Air Freight from China to Saint-Paul, Reunion — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → Saint-Paul · via RUN air / Port Reunion sea · clearance by Douane française (EU customs territory)
We move air freight cargo from South China into Saint-Paul through RUN air / Port Reunion sea. Saint-Paul is western coastal commercial area, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
On the destination side, Douane française (EU customs territory) handles clearance; budget 3–8 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What the routing looks like in practice
Réunion is part of the EU customs territory, so EU tariff and CE marking rules apply — but the octroi de mer dock due, which does not exist in mainland France, can add far more to landed cost than the customs duty itself. Its rate depends on whether an equivalent product is made locally, so classification research genuinely pays here.
| Air gateways used | RUN (Saint-Denis Roland Garros) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Gateway serving Saint-Paul | RUN air / Port Reunion sea |
| Inland leg to Saint-Paul | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Import duty and tax position for Saint-Paul
Imports into Reunion are cleared by Douane française (EU customs territory). The headline position is: Reduced VAT of 8.5% plus octroi de mer — a local dock due of 6.5–60% that is unique to the French overseas departments. The de-minimis threshold is EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: CE marking under EU rules; French labelling requirements. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Reunion: Octroi de mer is the dominant cost element and varies by product and local production status. EU rules otherwise apply in full, including CE marking and French labelling.
Before you book: Saint-Paul checklist
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Confirm the consignee in Saint-Paul can act as importer of record — Douane française (EU customs territory) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Check the de-minimis position (EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Saint-Paul.
- 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 Saint-Paul take?
China to the Reunion gateway is 5–8 business days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Douane française (EU customs territory) and a same-day inland leg to Saint-Paul.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Saint-Paul?
Douane française (EU customs territory) applies: Reduced VAT of 8.5% plus octroi de mer — a local dock due of 6.5–60% that is unique to the French overseas departments. The de-minimis position is EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Saint-Paul.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Saint-Paul?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via RUN (Saint-Denis Roland Garros). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Saint-Paul?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 24–34 calendar days by sea versus 5–8 business days by air to the Reunion 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.
Which port or airport does cargo for Saint-Paul clear through?
Cargo for Saint-Paul is routed via RUN air / Port Reunion sea. Sea gateways for Reunion are Port Réunion (Le Port); air gateways are RUN (Saint-Denis Roland Garros). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Saint-Paul?
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 Reunion
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Reunion 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 Douane française (EU customs territory) or your broker before you ship.
- Douane française
- Octroi de mer — French overseas dock dues
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Saint-Paul
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.