This is the most complete guide to shipping from China to US in 2021.
Specifically, 10 essential tips based on my 10 years forwarding experience.
So if you want to:
- Figure out the suitable shipping terms
- Choose a right shipping method
- Find a reliable China freight forwarder to us
- Check the POL in China and POD in US
- Search the import tax and duty when import to US
- Get access to shipping costs of different shipping methods
- Learn how long does it take to ship to us from China
- See examples of the required shipping docuements
- Follow a step-by-step shipping process
- Avoide unnecessary expense and delay
Then you’ll love the detailed strategies in this guide.
Let’s dive right in.
Before that, we know the coronavirus is still on everyone’s mind.
In fact, the global pandemic also have a very big impact on the international shipping.
The typical case is shipping from China to the US.
The COVID-19 has been causing major delays, dramatically reduced shipping capacity and sharply increasing shipping price.
1.Figure out the suitable shipping terms
A bit confusing to shipping terms ? Don’t have to.
Because this is the first topic knowledge for every importers come to the international trade and shipping.
No matter whether you’re a novice or veteran, you should have a clear understanding about it.
Shipping terms or Incoterms, are the standard contract term to define responsibility and liability for both seller and buyer.
Specifically, shipping terms will determin the shipping distance.
i.e how far along the process will your China supplier ensure that the goods are moved, and at what point do you take over the shipment process.
Consequently, what you need to pay or not is depended on the shipping terms you are dealing with your China suppliers.
There are total 11 trade terms according to Incoterms 2020 which issued by ICC.
You can check the incoterms chart to learn the details for each term.
The good news is you don’t have to master all of them .
Among all the shipping terms, 4 are most used when comes to shipping from China to US.
- EXW
- CIF
- FOB
- DPU
| Incoterms | Stands For | Shipping Type | Explaination |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Ex work | Door to Door | You bear all the risks, shipping costs and responsibilites |
| CIF | Cost, Insurance and Freight | Door to Port | Your China supplier ship to the port in US, and then you take care of the import operationin US |
| FOB | Free on Board | Port to Door | You take care of the shipping port to port and import operation in US |
| DPU | Delivered with Duty Unpaid | Door to Door | Your supplier take care of the shipping business except import tax & duty paid by you |
How to choose Incoterms ?
Each Incoterm means different costs you need to pay and responsibilities you need to take.
There are no so called best incoterms, only the best suitable one for you.
In fact, the role you play is very important in choosing a right Incoterms.
For example,
- FOB shipping is the most common used condition in the world. It is suitable for most importers when importing to US from China.
- But EXW maybe is the only choice if you purchase from small vendors especially you still need to take responsbility of all the costs and risks.
- If you are a middleman, definitely you won’t want to deal with CIF. Instead, you will need FOB designataed agent or EXW shipping by yourself so to keep shipment blind.
- Want to avoid involved in the shipping trouble, just use DPU term. The question is you can’t control the cargo and delay happens.
2.Choose the right shipping method
When you are looking for freight shipping services,
You may have a general concerpt that shipping method includes sea freight, air freight, railway, road, etc.
When comes to shipping from China to us, the exclusive terminologies would be: FCL, LCL, Air and Courier .
Despite cheap shipping options exist, there are no so called best way shipping.
Each method has its applicable conditions, pros and cons.
What’s the fastest means of transport when you ship from china to us ? Which is the best suitable shipping way for you ?
You have to decide if you have to prioritize shipping cost or delivery time.
Bottom line ?
Before you ask how much does it cost to send a package,
Compare the shipping method first, NEVER pursuit the cheapest shipping option.
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Full container loading. A type of sea shipping. |
| Type | CY-CY ( Container Yard ) ; Port to Port Service |
| Minimum Order | 1 x 20’ft container. |
| Charge Method | As per container type ( 20ft/40ft/40hq ) & container amount |
| Advantage | Compared with LCL, more safe and faster ; Comared with AIR, load more and cost saving. |
| Disadvantage | Compared with LCL, more costly and complicated ; Compared with AIR, takes longer. |
- How many pallets you can fit in a container ?
- How many cubic meters can a container load ?
- What’s the maximum payload for a container ?
- How to ship a large package ?
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Less than container loading. Another type of sea shipping. |
| Type | CFS-CFS ( Container Freight Station ) ; Port to Port Service |
| Minimum Order | 1 CBM. |
| Charge Method | As per cargo volume in CBM |
| Advantage | Cheap Price, Steady space and cost won’t be changed a lot. |
| Disadvantage | Takes more time , and face risks of cargo damange. |
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Commerical Air freight cargo service |
| Type | Airport to Airport Service |
| Minimum Order | 100 KG. |
| Charge Method | As per cargo weight in KG |
| Advantage | Fast and frequently schedule |
| Disadvantage | Costly and limited capacity |
If you want a successful goods delivery to US from China,
Undoubtedly, you will research freight shipping companies and choose a good China freight forwarder.
Pay attention that we mean is a “forwarder ” not “carrier” when you looking for chinese shipping companies.
A forwarder is a shipping expert understand whole shipping process and offer you the freight forwarding service.
A good forwarder is also your business partner to offer you the valued shipping guidance.
And good forwarders can create value for you by saving your energe and trouble in shipping.
Win-win outcome, of course.
What makes a ” good ” or ” reliable ” China freight forwarder for your US import goods ?
Here is a strategy with 7 tips. I called it “LESS-PDA”.
| Principle | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Legitimacy | Shipping safety is the first important thing. Make sure you are doing business with a real company. You don’t want to deal with a fake company or a fraud, do you ? So have a basic company background research. Here is some useful tips :
|  Fake VS Real |
| Experience | Of course, you will need someone with rich freight forwarding experience. It determines the quality of the services they will provide. Otherwise, the order maybe not that smooth as shipping is complex thing. You can recognize the extent of a China forwarder’s experience when :
|  Amatuer VS Expert |
| Service | There are thousands and thousands China forwarders offer shipping service from China to US. Every of them state their service is professional and quality. How to make a targeted choice ? The answer is to choose a forwarder with a right shipping service. Freight forwarders come in many service fields. Some specialize in FCL, some are LCL agent, some focus on air freight, some only doing international courier. When you ship a container to US, you must use a freight company specialized in fcl container shipping, not air shipping, lcl or courier. Why ? Because they don’t have the advantage and resources. |  Blind VS Target |
| Size | Forwarders also come in different sizes. Some are global giants, some are middium size compaines, some are small forwarders. Every of them have respective advantages and disadvantages. Don’t have blind faith to big forwarder unless your annual import amout is huge. They are powerful and capable, but may don’t response in time if you are doing small business. Pay attention to limitations to small middium size forwarders . Of course, you can enjoy their benefits like flexible and tailor made choice. |  Big VS Small |
| Price | Price matters, of course. It’s reasonable for you to send freight requests to several China freight forwarders, and compare their price & proposal. How to choose a forwarder with reasonable shipping quote and costs ? Two suggestions : 1.Price within the market. You don’t have to choose the most expensive price unless your shipment is really urgent, and the given proposal can guarantee your time request. More importantly, Never spending too much time and energy to pursuit the so called best price. There is too much trap, the service sometimes could be disaster. 2. Transparent No body wants a hidden cost and surprised to find amazing price increase in the invoice. A completed shipping proposal must list all necessary chargeable items, mention included and excluded price as well. |  Cheapest VS Reasonable |
| Digitalization | If you are a wholesalers, middleman or purchasing agents, Haveing regular shipments with dozens of China suppliers, tens of discharge ports, or hundreds of orders yearly, how to make ever shipments in control will be a tough task. Whether you spent several days to wait for a shipping quote ? Whether you are tired of tons of email everyday ? Whether your order mangement is a mess ? Time is money. Efficiency first. Say goodbye to them by using a digital freight forwarder. They can help obtain instant online shipping quote, book shipment in seconds, track cargo status visible, and manage the order properly. The information technology and digital marketing resoures can create value and bring success to you. |  Traditional VS Modern |
| Appointment | If you are afraid of shipping trouble, You may just want to leave the shipping job to your China suppliers and wait to sign for the goods. It’s workable, but not recommended. Why ? Because when you designate a shipping agent in China, they stand for your interest and only follow your instructions. What’s more, they’re focus on shipping service. Definitely, they are more professional in shipping compared with your supplier who are specialized in products. On the contrary, When the shipping is handled by your China supplier, you can’t control the shipment and your cargo at all. Shipping delay risks are easily happen. And of course, you will need to pay more. |  You VS Your China supplier |
4.Compare the POL & POD
There are tons of ports in China that you can select as source ports ,
And numerous ports in USA that you can pick as destination ports.
That would means tens of thousands of shipping routes with random combination.
In particular,
The shipping schedule and costs will be quite different based on the POL & POD you choose.
POL & POD must be taken into the consideration when making the shipping plan.
Then what’s the best loading port and discharge port ?
Two principles :
- Close. Normally we will choose the closest port to the suppliers as the loading port to save the inland picking up charges , and pick the closest port to the delivery place as discharge port to reduce the delivery cost.
- Major. The basic ports would means more options with different shipping schedules, while it may costly if to a minor port.
Pay attention that the 3 letter airport codes is common used in quoting and tracking.
Loading Airports in China
| POL | Airport Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | PEK | Top |
| Shanghai | PVG | Top |
| Shenzhen | SZX | Top |
| Guangzhou | CAN | Top |
| Hongkong | HKG | Top |
| Qingdao | TAO | Main |
| Ningbo | NGB | Main |
| Hangzhou | HKG | Main |
| Xiamen | XMN | Main |
| Fuzhou | FOC | Main |
| Xi’an | XIY | Main |
| Zhengzhou | CGO | Main |
| Chengdu | CTU | Main |
| Taipei | TPE | Main |
（Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Busiest_Airports_in_Mainland_China_2017.png )
Discharge Airports in U.S
| City | Airport Code | Title |
| Los Angeles | LAX | Main |
| San Francisco | SFO | |
| Seattle | SEA | Main |
| Atlanta | ATL | |
| Baltimore | BWI | |
| Washington | IAD | |
| New York | JFK | Main |
| Boston | BOS | |
| Chicago | ORD | Main |
| Detroit | DTW | |
| Dallas | DFW | |
| Houston | IAH | Main |
| Miami | MIA | |
| Oakland | OAK | |
| Philadelphia | PHL | |
| Portland | PDX | |
| Sacramento | SAC | |
| San Diego | SAN | |
| San Jose | SJC | |
| Las Vegas | LAS | |
| Phoenix | PHX | |
| Salt Lake City | SLC | |
| Denver | DEN | |
| El Paso | ELP | |
| Minneapolis | MSP | |
| Kansas City | MCI | |
| Oklahoma City | OKC | |
| San Antonio | SAT | |
| New Orleans | MSY | |
| St. Louis | STL | |
| Memphis | MEM | |
| Indianapolis | IND | |
| Louisville | SDF | |
| Columbus | CMH | |
| Cleveland | CLE | |
| Richmond | RIC | |
| Norfolk | ORF |
Among the world’s top 10 ports in 2018, 7 of them are located in China.
Loading seaports in China
| Ocean Port | Rank – China | Rank – Worldwide |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 1 | 1 |
| Ningbo | 2 | 3 |
| Shenzhen | 3 | 4 |
| Guangzhou | 4 | 5 |
| Hong Kong | 5 | 7 |
| Qingdao | 6 | 8 |
| Tianjin | 7 | 9 |
| Kaohsiung | 8 | 14 |
| Xiamen | 9 | 15 |
| Dalian | 10 | 16 |
Discharge Seaports in U.S
There are total about 50 ports above for shipping from china to usa.
Among that 3-5 ports ( Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Houston, Chicago ) are the most used ports, so there are direct service and vessel.
And according to geographical location, the ports are divided into 3 categories :
- Western US ports
- US inland ports
- Eastern US ports
In the coming chapter, you gonna find the port lists.
5.Estimate shipping from China to US cost
So you have learned the different shipping methods, POLs & PODs,
Now it is time to estimate the shipping cost to us from China.
The freight cost is the biggest question on the importer’s mind.
How much does freight shipping cost ?
Or how much is shipping from china to us ? Everyday we receive such price inquiries.
Here we gonna show you exactly what it looks like.
FCL Container Cost from China to US ports :
How much does it cost to ship a container from china to usa ?
- The shipping cost of 20ft container is about 80% of 40ft.
- Normally cost for 40hq is same as 40ft.
- The shipping costs to different PODs can be the same when they are in the same category.
See the container shipping rates chart for sea freight from china to usa.
LCL cubic meter shipping cost from China to US :
- The shipping costs varies from USD 5o to USD 135 per cubic meter.
- Same as FCL, costs are divived into 3 categories based on the location.
- LA and NY are basic discharge port. Other ports need to be transited.
Courier shipping cost from China to US:
Courier service is the cheapest way to ship small packages, especially for goods less than 100 KG.
How much does it cost to ship a package ?
Here is dhl shipping cost estimate to US.
| 0.5-5.5KG | Cost $ | 6-11KG | Cost $ | 11.5-16.5KG | Cost $ | 17-100KG | Cost $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 25 | 6 | 97 | 11.5 | 169 | 17 | 241 |
| 1 | 31 | 6.5 | 103 | 12 | 175 | 17.5 | 248 |
| 1.5 | 38 | 7 | 110 | 12.5 | 182 | 18 | 254 |
| 2 | 44 | 7.5 | 116 | 13 | 189 | 18.5 | 261 |
| 2.5 | 51 | 8 | 123 | 13.5 | 195 | 19 | 267 |
| 3 | 57 | 8.5 | 130 | 14 | 202 | 20 | 274 |
| 3.5 | 64 | 9 | 136 | 14.5 | 208 | 20.5 | 280 |
| 4 | 70 | 9.5 | 143 | 15 | 215 | 21-31 | 10/KG |
| 4.5 | 77 | 10 | 149 | 15.5 | 221 | 31-45 | 9.5/KG |
| 5 | 84 | 10.5 | 156 | 16 | 228 | 45-75 | 9/KG |
| 5.5 | 90 | 11 | 162 | 16.5 | 234 | 75-100 | 8/KG |
You must heard the trade war between US and China.
That’s true, the tariff really effect trading and importing business a lot.
The new China-US trade tariffs or Trump Tariffs policy enough to strike fear into the hearts of importers large and small.
So many China products are on the tariff lists and assessing a 25% duty.
So be aware of the import taxes & duties before arrange shipping.
How to know if your product is subject to duties ?
There are 2 ways to find out :
- Ask your China freight forwarder and the US customs broker they use.
- Check the tariff rate by visiting US Harmonized Tariff Schedule Search.
Of course, not all the China goods you import will be be imposed the tariff.
Exclusions to the US tariffs are still available for some China products.
The bottom line is to confirm the HS code for Customs declaration.
Tips :
Due to Trump’s tariff policy, the tariff may changed a lot. For some products, it is free before, but then the rate is 25%. So it really matters since it effect the cost and your proft a lot. If you need assistance in finding HS code and learning the tariff costs, just contact FreightPaul team.
How long does it take to ship from china ?
Specifically, how long to ship from china to us ?
If you’re on a strict deadline, you’ll need to plan ahead and arrange your shipment well in advance.
At least, the average shipping time from china to us for whole process needed to be known.
Why ?
The transit time given by carrier or forwarder is just port to port for vessel on water or airport to airport by airline.
For example, Dimepiece LA, one of my US clients sent this information to me :
Shenzhen-Los Angeles by CMA, T. T: 13 Days ( From his previous forwarder )
Will they receive the container shipment 13 days ? Impossible.
Meanwhile, there are a number of issues which can cause delays.
From poor weather, shipping capacity, to challenges with Customs inspection or local haulage appointment, your cargo could be caught up in delays which are out of your control.
International shipping is game for getting cargo from one place to another.
Based on this, it can be easily understand 3 parts involved : Origin-Shipping-Destination.
When comes to shipping from China to US, the corresponding shipping time are consists of 3 parts :
- Export operation time in China
- Transport Time by sea or by air
- Import operation time in US
How long does it take for air shipment from china to usa ?
It depends. The average shipping time from china to us by air shipping door to door is 7-10 days.
Despite it is fastest international shipping,
It still takes longer than you expect, right ?
Air freight process is more complicated than you image.
Many works are required no matther how big or small order it is.
Below is time break down.
| Shipping Time composition | Time Frame Description | Time Needed | Explanation |
| 1. Export Operation Time in China | Picking up from factory to airport | Several Hours to Few Days | Depend on the address |
| Customs Clearance | Within 1 Day | ||
| DOC Processing | Within 1 Day | ||
| Waiting For Flight or Space | 1-7 days | Depend on the shipping capacity | |
| Customs Inspection | 3 days needed | If happen | |
| 2.Airport to Airport Transport Time | Direct Flight to LAX. JFK.ORD | 12-24 days | |
| Transit Flight to inland cities | 3-7 days | The second delivery is normally by truck. | |
| 3. Import Operation Time in USA | Customs Clearance | Within 1 Day | |
| DOC Proessing | Within 1 Day | ||
| Scheduled delivery from airport to door | Serveral Hours |
How long does it take for sea shipping from china to usa ?
FCL container shipping takes about 20-50 days for a door to door shipment from China to the USA. LCL takes 30-70 days.
Pretty time-consuming , right ?
Sea freight request more complicated procedures, and more factors including distance, route, vessel schedule, season etc will effect the time.
On top of that, US isf filing and port congestion affects ocean freight much harder.
| Shipping Time composition | Time Frame Description | Time Needed | Explanation |
| 1. Export Operation Time in China | Loading Container | 1-2 Days before AMS time | |
| AMS | 1-2 Days before CUTOFF Time | Automatic Manifest System | |
| CUTOFF Time | 1-2 Days before ETD ( FCL ) 2-4 Days before ETD ( LCL ) | Closing time of Customs clearance | |
| ETD Time | Weekly Departure | Estimated time of departure | |
| Customs Inspection | 3-7 days needed | If happen | |
| 2.Port to Port Transport Time | China to US West Coast | 13-18 days ( FCL ) 15-21 days ( LCL ) | |
| China to US inland ports | 25-45 days | Depend on the POD and routes | |
| China to US East Coast | 28-35 days ( FCL ) 30-40 days ( LCL ) | ||
| 3. Import Operation Time in USA | Customs Clearance | 5-7 Days | |
| DOC Proessing | |||
| Scheduled delivery from Port to door |
How long does it take to get a package from china ?
It depend on the courier channel. In general, 3- 5 days are needed for door to door delivery.
The popular 4 courier giant courier companies DHL,FedEx, UPS, TNT are used from China to the U.S
From the spreadsheet below, you will see the significant comparisons of the time.
When looking the dhl china to usa time, you may ask why is dhl so slow ?
The main reason are shipping capacities and shipping delays.
| Courier | Timing | Short Comment |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx (IP) | 2-3 | Good timing |
| FedEx (IE) | 4-5 | Balance on cost and time |
| UPS | 2-3 | Expensive |
| DHL | 3-5 | Timing and cost not as good as FedEx |
International shipping is a complex thing, along with many different paperworks to work on.
Then what shipping documents you need when import from China to us ?
Here are 5 basic shipment documents you should be familiar with for successful shipping.
- B/L
- Packing List
- Invoice
- C/O
- Insurance
1.Bill of Lading
If there are only one shipping document you need to know, then it would be bill of Lading.
Known as B/L ( Sea Shipping ) or AWB ( Air shipping ), it is the most important document in shipping since it is a proof of ownership, and a contract of carriage between the cargo owner and the carrier.
A BOL will include detailed shipment information :
- Shipper
- Consignee
- Notify Party
- Vessel Voyage ( Flight No. )
- POL & POD
- Cargo Description
| Remark | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Provide | Carrier ( M/BL ) ; Forwarder ( H/BL ) |
| Necessity | Necessary for all shipping methods except courier |
| Attentions |
|
| Charge |
|
2.Packing List
Known as P/L, the packing list helps every party ( freight forwarder, importer, final consignee, customs office, and carrier ) in the supply chain know your goods well.
Meanwhile, this shipment document can often serves as the recipient to verify that the items identified on the bill of lading are in fact delivered to the consignee.
The packing list identifies every item information regarding the cargo includes :
- The items name
- net and gross weight
- Quantities
- dimensions ( volume )
- HS Code
- Image
| Remark | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Provide |
|
| Necessity | Necessary for all shipping methods except courier |
| Attentions |
|
| Price | Free |
3.Commercial Invoice
Known as C/I, it’s a proof a sale that any of your international transaction and shipping from China must come with.
As one of the most important shipping document, the commercial invoice is a legal document that lists the goods being sold and their sale price.
It provides information for customs clearance purposes, including :
- Value of each item
- Total amount
- Invoice number
- Bank and Payment Information
With that, this shipping document serves for Customs to determine the true value of goods when assessing customs taxes and duties.
| Remark | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Provide | Same as P/L |
| Necessity | Necessary for all shipping methods. |
| Attentions |
|
| Price | Free |
4.Certificate of Origin
Known as C/O, it’s an important international trade document to identify in what country the goods originated.
The certificate of origin China is issued by the China Council for the promotion of international trade (CCPIT or chamber of Commerce) or by the Customs Bureau.
As another important shipping document, it can be served as :
- Basis for deciding on tariff treatment
- The required documents for import Customs clearance
- Important basis for trade statistics
- Evidence of goods’ inner quality or settlement of exchange.
Typical information include exporter, consignee, importer, goods description and cargo value.
| Remark | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Provide | Your Chinese supplier or your Forwarder |
| Necessity | Not compulsory for all shipments to US, but highly recommended. |
| Price |
|
5.Insurance Certificate
Shipping safety must be included in a successfully delivery.
An insurance certificate certifies that the exporter has purchased an insurance policy for the shipment of goods.
Getting “All Risks” freight insurance covered is the most important strategy to provides with indemnity & compensation protection for loss or damage to your cargo.
| Remark | Description |
|---|---|
| Who Provide | It depends on the Incoterms. Buyer will take responsibility of the insurance expect when CIF and CIP. |
| Necessity | Not required for all shipments, but highly recommended as long as cargo value is high. |
| Attentions |
|
| Price | 0.3% x cargo value ( Min $ 15 ) |
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.Inquiry | You send detail freight request to your forwarder :
|
| 2.Quote | Then your forwarder will give you the proposal with:
|
| 3. Book | Now you make the booking
|
| 4. Ship | Ok. Your forwarder will ship the goods :
|
| 5. Pay | At this step, Your forwarder will send you the freight invoice together with the pre-alerts. Pay attention that freight prepaid is requested according to common rules in international shipping. So remember to make the payment in time. After that, the shipment can be released. |
| 6. Track | Now it’s time to track-trace your cargo. You may ask your forwarder to update status timely. Learn the ETD and ETA. Just responses can some times be late due to time difference, email missing, deliberately conceal etc factors. When you are very anxious to know more real shipment status , you need to get the shipment status by yourself. 3 simple steps : A. Know the carrier you use. B. Obtain the tracking number ( B/L No or container number ; AWB no.; or courier tracking number ) C. Access to carrier website’s tracking system. |
| 7. Import operation | We finally came to the last step
|
Shipping from China to us ? We Got You.
Now that we’ve explored the best 10 topics,
Hope you can get some valuable information and inspiration for your shipping from China to us.
The next step is to take some of the suggestions above and try it out for yourself.
If you think those tips are practical, appreciate you can share and follow.
If you have any other questions regarding your shipping needs, just leaving a quick comment below.
FreightPaul team is always at your disposal.
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