How to Reduce Containers Shipping Cost When Importing From China 2023?

Containers’ shipping cost is always a big expense for those international sourcing businesses, especially importing from China which was affected by Covid-19. However, after Chinaended the Covid restrictions in early December 2022, the ports will become busier and it is predicted that shipping rates will rise in 2023. To help you reduce the shipping cost when importing from China, TJ China freight here will share some tips:

First, choose a reliable local freight forwarder in China

Once you hired a suitable forwarder, you will find that importing process is extremely easy. The benefits you will get are the valuable resources in Asia. Most China forwarders provide customized services such as fcl, consolidation, re-labeling, and repackaging for a fraction of the cost compared to what it would cost at the destination. Also, they will follow up with the supplier in real-time and logistics info.

With a reliable China freight forwarder, your business is valued and service is personalized according to your cargo, your destination, your departure time, and unique requirements. As local forwarders are on the ground, they can easily find the best pricing based on their client’s specific logistics needs. With them having a detailed understanding of the local network, they can optimize your supply chain, saving you money and time.

Second, choose the best methods of shipping in advance.

When you decide to import products from China, planning your shipping will make the process more effective. It will include a clear description of your business scope, goods types, weights, quantities, destination, volumes, shipment frequency, lead times, and potential routes like sea freight, air freight or rail freight.

Each mode of shipping has its own advantages and disadvantages, and you should understand them. Choosing the right transport method can help reduce the cost and damage to the goods. When shipping by air, you will save a lot of time if you choose a direct flight. When shipping by sea, you will save a lot of cost for shipping large-volume cargo, but it will take longer time.

Third, properly packing to reduce the volume and damage

Generally freight rates are based on the shipment’s weight or volume, so it is important for you to pack your products properly. Otherwise, you will pay more than what you need to. Also some goods are special, so ensure that your goods have proper outer packaging, as well as inner packaging; that the boxes are sealed properly and labeled correctly.

If your shipments tend to be bigger quantities, it’s worthwhile to look into LCL (Less than Container Load) and FCL (Full Container Load) shipping. This is one area where you may be able to save substantially on shipping products sourced from a Chinese supplier.

If you want to ship enough products in one shipment for a full container, it is called FCL and you can use the whole container for yourself. Shipping FCL is normally a lot cheaper than if you ship by weight or volume.

Another advantage of shipping FCL is that you will be encouraged to buy larger quantities of products at the same time. This will reduce the cost per unit dramatically. On average, FCL shipping costs are between 30% and 40% lower than LCL shipping. This option is however only feasible if you do move larger quantities of goods at the same time.

Fourth, know the forwarding process well and plan ahead

After you know the process of freight forwarding, you will have a clear plan and instructions when communicating with your forwarder, and that will help you save some unnecessary expenses. For example, most veteran importers clearly understand the operating procedures of shipping and will book the space ahead of time and get cargo delivered according to the arrangement of the forwarders.

Planning ahead means you will have enough time to choose the suitable transportation method. A good freight forwarder will help you arrange the cargo shipping properly. All other shipping strategies for saving costs are based on this. Make sure to book your cargo two weeks earlier ETD when importing from China. For example holiday impact.

Chinese New Year (abt 3 weeks, lunar calendar)

National Holiday: 1 week, Oct 1st ~ Oct 7th

Fifth, Compare the rates of different companies.

To find the most competitive price, you can find many different companies and compare the rates and services. Different forwarders have their own advantages and services they can offer. It is advised that you use the same shipping method and one company to save costs. Shipping costs vary widely, even for the same freight company. Get a shipping quote from multiple freight forwarders, compare them and you can get the competitive one.

2023 has already come. This year will be with huge opportunities and potential for business. Good luck and TJ China freight is your best partner to help in handle your 2B logistics by sea, air and rail. Feel free to send a quote if you need any China forwarding service!

Top Ranking China Freight Forwarders List [Updated 2023]

What is a freight forwarder?

Wikipedia defines freight forwarders as follows:

“A freight forwarder, or forwarding agent, is a person or company who, for a fee organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier or often multiple carriers to move the goods from one country to another.

A forwarder does not move the goods but acts as an expert in the logistics network. The carriers can use a variety of shipping modes, including ships, airplanes, trucks, and railroads, and often use multiple modes for a single shipment.

International freight forwarders typically handle international shipments and have additional expertise in preparing and processing customs documentation and performing activities pertaining to international shipments.”

A freight forwarder is an agent that arranges your import and export goods.

What does a freight forwarder actually do?

A freight forwarder specializes in the organization and arranging of storage and the shipping of merchandise on behalf of its shipper. For example, a freight forwarder may arrange to have the cargo moved from the manufacturer to an airport by truck, then flown to the destination city, and transported from the airport to a customer’s building by another truck.

Freight forwarders often help businesses with packaging. This task has different levels of difficulty, depending on the product and its final destination. Packaging for shipping within the US is generally simpler than packaging products for extended transportation, as they may need to be temperature controlled or shipped in large cargo containers, and may be loaded and unloaded multiple times along the route. Shipping items by air necessitates lighter-weight packaging, to keep the weight and therefore the cost down.

Freight forwarders may help businesses correctly label packages, to make sure they contain information about the products in the container, any hazardous items, the country of origin, and any details required in the language of the destination country.

Shipping items overseas involves complex documentation that requires specialist knowledge. A freight forwarder helps with the documentation, which may include the following: the Bill of Lading, which is the contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier, a commercial invoice, the Certificate of Origin (COO), the inspection certificate, an export license, Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED), and the export packing list.

How to choose a freight forwarder?

To choose a freight forwarder, you should first know your own shipping needs and clearly communicate them with the freight forwarders. Usually, the following questions are considered:

  • What commodity is being shipped?
  • What is the volume of the cargo?
  • Where is your departure and destination place?
  • When will your cargo be shipped?
  • How many imports and exports does your company have on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis?
  • Do they have cargo insurance, and if so, what kind? You should know what will happen if something goes wrong with a shipment.

What service do you prefer? Sea freight, air freight or rail freight? An experienced forwarder will offer you effective shipping solutions according to your needs. Make sure you are clear about the services that the forwarder company offers.

Top China freight forwarder list updated for 2023

Select the best freight forwarder for your China import/export 2B logistics. Here you can find the top 20 freight forwarder in China. Just feel free to contact TJ China freight to get latest rate quote.

1. TJ China Freight Co., Ltd

Address: A2110, Block A, Mid-term Longguang Nine Diamond Business Center, Longhua District, Shenzhen

TJ China Freight is the first-class freight forwarder in China, and their clients cover all over the globe. The head office is located in Shenzhen, and has branch offices in Qingdao, Xi’an, Shanghai, and other main cities in China. Their team has rich experience in handling all kinds of China import/export goods shipping by sea, air, and rail. The services and prices are reliable.

Request Free Freight Quote NOW

2. Shanghai SSMInternational Logistics Co., Ltd

Address: BUILDING 316, NO. 10, 291 LOGISTICS AVENUE, PUDONG NEW AREA, SHANGHAI, 200120

Their professionalism in as freight forwarders and work experience make them trusted at the client’s hand over shipments. They have a great advantage in terms of air transportation because they are near the International Airport. They can definitely provide you a competitive price in air freight and provide better services for air transportation.

3. S-Union Logistics and Forwarding Ltd

Address: 1008, Block A, Customs mansion, South Road of Dongmen, SHENZHEN, China, 518000

S-union Logistics is your worldwide one-stop service for integrated logistics with the fairest rates and best services. They can provide you a professional international freight forwarding. They take care of the suitable and most considerate business partners for their clients and oversea agents.

4. King Global International Logistics Co., Ltd

Address: FLOOR 1, BLOCK F, HOUGANG LOGISTICS ZONE, HUANGSHI ROAD, BAIYUN DISTRICT, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510091

They have a professional team that has a new concept, good management, and high efficiency. With King Global International Logistics, you can save your money and time as well as save your work. They offer cheap, high-efficient and constant services.

5. Global Link Logistics Co., Ltd

Address: Room 33DE, Tower B, HongLong Century Plaza, East Shennan Road Luohu, Shenzhen, China, Shenzhen, China, 121108

They can guarantee you the best rates and their shipment is promptly handled and with care. they can provide consolidation and warehousing services in every region of China.

6. Shenzhen Huatai Supply Chain CO., Ltd

Address: Room 611, Weidonglong Business Building, Longhua District Shenzhen, China, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000

They are a member of NVOCC who has passed system certification such as ISO9001. They are a first-class international company in freight forwarding by the approved of the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Commerce.

7. Marshal Freight International Limited

Address: Room351/A Block T No.128 Hua Yuan Road Shanghai P.R.China, Hongkou District, Shanghai, China, 200083

Marshal Freight International Limited provides the best coordination in Great China and Asia and a communication platform. With their overseas partners and enthusiastic and experienced staff, they have the capability to offer reliable and appropriate services to meet customers’ expectations.

8. Globe Success Group

Address: Room 7F, Floor 7, Xinghanghuafu, Unit F, Fuyong Street, Baoan District, Shenzhen P.R. China, Guangdong, China, 518126

Their services have gained identification from the market and customers. They continuously improve to pursue scientific management methods. They will be your trusted freight forwarder in China.

9. CPL (HK) Logistics Ltd

Address: Room 1206, unit 1, no.8 Shangdao office building, , Dongguan, Guangdong, 523000

This company is over 10 years of experience in the freight industry. They can take the advantage of the geographic coverage in this booming world.

10. SDA Logistics CO., LTD

Address: Rm410, Baofeng building, Dongmen, Luohu Shenzhen, China., Luohu, Guangdong, 518000

They are approved by the PRC freight forwarding company. Their headquarters is based in Shenzhen, China relying on the Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta. Contact us now!

11. Bansarchina

Address: Shanglv Building, No.181, Cuiyuan Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215000

They have built alliances with many carriers and airlines. They can offer a relatively more affordable freight forwarding service from China to other countries. Support sea, air, and rail freight.

Request Free Freight Quote NOW

12. Sinoglory Logistics Co., Ltd

Address:NO.66 NANJING ROAD, QINGDAO, 266071, P.R.CHINA, QINGDAO, CHINA, 266071

Their team is strictly trained to provide professional knowledge and the best services to their customers. They offer excellent customer service, effectiveness, and reliability.

13. Freight Solution Limited

Address: No. 1002 Shennan East Road, Huang Bei Str, Luohu District, Shenzhen, Luohu District, Shenzhen, China, 518000

Their headquarters is located in Shenzhen. They are broadly spread in Beijing, Qingdao, Dalian,  Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Europe.

14. SINO OCEAN GROUP LTD.GUANGZHOU BRANCH

Address: ROOM 703, BROADWAY PLAZA, NO.233~235, DONGFENG WEST ROAD, YUE XIU DISTRICT, GUANGZHOU, CHINA., GUANGZHOU, CHINA, 510180

They are an international freight forwarding in China. They officially approved with Economic Cooperation and Ministry of Foreign Trade. Also, this company is acquiring non-vessel carrier qualifications.

15. Asia grace(shanghai) international logistics co.,ltd

Address: ROOM528, TIANKE PLAZA NO.1090 PINGLIANG ROAD, YANGPU DISTRICT, SHANGHAI CHINA, YANGPU DISTRICT, SHANGHAI, 200090

Exporting and importing products are Asia Grace Logistic can provide queries and orders. They also provide different services in sea, air, and inland services at a very competitive cost.

16. BEST WIN INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS CO., LIMITED

Address: RM1602-03, BUILDING B, FORTIS YUAN,48TH BAOAN DISTRICT, SHENZHEN, CHINA, SHENZHEN, CHINA, 518100

This company is mainly committed to the general cargo of transport including container transport, railway, highway, and air transport. They are professional, energetic and efficient.

17. SDI LOGISTICS CO., LIMITED

Address: D2104, FUYUAN COMM. AND TRADE CENTER, SHENZHEN, BAOAN, CHINA, 518101

They are covering moreover 100  cities in China and own more than 200 trucks. Through their hard work and efficient management, they have witnessed rapid development. This company is also a competitive enterprise in the transport industry in Shenzhen.

18. Wintop Worldwide Logistics

Address: 20/F, Yu Heng Tower, No.170 Xu Zhou Road, Shi Bei District, Qingdao, China, Qingdao, China, 266000

Wintop Worldwide Logistics has an office in the main ports in China. They are a booking agencies of Maersk, EMC, MOL, YML, APL, and HDS in Qingdao.

19. Shenzhen Haida United Logistics Co., Ltd

Address: Rm22E baihe Yindu Building Buji Longgang, Shenzhen city, Guangdong, 518112

They can help their clients to pick up the cargo from consolidated and different suppliers. They can handle ports from or to China and all cities in China.

20. Shanghai Brightway Shipping Co. Ltd

Address: Room.1815, No.1688 North Sichuan Road South Building, Fu De Commerical Building, Shanghai, 200080

They are a professional and registered freight forwarding company in Shanghai, China. This company is focused on air and ocean transportation from China to any destination around the world for over 10 years. They can give you the best solution for your logistics with efficient services and economical rates.

Ultimate Guides for DDP Shipping From China

What is DDP from China?

DDP is an abbreviation of Delivery Duty Paid. the seller delivers the goods to a place designated by the buyer’s country and pays import duties, including inland transportation from the point of entry to the buyer’s location.

Who is The Importer of Record on a DDP Shipment?

In DDP freight, the importer is recorded as the foreign shipper of the goods. For US example, Foreign shippers must obtain foreign entity customs bonds from US customs brokers through freight forwarders or surety companies (single or annual/continuous).

What are the responsibility of the seller under DDP Incoterms?

EXW (EX Works) represents the seller’s minimum obligation, and DDP represents the maximum obligation. The responsibility, cost, and risk all fall entirely on the shoulders of the seller.

The seller (exporter) is responsible for all costs involved in delivering the goods to the designated destination and clearing customs in the importing country.

The seller may also need to obtain import licenses, permits, or specific payment methods and customs. If the seller cannot obtain an import license, DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) shall be used instead of DDP (Delivered Duty Paid).

What are the responsibilities of the buyer under DDP Incoterms?

The buyer’s liability is minimal in a DDP shipping from China agreement. These are the unloaded goods at the pre-arranged transshipment point and their final destination. The buyer does not need to provide assistance or advice regarding import responsibilities or any other documents, and the buyer also does not accept any risks during transportation.

What are the benefits of sellers and buyers under DDP incoterms?

Seller’s Benefits

Like any general international trade terms in transportation where the seller controls the export of goods, the DDP allows the seller to control logistics costs and adjust them accordingly to maximize profits. It also allows the seller to choose which transportation service is willing to provide the largest profit for the contract.

Buyer’s Benefits

For inexperienced or busy buyers, the DDP shipping from China is numerous. Since the full responsibility for cargo transportation and paperwork mainly falls on the seller, the buyer can only focus on arranging sales. Before the goods arrive, the buyer enjoys a trouble-free situation because they have almost no responsibility.

DAP vs DDP shipping: how are these two differ?

DAP (Delivered At Point) is different from DDP. Under DAP, the buyer is responsible for customs clearance, duties, and taxes. Under DPP, the seller is obliged to clear the goods and pay import duties and taxes. DAP is more suitable for situations that do not require customs clearance at the border or customs during the import process.

What are the Risks of DDP Shipping from China?

  • Low-value customs declaration

If it is a small package, they can try to pass it through customs by placing a low value on the customs declaration form. If you are arrested by customs and asked for a tax, but you must pay the tax.

  • Wrong HTS Code

An HTS Code known as H.S. Coding or Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System is used by U.S. Customs to classify products using codes to determine the import duties and taxes. Some sellers will use the wrong H.S. code to lower the taxes and duties they have to pay. Be mindful of dealing with sellers because some offers might be too good to be true. There are many cases where buyers got in trouble when they used Alibaba DDP shipping.

For accounting purposes, the buyer needs the correct documentation and proof. If you have a wrong code stated in your Commercial Invoice, you cannot use this for your business tax declaration.

  • Hidden/additional charges

DDP shipping meaning Delivery Duty Paid shipping, is a method where the seller will cover the cost of VAT (Value Added Tax). VAT can be up to 20% of the item’s price plus duties. If there are VAT refunds, the buyer will receive them, but the seller must bear the cost.

Sellers usually increase the air or sea freight price that will pay for these taxes and customs duties. If the buyer agrees to this, the seller shall shoulder other hidden charges within the shipping process.

What are the advantages of hiring TJ China Freight As Your DDP agent?

TJ China Freight is one of the most reputable China freight forwarders providing sea freight, air freight, rail freight, ddp, ddu and more. TJ China freight’ expert team has rich experience in DDP, DDU from China and has got amounts of satisfied clients all over the globe for DDP shipping cases. You will get:

  • Reliable and hassle-free service

We will provide a hassle-free transportation solution in which the company in charge handles the end-to-end process. This includes picking up the shipment, performing quality control, handling all documentation, paying all applicable taxes and transport costs, and delivering it on time and safely to its destination.

  • 7*24 Hours Client Support

You will get all the necessary updates and answers to your queries from our team. It is our primary concern to provide support to your delivery needs.

  • Most Competitive Rates.

TJ will provide you with best rates without compromising in service.

Why Choose Rail Freight for Shipping From China to Europe, Central Aisa & Russia?

In addition to general sea freight and air freight ways, rail freight is a new way of transporting freight that is preferred by many people.  Rail goods trains are a very efficient way of shipping from China to Europe, they are cheaper than air freight and take much less time to travel from China to Europe than sea freight. So if you are looking for a reliable and cost-effective way to get your goods from China to Europe, rail freight is the way to go.

The China rail freight to Europe is known as the Eurasian Continental Bridge. It is the longest railway line in the world, passing through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany before reaching its final destination

How much does it cost to transport a container by rail?

By train it will cost between US$ 7,000 and US$ 9,000. On the other hand, sea freight costs US$ 6,000 and air freight costs US$ 32,000. In the last few years, China rail freight has offered a cheaper alternative to China air freight , with faster transit times than sea freight.

What are the advantages of rail freight

  • Competitive prices
  • Reliable schedules
  • Guaranteed delivery times
  • More reliable and consistent transit times

How can containers be transported from China to Europe by rail?

A rail goods train can carry up to 40 x 40 foot full containers at a time, which means it can transport up to 8 million pounds of cargo at a time. That’s enough cargo to fit two fully loaded Boeing 747s!

Rail freight is also more environmentally friendly than road transport, as it produces less CO2 emissions per tonne kilometer transported.

Freight trains have a higher loading capacity than trucks, which allows them to carry heavier loads at a lower cost per tonne-kilometer transported.

China-Europe Railway Freight Line

The first Sino-European train was successfully launched in 2011, and since then Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Yiwu, Wuhan, Changsha, Harbin and other provinces and cities have been opened to major European countries: Duisburg, Germany, Hamburg, UK, Liege, Warsaw, Poland, Milan, Italy, Madrid, Spain, Tilburg, Netherlands, Lyon, France, Brest, Belarus.

The trains do not stop along the way and the route is from China to the EU train stations. The trains run directly from China to different destination train stations in the EU.

To cope with the difference in gauge between China and Europe, the train will have to stop twice at the borders of Kazakhstan and China and Belarus and Poland to reload the containers onto a new set of rail wagons, which normally takes less than 48 hours.

The transit time is factored into the departure date, so you can rest assured that your goods will arrive on time.

How long does it take to ship by rail from China to Europe

Rail freight is a very efficient way of transporting goods from China to Europe. Rail freight from China to Europe takes between 15 and 20 days, which is much faster than using other methods.

16 days for rail freight from China to Germany

Rail freight from China to Hungary 15 days

Rail freight from China to Poland 14 days

Rail freight from China to Spain 20 days

Rail freight from China to Austria 20 days

Rail freight from China to Hamburg 16 days

China to Belgium rail freight 16 days

Rail freight from China to France 18 days

Rail freight from China to Italy 18 days

Rail freight from China to Europe and the UK

Rail freight from China to Europe is often referred to as the Yiwu London goods train / China-European Banlin / Eurasian Railway Initiative under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, all referring to the same mode of transport: A Block Train caring 40 x 40HQ full container load (full container) direct from China to Europe with no stops in between. A China freight forwarder will help you to develop the most cost-effective rail transport solution

In recent years, due to the opening of the China-Europe train, which has significantly shortened the transport time between China and Europe, many companies have also started to put rail transport on their transport list. Besides air or sea freight being your main transport option, rail freight from China is also a good choice.

Notes on the Transport of Dangerous Goods!

When you transport dangerous goods, there are many things needs to be noted.

  1. Should be realistic about the consignment of dangerous goods and declaration, do not fail to report, omission, misreporting, blind reporting.

Due to the high transportation requirements of dangerous goods, the transportation price is also higher than that of ordinary goods. In the case of independent accounting and self-financing, we should consider both accounting costs and reducing expenses, as well as risk factors to ensure the safety of shipping, both of which must be taken into account. In the daily work, in the consignment of dangerous goods, there are indeed some cargo owners or freight forwarders to save freight to the practice of dangerous goods as ordinary cargo consignment, there are some cargo owners and freight forwarders lack of knowledge and experience in the transport of dangerous goods, will not be dangerous goods for the transport of goods as dangerous goods consignment, both a waste of freight, but also increased a lot of unnecessary trouble. This phenomenon should be overcome and corrected.

(1) “International Shipping Dangerous Goods” detailed list of listed, not necessarily all dangerous goods. As we all know, to determine whether a kind of goods belongs to dangerous goods, should be based on the amount of its content, production process, physical and chemical characteristics, the degree of harm and a series of factors to determine, not simply to the name to measure.

(2) “International Shipping Dangerous Goods” is not specifically listed in the detailed list, can not be said not to be dangerous goods. Dangerous regulations are not a complete book, it is impossible to include everything, all the dangerous goods in the world are listed one by one without omission. Especially in today’s world of science and technology continues to develop, new products like a spring, many new dangerous goods are constantly added. Therefore, all the substances that do have dangerous characteristics, although not listed in the Dangerous Goods Regulations, we should still be declared as dangerous goods in a factual manner when consigning, in order to facilitate the safety of shipping. Declaration method should be based on the characteristics of its substances, according to the provisions of the Dangerous Goods set of categories, such as new commodity characteristics of flammable liquids, according to its closed cup flash point how much to determine its category, closed cup flash point is 20 degrees Celsius, is not listed in Category 3.2 flammable liquids: toxic substances according to the former toxicity table in the amount of LD50 by category set to do.

(3) In addition to the “International Maritime Dangerous Regulations”, each country has its own dangerous regulations, in order to respect the provisions of each country, where a country’s dangerous regulations for the export of dangerous goods, the country, even if the “International Maritime Dangerous Regulations” in the absence of the substance listed, should be declared as a matter of course for dangerous goods. For example, China’s exports of oxalic acid to the United States, China does not transport dangerous goods “International Maritime Dangerous Goods” is not listed, but the U.S. Dangerous Goods are listed as dangerous goods, then in transport must be declared as dangerous goods. Otherwise, the U.S. port will not discharge the goods, or impose a fine.

2. should be strictly in accordance with the relevant provisions of the port for the transport of dangerous goods procedures and packing.

The Ministry of Transport has many regulations on loading and unloading, transporting dangerous goods, and the enforcement agency of the ports is the port supervision. Shanghai port supervision of the following two provisions, the consignor, China freight forwarder and shipping agents, carriers are required to comply with the uncompromising handling:

(1) for the “package of dangerous goods safe and suitable for transport declaration” and “ship carrying dangerous goods declaration” of the declarant, must be trained by the port supervision of professional, and passed the examination, to obtain the declaration certificate of full-time declarant.

(2) dangerous goods container packing point must be approved in advance by the port supervision audit, the need for dangerous goods container supervisors, supervisors need to receive professional training in port supervision, and qualified by the examination to obtain a certificate of supervision. Container shipment of dangerous goods, the need to boxing point of the statement to the port supervision for “packaging dangerous goods safe and suitable for transport by the report” oral cargo by the report. After the container packing, supervisors need to be in the “container shipment of dangerous goods packing certificate” on the signature, and timely sent to the port supervision for inspection. Container point and the supervisor’s signature must be the same as the port supervision within the record, do not be fraudulent signatures, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

3. Ships loaded with dangerous goods must have certain conditions, especially ships loaded with all dangerous goods must have the inspection certificate of ship supervision department.

For the consignment of highly dangerous goods, such as CLASS1, CLASS2, CLASS3.1, CLASS5.2 and CLASS7, we should know clearly whether the ship is suitable for transportation beforehand, so as to avoid delaying the loading period by returning the customs after dispatching the ship.

  1. Pay attention to the special regulations of the transshipment port.

At present, many goods need to be transshipped in Hong Kong and Singapore, the two ports have special regulations and requirements for dangerous goods in and out of transshipment, and many species are prohibited from transshipment. Where the above two ports must be transshipment of dangerous goods, in the contract before the transaction should be contacted with the shipping company to inquire whether the above port can be transshipment, in order to prevent unnecessary breach of contract events.

Top Rated 5 China Freight Forwarder Are Preferred by Most People

Today I have compiled a list of the top five China freight forwarder companies, there are many freight forwarding companies in China, in the end which companies are on the list, follow me down, maybe there is a company you have worked with above.

1. Shipkoo logistics

Introduction

Shipkoo provides advanced freight forwarding and logistics solutions that are backed up with advanced technology. It has a unique shipping process for international e-commerce solutions. It was founded in 2019 and provides fast, reliable, and safe forwarding services.

Services

Shipkoo offers the following services:

  1. Express Shipping
  2. Ecommerce Fulfillment
  3. FBA Prep & Forwarding

2. Guangzhou Trinity Marine International Freight Services

 Introduction

Guangzhou Trinity Marine International Freight Services was founded in 2006. It is located in China.

Its business scope includes a liner agency handling international forwarding, project management, port representative, dangerous cargo transportation, and local logistics. It provides its services to shipping companies.

Services

Guangzhou Trinity Marine International Freight Services provides many services, for example:

  1. Dangerous Cargo (Class 1) Transportation
  2. Local Logistics
  3. Freight Forwarding

3. TJ China Freight Co., Ltd

TJ China Freight is a first-class freight forwarding company approved by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of the People’s Republic of China, with the qualification of first-class freight forwarding and engaged in international shipping and air transportation as a non-vessel-operating carrier. If you need the freight rate for shipping from or to China, send an inquiry now.

Supported by a global network of selected partners, their service covers more than over 100 countries.

Services

TJ CHINA freight provides many services including:

  1. sea freight
  2. air freight
  3. rail freight
  4. ddp/ddu
  5. Cargo insurance
  6. Amazon FBA
  7. container loading supervision

4. Mornington International freight co.,ltd in china

Introduction

Mornington International freight co.,ltd was founded in 2010. It was initially established in Shenzhen but now it has its branches in other cities like Xiamen and Hong Kong as well.

It covers all the main ports of China and provides freight forwarding services globally.

Services

Mornington International freight provides many services including:

  1. International Freight Forwarding
  2. Packaging and crating needs
  3. Warehousing
  4. Customs clearance
  5. Transportation

5. Global Link Logistics Co.,Ltd.

Introduction

Global Link Logistics Co.,Ltd was founded in 1998. It provides its services in more than 55 countries worldwide. It offers to save and fast transportation service at affordable prices.

Services

Global Link Logistics offers a range of services including:

  1. Freight forwarding
  2. Relocation
  3. Project logistics management services
  4. Different mode of shipping including air freight, sea freight, and rail freight

2023 | Things You Should Have Known Earlier About Air Freight

When importers and exporters around the world need to get their goods somewhere quickly and reliably, they use air freight. While 90% of everything is shipped by sea, airfreight can connect the world faster, reducing shipping times from 20-30 days by sea to just three days by air shipping from China to the US.

International air freight and express freight are not the same things.

Express air freight is usually handled by a single company (such as DHL, UPS or FedEx) that manages the entire shipping lifecycle and delivers from door to door within five days. Express air shipments are usually smaller than air shipments (less than one cubic metre and 200 kg). International air freight shipments can be much larger and may cross multiple carriers during transit. In fact, the largest cargo aircraft, the Anatol 225, can accommodate an entire train.

In a typical season, international air freight rates are around US$2.50 to US$5.00 per kilo, depending on the type of cargo you are transporting and the space available. However, since February 2020, costs have risen sharply due to severe disruptions in sea freight and high consumer demand.

What goods are typically shipped by air?

Due to the high cost of air freight rates, it is usually limited to smaller, high-value shipments or time-sensitive items such as

  1. documents and samples. DHL Global Forwarding actually started by air shipping documents by sea to expedite release along the new West Coast-Hawaii ocean route. Airfreight remains the most cost effective way to ship documents.
  2. Electronics. It is well known that Steve Jobs purchased all available airfreight capacity on major routes from Asia to the US in order to ship the first iMac before the holiday season.
  3. Medicine. Medical supplies are frequently flown in due to their small size and high value.
  4. Seasonal shipments. Whatever the product, if there’s high international demand for a product that needs to strengthen the supply chain, it’s often shipped by air. Apparel. Seasonal trends in apparel change quickly. As a result, companies often need to get garments from the factory to the shop as quickly as possible. The small size and high value of garments also make air freight a worthwhile expense.

Benefits of China air freight

Air freight has three main benefits.

  1. Reliability – airfreight offers better tracking and greater certainty that your goods will arrive at the right place at the right time.
  2. Speed – aircraft are approximately 30 times faster than ocean liners. Airliners cruise at 575 mph, while slow-moving ocean liners move at 16-18 mph. This means that air cargo can travel from a factory in China to a warehouse in the USA in just five days. Use this transit time calculator to estimate airfreight transit times based on recent actual shipments.
  3. Protection – goods are more easily damaged when transported by sea than by air. This makes it a good choice for fragile items

When should I not ship by air?

The following are some of the disadvantages of airfreight.

  1. Cost – air freight is expensive compared to sea freight. Comparing air freight to ocean freight, a medium-sized 2,000 lb box from Shenzhen, China to Los Angeles, USA costs US$1,500 by ocean freight, while air freight costs up to US$8,000 or more. However, with the current increase in ocean costs, this difference may be smaller.
  2. Heavy cargo – Since the 1960s, freight has revolved around shipping in containers, which are ideal for transporting large, heavy items. Air freight is priced according to size and weight and can scale prices very quickly.
  3. CO2 emissions – Air freight leads to more emissions. For example, according to a UK government study, transporting 2 tonnes of goods 5,000 kilometres by sea would result in 150 kg of CO2 emissions, compared to 6,605 kg of CO2 emissions by air. Definitely not the most environmentally friendly way to transport.

Air freight rates and charges

The total cost of air freight may currently include, in addition to air freight charges for weight and volume

  1. fuel surcharges
  2. security surcharges
  3. container freight terminal/terminal handling charges
  4. airport transfers

In addition, for door-to-door costs, the price will also include airfreight services, including

  1. customs clearance operations
  2. Pick-up and delivery
  3. Cargo insurance
  4. surcharges

 

If your business is not sure which shipping method is better from or to China, TJ China freight, a leading China freight forwarder will tailor a solution to suit the characteristics of your cargo and your business.

2023 Latest Shipping Guide| Read It To Make You Understand More About Shipping

Main feature

Ocean transportation is carried out with the help of natural waterways, which are not restricted by roads and tracks and have a stronger passing capacity. As the political, economic and trade environment and natural conditions change, the route can be adjusted and changed at any time to complete the transportation task.

With the development of the international shipping industry, modern shipbuilding technology is becoming more and more sophisticated, and ships are becoming larger and larger. The ultra-large oil tanker has reached more than 600,000 tons, and the container carrying capacity of the fifth-generation container ship has exceeded 5,000 TEU.

There are two main types of maritime transportation: liner transportation and chartered transportation. Liner shipping is also called regular ship shipping, and charter shipping is also called irregular ship shipping.

Mode of operation

  1. Liner transportation

Liner shipping refers to a kind of ship that conducts regular and repeated voyages between specific routes and established ports in accordance with a predetermined schedule to engage in cargo transportation and collect freight charges in accordance with a pre-published rate table. shipping method. Its service objects are non-specific and scattered cargo owners, and the liner company has the nature of a common carrier.

  1. Chartered transportation

Chartering refers to a method in which the charterer leases a ship from the shipowner for cargo transportation, and is usually applicable to bulk cargo transportation. Relevant routes and ports, types of goods to be transported, and sailing time are all confirmed by the shipowner in accordance with the requirements of the charterer. The rights and obligations between the charterer and the lessor are determined by the charter contract signed by both parties.

Advantages of shipping

  1. Large carrying capacity.

A very major advantage of ocean freight is the ability to handle oversized, heavy or bulky cargo – commonly known as bulk or non-trailer (NIT) cargo, including large vehicles, equipment, construction materials, and more. The carrying capacity of sea ships is far greater than that of rail and road transport vehicles. The world’s largest oil tanker is 500,000 tons.

    1. Low freight.

From the point of view of economies of scale, because of the large volume and long voyage, the transportation cost allocated to each ton of goods is small, so the freight rate is relatively low. Is the most economical international shipping option(Let’s say you have a hundred pounds of clothing that need to be shipping from China to Australia).

  1. Strong adaptability to goods.

Ocean shipping ships can meet the needs of various transportation. Many ships are now specially designed according to the needs of the cargo. For example, multi-purpose ships and specialized ships provide conditions for the transportation of different goods.

  1. Good security

Vessels are designed for the safe transport of hazardous materials and dangerous goods. Ocean Freight is well-versed in the handling of such cargo and has regulations in place to ensure the safety of ships, crews, cargo and the environment. With the improvement of maritime transportation safety, the rate of cargo loss caused by accidents during transportation has been decreasing. Containers are designed to keep cargo sealed and locked during transit, further increasing the security of shipments.

Like the means of transportation on land, sea transportation can also be divided into passenger transportation and freight transportation. What we mainly understand today is freight transportation . According to the different types of cargo transportation, freight can be roughly divided into dry bulk, oil transportation, containers, general cargo, liquefied gas transportation, chemical transportation, and some special goods transportation, such as semi-submersible ships and some ships used for oil tanker drilling Wait.

The transportation of the entire bulk trade by ship or sea can be roughly divided into three categories: dry bulk shipping, container shipping, and tanker shipping. The research on shipping in the market mainly focuses on three aspects: dry bulk cargo, oil transportation and containers . When it comes to the good and bad of the shipping market, the fluctuation of the shipping market, etc., it is also analyzed from these aspects , among which containers are the most common . You often see ships with neatly stacked boxes on the seashore. They ship some of the most commonly used light industrial products or small daily life. Supplies, etc., many large coastal cities have container terminals that provide loading and rest.

Dry bulk carriers and oil tankers, we have relatively little contact with them in our daily life, and we can only see them when they are docked at the dock. During sea transportation, they will not sail close to the sea, so there are not many opportunities for you to see them.

From the perspective of global shipping trade classification, whether it is dry bulk cargo, small shipments, or some other general cargo ships, they add up to almost half of the entire ocean freight volume, that is to say, the dry bulk cargo transportation situation. Good or bad has a decisive impact on the entire shipping market .

Dry bulk carriers mainly transport bulk dry bulk cargo, such as iron ore, coal, grain, etc. , and the cargo is loaded into the hold for transportation. Oil tankers are mainly used for the transportation of crude oil or refined oil . The loading and unloading process is to pressurize crude oil or refined oil into tanks inside the ship through pipelines for transportation. Consolidation is to pack the goods into boxes of uniform size, and then code the boxes on the deck to fix the cards and reinforce them to prevent movement caused by bumps during sea transportation.

If you are seeking in terms of delivery, it is known to find freight forwarders is the cheapest and most convenient method, the major international courier agents, the volume of goods opened the agency discount account, usually find them to send prices as long as the official half or even lower, very cost-effective. Here best China freight forwarder, TJ China freight with more than 20 years of experience in freight forwarding, is committed to creating the most perfect experience for our customers, we always welcome your contact.

 

How the USPS Rate Increase Affects

The USPS (United States Postal Service) continues to roll out new policies that you’re not aware of yet? Here’s a look at the latest documents

The USPS has announced a General Rate Increase (GRI) for transportation services that will take effect on January 22, 2023.

This year’s change follows last year’s significant increase, as USPS enters its 3rd post-Covid holiday peak.

This announcement addresses USPS competitive rate changes (freight rates), which are heavily influenced by market conditions (UPS/FedEx, etc.). It should not be confused with the market-driven rate changes (mailing products) that are also under review in China (Postal Regulatory Commission).

Unlike the previous two years, this year’s peak carrier capacity is plentiful, shippers have no difficulty choosing the carrier that best meets their needs, and carriers are again negotiating in good faith. However, shippers should bear in mind how their carriers are treating them. Depending on volume, shippers and carriers are having very different discussions. The largest shippers have seen the most significant growth in the last two years. They are grateful that their carriers simply pick up and ship regardless of price. At the same time, smaller shippers can better compete as increased volumes and their smaller discounts lead to record carrier profits.

Meanwhile, the USPS has been called the “carrier of last resort” for the last two years and has done a great job of limiting price increases based on what the market will bear and has not taken advantage of the emergency to appease shareholders. (No – the USPS is owned by all of us and operates as a quasi-government agency.)

Overall, the increases were modest, especially when compared to the peak pricing now in effect. For example, Priority Mail announced a price change of +5.5%, but most shippers will see a -1.1% decrease in the most commonly used lanes (1-5 lbs) compared to current peak pricing and a 3.8% 22 rate increase from July. Retail PM up +6.8%.

It looks similar to last year’s GRI compared to last year’s peak pricing, the USPS seems to have just brought forward the next year’s price increase

 

Here are the highlights of the “shipper-centric” approach.

  1. The new rates for USPS Competitive (aka “Transport Services”) are proposed to take effect on 22 January 2023. This requires rubber stamp approval from China.
  2. New return solution: $1.25 outbound label creation option.
  3. Commercial Plus and Commercial rate charts are being combined and will be referred to as “Commercial”.
  4. Existing zones “L, 1 and 2” are being split into zones 1 and 2. in addition, Local is being transitioned to “Connect Local”.
  5. Priority Mail International: Canada is removing the originating zone as a simplified single zone, like another country group – possibly without additional rate pages.
  6. Non-Standard Fees (NSF): Fees for oversized parcels will be adjusted upwards for express service and downwards for ground service. Size policy remains unchanged, the first cubic foot is excluded with a size factor of 166.
  7. Priority and Express (PMI & PMEI) international rates +6% and First Class Package International Service (FCPIS) +6.5%.

Priority Mail Express (PME) 

  1. Retail + 6.7%
  2. 12.5% average savings over retail
  3. Business + 6.0%

Comment: This is a new game as we head into a busy 4th quarter holiday season. Since the massive growth in e-commerce triggered by the pandemic, carriers are overbuilding capacity and traffic volumes have fallen back. Carriers have all over-invested in facilities, technology, labour and equipment to prepare for the peak. However, experts expect volumes to be more subdued due to inflation.

First Class Package Service (FCPS) 

  1. Retail growth +6.9%.
  2. 4Q results show +5.8% revenue growth and -4.6% volume decline. These results show that USPS recognizes that they can increase prices without impacting usage. This was not the case for other services.
  3. Splitting the existing regions “L, 1 and 2” into Region 1 and Region 2, Local is transitioning to “Connect Local”.
  4. Later this year, FCPS and Parcel Select Ground will merge to offer a premium full network ground service with pricing options up to 70 pounds based on (16) ounces.
  5. Similar merger on the retail side later in 2023, with Retail Ground remaining on the competitive side of the house for now.
  6. Commercial +7.8%.

Priority Mail (PM)

  1. Retail +6.8%, 20.1% more expensive than commercial.

Parcel Select – This is the bulk category used by consolidators for USPS to complete deliveries. Pricing is based on the depth of parcel introduction and offers additional discounts for high-volume customers who meet the minimum requirements for the 3 and 5-digit ZIP Code program.

  1. Q4 results show a decrease in revenue and volume of -9.5% and -18.1% respectively, indicating that previous increases have had a negative impact on usage. This below-inflation adjustment is intended to correct this.
  2. Commercial +3.5%. (1-5 lbs.) = -1.1% reduction in these most used lanes compared to current peak (October) pricing and a 3.8% increase over the July ’22 rate.
  3. The regional flat option will be removed. PM Cubic would be the logical replacement.

Popular services such as UPS SurePost, Mail Innovations, DHL eCommerce, OSM and Pitney Bowes Newgistics use USPS for last-mile delivery. Amazon, on the other hand, originally built its DC network to take advantage of these deep entry discounts. Today, they deliver high-density shipments themselves and use USPS for remote and one-time fulfillment.

  1. DDU (local purchase orders) + 5.6%
  2. Supply Chain Finance + 4.7% (regional)
  3. NDC + 5.0% (National)

Despite the volatility of the market, third party China freight forwarder – TJ China freight can help you find the right combination and help you negotiate the best price. In addition, you should consider consolidators, regional carriers and emerging carrier solutions to achieve diversification.

Brief Introduction of Free Trade Zone

To understand the history of free trade zones, we must look at the general category: Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

There are many different variants of the term SEZ. But they were all created for the same purpose.

What is a Free Trade Zone

A free trade zone is a type of special economic zone (SEZ), a designated economic area that is exempt from trade-related fees such as customs duties and taxes.

In these zones, goods manufactured, stored and handled are subject to different customs preferences. They are often granted exemptions and incentives to encourage investment.

The following is the OECD definition of a free trade area.

“Countries where tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade between members are generally eliminated but where there is no common trade policy for non-members”

In the words of the UN itself.

“…… Within defined parameters, they provide a regulatory regime for businesses and investors that is different from that normally applied in the broader national or local economies in which they are established.”

– United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

The first special economic zones, known simply as ‘free zones’, were designated areas, usually adjacent to a seaport, airport or located between two or more countries. These began in the 1960s and began to grow exponentially in the 1980s.

Today, there are over 5,400 Special Economic Zones in the world. Of these, 1,000 have been established in the last five years. Experts expect more than 500 new SEZs to be established in the coming years.

-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The benefits of an FTA include

  1. increase foreign exchange earnings
  2. Promote trade and business opportunities
  3. create jobs
  4. Keeping logistics costs low
  5. Attracting investment
  6. Reduce red tape and bureaucracy

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Countries involved: USA, Canada, Mexico

Established: 1 January 1994

Total trade: $1 trillion/year

Total GDP: $24.9 trillion

Population: 450 million

EU Single Market

Participating countries: 28 EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.

Founded: 1993

Gross domestic product: $14 trillion

Population: 500 million

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Countries involved: 52 of the 55 member states

Established: 2019

Gross domestic product: $2.5 trillion

Population: 1.2 billion (largest free trade agreement by population)

Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area (AFTA)

Countries involved: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Established: 1992

Gross Domestic Product: US$1.5 trillion

Population: 580 million

Total trade: US$1.7 trillion/year

If you have any of the above needs TJ China freight is willing to provide you with a tailor-made service, a China freight forwarder offering the most affordable shipping service including sea freight, air freight, rail freight, LCL & FCL,  DDP, DDU and more. If you want to ship containers from anywhere in China to your destination cities, free to contact us via email or phone, we will give you a better rate that is lower than the market standards with any comprising in service.