Which shipping methods do we arrange for your goods from China?
We arrange sea freight in a full or shared container, and air freight, through shipping companies, from China to any country up to the port of arrival. Our shipping and export service covers booking the shipment, document review before sailing, cargo insurance to the port of arrival and follow-up until the shipment arrives.
We do not handle customs clearance or import permits in the destination country; the importer or their licensed customs broker takes care of those. This page explains how to choose a shipping method, how a shipment moves step by step, which documents are needed, and where our role ends and yours begins.
How do you choose the right shipping method for your goods?
You choose a shipping method by weighing four factors together: shipment size, urgency, budget and the type of goods. No single factor settles the decision on its own:
- Shipment size and weight: large trade quantities suit a full container and small shipments suit a shared container, while air freight is charged on chargeable weight, so the gap between air and sea widens as the shipment gets heavier.
- Urgency: air freight is much faster than sea freight, and a shared container takes longer than a full one because your goods are consolidated with other shipments before sailing and sorted after arrival.
- Budget: sea freight is far cheaper per kilogram. But compare the total cost, not the freight rate alone, because destination charges, capital tied up during a long transit and stock-outs can change the calculation.
- Type of goods: heavy, low-value goods suit sea freight, while light, high-value or urgent goods suit air freight. Liquids, batteries and dangerous goods face special restrictions by air, and highly fragile goods do not suit a shared container because of the extra handling.
For every shipment we start from the nature of the goods and the date you need them, then choose the method, not the other way round. For a detailed comparison, see sea freight vs air freight, and for indicative transit times to specific destinations, see the route articles on our blog.
What is the difference between a full container, a shared container and air freight?
A full container (FCL) is dedicated to your goods alone, a shared container (LCL) means your goods travel in one container with other importers’ cargo, and air freight moves your goods by aircraft at a rate based on weight.
In a full container, the goods are loaded and the container is sealed and not opened until destination. You pay a flat rate for the container whether it is full or not, so the more of it you use, the lower the cost per cubic metre.
We arrange shared containers through specialist consolidation companies; we do not consolidate goods ourselves and we have no warehouse. Your goods are delivered to the consolidator’s warehouse at the port of loading, loaded with other shippers’ cargo, then unloaded and sorted at a warehouse at the port of arrival. The rate is based on the greater of volume in cubic metres and weight, and fixed charges are added on arrival, so before booking we ask for an all-in quotation that shows the destination charges.
Air freight is much faster but costs several times more per kilogram, and it is charged on chargeable weight: the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. To work out the break-even point between the two container options, see the full container FCL vs groupage LCL guide.
| Criterion | Full container (FCL) | Shared container (LCL) | Air freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate basis | A flat rate per container | The greater of volume and weight | Chargeable weight |
| Speed | Much slower than air | Longer than a full container because of consolidation and deconsolidation | Much faster than sea |
| Cost | Cost per cubic metre falls as the container fills | Suits small quantities, but fixed charges raise the unit cost | Several times higher per kilogram |
| Dangerous goods | Comparatively broad acceptance by sea | Many consolidators refuse them or add charges | Strict limits, and some items are banned |
| Usually suits | Large trade quantities and heavy, low-value goods | Small shipments and trial orders | Light, high-value or urgent goods, and samples |
| How we arrange it | Booked through shipping companies | Through specialist consolidation companies | Booked through shipping companies |
How does the shipping process work, step by step?
A shipment goes through seven consecutive stages, starting with the choice of shipping method and ending with clearance in the destination country by the importer’s customs broker:
- Choosing the method: we work out the actual volume and weight of the goods after packing, then compare a full container, a shared container and air freight by size, urgency, budget and type of goods.
- Booking: we book space with the shipping company or the consolidator after comparing quotations on routing and the number of transhipments, not on price alone, and we ask for a written quotation that sets out every item and how long the rate is valid. It pays to book early before peak seasons and Chinese New Year, because rates rise in the shipping rush that comes before them.
- Pre-shipment inspection and loading supervision: a final random-sample inspection before the goods leave the factory, then supervision of loading to check quantities and stowage, with the container sealed when the goods ship in a full container. This stage is part of our pre-shipment inspection service.
- Export document review: we review the document file before sailing or take-off, matching the commercial invoice and packing list against the purchase order, checking the bill of lading details before it is issued, and arranging cargo insurance to the port of arrival.
- Sailing or flight, and follow-up: the shipment departs and we follow it with the shipping company until it arrives, follow up the documents so they are issued ahead of arrival, and the release method for the bill of lading is agreed: original documents or telex release.
- Arrival: the shipment reaches the port or airport of arrival, and in sea freight the carrier’s agent at destination issues the delivery order once destination charges are settled. This is where the scope of our shipping service ends.
- Customs clearance: the importer or their licensed customs broker files the customs declaration, pays duty and tax, and collects the goods. We do not handle this stage, and the Chinese exporter cannot do it on the importer’s behalf.
Which documents does a shipment from China usually need?
The core set for any shipment is the commercial invoice, the packing list, the bill of lading and the certificate of origin, with other documents added depending on the product and the destination country. The documents most often required are:
- Commercial invoice: issued by the supplier with the items and their values, and the basis for customs valuation.
- Packing list: details the cartons, weights and dimensions.
- Bill of lading (B/L) or air waybill (AWB): issued by the carrier or its agent after loading; in a shared container, the consolidator issues a bill of lading in its own name for your share.
- Certificate of origin: issued in China by a chamber of commerce or an authorised body, and proves where the goods were made.
- Insurance certificate: covers loss and damage, and is issued before sailing.
- Certificate of conformity and test reports: for regulated products, under the destination country’s scheme.
- Documents specific to the goods: a fumigation certificate or ISPM 15 mark for wooden packaging and pallets, a health certificate for food, and a safety data sheet (MSDS) for chemicals, batteries and liquids.
The figures must match across all documents, because any difference in weight, quantity or description can hold up clearance and run up demurrage. That is why we review draft documents before shipment, not after the container arrives. Import permits and importer registration in the destination country are the importer’s responsibility. For the full list, see import documents and customs clearance.
What do we handle in shipping, and what does the importer handle?
We handle the China side of the shipment up to the port of arrival, and the importer or their licensed customs broker handles everything that happens in the destination country.
What we handle
- Choosing and booking the shipping method through shipping companies, and arranging shared containers through consolidation companies.
- Pre-shipment inspection with loading supervision and container sealing, as part of the pre-shipment inspection service.
- Reviewing export documents before sailing or take-off.
- Cargo insurance to the port of arrival.
- Following the shipment until it arrives.
What the importer or their customs broker handles
- Customs clearance in the destination country, and payment of customs duty and tax.
- Import permits and importer registration with the destination country’s authorities.
- Collecting the goods, moving them within the destination country and, for a full container, returning the empty container within the free time.
For this reason we do not arrange shipping on DDP terms, under which the seller bears customs duty through to destination, because clearance in the destination country is not one of our services.
How do delivery terms (Incoterms) relate to shipping arrangements?
The delivery term written in the contract decides who arranges and pays for freight and insurance, and where risk passes from seller to buyer. Common Incoterms 2020 terms in trade with China include:
- EXW: the buyer collects the goods at the factory door and bears everything after that.
- FOB: the supplier delivers the goods on board the vessel at the port of export and handles export clearance, while the buyer arranges freight, insurance and everything after them.
- CIF: the supplier pays freight and minimum insurance cover to the port of arrival, but risk passes to the buyer once the goods are placed on board the vessel.
- DDP: the seller bears everything through to destination, including customs duty in the importer’s country.
FOB and CIF are for sea transport only, while air freight is served by terms that work for any mode of transport, such as FCA and CIP. Always write the term with the named place and the rules edition, for example FOB Shenzhen Incoterms 2020. We review the delivery term before signature because it decides who pays for freight and insurance, and this is a practical explanation, not legal or banking advice. For details, see Incoterms 2020 explained.
How do you ask us to arrange your shipment?
Send us, through the contact form, a description of the goods and the approximate quantity, the carton dimensions and weight if you have them, the port or city of arrival, the delivery term agreed with the supplier and the date you need the goods. Based on this information, we come back to you with shipping options suited to your shipment. You can request shipping as a standalone service, or together with pre-shipment inspection in the same request.
Quality control process → Factory selection → Work samples →
