💰 Current Freight Rates
Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Sri Lanka 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
China to Sri Lanka Air Freight — how the lane runs
This is our air freight service from China to Sri Lanka. Departure is from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Yiwu or Shanghai; entry is through CMB (Colombo Bandaranaike), with clearance handled by Sri Lanka Customs.
Colombo is one of the best-connected transshipment ports in the Indian Ocean, so direct South China sailings are frequent and reliable. Import control licensing has been used repeatedly as a foreign-exchange management tool, so the restricted list should be checked at the time of booking rather than assumed.
Route facts
| Destination country | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Region | South Asia |
| Mode | Air Freight |
| Gateways used | CMB (Colombo Bandaranaike) |
| Transit, China to gateway | 3–5 business days |
| Clearance / dwell | 3–7 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 Colombo — commercial capital and the single main gateway. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg same day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Gampaha — industrial belt north of Colombo. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg same day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Kandy — central highlands commercial centre. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Galle — southern coastal city. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Negombo — the town adjoining the international airport. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg same day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Jaffna — northern regional centre. Via CMB air / Colombo sea; inland leg +2 days. Air Freight guide →
- China to Hambantota — southern deepwater port and industrial zone. Via CMB air / Hambantota sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
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ℹ️ Additional Information
What Sri Lanka Customs will ask for
VAT 18%; customs duty plus PAL (ports and airports levy) 10% and CESS on selected goods. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity: SLSI conformity for regulated goods; import control licence for restricted categories.
Known friction points: Import control licences apply to a shifting list of non-essential goods. CESS and PAL can add materially to the landed cost on consumer items. Confirm the current licence position for your HS code before shipping.
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
- Air waybill
- 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 ÷ 6000)
- 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 Sri Lanka
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 Sri Lanka Customs or your broker before shipping.
📊 China to Sri Lanka — Shipping Reference Data
| Main air gateways | CMB (Colombo Bandaranaike) |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Sri Lanka Customs |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | No practical de-minimis |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 18%; customs duty plus PAL (ports and airports levy) 10% and CESS on selected goods |
| Local currency | LKR |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 3–7 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | SLSI conformity for regulated goods; import control licence for restricted categories |
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 Air Route
This page covers a Air freight service from China to Sri Lanka. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Carton Packing Calculator
Before tendering this Air DDP Door-to-Door shipment, check how many units really fit per carton — the 3D packing tool computes layers, rotation, and protective gaps for your exact product dimensions.
Open Packing Tool →✅ Sri Lanka Air Freight Checklist
- Keep single cartons under 30 KG for air handling to Sri Lanka to avoid overweight surcharges.
- Label every carton with destination, carton number, and total count (e.g. 3/12).
- Book 2-3 days before your target ETD; same-day air bookings usually carry premium rates.
- Shrink-wrap and corner-protect cartons — air cargo is transloaded multiple times.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Air DDP Door-to-Door from China to Sri Lanka take?
Air freight on this route runs about 5–10 business days door-to-door, plus roughly 3–7 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 Sri Lanka?
Clearance is handled by Sri Lanka Customs. The regime is: VAT 18%; customs duty plus PAL (ports and airports levy) 10% and CESS on selected goods, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What certification is needed to import into Sri Lanka?
For regulated goods, plan for: SLSI conformity for regulated goods; import control licence for restricted categories. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with Sri Lanka Customs, so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.
What does DDP shipping to Sri Lanka include on this route?
DDP means one price covering freight, the duty/tax owed to Sri Lanka Customs, and last-mile delivery to your door in Sri Lanka. There are no surprise charges at destination.
When does capacity tighten on the China–Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?
Yes — battery cargo by air follows IATA PI966/PI967; we run certified battery channels via CMB (Colombo Bandaranaike). Brand-goods and DG paperwork are handled within the DDP service. Surcharges apply.
⭐ Customer Reviews
What customers say about shipping to Sri Lanka with us.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Sri Lanka. Transit took a little patience but stayed under control. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before. Delivery was predictable and easy to budget for.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Sri Lanka through this team. Transit took a little patience but stayed under control. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Sri Lanka. Transit took a little patience but stayed under control. Transit was close to the estimate and the destination delivery appointment was handled well. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
We tested this lane to Sri Lanka with a mid-volume order. The shipment details were handled carefully. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
This was a DDP shipment to Sri Lanka for mixed cartons. The shipment details were handled carefully. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Would use the same line again for general cargo. Customs handling was better than with our previous forwarder.
This was a DDP shipment to Sri Lanka for mixed cartons. The shipment details were handled carefully. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
This was a DDP shipment to Sri Lanka for mixed cartons. The shipment details were handled carefully. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Sri Lanka through this team. The shipment details were handled carefully. Transit was close to the estimate and the destination delivery appointment was handled well. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
We tested this lane to Sri Lanka with a mid-volume order. Transit took a little patience but stayed under control. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports. Customs handling was better than with our previous forwarder.
We tested this lane to Sri Lanka with a mid-volume order. The shipment details were handled carefully. Cartons arrived clean and labels were still readable on delivery. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before. Customs handling was better than with our previous forwarder.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Sri Lanka through this team. The shipment details were handled carefully. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Sri Lanka. The shipment details were handled carefully. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Sri Lanka
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.
- Colombo CMB air / Colombo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Gampaha CMB air / Colombo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Kandy CMB air / Colombo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Galle CMB air / Colombo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Negombo CMB air / Colombo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Jaffna CMB air / Colombo sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- Hambantota CMB air / Hambantota sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Shipping Sri Lanka 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.
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Wigs & Hair Products Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Fire Alarm Equipment Fire, Safety & Traffic Products
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Amusement Equipment Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Gifts Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Amazon FBA E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Cutting Tools Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Automated Storage Equipment Construction, Mining & Material Handling
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
📞 Contact Us
Ready to ship? Our team responds within one business day. We also handle sourcing and purchasing.