Three modes, three weight rules, one Incoterm question. Most China freight decisions come down to those, and getting them straight up front removes almost all of the surprises.
Three modes, three weight rules, one Incoterm question. Most China freight decisions come down to those, and getting them straight up front removes almost all of the surprises.
Mode first. Air freight moves in five to ten days door to door and makes economic sense below roughly 500 kg or where value per kilogram is high. Ocean freight takes twenty-five to fifty days and is the default for volume. China–Europe rail sits in between at eighteen to twenty-eight days and earns its place when a deadline is too tight for sea but the cargo does not justify flying.
Then the weight basis, because it is where quotes silently diverge. Air freight bills the greater of gross weight or volume in cubic centimetres divided by 6000. Express couriers divide by 5000. Ocean LCL bills the greater of one cubic metre or 1,000 kg. The same cartons produce three different billable quantities, so normalise the quantity before you compare any rates.
Finally the Incoterm. DDP means the seller pays freight, import clearance, duty and import tax to your door. DAP means the seller delivers to the same place but you clear and pay the destination charges. That single boundary explains most of the difference between two quotes for the same lane, and it also determines whether you can reclaim import VAT — which generally requires the customs entry to be in your own name.
| Air freight | 5–10 days door to door · best below ≈500 kg |
|---|---|
| Ocean freight | 25–50 days door to door · default for volume |
| China–Europe rail | 18–28 days terminal to terminal |
| Air chargeable weight | Greater of gross kg or (L × W × H cm ÷ 6000) |
| Express chargeable weight | Greater of gross kg or (L × W × H cm ÷ 5000) |
| Ocean LCL basis | Greater of 1 CBM or 1,000 kg |
| DDP | Seller pays freight, clearance, duty and import tax |
| DAP | Seller delivers; buyer clears and pays duty and tax |
| Quote validity | Typically 7–14 days on spot rates |
Standard industry references (Incoterms 2020, IATA volumetric divisors, ISO container internal dimensions, SOLAS Chapter VI, ISPM 15). Rates, surcharges and free time are commercial terms and vary by carrier, lane and season — confirm them on your own quotation.
Our bookings originate at the Chinese gateways below. Which one your cargo uses depends on where the factory sits, the mode and the space available that week.
Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals; the highest-frequency gateway for Europe and North America.
31.2304° N 121.4737° E
Yangtze Delta alternative to Shanghai, often with shorter yard queues at peak.
29.8683° N 121.5440° E
Primary South China gateway for Pearl River Delta factories.
22.5850° N 114.2700° E
Strong on Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia services.
22.7700° N 113.6000° E
Largest South China freighter base; the default for Pearl River Delta air cargo.
23.3924° N 113.2988° E
Electronics and battery-capable channels close to the Shenzhen supply base.
22.6393° N 113.8108° E
China's busiest cargo airport; widest long-haul network.
31.1443° N 121.8083° E
Highest block-train frequency to Europe.
34.3416° N 108.9398° E
Western China gateway; strong Poland and Germany services.
30.5728° N 104.0668° E
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Air freight for consignments below roughly 500 kg or where speed pays for itself, ocean freight for volume where a twenty-five to fifty day transit is acceptable, and China–Europe rail when a deadline sits between the two. Cargo restrictions can override the economics — lithium batteries, for example, rule out most rail services.
Air freight takes the greater of the gross weight and the volume in cubic centimetres divided by 6000. Express couriers use a 5000 divisor. Ocean LCL takes the greater of one cubic metre or 1,000 kg. Bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Delivered Duty Paid: the seller bears cost and risk to your named address, including import clearance, duty and import VAT or GST. Confirm in writing that import tax is included, and ask in whose name the customs entry is filed.
Destination address or postcode, gross weight, carton dimensions and count, a description of the goods with an HS code if you have one, the Incoterm you want quoted, and your target timeline. Cargo attributes matter too — batteries, liquids, powders, magnets and branded goods all change the available channels.
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