Gateway Lines today released the Gateway Tariff Calculator, a free MCP server that lets AI assistants answer U.S. import duty questions using the same live tariff engine that powers our public calculator and prices our ocean freight. To our knowledge, it is the first MCP server released by a licensed ocean freight carrier.
Here is the problem it solves. AI assistants answer tariff questions from training data, and training data ages. U.S. duty rates changed six times in the last month alone: Brazil Section 301 duties on July 22, the Section 122 surcharge expiring into new forced-labor duties on July 24, Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs on July 31, the largest UFLPA entity list expansion on August 3, a UK pharmaceutical rate cut on August 4, and 50% Canada duties arriving August 19.
An assistant answering from memory will be confidently wrong. Connected to our server, it answers from an engine that tracks the Federal Register, CBP messages, and White House proclamations daily, and every answer carries its citation and an as-of date.
The server exposes three tools. Landed cost calculates the full stacked duty picture for an HTS code, origin, and value, including Section 301, Section 232, and special actions, and it understands time: ask about a covered Canadian product today and it tells you the rate is 0% now and 50% for entries on or after August 19.
HTS classification suggests candidate codes from a plain-language product description and asks you to confirm rather than guessing, because a wrong code prices the wrong product. Policy changes returns everything that moved since a date you choose, with sources.
Access is free: connect, enter an email, and you get 10 requests per week. Gateway customers get unlimited access.
Connecting takes about a minute. In Claude, open Settings, Connectors, add a custom connector, and paste https://mcp.gatewaylines.com. In ChatGPT, open Settings, Connectors, enable developer mode, and add the same URL. In the Gemini web app, open Connected Apps and add it as a custom app for Spark (currently US personal accounts).
It also works in Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client. The full setup guide is at tariff.gatewaylines.com/mcp.
One important note: results are planning estimates, not customs rulings or legal advice. Classification and final duty determinations rest with CBP, and your customs broker should verify anything you file.
Learn more at https://tariff.gatewaylines.com/mcp
Gateway Lines is an FMC-licensed NVOCC and ocean freight forwarder. The engine answering your AI's questions is the same one that prices our freight, which is the point: when the quote and the duty math come from one system, nobody gets surprised at entry. When you are ready to move the cargo, we can quote the lane same day.