Tariff Watch Clean

Global landed cost calculator for traders shipping to the US. Queries live USITC tariffs, stacks Section 232/301/AD-CVD duties, monitors FX rates and ocean f...

SKILL: Tariff Watch

ClawHub Skill · v3.2.0 · Python 3.11+ · FastAPI backend required

Overview

Tariff Watch answers the question: "What does it actually cost me to land this product in the US?"

It combines tariffs (USITC base + Section 232/301 + AD/CVD), exchange rates (18 currencies with 30-day trends), ocean freight (25+ routes from global ports to US coasts), compliance (CPSC/FDA/FCC/UFLPA), and customs costs (broker, ISF, bond, MPF, HMF) into a single landed-cost-per-unit calculation.

Designed for global traders from any country shipping to the United States — not just China.

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Capabilities (v3.2)

Feature	Description
Live HTS lookup	Fetches current MFN base rate directly from USITC (auto-discovers latest revision)
Section 232 overlay	Adds steel (+25%) or aluminum (+10%) surcharge for all non-USMCA origins
Section 301 overlay	China-specific: +25% (most goods) or +7.5% (apparel/footwear ch. 61–64)
AD/CVD orders	Checks 16+ active anti-dumping/countervailing duty orders against China; shows "all others" rate and risk level
Live exchange rates	14 currencies from ECB (daily auto-refresh) + 4 simulated; optional premium API for all 18
Ocean freight rates	25+ routes from global ports to US West/East Coast, with FCL/LCL pricing and 30-day trends
Landed cost calculator	One-stop endpoint: tariff + FX + shipping + customs = total per-unit landed cost
Auto-refresh scheduler	APScheduler: FX daily, shipping daily, USITC weekly — data persisted in SQLite
Compliance report	Maps HTS chapter to regulatory agencies (CPSC, FDA, FCC, EPA, DOT) with certification requirements
UFLPA risk assessment	Flags cotton, polysilicon, tomato, aluminum, PVC products for CBP detention risk
Customs entry costs	Calculates broker fee, ISF filing, bond, MPF, HMF, and exam risk — amortized per unit
Section 122 advisory	Flags the temporary 10% global surcharge (in effect 2026-02-24, expires 2026-07-24)
18+ origin countries	CN, VN, IN, BD, TH, ID, MY, PH, PK, KR, JP, TW, DE, GB, MX, CA, BR, TR and more
Profit calculator	Full breakdown: COG + shipping + tariff + customs + FBA fee + referral fee

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How Claude Uses This Skill

When invoked, Claude should:

1. Identify the HTS code from the user's product description.

   • Use Claude's built-in HTS knowledge to suggest the most specific 10-digit code.
   • If uncertain, start with a 4- or 6-digit prefix.

2. Call the effective tariff endpoint:

   GET http://localhost:8000/tariff/{hts_code}/effective?origin={ISO2}
   

   Default origin: CN (China). Accept natural-language origin ("Vietnam" → VN).

3. Present the result clearly:

   • List each duty layer (MFN base, Section 232, Section 301) with its rate and legal basis.
   • Show effective_total_pct as the confirmed total.
   • If adcvd is present, highlight the AD/CVD risk and worst-case total.
   • If compliance_flags is present, list the regulatory agencies.
   • Always display the advisory field if non-empty — the user needs to know about Section 122.
   • Remind the user to verify with a licensed customs broker.

4. For full landed cost (the most powerful endpoint), call:

   GET http://localhost:8000/landed-cost?hts_code={code}&origin={ISO2}&cog_local=32&units=500&cbm=5&destination=USWC
   

   This combines tariff + FX + shipping + customs into one response.

5. For exchange rate impact, call:

   GET http://localhost:8000/fx/{currency}/impact?cog_local=32&units=500
   

6. For shipping rates, call:

   GET http://localhost:8000/shipping/{origin}?destination=USWC
   

7. For AD/CVD, compliance, or profit, call the respective endpoints below.

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API Endpoints Reference

Method	Path	Description
GET	/landed-cost?hts_code=...&origin=CN&cog_local=32&units=500&cbm=5	Comprehensive landed cost — tariff + FX + shipping + customs in one call
GET	/tariff/{hts_code}/effective?origin=CN	Effective tariff with per-layer breakdown + AD/CVD + compliance flags
GET	/live/tariff/{hts_code}	Raw USITC MFN rate only (no overlay)
GET	/fx/rates	All tracked exchange rates with 30-day trends
GET	/fx/{currency}	Single currency rate + trend
GET	/fx/{currency}/history	30-day daily FX history
GET	/fx/{currency}/impact?cog_local=32&units=500	FX impact on cost of goods
GET	/shipping/routes?origin=CN	All shipping routes with current rates
GET	/shipping/{origin}?destination=USWC	Rates for a specific route
GET	/shipping/{origin}/history	30-day freight rate history
GET	/shipping/{origin}/cost?cbm=2.5&units=500	Per-unit shipping cost (LCL/FCL)
GET	/adcvd/{hts_code}?origin=CN	AD/CVD order matching
GET	/compliance/{hts_code}?origin=CN	Compliance report (regulatory + UFLPA + marking)
GET	/compliance/entry-costs?origin=CN&estimated_value_usd=5000	Customs entry costs
GET	/amazon/profit/{asin}?origin=CN&include_adcvd=true	Amazon FBA profit with full tariff + customs
GET	/data-sources	Show active data sources and last refresh times
GET	/health	API health check

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Data Sources & Auto-Refresh

Data Type	Free Source	Refresh	Premium Source (optional)
Tariff rates	USITC live (always free)	Weekly (Monday)	—
Exchange rates	ECB via frankfurter.app (14 currencies)	Daily	exchangerate-api.com (all 18 currencies)
Shipping rates	Calibrated simulation (based on FBX index)	Daily	Freightos API (real container rates)

ECB Currency Gap

The free ECB feed does not cover: VND, BDT, PKR, TWD. These 4 currencies use calibrated simulation and are marked with source: "simulated" in the response. Set EXCHANGERATE_API_KEY to get real rates for all 18 currencies.

Optional Premium API Keys

For more accurate data, users can register for paid APIs. The skill will automatically detect and use them:

Env Variable	Provider	Free Tier	What It Unlocks
EXCHANGERATE_API_KEY	exchangerate-api.com	1,500 calls/month	Real rates for VND, BDT, PKR, TWD + sub-daily updates
FREIGHTOS_API_KEY	Freightos	Paid only	Real container shipping rates from carriers
TARIFF_WATCH_DATA_DIR	—	—	Custom path for SQLite data (default: ~/.tariff-watch/)

Without any API keys, the skill works fully using free ECB data + calibrated simulation. No registration required.

Data Refresh Schedule

• FX rates: Updated daily (after ECB publishes)
• Shipping rates: Updated daily (simulation or Freightos)
• USITC tariffs: Updated weekly (Monday)
• First startup: Automatically backfills 30 days of history

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Tariff Logic (Current as of 2026-02-26)

Confirmed in-force duties

Layer	Authority	Rate	Scope
MFN base	USITC HTS	Varies (0–6.5% typical)	All countries
Section 232 — Steel	Trade Expansion Act s.232	+25%	All except USMCA (ch. 72–73)
Section 232 — Aluminum	Trade Expansion Act s.232	+10%	All except USMCA (ch. 76)
Section 301 — Lists 1–4A	Trade Act of 1974 s.301	+25%	China only (most goods)
Section 301 — List 4B	Trade Act of 1974 s.301	+7.5%	China only (apparel/footwear ch. 61–64)

AD/CVD orders (company-specific — "all others" rate shown)

Product	Case	All Others Rate
Aluminum Extrusions	A-570-967 / C-570-968	32.79%
Aluminum Foil	A-570-116 / C-570-117	48.64%
Steel Nails	A-570-900 / C-570-901	118.04%
Wooden Bedroom Furniture	A-570-847	198.08%
Quartz Surface Products	A-570-082 / C-570-083	294.57%
… and 11 more orders

Struck down — NOT applied

Layer	Reason
IEEPA reciprocal tariffs	SCOTUS ruling 2026-02-20 (Learning Resources v. Trump)
IEEPA fentanyl tariff on China	Same ruling; CBP stopped collection 2026-02-24

Advisory — shown but NOT added to calculated total

Layer	Status
Section 122 +10% global surcharge (HTS 9903.03.01)	In effect 2026-02-24 to 2026-07-24; Congress must act to extend

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Limitations & Disclaimer

• Data source: USITC publishes the official HTS schedule; this skill reads it directly. Rate data is as current as the latest USITC revision.
• Section 122 is confirmed in effect but deliberately excluded from effective_total_pct due to its temporary, politically fluid nature — always check the advisory field.
• AD/CVD rates are company-specific. The "all others" rate shown is applied to exporters without an individual rate from a Commerce Dept. administrative review. Your actual rate may be lower.
• Compliance data covers major agencies but is not exhaustive. Some products have additional state-level or industry-specific requirements.
• For informational purposes only. Always verify tariff obligations with CBP binding rulings, a licensed customs broker, or qualified trade counsel before making import decisions.