Shipping & Logistics from China: Freight Options
4 resources tagged with "Logistics"
Getting goods out of China comes down to four lanes — express courier, air freight, LCL (less-than-container), and FCL (full container) — each with a different cost-per-kg and transit time. The hidden charges (destination handling, customs clearance, demurrage, fuel/peak surcharges) are what blow first-time importers' budgets, not the headline freight rate. On lanes like China-to-Netherlands, the port choice (Rotterdam vs Antwerp) and whether you go LCL or FCL change both cost and clearance speed.
Freight mode is a tradeoff between speed and cost: express and air are fast and priced per kg; LCL and FCL are slower and priced by volume/container. The pitfall is quoting on freight alone and ignoring destination charges and customs duty, which can equal or exceed the ocean rate on a small LCL shipment.
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FAQ
When is air freight worth it over sea?
Air pays off for high-value, low-weight, or time-critical goods and small launch batches; sea wins on cost once volume fills an LCL or FCL slot. A rough rule: under a few hundred kg and urgent, consider air; otherwise sea.
What hidden charges should I budget for?
Destination terminal handling, customs clearance and duty/VAT, ISF/documentation fees, and possible demurrage if clearance stalls. On small LCL shipments these can rival the freight cost itself.
Should I ship LCL or FCL from China?
LCL suits partial loads but has higher per-CBM cost and more handling risk; FCL is cheaper per unit and faster to clear once you fill roughly 15+ CBM. Compare total landed cost, not just the freight line.
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