ShippingRates MCP Server

What ShippingRates MCP Server MCP server does

ShippingRates MCP Server MCP server provides structured information for ocean container shipping decisions. Its coverage includes Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, COSCO, ONE, and CMA CGM. The data spans carrier tariffs, port information, inland transport, vessel movements, freight pricing, disruption signals, and route risk.

The server can support both narrow lookups and combined calculations. For example, an agent can inspect a carrier’s detention and demurrage slabs, compare charges at the same port, or request a total landed-cost calculation that combines freight, surcharges, local charges, and D&D. It also includes India-focused facility and inland-rate data.

How it works

The service is available at https://mcp.shippingrates.org/mcp as a remote MCP endpoint. An MCP client sends tool calls to the endpoint, and the server returns structured results for the requested shipping question. The repository’s example uses npx -y mcp-remote to connect the endpoint to a client configuration.

Four tools are free: database statistics, shipping-line listings, cross-data search, and USD-based foreign-exchange rates. The remaining tools use x402 USDC micropayments. For a paid call, the service returns payment instructions, the agent pays with USDC on Base Mainnet or Solana, and the request is retried with an X-PAYMENT header. Prices range from $0.01 to $0.25 per call.

Setup and configuration

Add the remote endpoint to an MCP-compatible client through mcp-remote. A configuration equivalent to the repository example is:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shippingrates": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.shippingrates.org/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

No API key is required for basic MCP access. Paid tool calls require a compatible x402 payment flow and USDC on either supported network. Separately, the API offers a free tier of 25 requests per month through api.shippingrates.org after signup; that API access is distinct from connecting to the MCP endpoint.

Tools and capabilities

ShippingRates MCP Server MCP server exposes 24 tools, including:

• Inspect database freshness, record counts, carrier coverage, and shipping-line country breakdowns.
• Search across ports, carriers, and charges, or look up ports by UN/LOCODE.
• Calculate or compare D&D by carrier, port, container type, and time beyond free days.
• Retrieve local charges, CFS tariffs, inland routes, and trucking or rail rates.
• Query ocean spot rates, carrier surcharges, transit times, service schedules, and vessel ETA/ETD data.
• Review congestion, disruption news, schedule reliability, country-level regulatory updates, facilities, and composite route-risk scores.
• Calculate a full landed cost from freight, surcharges, local charges, and D&D.

The inland haulage dataset covers 12 origins and 72 destinations. CFS tariff coverage listed by the project is for APM Terminals at INMAA and INMUN. Disruption news is aggregated from seven sources.

Limitations and notes

The paid tools are not subscription-free in the sense of unrestricted access: each call is priced individually through x402, with amounts depending on the tool. Basic access does not require an API key, but payment-capable agents need to support the stated USDC flow. Coverage is specific to the carriers, ports, facilities, routes, and data sources represented by the service; the documentation does not claim universal global coverage.

The separate human-facing dashboard and API documentation are available through the project’s listed websites, but they are not required for MCP setup. The project is licensed under MIT.