Shipping from China to Kandal, Cambodia — Freight Guide [2026]
China → Kandal · via PNH air / Phnom Penh river port · clearance by General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE)
Kandal is garment factory belt surrounding the capital, and it is served through PNH air / Phnom Penh river port. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
On the destination side, General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) handles clearance; budget 3–7 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What the routing looks like in practice
Sihanoukville takes direct South China calls, while Phnom Penh is reachable by river barge from Cai Mep in Vietnam — often the cheaper option for LCL. Land trucking through the Bavet crossing from Ho Chi Minh City is a practical third route for urgent cargo that does not justify air.
| Air gateways used | PNH (Phnom Penh), REP (Siem Reap) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3–5 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (river) |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 6–10 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Kandal | PNH air / Phnom Penh river port |
| Inland leg to Kandal | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–7 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Import duty and tax position for Kandal
General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Kandal consignees. Current regime: VAT 10%; duty 7–35%, with ACFTA and RCEP preference on a Form E, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: CamControl inspection for regulated goods; Form E for duty preference. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Cambodia: Garment and footwear inputs move under specific duty-exemption schemes tied to the factory licence, so the consignee's status changes the landed cost materially. Used goods and secondhand electronics face restrictions.
Air, sea or overland into Kandal?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 3–5 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 6–10 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Cambodia gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Kandal and 3–7 days of clearance.
Before you book: Kandal checklist
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Cambodia duty rate against it yourself.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Mode guides for Kandal
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Kandal take?
China to the Cambodia gateway is 3–5 business days by air, 6–10 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3–7 days of clearance with General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) and a same-day inland leg to Kandal.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Kandal?
General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) applies: VAT 10%; duty 7–35%, with ACFTA and RCEP preference on a Form E. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Kandal.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Kandal?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 6–10 calendar days by sea versus 3–5 business days by air to the Cambodia gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
When is the busiest time on the China–Cambodia lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Kandal?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimetres divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Which port or airport does cargo for Kandal clear through?
Cargo for Kandal is routed via PNH air / Phnom Penh river port. Sea gateways for Cambodia are Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (river); air gateways are PNH (Phnom Penh), REP (Siem Reap). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Other delivery cities in Cambodia
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Cambodia change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) or your broker before you ship.
- General Department of Customs and Excise
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Kandal
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.