) + DAI + ISV 15% + tasas aduaneras + THC at Puerto Cortés + drayage = landed cost.

Worked example with the math visible

Assume a 40' HC of general merchandise from Houston, with a 10% DAI tariff line.

This is an illustration of the math, not a quoted charge. Your actual DAI depends entirely on your HS classification.

Your HS code drives everything

A misclassified tariff line can double your DAI. It can also trigger a valuation dispute that holds the container while demurrage runs.

US-origin goods often qualify for zero or reduced DAI under CAFTA-DR. You need a valid Certificado de Origen and the goods must meet the rule of origin for that tariff line. Getting this right on a $20,000 shipment can save you the entire $2,122 duty line.

Landed-cost math shifts sharply between countries. Our breakdown for Los Angeles to Chile FCL: 2026 Costs, Docs & Transit shows how different the same cargo looks under another tariff regime.

What documents do you need to ship a container to Honduras?

Quick Answer: You need the Bill of Lading, Factura Comercial, packing list, Certificado de Origen where you claim CAFTA-DR treatment, and a DUCA filed by a licensed Honduran agente aduanero. US exports also require Importer Security Filing rules on the inbound side and EEI/AES filing above $2,500 per HS line.

What is the DUCA?

The DUCA is the Declaración Única Centroamericana — the single customs declaration used across the CAUCA/RECAUCA region. In Honduras it is filed electronically through the national customs system by a licensed broker.

Honduran importers cannot self-file a commercial DUCA. You must contract an agente aduanero. This is the single most common surprise for first-time importers.

The full document checklist

• Bill of Lading (B/L): original set or a telex release. Without release, the line will not hand over the container.
• Factura Comercial: must carry the importer's RTN (Registro Tributario Nacional), full description, unit values and Incoterm.
• Packing list: piece count, gross and net weights, and CBM per package.
• Certificado de Origen: required to claim CAFTA-DR preferential DAI treatment.
• Insurance certificate: needed to support the CIF value declared to customs.
• Special permits: food (SENASA), pharmaceuticals, telecom equipment and chemicals need agency authorization before arrival.

What the US-side shipper owns

The exporter carries real compliance duties too. According to CBP and Census Bureau rules, an EEI filing through AES is required for any HS line valued above $2,500.

• Accurate HS classification on the commercial invoice
• An invoice description that matches the B/L word for word
• Timely AES/EEI filing and a valid ITN before the gate cut-off
• Correct shipper and consignee details, including the Honduran RTN

Personal effects and used household goods follow a different document set and are declared separately. Vehicles need the title and bill of sale — see our Car Shipping to Honduras Calculator: $1,150+ (2026) for that process.

Free time, demurrage and door-to-door FCL delivery in Honduras

Quick Answer: Carriers typically grant 5-7 free days at Puerto Cortés before demurrage starts, with per-diem charges that climb by tier. Detention on the container and chassis runs separately. Door-to-door FCL to San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa bundles the inland leg and is quoted on request, not auto-priced.

The three clocks that cost you money

1. Free time: the 5-7 days the terminal lets your container sit at no charge after discharge.
2. Demurrage: a per-container, per-day charge once free time expires. It escalates by tier — days 8-12 cost less than days 13 and beyond.
3. Detention: charged once the box leaves the port gate and stays out past the allowed return window. Chassis per-diem can run separately.

How to avoid demurrage at Puerto Cortés

Most demurrage bills on this lane come from late document release, not from customs inspection. The container clears fine; the paperwork was slow.

• Have the DUCA prepared and lodged before vessel arrival, not after
• Confirm the telex release with your forwarder the day the vessel sails
• Pre-book drayage for the expected discharge date
• Settle the freight invoice early — unpaid freight blocks cargo release

What door-to-door FCL to Honduras includes

A door-to-door FCL service bundles origin pickup, ocean freight, destination handling, customs coordination with your agente aduanero, and final delivery to your warehouse.

We quote it individually because every leg varies. Origin trucking depends on your ZIP. Destination delivery depends on whether you are in San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, La Ceiba or Choluteca. Submit the request at #quote-calc and a specialist prices it.

With thousands of shipments processed across the USA–Latin America corridor, the pattern is consistent: importers who prepare documents before the vessel sails almost never pay demurrage. The calculator above gives you the freight number in seconds — use it to lock your flete marítimo contenedor 40 pies Honduras and start the document clock early. For RoRo, flat rack, air freight and door-to-door delivery, the same form sends your details to a specialist for a firm custom quote. Run your exact origin ZIP through the calculadora contenedor Honduras now — no email required, no follow-up calls.