Air Freight from China to Poti
China → Poti · via TBS air / Poti sea · clearance by Georgian Revenue Service
For buyers shipping into Poti, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Poti is the main container port with immediate access; cargo enters through TBS air / Poti sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Georgian Revenue Service. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 2–6 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
Routing and transit on this lane
Georgia has had a free trade agreement with China since 2018 — the only one in the Caucasus — so most goods enter duty-free with a valid certificate of origin, leaving only 18% VAT. Poti and Batumi also serve as the Black Sea end of the Middle Corridor for cargo continuing to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Central Asia.
| Air gateways used | TBS (Tbilisi), BUS (Batumi) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3–5 business days |
| Gateway serving Poti | TBS air / Poti sea |
| Inland leg to Poti | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 2–6 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What you will pay on arrival in Georgia
Georgian Revenue Service assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Poti consignees. Current regime: VAT 18%; customs duty of 0%, 5% or 12% only — and 0% on most goods under the China–Georgia free trade agreement, with a de-minimis position of GEL 300 for personal parcels.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Technical regulation conformity for regulated goods; certificate of origin to claim FTA preference. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Georgia: The FTA preference requires a correctly issued certificate of origin; without it the standard 0/5/12% tariff applies. Black Sea sailing schedules can be affected by regional shipping conditions.
Before you book: Poti checklist
- Put the Poti delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Georgia lane.
- Confirm the consignee in Poti can act as importer of record — Georgian Revenue Service will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Poti take?
China to the Georgia gateway is 3–5 business days. On top of that, allow 2–6 days of clearance with Georgian Revenue Service and a same-day inland leg to Poti.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Poti?
Georgian Revenue Service applies: VAT 18%; customs duty of 0%, 5% or 12% only — and 0% on most goods under the China–Georgia free trade agreement. The de-minimis position is GEL 300 for personal parcels. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Poti.
When is the busiest time on the China–Georgia 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 Poti?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters 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.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Poti?
Yes. Delivery to a Poti address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Georgian Revenue Service, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
What certification do I need for Georgia?
For regulated goods, plan for: Technical regulation conformity for regulated goods; certificate of origin to claim FTA preference. 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.
Other delivery cities in Georgia
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Georgia 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 Georgian Revenue Service or your broker before you ship.
- Georgian Revenue Service
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: November 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Personal Protective Equipment Fire, Safety & Traffic Products
- Beauty Equipment Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Artificial Flowers Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Retail Products E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Electric Motors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Agricultural Drones Agriculture & Livestock Equipment
- Wire & Cable New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Automotive Lighting Automotive & Vehicles
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
Checking the Georgia duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Georgian Revenue Service against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Poti. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
The Customs Clearance Process: A Comprehensive Guide — ShipERP by ERP Integrated Solutions. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.