Sea freight, air freight, China-Europe rail, multimodal, customs clearance, and Incoterms explained
FCL (Full Container Load) means you book an entire container exclusively for your cargo — regardless of whether it is completely full. You pay for the container, not the cargo volume. FCL is generally more cost-effective when your cargo fills at least 60-70% of a container. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your cargo shares a container with cargo from other shippers. You pay only for the volume you use (per cubic meter). LCL is ideal for smaller shipments but involves longer transit times due to consolidation/deconsolidation at both ends. We offer both FCL and LCL services from all major Chinese ports.
Approximate transit times from major Chinese ports: To Europe (Rotterdam/Hamburg): 30-35 days. To US West Coast (Los Angeles): 14-18 days. To US East Coast (New York): 28-33 days. To South America (Santos): 35-40 days. To Middle East (Jebel Ali): 18-22 days. To Africa (Durban): 25-30 days. To Southeast Asia (Singapore): 7-10 days. These are port-to-port times. Door-to-door adds 3-7 days at each end for inland transport and customs clearance.
The most common Incoterms for Chinese exports are: FOB (Free On Board) — the seller delivers to the port and loads onto the vessel; the buyer arranges and pays for ocean freight. This gives the buyer control over carrier selection and freight costs. CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) — the seller arranges and pays for ocean freight and insurance to the destination port. This is simpler for the buyer but provides less cost transparency. DAP/DDP (Delivered at Place / Delivered Duty Paid) — door-to-door service where the seller (or their forwarder) manages the entire chain. We support all Incoterms and can advise on the optimal choice for your specific trade lane and cargo type.
Air freight is the right choice when: (1) Transit time is critical — air takes 3-7 days door-to-door vs. 30-40 days by sea. (2) The cargo value is very high relative to its weight — the additional freight cost is small compared to the inventory carrying cost of 30+ days at sea. (3) The cargo is perishable or has a short shelf life. (4) The supply chain has been disrupted and air freight is needed to prevent a production stoppage. A rough rule of thumb: if your cargo value exceeds $15-20 per kg, air freight is worth evaluating against the total cost of sea freight plus 30-40 days of inventory financing.
China-Europe rail offers a middle-ground solution: 18-20 days transit from Chinese terminals to European hubs — roughly half the time of ocean freight (35-40 days) at approximately 60-70% of the air freight cost. It is ideal for automotive parts, electronics, machinery, and consumer goods where ocean transit is too slow but air freight is too expensive. The eastern corridor (via Manzhouli/Suifenhe) and the western corridor (via Alataw Pass/Khorgos) both operate with regular scheduled departures from multiple Chinese cities. Qingdao feeds into both corridors through multimodal connections.
Air freight restrictions include: DG cargo beyond IATA DGR limits (certain classes and quantities of dangerous goods are restricted or prohibited on passenger aircraft), items containing lithium batteries above specific watt-hour thresholds without special DG certification, magnetic materials above certain field strength (requires magnetic safety testing), liquids, gases, and compressed substances in large quantities, and oversized cargo exceeding aircraft door dimensions. We can advise on air freight eligibility during the quoting process.
Standard export from China requires: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and Bill of Lading/Air Waybill as the core set. Additional documents may include: Certificate of Origin (for preferential tariff treatment under FTAs), Export License (for controlled goods), DG Documentation (for dangerous goods — MSDS, DG Packing Certificate, Maritime DG Declaration), Fumigation Certificate (for wooden packaging to certain destinations), and Product-Specific Certificates (CE, FDA, etc., depending on destination country requirements). We manage the entire documentation process — advising what is needed, preparing documents, and submitting for clearance.
Yes. Standard carrier liability for ocean freight is limited to approximately $500 per container under Hague-Visby Rules — far below the actual value of most cargo. Marine cargo insurance (also called freight insurance) covers the full commercial value of your goods against physical loss or damage during transit. The cost is typically 0.2-0.5% of the cargo value depending on the cargo type, route, and transport mode. We offer all-risk cargo insurance as part of our service — including war risk coverage for shipments to conflict-affected regions.
Three things: (1) DG and heavy-lift specialization — we handle dangerous goods (Classes 2-9, UN3536 BESS) and heavy-lift/project cargo (up to 45 tons) that most generalist forwarders decline. (2) Unique corridor capabilities — Ukraine war-zone logistics (5 years continuous operation, 99%+ safe delivery), Northeast Asia bonded transit (Japan/Korea ↔ Russia, 3,200+ TEU), and bonded warehousing with JIT distribution. (3) Operational depth — in-house DG compliance team, engineering team for lashing plans, project managers for factory relocations, customs specialists for complex declarations. We do not outsource expertise.
We ship from all major Chinese ports: Qingdao (our headquarters and primary port), Shanghai, Tianjin, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Dalian. For DG cargo, our primary recommendation is Qingdao — it has the strongest DG infrastructure in northern China, dedicated DG storage yards, and the highest frequency of sailings to Asia, South America, and Africa. For Europe and North America routes, Shanghai often provides the widest carrier choice and most frequent sailings.