How Long Does Sea Freight Take From China to USA?

How long does sea freight take from China to USA?

The rule of thumb for delivery times (under normal circumstances) is 3 days by air, 8-10 days by air, and 30-40 days by sea.

 

These estimates can be affected by a variety of circumstances, so it is worth checking with your logistics provider.

 

Express Shipping

When shipping from China via international courier, it takes three days. This includes pickup at the doorstep of the supplier in China, unless the supplier has delivered the package to their warehouse. If it's really urgent, there are more expensive premium services that can even deliver overnight.

 

Air Freight

Standard air freight between the US and China typically takes about 8-10 days. It's not that planes are slower; it comes down to the fact that the air freight process is more complex than express freight. Express air freight services typically take 2-3 days less than standard air freight shipping times.

 

Shipping from China to USA

Door-to-door shipping from China to the U.S. takes about 30-40 days, with ocean freight having the longest delivery time. That's because ships move much more slowly than airplanes.

 

In addition to the extra preparation required, ocean liners are beginning to slow down to save fuel (and money). For example, U.S. Customs requires importers to use a single-entry bond and travel by sea to also obtain an ISF bond.

 

Most importantly, port congestion, customs delays and bad weather conditions affect ocean freight more than air freight.

 

If you need your cargo shipped faster, ocean freight can provide excellent service. Depending on shipping requirements, expedited shipments may be able to truly reduce transit times. In some cases, it may even be competitive with air freight delivery times.

 

Expedited shipments are expedited by streamlining the ocean freight process and pairing it with only faster ocean freight services and premium trucking services. This makes expedited shipping a good option when shipping from China.

Shipping from China to USA transit time

The transit time for your shipment will be affected by location, shipment size and season. Shipping times are not always the same. Depending on market conditions, natural behavior and other events, shipments may be delayed.

 

Use the table below to estimate the time for each shipping method from China to the United States.

More about shipping methods from China to US

As important as cost and speed are when shipping from China, you should also be aware of some key details and differences between the various modes.

 

Express shipping from China to USA

The two major domestic couriers in the United States, FedEx and UPS, are also popular choices for express delivery from China to the United States. So are other major international couriers such as DHL and TNT.

 

Just like mail, the process is simple: finding prices online is usually easy and does not require a formal quote. As with other mode options, most couriers offer an air express option. If the value of the shipment exceeds $800, U.S. Customs applies, but clearance is much simpler than by air or sea.

 

Importers intending to purchase large quantities of inventory and use ocean or air freight should still arrange for courier trial shipments before signing a large contract with the supplier. This approach tests the waters by selling the product. It also helps to estimate profitability: the cost of this shipment is the upper limit of ongoing freight costs.

 

Air freight from China to USA

The larger the shipment, the more complex the shipping process. Finding space in the cargo hold of an aircraft is much more involved than using a conventional courier service. Shipments are first transported to a facility where they are consolidated (packed with other shipments).

 

The process is repeated in reverse at the other end. The U.S. customs process is also much more complex than express delivery.

 

International law, national law, carrier organization regulations, and individual carrier regulations all play a role in defining and limiting which shipments are considered dangerous goods for transportation.

 

In general, more products are restricted as air cargo than sea cargo, including: gases, all flammable, toxic or corrosive substances, magnetic substances, oxidizers and biochemical products, and public health risks.

 

Full container and LCL shipments from China to the United States

Ocean freight usually refers to containers. However, if you do not have enough material to fill a full 20-foot or 40-foot container shipment (FCL), then it is often worth shipping a LCL shipment (Less than Container Load).

 

With LCL, multiple shipments are combined and packed into a single container. This means that freight forwarders need to do more than just consolidate various shipments into one container and break up the cargo at the other end before the main shipment.

 

Keeping track of one of the many shipments in a container is more difficult than keeping track of a container with an FCL. Of course, this involves additional paperwork and a greater risk of delays.

 

For larger LCL shipments, it often makes more sense to upgrade to a 20-foot container and convert to a full container. The tipping point is usually around 15 cubic meters. FCLs offer three major advantages over LCLs.

 

The delivery time for FCL is shorter than that for LCL shipments. For Central America, LCL usually takes an additional one to two weeks.

FCL is less likely to cause damage, misalignment and loss.

FCL costs are lower. For general cargo, the main transportation cost is usually twice the cost of a full container when broken down per cubic meter.

From STU Supply Chain: https://stusupplychain.com/shipping-time-from-china-to-us.html