Sea Freight from China to San Lorenzo, Paraguay — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → San Lorenzo · via ASU air / Montevideo transit · clearance by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay
Freight from China into San Lorenzo clears through ASU air / Montevideo transit. San Lorenzo is industrial satellite of Asuncion, and allow +2 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.
The clearing authority is Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 5–12 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
How this lane actually runs
Paraguay is served by the Paraná–Paraguay river barge system from Montevideo or Buenos Aires, one of the longest inland waterway movements used in regular commerce. Ciudad del Este on the Brazilian border operates a re-export regime that has made Paraguay a redistribution point for Chinese consumer electronics into Brazil and Argentina — a genuinely distinctive feature of this lane.
| Sea gateways used | Landlocked — via Montevideo or Buenos Aires, then Paraná river barge to Asunción |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 35–48 calendar days including the river leg |
| Gateway serving San Lorenzo | ASU air / Montevideo transit |
| Inland leg to San Lorenzo | +2 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5–12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What you will pay on arrival in Paraguay
Imports into Paraguay are cleared by Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay. The headline position is: IVA 10%; Mercosur common external tariff 0–35%, with a reduced regime for goods re-exported through Ciudad del Este. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Paraguay: River barge schedules are seasonal and low water can suspend service. The Ciudad del Este re-export regime has its own tax treatment — confirm which regime applies before quoting.
Before you book: San Lorenzo 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.
- Put the San Lorenzo delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- 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.
- Budget for the inland leg: +2 days beyond gateway clearance to reach San Lorenzo.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to San Lorenzo take?
China to the Paraguay gateway is 35–48 calendar days including the river leg. On top of that, allow 5–12 days of clearance with Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay and a +2 days inland leg to San Lorenzo.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into San Lorenzo?
Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay applies: IVA 10%; Mercosur common external tariff 0–35%, with a reduced regime for goods re-exported through Ciudad del Este. 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 San Lorenzo.
Can you deliver door-to-door in San Lorenzo?
Yes. Delivery to a San Lorenzo address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay, and the +2 days inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfilment centre or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into San Lorenzo?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 35–48 calendar days including the river leg by sea versus 5–8 business days by air to the Paraguay gateway, before clearance and the +2 days inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
What certification do I need for Paraguay?
For regulated goods, plan for: INTN conformity for regulated goods; import registration required. 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.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for San Lorenzo?
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.
Other delivery cities in Paraguay
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Paraguay 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 Dirección Nacional de Aduanas de Paraguay or your broker before you ship.
- Dirección Nacional de Aduanas
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for San Lorenzo
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.