Door to door ocean freight is the process of transporting goods from China (the country of origin) to the United States or any other region or continent by international ocean and shipping routes. The service is provided by a freight forwarder who picks up the goods from the pick-up point and delivers them to the final location determined by the shipper.
Unlike port-to-port deliveries, door-to-door services take cargo transportation one step further to ensure completion of the delivery value chain.
The door to door ocean freight value chain is simplified as: pick up from (seller/manufacturer) – sea port (customs clearance/shipment) – receive at origin port – onward transport to final destination provided by shipper.
Shipping process of door to door ocean freight
● Pick up and transfer your goods
● Provide packaging or storage services if required
● Provide shipping documents (packing list, commercial invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin…)
● Loading and unloading, loading and unloading, import and export customs clearance at ports or airports.
● Freight to all ports/airports worldwide
● Shipping to your final address
The door to door ocean freight services provided by Xiongda :
FCL Door-to-Door Shipping: This shipment occupies an entire container, whether it is a 20ft or 40ft container. If your item is large, it will be packed in a full case without sharing space with shipments belonging to any other shippers.LCL door-to-door shipping: Also known as LCL, this shipping is mainly for shippers whose cargo is not large enough to fit the entire container. Under
LCL, several shippers consolidate their cargo into a single container. When the ships arrive at the port of origin, the freight forwarders are responsible for separating them for onward delivery to their respective owners.
Door to door ocean freight service for in-house customs clearance: Clearing your shipments through China Customs or your country’s customs authorities is complicated. Fortunately, this isn’t something you have to deal with, because we’ve got you covered.
Affect the cost of door to door shipping from China to USA
Distance from departure port to destination port
The distance between the port of origin for pickup and the port of destination where the goods will be delivered greatly affects the cost of door to door ocean freight
International energy market fuel prices
Vessels need fuel to operate, and fuel costs are hardly static but fluctuate from time to time. Given this challenge, Xiongda Logistics will always notify shippers in advance of potential changes in shipping costs.
Dockage
Dock charges also affect shipping costs, as freight forwarders have to pay port authorities to dock a vessel to load your cargo. Dock fees vary by port.
Shipping season
Shipping season is also another factor to consider. Off-seasons, when importers ship less cargo, attract lower fees, as carriers tend to lower freight rates. During the peak season, door to door ocean freight rates are much higher as a large number of shippers want to ship their goods out of China. In China, the low season runs from March to September, but this may change due to the forces of supply and demand.
Currency Exchange Rate
Your transaction currency also affects general shipping and delivery costs. If you’re using a currency that’s weaker relative to the U.S. dollar, you’re likely to pay more. It is recommended to use the globally recognized US dollar as a means of exchange because it maintains a relatively stable exchange rate in the international foreign exchange market.
Door to door ocean freight forwarder
Customs clearance involves submitting all required documents to the customs authorities to allow the goods to be released and continue the process.The customs clearance process can even begin before the goods reach their destination and must end before the goods cross the country’s trade barriers.
Goods are deemed to have entered the country when they cross the border and leave the customs zone (or international zone).Freight forwarders, their agents or designated customs brokers, as long as they hold a valid license, can go through customs formalities.
The person in charge of customs clearance should receive all the documents needed to start the process.Often, the process can begin with a scanned copy of the document, even though some authorities require the original to fully complete the process.
It is the buyer’s responsibility to arrange and pay for customs clearance unless the goods are covered by Incoterm DDP (Duty Paid).
Usually, it will be easier for your freight forwarder or agent to clear your shipment as long as they have all the necessary documents.
