Guides for Shipping to China From USA

Shipping from China to the USA is expensive and consuming for most importing companies. In this blog, we will briefly introduce the main methods of shipping from China, how long will shipping take from China, and the shipping pricing information.

Shipping from China to the USA: Air freight and sea freight. You can choose the most suitable methods according to our sea freight for air freight guide.

Air freight from china can be categorized by 2 types: general cargo and special cargo. The former type refers to physical products like electronics, clothing, furniture, households, and pharmaceuticals alike. The latter means anything that requires special attention or care, like live animals, dangerous chemicals, and things that needs need freezing or maintaining freshness. Shipping by air requires an air waybill (AWB) which is a contract that outlines the conditions of the sale between the seller and buyer. The main advantage of air freight is fast transit time despite a higher rate than sea freight.

Sea freight from China is a more common option of international shipping for importing from China. It is the cheapest shipping method. To calculate the cost of your sea freight delivery, you’ll need the following:

  • Certificate of origin
  • 10-digit tariff classification number
  • Incoterms

You will need to request a freight quote from a shipping logistics company once you are comfortable with the price. This quote will determine the shipping cost from China. You then provide the freight company with your supplier’s contact information, and they’ll handle the shipping container’s journey from China to the USA.

Hire a Freight forwarder from China to the USA

For most enterprises, using a freight forwarder in China will be the most effective method, for a professional forwarder can handle all of the shipping logistic stuff easier and faster. Freight forwarders will use sea or air freight, and have expertise in preparing the necessary documents to carry out the shipment. They may also have access to shipping networks, and knowledge of the best shipping routes from China to the USA. This can speed up the process and make it convenient for small businesses to receive shipments from China.

Besides, it is possible now for freight forwarders to complete door-to-door shipping from China to the USA. It is much more convenient.

How long does shipping from China take?

It depends on the methods you choose. Usually, air freight will short transit time, and ocean freight will take longer up to 40 days. Of course, the quicker you need, and the more you will have to pay. Meantime, the shipping time also is affected by the cargo type, weight, volume, quantity and more. Generally, sea freight is the slowest but most cost-effective shipping method than any other methods.

Cost of shipping from China to USA

How much does shipping from China to USA take? It depends on many factors, too, like weight, shipping methods, cargo insurance, and types, for the details, you can send an inquiry to our expert team to get a better rate.

Air Freight or Sea Freight, Which One Would You Choose?

When it comes to choosing freight methods when you are doing import or export business, you will take a lot of elements into consideration, such as cargo weight, your budget, time, distance and type of commodity, and service like door-to-door or port-to-port. Air freight and sea freight are 2 of the main logistic ways for oversea sipping. For beginners who will ship large-scale or bulk cargo, it is essential to get to know the difference between these 2 ways. Here TJ China Freight will offer you some guidelines for how to choose your freight way, air freight or sea freight.

Air Freight vs. Sea Freight

Before you decide whether to use air freight or sea freight, you need to think about 3 questions first.

  1. Want to Save Money? As with parcels, freight cost is weight-based. If your shipment is small (up to about 50 kg) you’re better off with express freight shipping. Heavier than that, it gets more economic to go with air freight shipping. Then around the 500-kilogram mark (1100 lbs), ocean freight becomes cheaper. The differences can be staggering. For instance, a $195 ocean shipment can cost $1,000 by air. These weight cut-offs are approximate because costs don’t stay static. But you can get accurate estimates by get an inquiry from TJ  team, the best China freight forwarder offering you best shipping solutions.
  2. In a rush? Taking China to US door-to-door as a guide, express freight shipping takes about 3 days, compared to 8-10 days for air freight and 30 days or more on ocean freight. Each of these has a quicker premium option. Expedited ocean freight, for instance, can often shave 10 days or more off the transit time. Of course, there are always small ways to reduce the size, like skimping on packing or only palletizing after import, which may reduce the costs to make the air freight costs.
  3. Want your cargo reached as the appointed time? Ocean freight shipping is more likely to get caught up with long delays like bad weather and port congestion. That’s risky if it’s critical your shipment arrives by a certain date – even if that date is well after the estimated transit time for ocean freight shipping. Ocean freight moves around much more on a container ship than in the hold of a plane, so it is more likely to get damaged.

If you are facing an issue with choosing a freight forwarder for your importing or exporting to China, you can contact us for sea freight forwarding service or air freight forwarding servie. Excellent service and cost-effective solutions for your business project.

Everything About Ocean Freight Forwarding You Need to Know

If you are an entrepreneur owner who is doing cross-border business, then you will need send your cargo to your clients or buying goods from other countries, you will need a local freight forwarder to help you process the shipping, paper documents, delivery, and more. Usually, ocean freight is one of the most common ways to ship, and make sure you know things about ocean freight forwarders so that you can select the right freight forwarder to help you arrange everything well. When you are importing or exporting to China, TJ China freight is your prior option for sea freight, air freight, rail freight, amazon fba preps, door to door delivery, and the professional team is committed to shipping your cargo speedy and safer at a lower price. Below, we will list a few questions about ocean freight forwarders. Read on!

  • What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?
  • What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services
  • Is Ocean Forwarding Cheaper than Air Forwarding Service?
  • Does an Ocean Forwarder Charge Less than an Air Forwarder?
  • The Globally Top Ocean Forwarders in the World

What is an Ocean Freight Forwarder?

A freight forwarder is a person or company with the know-how to safely and effectively transport your freight from point A to point B. While freight forwarders don’t generally own the trucks, ships, or airplanes necessary to move your cargo, they serve as middlemen who know every step of the complicated shipping process and can ensure that your goods get to their destination. Some forwarders specialize in air freight, while others work exclusively with ocean freight. TJ China freight serves both sea freight forwarding and air freight. You can send an inquiry here to know the rates of shipping from or to China.

An ocean freight forwarder specializes in moving freight via cargo ships. This specialization enables ocean forwarders to know precisely how to complete any shipment and build the relationships necessary to get the best ocean rates, which they can then pass on to their customers.

What is Ocean Freight Forwarding Services

Despite how crucial freight is to the world economy, it’s a pretty difficult field to navigate.That’s why even the most seasoned of shipping professionals rely on a sea freight forwarder’s services for their ocean shipments. An ocean forwarder knows what goods can be shipped, the correct procedures for shipping them, all of the paperwork required for shipping, how to get your cargo on a vessel, and what to do in case something goes wrong.

That means that with the right ocean freight forwarding services, you can be confident that your freight is in good hands and worry about the more important parts of your business.

Does ocean freight forwarding cost less than air freight?

Unsurprisingly, ocean rates are less expensive than air rates. But there are tradeoffs. If speed is a priority, you may want to look elsewhere. Ocean shipments take over one month to be delivered, whereas air shipments take a few days. Reliability is also a factor that should be considered. While air shipments run on a very tight schedule, it’s not uncommon for freight ships to take longer than expected to embark. That said, there is a reason why 90% of cargo is sent via the ocean. It is the most cost effective and environmentally friendly way to send goods internationally. It’s also the best way to send oversized and hazardous items.

Who are the Top and Best Ocean Freight Forwarders?

Ocean freight is a highly fragmented market, with the top ten ocean forwarders dominating only 43% of the market.

  • Kuehne + Nagel. A clear leader, whose ocean freight revenues are estimated to be around 65% larger than its nearest rival. But in a highly fragmented market, its share is estimated at just 9.2%.
  • DHL Global Forwarding. Although coming in second, DHL’s ocean freight revenue is smaller than their air and truck operations. In 2015, DHL Global Forwarding ocean freight revenue reached $3,850M.
  • Sinotrans.  China’s largest freight forwarder is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange but wholly owned by the government. Much of its ocean freight business takes place in the coastal cities of Eastern China.
  • DB Schenker. Headquartered in Germany, the freight giant employees nearly 100,000 employees around the world. In 2015, it’s ocean freight volumes were 1,942m TEUs.
  • DSV. The Danish company’s acquisition of another leading sea forwarder UTi approximately doubled ocean freight forwarding revenues of DSV a year ago. Their 835,487 TEUs of ocean freight in 2015 brought in $1,7580 m in revenue.

Check the full list of top freight forwarders 2022 here. Need China freight forwarder? Contact us today, and get an instant quote!

Incoterms Guide for China Export & Import Logistic

INCOTERMS (International Commercial Terms), also known as shipping terms, freight terms, or trade terms, are the global standard terminology and definitions used in international trade to determine which parties are responsible for the shipment at varying times during transit.

The terms can be used in 2 groups.  one group of incoterms is considered only suitable for sea freight and inland freight: FAS, FOB, CFR, and CIF.  Another group for any mode of transportation includes EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, and DDP.

5 Common Incoterms

EXW – Ex Works

The delivery is accomplished when the buyer picks up the goods from the seller at the named place (warehouse, storage or factory etc.), the seller doesn’t clear the customs for export. Buyer controls freight from door to door. The contractual shipper on the waybill should be the buyer.

The buyer will designate one freight forwarder to arrange to pick up the shipment from the named place and undertake booking, customs declaration, inspection, and delivery to the destination. And the relevant expenses should be at the buyer’s cost.

FOB – Free on Board

The seller’s delivery is completed when the goods are across the ship’s rail. The buyer controls ocean freight routing. Fob terms require that the seller also clears the goods for export. Generally, this is the term most often used in importing from China.

The buyer will designate one freight forwarder to arrange the transportation after the shipment is loaded on board the ship and undertake booking, customs clearance, inspection, and delivery to the destination. And the relevant expenses should be at the buyer’s cost.

CFR – Cost and Freight (named port of destination)

The seller’s delivery is completed when the goods are at the port of destination across the ship’s rail. The seller has to pay for the shipment’s delivery to the destination port and declaration the customs for export.

The seller will designate one freight forwarder to arrange a trailer for transportation and undertake booking, customs declaration, inspection, and delivery to the destination. And the seller burdens the relevant expenses.

CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight (named port of destination)

This term is the same as CFR terms, except the seller agrees to purchase marine insurance in the buyer’s interest.

DDP – Delivered Duty Paid

The seller takes responsibility for carriage, delivery of the goods at the named place, and customs clearance. And the seller should pay for the tariff and other fees.

Another group

Group E (EXW) – This is the minimum obligation for the seller. The buyer picks up the cargo from the seller at the named place.

F Group (FAS, FCA, FOB) – The seller delivers to the carrier assigned by the buyer.

C Group(CFR, CIF, CPT, CIP) – The seller arranges the shipping method but doesn’t bear the risk of being damaged after loading.

D Group(DAT, DAP, DDP) – The seller is responsible for the maximum obligation, including the risk and cost during the transportation.

When you are choosing a China freight forwarder, make sure you know these incoterms well, which is essential for cost saving.

 

What is the Main Difference Between NVOCC and Freight Forwarder?

There is nothing more important than choosing a proper shipping agent whether you are importing or exporting.  In order to help you to choose the right partner, we are here to give you the difference between NVOCC and freight forwarder. Continue to read.

What Is NVOCC?

An NVOCC may be defined as an entity that provides ocean freight services as a “carrier,” albeit with or without own or operated vessels.

The NVOCC accomplishes this by buying slots or space from a VOCC (Vessel Operating Common Carrier) and reselling the same to their customers, who can be exporters or forwarders.

NVOCC issues its own House Bill of Lading as a “carrier” and, in doing so, undertakes the responsibilities of a carrier subject to, of course, the terms, conditions, and liabilities of their bill of lading.

Apart from obtaining a license from the FMC, NVOCC operators also have to file a tariff before operation in the USA.

A tariff contains actual freight rates, charges, surcharges, freight classifications, rules, regulations, and practices of a common carrier (VOCC or NVOCC).

Who is a freight forwarder?

A freight forwarder is a supply chain expert who arranges for the seamless movement of cargo. And they do that by arranging and facilitating the transportation of your goods via different modes: ocean, rail, air, or road. The only golden rule about freight forwarders is that they are not the ones moving your cargo, only arranging for it.

Exporting goods is not easy with way too many steps, documents, and certificates to clear. It’s almost impossible for novice exporters to know all about these. So when you’re hiring a freight forwarder, you’re basically paying them to get all of these in order. As a result, in many instances, freight forwarders are referred to as ‘shippers’ in relation to ocean carriers.

What is the difference between NVOCC and Freight Forwarder? Check the following chart

Looking for China freight forwarder, TJ China freight is always the most trusted partner who will handle everything for your cargo. We offer sea freight, air freight, and rail freight and more. Better service and competitive price.

Benefits of Hiring China Freight Forwarder for Your Business

When importing from China,  hiring a freight forwarder in China will make everything much easier. TJ is a professional local China freight forwarder agent providing one-stop service including shipping service,  customs broker and clearance, and door to door service, and more. Whether you are buying furniture, car parts, or household appliances, working along with TJ China freight in a long run is a crucial step to making your business become more successful. Here today, we are going to show you the benefits of hiring TJ China freight.

  1. Lower Rates

Price will always be the first reason when you choose an agent. The lower labor cost, lower exchange rate, lower expenses, and other factors, make Chinese forwarders’ charges much cheaper, not only the shipping rates but also in other handling fees. The situation here allows them to work out the best pricing based on your specific logistics needs. And this translates to bigger profit margins for buyers or can be able to sell at more competitive prices. Please note that most international freight forwarders with operations in China will use a local logistics or forwarding company because of their lower costs and local knowledge, which means the shipping agents in your country cannot handle China shipments directly.

China sea freight forwarder
Sea Freight

  1. Flexible Logistic Solution

For TJ China Freight, it is much easier for us to adjust the operation to suit the client’s needs better and handle the shipment in a more proper way. Multinational cargo forwarders are stuck with using their own overseas office to move your shipments, which sometimes is not the best option because their allied office may not have the expertise that’s just right for you. This means they do not have the ability to switch service providers or improve their level of service if there is a problem. You’d better find the one that big enough to manage all your shipping needs, and small enough to care about your cargo. TJ China Freight is a good partner, and we can provide you with a more cost-effective solution as you expected. Sea freight, air freight, rail freight and complex. You can contact us for a quick quote.

  1. Customized Service

Usually, there will be one or two individuals communicating with you, and a professional team will manage your entire logistic operation. One-to-one service will help improve the efficiency of cooperation, and they are more familiar with your operation and your needs. They can also empathize with your daily stresses as you are not just a number for them and can pay more attention to your problems and come up with a solution quickly.

  1. Professional & Reliable

Most people know that there are tons of paperwork and administration, logistics, timings, time differences, currency, language barriers and strict import, export and customs procedures to deal with, and every single country has different regulations that have to be fully understood and met by the international freight provider to ensure safe and speedy delivery of goods. Local agents in China have many more choices in selecting the best routing, carrier, and price combination. They also can more easily adapt and change their operations to cater directly to you – the importer.

Compared to a multinational, good China freight forwarder can help you solve some urgent issues faster and more efficiently, and also is more familiar with the destination countries’ regulations, which will save you lots of time and cost.

What Factors Affect Sea Freight Rates?

Ocean Freight rates are constantly changing, which has deep impact on the shipping industry and the world. Usually freight rates are determined by supply and demand. And the rates fluctuate frequently especially in the past 2 years, the coronavirus pandemic, container shortage, port congestion, fuel rates increase, the war in Ukraine, and demand increase. So knowing dynamics that will have an impact on the rates will help retailers or enterprises predict the rate much easier, and make some shipping adjustments. Here, we have compiled several factors that may influence ocean freight.

Weight and Density of the Shipment

Weight and density impacts freight costs. The bigger the package, the more density, and the more room needed for transport. Especially shipping by sea, the more room and manpower needed to transport your goods, the more you’re going to pay for it. For instance, FCL rates is different from Lcl container shipping. To save costs and energy, and ensure the use of high-quality, you can select reliable forwarders and shippers who provide excellent customer service and efficiency. Most of all, they can get better rates from the carriers and business opportunities.

Distance / Destination

Generally, freight will cost more the farther the distance between the point of origin and its destination. However, this may also be impacted by related matter such as complexity of the delivery. Having a trusted freight forwarder in china that can provide the best strategy to reduce shipping costs and maximize efficiency will be imperative to your business’ success. They will offer more cost-effective shippings solutions.

Fuel price

Fuel price is an important consideration that affects ocean freight rates. Even minor increases in fuel prices can have an immense impact on freight charges, especially at the scale at which they operate. Where fuel charges are elevated, these will often result in a near-immediate reflection in quotes offered to customers as freight forwarders look to balance their expenses.

Demand

Due to limited capacity, prices will be raised if there is a large demand. For instance, during the peak sean from Auguest to November.   During the height of the pandemic, despite vastly reduced demand, prices soared as vessels were taken offline to reduce cost to shippers and empty containers left at ports with nothing to transport. This put greater pressure on the reduced capacity, which bolstered prices to historic levels.

Disruptions

Disruptions to the supply chain can have serious implications for freight rates if routes, fuel charges, capacity or the cargo source is affected. The war in Ukraine, the pandemic, lockdowns in China due to its zero-COVID policy, and higher fuel rates have had significant negative effects on freight rates, due to the ensuing unpredictability and shortages.

TJ China Freight’s Advantage

For businesses that export or import to China, TJ China Freight is the best forwarding partner who large international logistics networks to help you handle your ocean freight to different places. Our service covers more than 200 countries. We own 20+ years of experience in sea freight forwarding experience and our expert team will provide the most efficient shipping solutions to handle your business needs.

What is double customs clearance in the freight forwarding industry

“What is double customs clearance in the freight forwarding industry

What does double clearance mean?
In fact, double customs clearance is related to international logistics. To sum up, it is the export declaration form of the exporting country and the import declaration form of the importing country.
In customs terminology, double customs clearance means that the logistics company or import and export company has strong customs clearance strength and can clear customs at various ports in China. General statement: Double customs clearance is package export, including foreign import, including tax.
Double customs clearance is also to ensure the normal export of the customs of the sending country, and to ensure that the destination country can clear the customs. This refers to some non-standard products. Special goods cannot be cleared in the destination country through normal channels.

What is the difference between a double tax package and a DDP?
Most of the double-clearing tax package import tariff package tax package door-to-door service. This is no different from DDP. The difference is that DDP is need or need to deliver the goods. The consignee provides the import and export customs declaration information and the customs broker of the freight forwarding company acts as the customs clearance agent. Although all the information for the double tax package is handled by the shipping company. The freight forwarding company or the trading company will clear the customs uniformly. It creates some joint liability and risk.

Application Scenario of Double Clearance Tax Package
The double-clearance package tax is aimed at special commodities that cannot be imported according to normal customs clearance, or it is troublesome to close the import due to the advantages of temperament, or some documents such as licenses cannot be provided.

Double Taxation Considerations
The shipper shall bear all the risks and costs of transporting the goods to the destination, such as freight, double taxation fees, etc.

Choose double clearing service according to the goods
Generally speaking, there are two types of goods suitable for double clearance and tax-included services. First, the value of the goods exceeds the customs threshold of the destination country, and second, the normal customs clearance is more troublesome, and the goods that cannot provide complete proof of relevant documents, such as cosmetics, liquid products, live broadcast products, battery products, food, books, brand products, etc.”

2022 Top 50 Global Shipping and Air Freight Forwarders!

Dexun, Sinotrans, and DHL are among the top three global ocean freight forwarders.

A few days ago, Transport Topics, an authoritative magazine in the logistics industry, announced the list of the top 50 global ocean and air freight forwarders in 2022/2023.

Compared with the previous year, the ranking of the top 5 global ocean freight forwarders in 2022 has not changed, followed by: Kuehne+Nagel ranked first with an annual cargo volume of 4.613 million TEU; Sinotrans ranked second with an annual cargo volume 3.75 million TEU; DHL ranked third with an annual cargo volume of 3.142 million TEU; DSV ranked fourth with an annual cargo volume of 2.9 million TEU; DB Schenker ranked fifth with an annual cargo volume of 2.215 million TEU.

In addition to Sinotrans, there are 9 Chinese companies on the list, including:

Kerry Logistics ranked 9th with an annual cargo volume of 1.23 million TEU;
CTS International Logistics ranked 11th with an annual cargo volume of 1.02 million TEU;
Worldwide Logistics Group ranked 15th with an annual cargo volume of 840,000 TEU;
OOCL Logistics ranked 17th with an annual cargo volume of 750,000 TEU;
Cargo Services Far East ranked 25th with an annual cargo volume of 600,000 TEU;
Honour Lane Shipping ranked 28th with an annual cargo volume of 510,000 TEU;
Long Sail International Logistics ranked 31st with an annual cargo volume of 360,000 TEU;
AWOT Global Logistics Group ranked 37th with an annual cargo volume of 250,000 TEU;
Dimerco Express Group ranked 39th with an annual cargo volume of 240,000 TEU.

2022/2023 Top 50 Global Ocean Freight Forwarders List

2022 Top 50 Global Ocean Freight Forwarders List
2022 Top 50 Global Ocean Freight Forwarders List

2022 Top 50 Global Ocean Freight Forwarders List
2022 Top 50 Global Ocean Freight Forwarders List

In the list of air freight forwarders, Dexun surpassed DHL to rank first with an annual cargo volume of 2.22 million tons; DHL ranked second with an annual cargo volume of 2.1 million tons; DSV ranked third with an annual cargo volume of 1.6 million tons. The volume of the three companies has increased significantly over the previous year.

In addition, Chinese companies on the list include:

Sinotrans ranked 11th with an annual cargo volume of 530,000 tons;
Kerry Logistics ranked 12th with an annual cargo volume of 520,000 tons;
Ouhua International ranked 13th with an annual cargo volume of 480,000 tons;
Huamao Logistics ranked 15th with an annual cargo volume of 400,000 tons;
China-Philippines Bank ranked 24th with an annual cargo volume of 250,000 tons;
WWL ranked 34th with an annual cargo volume of 130,000 tons;
Beijing Harmony Shipping & Forwarding Agent ranked 38th with an annual cargo volume of 100,000 tons.

If you need a professional freight forwarder to help you handle the shipping from or to China, please feel free to send an inquiry here, and we will offer a you a cost-effective solution.

Request a better shipping rate!

 

2022 Top 50 Global Air Freight Forwarders List

2022 Top 50 Global Air Freight Forwarders List
2022 Top 50 Global Air Freight Forwarders List

 

2022 Top 50 Global Air Freight Forwarders List
2022 Top 50 Global Air Freight Forwarders List

Case Study: Ship dry Cargo from China to Philippines 

Shipper: Midea

Port of Loading: Shenzhen, China

Port of Destination: Manila, Philippines

Mode of transport: By FCL

Terms: DAP(Door to Door)

Midea chooses Tj chinafreight as their logistics partner, due to our professional logistic experience, our competitive price, and the best service in the Philippines.

Our work:

  1. Book the space from shipping line companies from Beijiao port to Manila
  2. Check the paperwork with Media team for customs clearance in China
  3. Arrange the shipping service by barge from Bejiao to Hongkong then by Vessel from Hongkong to Manila
  4. Confirm the information on BL and make Form E for cutting the duty in Philippines
  5. Customs clearance in the Philippines use our trade company
  6. Delivery the container to the warehouse of the consignee