The ways for shipment from China
Importers who manufacture products in China for sale in the United States have various ways for shipment from China available to them, including express shipping, air freight and sea freight.
For detailed guides on each of these shipping methods, check out the links below:
● Express Shipping from China to the US (with DHL, Fedex, UPS, etc.)
● Air Freight from China to the USA
● Sea Freight from China to the USA
Regardless of the method used, most importers will rely on a China Freight Forwarder to manage their shipment.
Cost of shipment from China
The cost of shipment from China determine the cost of transporting goods from one point to another. Rates depend on the type of cargo being transported, the mode of transport, the dimensional weight of the cargo and the distance to the delivery destination.
This guide to charting rates of shipment from China utilizes advanced data from a variety of real-time sources to give you a better understanding of the cost of shipping your goods from China to the United States. Other factors that affect shipping costs include seasonality, current events, and more.
Cost of sea shipment from China
FCL
FCL, or Full Container Load, is when your cargo fills an entire 20-foot or 40-foot container. If you’re shipping in bulk, you can save time and money by shipping FCL. FCL pricing is flat whether your container is completely full or not.
LCL
LCL or less than container load means your cargo will not fill the entire container and will be shipped with other boxes or pallets. Please note that when you ship LCL, your cargo needs to be consolidated at the port of origin and unpacked at the port of destination.
This is the reason why LCL shipping takes several days than FCL shipping.
Once the cargo weighs more than around 500kg, sea shipment from China becomes the cheapest option. Sea freight offers huge economies of scale (some ships can carry 20,000 20-foot containers).
Some freight forwarders offer premium service, often called expedited freight, which is a bit more expensive than regular ocean freight. As with air freight, ocean freight rates vary widely between freight forwarders, and over time, again – shop around.
Cost of air shipment from China
Air shipment from China is generally faster but more expensive than ocean freight, so the mode you choose will depend on the size and weight of your shipment, and how fast you need to get to your destination.
Standard air shipment from China is the cheapest option for shipments between 150 and 500 kg from China to the US at $6-8. For very light-sized shipments, charges may be based on dimensional weight rather than actual weight.
Air freight is the fastest shipping method. Express air freight is a bit more expensive. Shipping rates can vary widely between freight forwarders, and prices change regularly, so be sure to shop around.
Time for shipment from China
How long does it take to ship from China to the US?
The transit time of your shipment is affected by location, shipment size, and season. Shipping times are not always the same. Shipping may be delayed depending on market conditions, natural behavior and other events.
Time for sea shipment from China
It takes about 15-18 days for shipping to US ports. Shipping by sea takes about 30 days. Generally speaking, the shipping time by sea is relatively slow, and it is more suitable for goods that do not require high timeliness, or goods with relatively large volumes.
Although it will be slower in terms of transportation time, the shipping price is very cost-effective. If the goods are not urgent, domestic shipments to the United States will arrive in about 3-4 weeks for fast ships, while slow ships normally take 35-40 days. Arrive like this. Shipping large items by sea is very cost-effective.
Time for air shipment from China
The time limit for air freight from China to the United States is usually 8-10 days. International express usually takes 2-3 days shorter than standard air shipping.
The larger the cargo, the more complicated the transportation process. There are more ways to find space in the cargo hold of an airplane than a regular courier service.
Process for shipment from China
Air freight
Is quite easy and would require minimal action on your end. Here is a simplified process for it:
● You get the services of a freight company.
● You provide the details of your shipment to the freight company, including your supplier.
● The cargo is delivered to the airport by an arrangement with the supplier.
● The freight company will take care of the export clearance.
● The cargo is loaded into the plane and then flown to an airport in the USA.
● The cargo is unloaded and it goes through customs.
● The cargo is then delivered to the consignee address and the payment of taxes and customs fees are made.
● Your supplier can take care of all these for you, but it is highly recommended that you do these yourself.
Another recommendation is that you get the services of an air freight forwarder. A freight forwarding company specializes in organizing air freight shipments. You should get one that is based in the States, so you can get more support when it comes to monitoring your shipment.
Sea freight
Because sea freight shipping from China to the United States would involve lengthy travel time and may involve several port stops, it can be a lengthy process and on paper, it might seem complicated.
Here is the simplified process for shipment from China:
● The first part of the process is to move the cargo from the supplier to the location of the forwarder.
● The next part would be the customs clearance. This is needed in every port based on the regulations of the country where the supplier is based, which in this case is China.
● The customs clearance will be handled by the brokers as they are licensed for it.
● The next step would be the handling and loading with other cargo in preparation for the actual shipping.
● The freight forwarder will then pick shipping which will handle the actual transportation from one port to another. They usually do this based on the timeline needed for the delivery of the shipment.
● Once the shipment arrives at a port in the United States, it would have to go through import customs clearance.
Now, the cargo will have to be offloaded from the ship and the shipment separated from other shipments and then preparing it so the consignee can then collect it.
