China Shipping Guide: Sea Freight vs Air Freight (2025)

Getting goods from a Chinese factory to your door is the part of China sourcing that catches most new importers off guard. The product price is only one piece of the landed cost. Freight, customs duties, port fees, and last-mile delivery all add up — and choosing the wrong shipping method can wipe out your margin.

This guide covers every option, how to compare them, and what to watch for.

Your Four Shipping Options

1. Express Courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS, EMS)

Best for: small orders, samples, urgent shipments under ~150kg.

Express courier picks up from the factory and delivers door-to-door, typically in 3–7 business days. Simple, fast, and no separate customs broker needed — the courier handles it.

Cost: High per-kg rate (~$5–10/kg). A 10kg shipment might cost $80–150.

When it makes sense: Samples, testing orders under $1,000 product value, or urgent restocks where speed justifies cost.

Watch for: Volumetric weight. Carriers charge by actual weight or dimensional weight (length × width × height / 5000), whichever is higher. Bulky, light products get expensive fast.

2. Air Freight

Best for: 150kg–500kg shipments, time-sensitive goods, high-value items.

Air freight moves goods via commercial cargo aircraft, handled by a freight forwarder on your behalf. Transit time is typically 5–10 days airport to airport, plus customs clearance time at destination (2–5 days).

Cost: ~$3–7/kg depending on route, season, and forwarder. A 200kg shipment might cost $800–1,400.

What you need: A freight forwarder to handle export customs in China and import customs in your country (or a customs broker on your end).

When it makes sense: Your goods are time-sensitive (seasonal products, low-stock situations) and the order isn’t large enough to justify sea freight.

3. Sea Freight (FCL — Full Container Load)

Best for: large orders filling 20ft or 40ft containers.

You rent an entire container. A 20ft container holds ~25–28 CBM (cubic meters) of goods; a 40ft holds ~55–60 CBM. Transit times: 25–40 days depending on destination.

Cost: $1,500–$4,000 per 20ft container (varies significantly by route and market conditions). Per-unit costs can be extremely low at scale.

When it makes sense: Your order fills at least 70–80% of a container. Partial loads (LCL) are usually more cost-effective below that threshold.

4. Sea Freight (LCL — Less than Container Load)

Best for: orders of 1–15 CBM that don’t fill a full container.

Your goods share container space with other importers’ shipments. You pay per CBM. A freight forwarder consolidates multiple smaller shipments into one container.

Cost: ~~$30–80/CBM for the sea leg, plus origin charges (~~$100–200), destination charges ($150–300), and customs clearance.

Transit time: Longer than FCL — the consolidation and deconsolidation process adds 3–7 days on each end.

When it makes sense: Orders between 1–10 CBM. Below 1 CBM, air freight often wins on total cost and simplicity.

Incoterms: Who Pays for What

Incoterms define the split of costs and risk between buyer and seller. The most common ones in China sourcing:

EXW — Ex Works

The supplier’s obligation ends at their factory gate. You (the buyer) arrange everything: domestic China trucking, export customs, international freight, import customs, last-mile delivery.

Use when: You have your own freight forwarder with a China presence who will pick up from the factory.

FOB — Free on Board

Supplier delivers goods to the named port (e.g., FOB Shenzhen). They handle export customs and domestic trucking. Your cost and risk begins when goods are loaded onto the ship.

Most common for sea freight. The supplier pays China-side logistics; you pay international freight and import.

CIF — Cost, Insurance, Freight

Supplier pays international freight and basic insurance to the destination port. You pay from port of destination onwards: import customs, duties, trucking to your warehouse.

Looks cheaper upfront but the supplier controls freight booking and typically marks it up. You have less visibility into the actual freight cost. Use FOB when you can.

DDP — Delivered Duty Paid

Supplier delivers to your door, paying all costs including import duties and taxes.

Simple for the buyer but the supplier controls all logistics and typically marks up every step. Common for small orders via express courier. Rare for large sea freight shipments.

How to Choose a Freight Forwarder

A freight forwarder manages the logistics chain on your behalf — booking cargo space, handling export docs, arranging customs clearance.

What to look for:

Licensed in your country (e.g., NVOCC license in the US, FTA member in Australia)
Has China-side operations (or partners) — critical for picking up from factories
Experience with your product category — some goods require specific permits (electronics, food, cosmetics)
Clear pricing with no hidden fees (get itemized quotes)
Responsive communication — you’ll need updates when delays happen

Getting quotes: Contact 3–5 forwarders with the same shipment details: product, CBM, weight, origin city, destination city. Compare total door-to-door cost, not just the sea/air rate.

Freight forwarder vs. customs broker: In some countries these are separate roles. In others, your forwarder handles both. Confirm who will file your import customs declaration.

Calculating Landed Cost

Don’t evaluate freight cost in isolation. Calculate landed cost per unit:

Landed cost = Product cost + Domestic China freight + International freight + Import duties + Customs brokerage + Destination trucking

Example for 500 units of a product:

Product: $2,000 ($4/unit)
Domestic China trucking to port: $80
Sea freight (LCL, 2 CBM): $300
Import duty (10%): $200
Customs brokerage: $150
Destination trucking: $120
Total landed: $2,850 → $5.70/unit

vs. the product-only price of $4/unit. Run this calculation before assuming a low product price makes an order profitable.

Shipping to Amazon FBA from China

If you’re selling on Amazon, your goods can ship directly from China to an Amazon fulfillment center. Key considerations:

Labeling requirements: Amazon requires specific FNSKU barcode labels on each unit and carton labels on each box. Arrange for your supplier to apply these before shipment, or do it at a prep center.

Shipment plans: Create the inbound shipment plan in Seller Central before goods leave China. Amazon will assign receiving warehouses — your freight forwarder needs this address.

Express vs. sea: Express (air) is faster and simpler for FBA but expensive. Sea freight is cheaper but requires precise shipment plan timing to avoid storage issues.

Partnered carrier program: For small FBA shipments, Amazon’s partnered carriers (UPS in the US) can be cost-effective from a US port or deconsolidation point.

Common Shipping Mistakes

Ignoring volumetric weight A box of pillows might weigh 5kg actual but 40kg volumetric. Always calculate both.

Not getting the commercial invoice right Customs requires an accurate commercial invoice with product description, HS code, unit value, and total value. Errors cause clearance delays. Do not under-declare value — customs penalties are significant.

Shipping restricted goods without checking Lithium batteries, aerosols, certain electronics, and food products have special requirements. Check before booking.

Assuming your supplier handles export customs Under EXW terms, they don’t. Under FOB, they do. Confirm which Incoterm you agreed on and who files the export declaration.

Booking sea freight too close to Chinese holidays Factories close for Chinese New Year (January/February), Golden Week (October), and other holidays. Book production and freight well in advance — demand spikes before holidays and rates rise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does sea freight from China take? 25–35 days from major Chinese ports (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Ningbo) to US West Coast. 30–40 days to US East Coast. 25–35 days to Europe. Add 5–10 days for customs clearance and delivery.

What’s the cheapest way to ship from China? For large volumes: sea freight (FCL). For small volumes: LCL sea freight. For tiny shipments: economy air freight via forwarder (slower than DHL but cheaper per kg).

Do I need a customs broker? In most countries, yes — a licensed customs broker files your import declaration. Many freight forwarders offer this as part of their service. In the US, a customs bond is required for shipments over $2,500.

What import duties will I pay? Duties depend on the product category (HS code) and your country’s trade policy with China. In the US, many Chinese goods have additional Section 301 tariffs of 7.5–25% on top of standard duty rates. Check the USITC tariff schedule or consult your customs broker.