Current Freight Rates
Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and seven more — see which costs sit with us and which sit with you
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Dominican Republic is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
Service Details
What to expect on the China–Dominican Republic Sea Freight lane
This is our sea freight service from China to Dominican Republic. Departure is from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Yiwu or Shanghai; entry is through Caucedo (DP World), Haina, Puerto Plata, with clearance handled by Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA).
Caucedo is a modern DP World terminal and one of the better-run gateways in the Caribbean, with direct and transshipped Asian services. The country's free-zone sector is large and its duty treatment differs sharply from ordinary import, so establish which regime the consignee operates under before quoting.
Route facts
| Destination country | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Region | Americas |
| Mode | Sea Freight |
| Gateways used | Caucedo (DP World), Haina, Puerto Plata |
| Transit, China to gateway | 26–34 calendar days |
| Clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season | Sep–Nov |
Delivery cities on this lane
Each city below has its own guide covering the gateway that serves it, the inland leg after clearance and the local delivery requirements.
- China to Santo Domingo — capital and the largest Caribbean consumer market. Via SDQ air / Caucedo sea; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Santiago de los Caballeros — northern industrial and free-zone centre. Via STI air / Caucedo sea; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to La Romana — eastern free zone and tourism region. Via SDQ air / Caucedo sea; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Punta Cana — resort corridor with heavy hospitality supply demand. Via PUJ air / Caucedo sea; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to San Pedro de Macoris — eastern industrial free zone. Via SDQ air / Caucedo sea; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Haina — the industrial port district west of the capital. Via SDQ air / Haina sea; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
The per-kilogram rate above applies to chargeable weight, not to what the scale says. At 166.7 kg per cubic metre, a carton of light goods can be billed at several times its actual weight, so send dimensions with the weight when you ask for a quote into Dominican Republic — a rate quoted without them is only ever provisional.
In practice the cargo we move on this lane clusters into a few recognisable shapes — electrical cabinets (HS 85 / 8541), where clearance turns on cE and IEC conformity, and a check that voltage and grid code match the destination, flexible packaging (HS 39 / 40) and architectural hardware (HS 73 / 82 / 83). Each behaves differently against the rate: one fills the payload before it fills the space, the next does the reverse, and the packing brief we send back with the quote is written to the one you are actually shipping.
Discharge for Dominican Republic on this service is at Caucedo (DP World), Haina and Puerto Plata. Transit time in the rate table is measured to the port, not to the door: the inland days on top depend on which gateway the box clears through and how far inland the delivery address sits.
If your delivery address is inland rather than at the port, the destination guides are the useful read: Santo Domingo, San Pedro de Macoris, Haina, Santiago de los Caballeros and Caucedo each document their clearing gateway, typical inland transit and local customs behavior, none of which is visible in a rate table. See all Dominican Republic destinations we cover for the other 2.
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Additional Information
Duty, tax and documents for Dominican Republic
ITBIS 18%; duty 0–20%, plus selective consumption tax on some categories. The de-minimis position is USD 200 for courier consignments.
Conformity: Health registration for food, cosmetics and devices; INDOCAL conformity for regulated goods.
Known friction points: Free-zone versus ordinary import changes duty entirely. Health registration is required for regulated consumer goods. Tourism-driven demand peaks ahead of the winter season.
Documents we file under DDP
- Commercial invoice showing HS codes and the true transaction value
- Packing list with carton count, gross and net weight, and dimensions
- Bill of lading
- Certificate of origin where it reduces the duty rate
- Product certification or conformity documents where the commodity requires them
Packing notes
- Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 1000 for LCL chargeable volume)
- Use ISPM-15 treated wood for any pallet or crate — untreated timber is a common hold
- Mark every carton with the consignee name, city and carton number of total
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders before booking, not after
Other modes into Dominican Republic
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity rules change by ministerial decision. The figures here are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your HS code with Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) or your broker before shipping.
Where these numbers come from
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) 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.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Dominican Republic, the Dominican Republic Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
China to Dominican Republic — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Caucedo (DP World), Haina, Puerto Plata |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | USD 200 for courier consignments |
| Import tax & duty regime | ITBIS 18%; duty 0–20%, plus selective consumption tax on some categories |
| Local currency | DOP |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 3–8 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | Health registration for food, cosmetics and devices; INDOCAL conformity for regulated goods |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
Free 3D Loading Tools for This Sea Route
This page covers a Sea freight service from China to Dominican Republic. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Container Loading Planner
Maximize every CBM on this route: load your carton list into the 3D container planner, check space and payload utilization, and download the loading plan for your forwarder.
Open Container Planner →Dominican Republic Sea Freight Checklist
- Reserve loading space 5-7 days before the sailing cut-off for this route during peak season.
- Ask whether the quote includes destination port charges in Dominican Republic or only ocean freight.
- Check pallet vs floor-loading: floor loading typically fits 8-12% more cartons per container.
- Declare accurate gross weight — VGM misdeclaration delays vessels and triggers fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sea DDP Door-to-Door from China to Dominican Republic take?
Sea freight on this route runs about 25–45 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 3–8 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into Dominican Republic?
Clearance is handled by Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA). The regime is: ITBIS 18%; duty 0–20%, plus selective consumption tax on some categories, with a de-minimis position of USD 200 for courier consignments. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What does DDP shipping to Dominican Republic include on this route?
DDP means we quote the freight, the customs entry with Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) and last-mile delivery in Dominican Republic together, so you settle once. The duty and tax portion depends on your product's HS code, declared value and the exchange rate at entry, so it is confirmed against your actual goods — the figures on this page are indicative and can move either way.
When does capacity tighten on the China–Dominican Republic lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Book 1–2 weeks earlier in these periods.
Can you ship special cargo (batteries, branded goods) to Dominican Republic?
Yes — battery goods by sea follow UN3480/UN3481 rules with an MSDS; we prepare the dangerous-goods paperwork as part of DDP into Caucedo (DP World), Haina, Puerto Plata. Surcharges apply.
What documents are required for customs clearance in Dominican Republic?
Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) typically requires a commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading/air waybill, a certificate of origin (may lower duty), and any product certification (Health registration for food, cosmetics and devices; INDOCAL conformity for regulated goods). We file these under DDP.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Dominican Republic
We deliver beyond the arrival gateway. Each city below has its own destination guide covering the gateway it clears through, typical inland transit time and the local customs picture.
Note — these are reference guides, not quotes. The city pages describe routing, gateways and clearance for each destination. They do not carry rate tables. For pricing to any city listed here, use the rate table on this page or ask us for a quote.
- Caucedo SDQ air / Caucedo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Santo Domingo SDQ air / Caucedo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Santiago de los Caballeros STI air / Caucedo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- La Romana SDQ air / Caucedo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Punta Cana PUJ air / Caucedo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- San Pedro de Macoris SDQ air / Caucedo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Haina SDQ air / Haina sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
Shipping Dominican Republic cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- Medical Consumables Medical, Laboratory & Precision Instruments
- Exhibition Display Equipment Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Educational Toys Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Stationery Consumer Goods & Gifts
- E-commerce E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Aluminum Coils Steel & Metal Materials
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Assembly Line Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Semiconductor Equipment Specialised Production Machinery
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Brake Parts Automotive & Vehicles
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products