If you are thorough with this answer, I will give bonus points on top of the 1 point. One thing I've noticed, the rates change significantly, going up and down. And the transit time can change by as much as 3-4 days depending on whether it is spring or fall or summer. For example, last fall, Shanghai to Los Angeles by sea was only about $2000. For all of these, I selected a 40' standard container. Containers are shipped by ocean, then unloaded from the ships at the port, and then they may be loaded onto trains or semi-tractor trailers for delivery to a warehouse or even directly to a retail establishment. Rates and transit times vary significantly between freight lines even in the same season. This means the container will be a full 40' long container. What factors cause the rates and transit time to change