Two systems, separate jobs
The language model reads the shipment description and turns it into structured fields. It does not invent rates. The deterministic engine then applies the tariff, VAT, freight and local-charge rules to those fields.
If a server-side DeepSeek key is configured, the parser runs remotely and the API key stays on the server. If it is not configured, the browser falls back to an on-device parser. The report labels the parser and the engine version used at calculation time.
What the engine calculates
FOB value → international freight → cargo insurance → CIF planning base → duty → modelled trade measures → VAT/GST → statutory fees → clearance → port handling → inland delivery → documentation. Each line carries a basis, an evidence level and a source.
The range comes from parameter ranges in the model: freight rates, local charges and duty planning bands. It is not an arbitrary ±10% on the total. Duty and VAT are recalculated at the scenario rates rather than scaled after the fact.
Data model
The current model includes countries, origins, product categories, HS candidates, category-level duty bands, trade measures, VAT rules, freight planning rates, local charge ranges, statutory fees and source records. The source record stores the link, the review date and the data version used for each calculation.
The engine is versioned. A saved report records the engine version and the data review date so a later reader can see what the number was based on.
Where the estimate can be wrong
- The exact HS line can change the duty rate, even inside the same category.
- Origin rules and trade measures can apply differently to the same code.
- Freight, clearance, port and inland charges are planning ranges, not quotes.
- Compliance, licensing, inspection, demurrage and financing sit outside the model.
- Brazil and Nigeria have tax and levy stacks that the current engine does not fully represent.
- VAT recovery depends on registration and local conditions; the report shows cash due at entry.
Source register
Primary sources currently registered in the model. Each report cites the source attached to the line it used.
| Market | Source | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| United States | USITC HTS · CBP · USTR | 2026-11-01 |
| UAE | Federal Customs Authority · Dubai Customs · FTA | 2026-11-01 |
| Saudi Arabia | ZATCA · SABER · SASO | 2026-11-01 |
| European Union / Germany | TARIC · Zoll | 2026-11-01 |
| United Kingdom | UK Trade Tariff · HMRC | 2026-11-01 |
| Brazil / Nigeria | Receita Federal · Nigeria Customs | 2026-11-01 |
Corrections
If a rate, source or assumption is wrong, tell us. Corrections are reviewed against the official source, versioned, and reflected in the source register and change log.