The Complete Guide to Shipping Costs from China

The three main types of shipping from China to western companies are express shipping, air freight, and sea freight. Western companies should investigate all three shipping methods to transport goods from China to their home country.

If you’re not yet at the stage where you need a shipping agent and want to know more about Chinese manufacturers, click here.

Businesses inevitably face different situations involving inventory levels, and they will require different modes of transport involving decisions impacting delivery time and transportation costs.

Express Shipping

Because it’s the fastest shipping method, express shipping is the most expensive. The best-known express shippers are DHL, UPS, TNT, and FedEx. You can expect to receive express-shipped consignments in under five days.

Express shipping offers further higher-cost delivery options taking less than a day.

If you’re running low on a product and need some stock to cover you, express shipping is useful, but the increased cost of express shipping means that you should only use this option if it’s essential.

Most companies find that sending larger-sized products via this method is too expensive; express shipping is better suited to smaller, lighter products.

Air Freight

Air freight is most cost-effective for shipments between 400 and 1200 lbs. Air freight is about 35% cheaper than express shipping. Your options will depend on the goods you’re importing.

Air freight is best for medium-sized shipments; it’s faster and more flexible than sea freight.

For larger-sized heavier products, sea freight is the better option. There are prohibitive restrictions on some products, such as high-powered magnets and aerosols.

Sea Freight

China boasts plenty of premier-quality seaports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shenzhen. A supplier, factory, or freight forwarder will advise you on the best choice of port for your business.

Companies should be aware of the price differences is FCLs (full container loads) and LCLs (less than full container loads). It is less cost-effective to share loads with other companies when shipping is via LCL. However, it may not be appropriate for a business to invest in an FCL, so an LCL is often the preferred choice.

Inclement weather often hampers shipments sent by sea freight. A well-chosen logistics company will help you plan for weather risks and possible shipment damage.

Sea freight is inevitably the slowest option. There can be backlogs at ports, and you will require a customs agent to facilitate end-to-end shipping, so you should consider these disadvantages when deciding on your shipping choice.

Calculating Shipping Cost from China

In the last year, shipping cost from China has increased by as much as 350%. These dramatic rises are mostly a result of governmental reactions to Covid-19, which have been particularly devastating in China. Latterly, the Ukraine conflict has further increased shipping costs.

Because of unprecedented worldwide volatility and the resultant freight price fluctuations, readers should use an online service for freight pricing information, such as freightos.com. However, online freight calculators will give you guide-only pricing. Determine accurate quotations by contacting freight forwarders local to your business and make an informed choilce on the quote and forwarder.

Shipping Cost from China to Uk

A variety of factors determine shipping cost from China to uk. These include the type of goods, transportation mode, cargo weight, and destination distance.

If you find the process of finding a freight company overwhelming, a China sourcing agent UK

will be able to help with shipping and other appropriate processes.

Shipping Cost from China to UK by Location

Shipping cost from China to uk varies widely according to the China shipping port and the UK destination. For instance, LCL shipping from Shanghai to Birmingham can be four times more expensive than LCL shipping from Shanghai to London.

Whether shipping FCL or LCL, choosing from Manchester, London, and Birmingham, Manchester is always the cheapest shipping destination, and London is the most expensive.

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Shipping Cost from China to UK Via Air Freight

Air freight shipping cost from China to UK is less volatile than sea freight pricing, enabling some rule of thumb rate estimations.

Air Freight per Kilo Costs to the UK

• 0 – 45 kg = $100
• 45 – 100 kg = $45
• 100 – 300 kg = $20
• 300 – 500 kg = $15

Sea Freight Fluctuations When Estimating Shipping Cost from China to UK

When considering shipping cost from China to UK, bear in mind the additional delay time of an LCL load.

Because LCLs only fill part of a container, delivery is slower than FCLs. Your goods are consolidated with another order or orders, and de-consolidated once it reaches the UK. Because of that, you can expect to wait a few days longer for an LCLthan an FCL.

Container Shipping Rates from China to the UK

For a 40ft container load, expect to pay over £4,500 for China to UK shipping — an increase of over 350% since 2021. These increases are due mainly to governmental responses to Covid-19 and attendant shipping delays.

Shipping Cost from China to USA

As with the UK, shipping cost from China to USA varies according to goods, transport, consignment weight, and distance. Additional factors include seasonality and current world events.

Sea Freight Shipping Cost from China to USA

For FCL sea freight, as a guide, we’ll use Houston, Los Angeles, and New York as shipping destinations. There is little fluctuation in these costs, except for Houston, which is double the cost of shipping via sea freight from China to New York or Los Angeles.

Price fluctuation is wider with sea freight LCL. Shanghai to Houston is the most expensive, whereas there’s little difference between Ningbo to New York, Houston, or Los Angeles.

Air Freight per Kilo Costs to the USA

Less cost volatility means simpler air freight cost estimation from China to the USA. Here are some benchmark figures:

10 kg = $65

100 kg = $15

300 kg = $5

Sea Freight Transit Times to the USA

Transit times to the USA vary according to world events, market conditions, and other factors, resulting in possible delays. Expect to wait 5 – 7 days longer for LCLs, in contrast to FCLs.

Container Shipping Rates from China to the USA

Expect to pay $2,500 – $3,000 for a 40ft container load — up to 50% higher than 2021. Prices should remain steady into 2023.

Rates vary according to shipping destinations. For example, a 20-foot container shipping to the West Coast of the USA will be about $8.500, whereas delivery to the East Coast will be around $10,500.

A 40-foot container will be around $15,000 to the West Coast and $18,000 to the East Coast.

There are additional variations dependent on port-to-port or door-to-door costs. Door-to-door is more expensive, but you don’t have to organize further transport once the goods get to the US, so it’s more convenient for you.

Volume and weight will also affect the shipment price. Expect to pay about $3 per kilo.

How to Save On Freight Costs from China

Here are some simple methods that will help you to save money on shipping from China.

Plan in Advance

Get off to a head start on the cheapest shipping from China by pre-planning. Leaving everything until the last minute will always mean increased costs.

Freight forwarders reward early bookings with discounts; it makes their job more straightforward. It will also give you more time to shop around for the best offer.

Allow for a two-week delay when determining the final delivery date for your consignment, as delays often occur. Also, be aware of the Chinese New Year holidays, which last about three weeks. Check with your importer in advance if shipping at this time, and check online to find out the dates when the Chinese New Year occurs.

Choose the Appropriate Shipping Method

Air freight is best for emergency shipments only. Sea freight is most suitable for large shipments.

There are hidden fees in LCLs; as a result, the costs can be prohibitively expensive. Try to avoid LCLs if at all possible.

Organize Local Transport

Get freight on board (FOB) pricing and find a freight forwarder local to the port you are shipping from in China. While a freight forwarder local to you may seem like the easiest option, lower exchange rates, labor costs, and fewer expenses mean that a freight forwarder in China is a far better option.

Most Chinese freight forwarders will use a logistics company local to them, further decreasing your fees.

Ensure Good Packing and Shipment Insurance

Space-efficient, secure packing will lessen the risk of shipment damage. Pack your goods efficiently internally and externally. Negotiate the best deal on cargo insurance with your freight forwarder unless you choose to get insurance in your home country.

If you want the shipping process handled by a company, choose a freight forwarder to help you.

Conclusion

Here at Easy Imex, we’ll be pleased to help you with shipping and all other processes associated with ordering products from China. We’re here to help with sourcing and quality management too. Are you ready to talk to the top sourcing company in China?