Shipping from China to Casablanca, Morocco — Freight Guide [2026]
China → Casablanca · via CMN air / Casablanca sea · clearance by Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII)
We move freight cargo from South China into Casablanca through CMN air / Casablanca sea. Casablanca is the economic capital and main port, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
The clearing authority is Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 3–8 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
What you will pay on arrival in Morocco
Imports into Morocco are cleared by Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII). The headline position is: VAT 20%; duty 2.5–40%, with reduced rates on industrial inputs. The de-minimis threshold is MAD 1,250 for personal consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Certificate of conformity for regulated goods; NM standard mark for some categories. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Morocco: Free-zone and ordinary import regimes are treated very differently. Certificate of conformity requirements apply to consumer electronics and appliances. Arabic or French labelling is expected at retail.
What the routing looks like in practice
Tanger Med is one of the largest ports in Africa and the Mediterranean and takes direct Asian mainline calls, which makes Morocco unusually well connected for the continent. The automotive and aerospace free zones around Tangier and Kenitra operate under separate duty regimes, so an industrial consignee's zone status often matters more to landed cost than the tariff line itself.
| Air gateways used | CMN (Casablanca), RAK (Marrakech), TNG (Tangier) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Tanger Med, Casablanca, Agadir |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 22–30 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Casablanca | CMN air / Casablanca sea |
| Inland leg to Casablanca | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Casablanca
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Certificate of conformity for regulated goods; NM standard mark for some categories.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Put the Casablanca delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Check the de-minimis position (MAD 1,250 for personal consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
Air, sea or overland into Casablanca?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 4–7 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 22–30 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Morocco gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Casablanca and 3–8 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Casablanca
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Casablanca take?
China to the Morocco gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 22–30 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) and a same-day inland leg to Casablanca.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Casablanca?
Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) applies: VAT 20%; duty 2.5–40%, with reduced rates on industrial inputs. The de-minimis position is MAD 1,250 for personal consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Casablanca.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Casablanca?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via CMN (Casablanca), RAK (Marrakech), TNG (Tangier). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What documents does Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Certificate of conformity for regulated goods; NM standard mark for some categories). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Casablanca?
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.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Casablanca?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 22–30 calendar days by sea versus 4–7 business days by air to the Morocco 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.
Other delivery cities in Morocco
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Morocco 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 Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) or your broker before you ship.
- Administration des Douanes (ADII)
- Tanger Med Port Authority
- 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)
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Casablanca
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.