Shipping from China to Cartagena, Colombia — Freight Guide [2026] | Freight Quote China Shipping Cost Inquiry Tool

Freight from China into Cartagena clears through BOG air / Cartagena sea. Cartagena is the main container port and petrochemical zone, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.

On the destination side, DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales handles clearance; budget 4–10 days of dwell before the cargo is released.

Import duty and tax position for Cartagena

Imports into Colombia are cleared by DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales. The headline position is: IVA 19%; duty 0–20%, with a 10–40% tariff applied to some textile and footwear imports. The de-minimis threshold is USD 200 for courier consignments.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Colombia: Textile and footwear tariffs are set to discourage undervaluation — customs valuation challenges are common. INVIMA registration must be held by the consignee before arrival for regulated goods.

Routing and transit on this lane

Cartagena on the Caribbean coast is the fastest and best-connected gateway, and it is the natural choice for Bogotá and Medellín despite the inland trucking. Buenaventura on the Pacific is closer to Cali but has a heavier congestion history. Textile and footwear imports carry protective tariffs designed to slow low-priced Asian goods, so classify these carefully.

Air gateways used	BOG (Bogotá), MDE (Medellín), CLO (Cali)
Air transit, China to gateway	4–6 business days
Sea gateways used	Cartagena, Buenaventura, Barranquilla
Sea transit, China to gateway	26–34 calendar days
Gateway serving Cartagena	BOG air / Cartagena sea
Inland leg to Cartagena	Same day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	4–10 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

Before you book: Cartagena checklist

Get the conformity paperwork moving early: INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals.
Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Colombia duty rate against it yourself.
Confirm the consignee in Cartagena can act as importer of record — DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.

Air, sea or overland into Cartagena?

Mode	Transit to gateway	Best suited to
✈️ Air Freight	4–6 business days	time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight	26–34 calendar days	volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Colombia gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Cartagena and 4–10 days of clearance.

Mode guides for Cartagena

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Cartagena take?

China to the Colombia gateway is 4–6 business days by air, 26–34 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales and a same-day inland leg to Cartagena.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Cartagena?

DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales applies: IVA 19%; duty 0–20%, with a 10–40% tariff applied to some textile and footwear imports. The de-minimis position is USD 200 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Cartagena.

What certification do I need for Colombia?

For regulated goods, plan for: INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Cartagena?

Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via BOG (Bogotá), MDE (Medellín), CLO (Cali). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.

Which port or airport does cargo for Cartagena clear through?

Cargo for Cartagena is routed via BOG air / Cartagena sea. Sea gateways for Colombia are Cartagena, Buenaventura, Barranquilla; air gateways are BOG (Bogotá), MDE (Medellín), CLO (Cali). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

When is the busiest time on the China–Colombia 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.

Other delivery cities in Colombia

All Colombia freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Colombia 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 DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: July 2026.

Get a rate for Cartagena

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.

Request a quote → See the Colombia route page →

Shipping from China to Cartagena, Colombia — Freight Guide [2026]