Ocean rates for containerized agricultural commodities vary depending on commodity, trade route, container/shipment size, and services needed. AMS staff tracks tariff rates for selected commodities and trade routes in the Ocean Rate Bulletin. Each quarterly bulletin provides a side-by-side comparison of rates and services for shipping lines active in the trade lane for that commodity. However, since the majority of shipments are sent under confidential service contracts, a second publication that complements the Bulletin called the Agricultural Ocean Transportation Trends Report was created. This report discusses issues that affect public and confidential rates, including market fluctuations, policy changes, and trends in service contract negotiations. For commodities and trade routes not discussed in the above publications, shippers are encouraged to contact a freight forwarder or a shipping line directly. Many shipping lines offer free online services for searching for public rates on their websites.