Time for sea shipping from China to USA
The sea shipping from China to USA has different routes to the East Coast and West Coast. Fast shippng are shipped to the west coast of the United States (usually to Long Beach or the Port of Los Angeles), and the sea is to the Pacific Ocean. The sea voyage time takes about 13 to 16 days.
Because the shipping company is different, the price is different, so the time is long or short. For slow boats, it will take about 30-40 days to arrive at the port for pickup.
And to the east coast of the United States is through the Pacific Ocean, then through the Panama Canal, and finally to the east coast, the sea voyage time is about 25–28 days.
Of course, it is also possible to transport freight to the west coast, and then transport it to the east coast through the inland, commonly known as the Small Road Bridge (MLB). Cost about 21–23 days.
Then, plus the pickup and delivery time, it takes about 40 days for the whole process.
The cost for sea shipping from China to USA
Cost composition
Shipping costs for exporting to the United States generally include: basic shipping costs and surcharges;
Basic shipping costs: There are many shipping companies exporting to the United States at present. Different routes and shipping companies choose different routes and shipping companies.
When sea freight from China to USA ,the cost is different, and the guaranteed time and services are also different.
Generally, slow ships calculate the freight rate in cubic meters, while fast ships mostly calculate the freight rate in kilograms (not absolute).
Major ports of sea shipping from China to USA
Port of los Angeles
Located on the US Pacific coast, the Port of Los Angeles is the busiest port in the country, handling 9.46 million TEUs in 2019. For the third year in a row, the port has broken records for general cargo, becoming the most important port in the Western Hemisphere.
Port of Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is the second largest port in the United States, handling more than 8 million TEUs annually. It is known as the greenest port in America. Recent infrastructure and new measures have reduced diesel and natural gas emissions by 87%.
The Port of Long Beach, not far from the Port of Los Angeles, is considered a gateway to trans-Pacific trade with Asia and is vital to U.S. trade with some of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is also one of the few in the country large enough to accommodate the world One of the ports for the largest ships.
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Ports of New York and New Jersey are the third busiest ports in the United States, handling 7.2 million TEUs annually. It is also the largest port on the entire east coast of the country and an important gateway to the U.S. economy and one of the most concentrated markets in North America.
The process of sea shipping from China to USA
The specific operation process of sea shipping from China to USA is as follows:
1. Book space, determine the delivery address, product name, weight, volume, container type, container volume, destination, and delivery time.
2. Loading, according to the determined time arrangement, delivery, loading, container loading and fumigation and other matters.
3. Customs declaration, according to the packing list of the goods, relevant information and invoices for customs declaration and export.
4. Check the materials. After the customs declaration and release, the shipping company’s supplementary materials and documents are prepared, and the bill of lading information is checked for correctness.
5. Customs clearance. A few days before the goods arrive at the port, submit the packing list, invoice, certificate of origin, and relevant documents in the local customs system for customs clearance.
U.S. ports are generally cleared for the whole container, and very few will carry out single-ticket and single-piece customs clearance;so if it is a bulk cargo consolidation, once there is a problem with one lot of goods, the whole container of goods will be detained, and then proceed for a long time to waiting for release.
Customs will notify the release within 48 hours.
6. Pay taxes, follow up the customs system data to calculate the corresponding customs duties, and arrange to pay taxes and fees after confirmation.
7. Pick-up and delivery, arrange pick-up after the customs release, if the whole container directly arranges the truck to deliver the goods to the designated address of the consignee. If it is LCL bulk cargo, first mention the warehouse unpacking, and then arrange for express delivery to the designated address of the consignee.
Factors affecting costs of sea shipping from China to USA
Type and quantity of goods
The type and quantity of goods also have a great impact on the costs of sea shipping from China to USA. Due to the different characteristics various commodities, and it will have an impact on the utilization rate of load and cabin capacity, so the rates will also be different.
The additional costs incurred by various commodities will also be reflected in the cost of sea shipping from China to USA.
Route and Port Status
Different routes have different navigation conditions. For example, the Panama Canal needs a route, and the Suez Canal needs a route, and each channel will have a different impact on the cost of shipping. In addition, the length of the voyage.
The weather conditions on the route, the safety of the route, the war on the route, the activities of pirates, etc., will all be reflected in the rate of sea shipping from China to USA .
Port conditions have a certain impact on freight costs, mainly including port loading and unloading costs, port usage fees, port loading and unloading equipment, berth conditions, loading and unloading efficiency, management level, congestion and safety.
Factors affecting time of sea shipping from China to USA
1. Objective factors
Actual distance between ports. If it is transported from Ningbo and Shanghai to the west port of the United States and the port of the east of the United States, there must be a gap.
2. Number of ports of call
Generally speaking, the fewer port points a container route calls on on the way, the faster the time for reaching the destination port will be.
3. The nature of the port of destination
If the container terminal of the port is a public terminal, as long as the peak season arrives, the port will be congested, which will seriously affect the speed of unloading ships, thereby affecting the entire time. If it is an independent terminal, even if the peak season comes, it will not be affected, and the speed of unloading will be much faster than that of a public terminal.
4. Force Majeure
The reasons we mentioned above may be avoided as much as possible, but if we encounter natural disasters in the process of sea shipping from China to USA, then we cannot avoid this objective factor.