Sea shipping is a method of transporting large quantities of products via cargo ships. Goods are packed into containers and these containers are loaded onto a vessel, where they will be sailed to their destination country.
Sea freight is a versatile service we offer to those wishing to transport larger consignments that are not time-sensitive. It proves to be a more cost effective way of transporting non-urgent, bulk goods. over 90% of the world’s trade is carried by sea.
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How much is sea freight from China to USA?
One of the most important things customer care about is the sea freight cost. In the past year, due to the COVID-19 outbreaks in the world, The transport industry has been badly affected, the cost of the sea freight keep increase sharply to several times.
Here are some example for a rough idea of the sear shipping cost in June-2022(for general cargo):
- 1x20GP from Shanghai port to LA port: USD6000/20GP, USD7500/40GP、40HQ，before the COVID-19, it is just around USD2300/20GP.
- LCL charge from Shanghai port to LA port: USD60/CBM. Before the COVID-19, around USD30/CBM.
- 1X20GP from Shanghai port to New York port：USD6800/20GP, USD9500/40GP、40HQ. Before the COVID-19, around USD3000/20GP.
- LCL charge from Shanghai port to New York port: USD70/CBM. Before the COVID-19, around USD40/CBM.
- Shanghai local charge for FCL: USD280/20GP, USD420/40GP、40HQ.
- Shanghai local charge for LCL: USD75/CBM.
There are many factors affecting freight cost, the weather/epidemic/holiday/port congestion/strike/Off-season and peak season prices can also vary widely. Before the Christmas holiday, it is a peak season, the freight cost will be a peak while after China new year holiday, most of the factory are in holiday for about 15-30days, there is a low season since there is no much cargo in the market. If you want to know the current rate, feel free to contact Airsupply who will answer you immediately.
Sea freight Transit time from China to USA ports
How long will it take to ship by sea freight from China to US? Many customer want to calculate transit time before they make the order to factory so that they budget the time and expenses. To the East and West of the US, there is a big different. Below some examples:
| Port | Los Angeles | New York | Chicago | Miami | Houston |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCL(day) | 13-23 | 23-30 | 22-30 | 35-40 | 33-37 |
| LCL(day) | 17-35 | 30-40 | 24-37 | 38-46 | 36-39 |
Shipping containers from China to the US: 5 popular routes
The most popular shipping routs to send containers to the United States from China is from China East Coast (Shanghai) to the US West Coast (California).Here are the top 5 routes to ship containers from China to USA:
- From Shanghai port(CHSHA) to Los Angeles port(NSNYC)
- From Shenzhen port (CNSHK) to New York port (NSNYC)
- From Guangzhou port(CNXSA) to Miami(USMIA)
- From Tianjin port(CNTSN) to Houston port(USHOU)
- From Xiamen port(CNXMN) to Long Beach port(USLGB).
Please advise your delivery location, Airsuplly official team will check the nearest seaport and the sea freight cost to you immediately.
The procedure of the sea shipping from China to USA
- Coordinate with shipper and make booking: confirm with supplier the cargo readiness and export details, then make booking with shipping carrier
- Trucking and customs clearance: arrange trucking to pick up the empty container and return the full container to sea port terminal
- Sea shipping: departure and sail
- Customs clearance in destination and Duty Paid: After the ship arrives at the port of destination，customers/broker prepare import docs and arrange clearance docs, after customs released,consignee pay the duty.
- Delivery: finished customs clearance and paid duty, arrange to pick up the container from the sea port and delivery to customer.
Customs Clearance in China and the USA
Export and import customs clearance can seem complicated, and in many cases, that’s because it is. Nevertheless, it is an unavoidable aspect of ocean and air shipping from China to the US. Consequently, it is something for which every supplier, consignee, and intermediary engaged in international trade must be prepared.
Typically, you will need to ensure that the following documents accompany all your exports from China to the USA, as customs authorities in both countries will require them:
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Certificate of Origin
- Letter of Credit or other payment terms (depending on the contract between the parties involved)
- Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight
Special sea freight service China and the US
There are a number of factors that determine the type of container you will need, including the size of your shipment, as well as the commodity. If you are about to ship specific goods, Reefer container /Ro-Ro/Bulk/OOG (Out of Gauge)/FBA Amazon are available.
We can ship your cargo from China-Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Qingdao and Tianjin to US major ports. As we continue to grow, we will expand and improve our service suite to more effectively meet your shipping needs. We have reduced costs by streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary overhead, so we can pass the savings on to you. We believe that every dollar we help you save will be used for your business and increase its competitiveness, and we hope that we have the opportunity to serve you again and again.
