Sea Freight Shipping from China

Full Container Load (FCL)

Full container load is the complete container filling of the required sizes. It can range for a definite size. Usually, the container loads are 20GP, 40GP, and 40HQ.

• 20GP (20-foot General Purpose Container). It is 20 feet long in size overall. The capacity of the container is around 33.2 cubic meters.
• 40GP (40-foot General Purpose Container). It has doubled the size of the 20GP. The capacity of the container is 67.7 cubic meters.
• 40HQ (40-foot High Cube Container). There is a different variation of this container type from the above ones. The capacity is 76.3 cubic meters.

Less than Container Load (LCL)

When your inventory is less, you can't use the whole container. In such a case, less than a container load is the second best option. But there is a con. Suppose you fill the inventory in the 20GP container. It fills half. The shipping will only occur if the container gets filled.

Freight forwarders

A freight forwarder is often a company or individual that ships goods on behalf of shippers. Consider them intermediate agents between the shipper and various transportation services. With their assistance, goods transport becomes smooth and efficient.

Shipping lines

Shipping lines are companies that deploy their ships for transporting goods from one seaport to another. These companies often own the vessels and provide services to the shippers. Their role is quite crucial in maintaining the sea shipping between multiple countries.

Port Authorities

Port authorities are local port agencies that manage ports or a group of ports. From regulations to monitoring, they play a defined role in managing crucial port operations.

Customs brokers

A customs broker is a third-party agent that acts on behalf of shippers and assists them. It helps collect the documents and speed up the customs clearance processes. Custom brokers are impactful agents in international trade.

Shanghai

Shanghai Port is located in the Yangtze River Delta in China. Considered one of the busiest ports, it serves as a hub for both container shipping and bulk cargo. The Port of Shanghai can handle 42 million TEUs annually.

Shenzhen

Shenzhen port is located in the south of the Pearl River Delta. Covering over 260 kilometers of trade, it serves as a major port for foreign trade. With a 27 million TEUs annual capacity, it features facilities for containers for more than 100 nations.

Ningbo-Zhoushan

Located on the East Coast across Shanghai on Hangzhou Bay, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port stands out as the busiest port for cargo shipping. It is a state-owned port that can handle 19 million annual TEUs. This port connects 90 countries to China.

Guangzhou

Guangzhou ports lie on the Dongjiang, Beijiang, and Xijiang rivers. It connects the industrial area of these locations and facilitates easy shipping to many countries. Concluding 23 million TEUs annual capacity, it makes shipping easier for cargo.

Qingdao

Qingdao Port is situated on the Yellow Sea and has created an impact globally. With a capacity of 22 million TEUs, it connects the shipping to 130 countries and 450 ports.

Tianjin

Tianjin Port, near Bohai Bay along the Haihe River, Tianjin facilitates multiple types of containers, cargo, and passenger vessels. With 18 million TEUs capacity, it connects 180 nations and 600 ports.

3) Documentation Preparation

You need to work on documentation quite aggressively in cross-border shipments. Customs thoroughly verifies and confirms your documents.
The essential documents are:
Commercial Invoice
The commercial invoice includes all the details about your product purchase. Product description, value, and quantity are disclosed in the commercial invoices.
Packing List
Are you shipping more than one type of item? List all kinds of items and their packaging. Try to be an eco-friendly packaging lover, as it can save you from hectic tasks and bring in quick clearance.
Bill of Lading
Bill of lading is a crucial document that a carrier hands over to the shipper. It highlights the types, quantity, and destination of the goods being shipped.
Certificate of Origin
Where have your products been manufactured? Get a certificate from the manufacturing factories. Submit it when grabbing the clearance at the customs office.
Any product-specific certificates
Are you shipping electrical products? Any hazardous materials have to show off the safety certificates. For example, electrical devices require the FCC certification.
Remember, the certificates change from one country to another. The EU needs the CE certificates. While the US counts on different certifications.

5) Transportation to Port

Where is your port? Specify the location and then maximize your shipping with the following methods.
Inland transportation arrangements
Arrange the truck or domestic transport systems to arrange delivery of the products to the port. Usually, such things count on the supplier instead of the buyer.
Delivery to the port of loading
Pay the price for your shipping to the port and then confirm the delivery.

6) Export Customs Clearance in China

If you are shipping to the US, China is your export while the US is your import country. Clearance is necessary at import and export borders.
Consider the following aspects for the shipping
Submitting an export declaration
Now is the time to grab the export documents. From commercial invoices to bills of lading, extract all the crucial documentation from your directory. Submit it to the export customs and ensure clearance at the borders.
Obtaining necessary permits
Let's get straight to you with the necessary permits. Grabbing the clearance plays a crucial role. After verification, you can get the required licenses from customs.
Customs inspection
Export customs ensures you ship only the allowed products. They might take a comprehensive inspection to verify the safety of your products. Get your products inspected by the customs authorities effectively.

7) Port Handling

Once your products reach the port, they go through the handling process. It comes with the following steps.
Container placement in the yard
Container shipping doesn't occur at the given instant. Instead, your containers get stored until the sailing occurs on the vessels. Until then, the company will be able to monitor your products.
Insurance
Insurance can save you from mishaps. Keep yourself away from accidents and grab instant insurance opportunities. Select a top company that has the best insurance policy and quick reimbursement plans.
Loading onto the vessel
Once your containers are ready for shipping, loading occurs on to the vessels.

8) Ocean Transit

Now, the shipping journey starts from the origin to the destination. Let's take the following steps for the final delivery.
Vessel departure
Vessel ships on the final journey. Get insurance to secure your products and get the refunds in case of damage or accidents.
Tracking the shipment
Get the tracking ID from your shipping carrier. Trace the real-time location of your shipping vessel.
Communication with freight forwarders to get prepared
Track the orders and contact the freight forwarders. Make them ready to receive the goods being shipped through the sea freight.

9) Arrival at Destination Port

From Chinese ports to destination country ports, vessels arrive, and berthing and unloading occur.
Vessel berthing
Docking of the vessel refers to the berthing. Once your cargo reaches the port, it is anchored to the place. Workers can further move to the unloading containers.
Unloading of cargo
Workers remove the products from the cargo and give a temporary storage on the port. When further shipping occurs through the local transports, products remain at the port facility.

10) Import Customs Clearance

Import borders have a detailed inspection of your products. Customs gives a clean chit when your products meet their quality criteria.
Let's get the fastest route to customs clearance.
Customs brokers and their role
Custom brokers can assist you in the collection of the accurate data for the customs clearance. Involve them in the cross-border shipments and harness their benefits for your clearance.
Submitting import declaration
Submit all the documents from invoices to bills of lading. Upload the packing list on your customs websites.
Paying duties and taxes
Import duties are applicable to different products. Moreover, the criteria for payment varies from one country to another. Furthermore, customs charges for the inspection, too. Get ready to pay all the fees on the site. .
Customs inspection
Customs will X-ray your products. You can clear your products if they match your declaration.

11) Final Delivery

After the products arrive in your destination country, the final shipping occurs at your destination address. Here is the detailed discussion.
Arranging inland transportation
From port to your doorstep, how does the delivery occur? Obviously, you must hire the local transport systems. Truck or trailer transports can take your products to your doorstep.
Receiving the goods at the final destination
Once products are in your region, get ready to receive them. Stay active with your phone numbers or contact the delivery agents for product reception.

12) Post-Shipment

Once you have received the products, come up with the following steps.
Confirming receipt of goods
Check the product quantity and quality, if they are the same as you expect.
Handling any claims or issues
Did you get the delayed shipping? Sometimes product quality doesn't correspond to the agreed ones. In that case, you must contact your suppliers and highlight the issues. Moreover, you can mention the defects or damages during the transit and claim reimbursement from the insurance companies, too.
Evaluating the shipping process
How was your shipping process? If you enjoyed the shipping experience and timely shipping, rate your freight forwarders. Be their long-term deal.

Common issues

The everyday challenges of sea freight are battling the product damages.
Here are typical issues you might land on.

• Product delays. Your shipping is often late due to vessel handling and other liabilities. So, you can't receive the products on time, and financial losses are considered due to increased backorders.
• Damage risks. Especially in LCL, your products cover a specific area in other containers. The compressive force implemented on your products can bring instant damage to your products.
• Loss of products. Multiple products shipping simultaneously causes confusion. The loss of shipping labels ultimately causes the misplacement or loss of the products.

Seasonal challenges

Peak seasons. Events. Holidays. All such cases are quite toxic for sea shipping. It is the first thing that gets blocked.
Here are a few Seasonal challenges in this case.

• Peak season. If there is peak shipping season, your shipping doesn't get sailed. So delayed deliveries are possible.
• Adverse weather conditions. Sea shipping is more prone to the weather conditions.
• Chinese New Year. Any national or international holidays also impact the sea freight first.

How do we mitigate risks?

Do you want to avoid delivery delays or come up with compelling shipping? Make it easy with the following tips.

• Slash your costs with the consolidated shipping services.
• Shipping during an off-peak season.
• Always consider the waterproof labels and unbreakable boxes.
• Look at the calendar. If there are events or holidays around, abandon shipping during that time.
• Work with reliable and efficient shipping companies. It can speed up your shipping process and enjoy the delivery in every condition.

Criteria for selection

Whenever selecting the freight forwarder, you must focus on the following features.

• Experience and Expertise must be of a decade.
• A high level of reputation is essential to bring in quality dealings.
• Global shipping networks help with the shipping process.
• Technology and communication can eliminate all the concerns and provide a better approach towards quality shipping.
• Bag the affordable costs from trusted freight forwarders.

Questions to ask potential partners.

Now, make your game up with the critical questions from your freight forwarders. Here is the list of crucial questions.

• How many years of experience do you have?
• How long does it take to ship a product from China to your destination country?
• Do you have multiple shipping options available to the buyers?
• Can I ship products to my doorstep?
• How do you ensure transparency in the deal?
• What is your cost of shipping to a specific location?

Red flags to watch out for.

There are a few more things to watch out for before opting for your favorite freight forwarder. Take a look at the following points.

• Poor communication. If a freight forwarder lacks communication skills, it can be a wrong deal. It is because of misconceptions and an inability to understand the exact terms and demands
• Bad reputation. Not all freight forwarders are best at shipping. Some have delayed shipping patterns and don't pay to the buyer's requirements. They often have a negative reputation. You should avoid them.
• No track record. A new freight forwarder doesn't have any track record. It can be a negative point. Try to avoid such freight forwarders.
• Meager shipping costs. Luring prices can cause scams. Watch out for all the meager costs and eliminate such freight forwarders from your list.

Cost reduction strategies

Don't you want to slash the shipping costs? Get the top tips and attend the cost reduction plans. For example:

• Choose FCL. You might wonder, but FCL has cheaper shipping. You ship bulk inventory at times with reduced prices. Amazing, right?
• Work with affordable carriers.Every carrier isn't good enough to handle your shipping. Look around and consider only the best suppliers. Check the affordability of the shipping.
• Choose a port closer to your destination. Choosing closer ports can save fuel costs. Therefore, shipping prices drop down to the ground.

Improving efficiency

Improve the shipping efficiency by:

• Work with the reliable shipping agents. They will promise the timely delivery.
• Consider the optimized packaging with extreme safety measures.
• Leverage technology to track your orders and receive them on time.
• Advanced booking can save you from the emergency hassles.