💰 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 North Macedonia 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
North Macedonia Sea Freight from China: routing and transit
Sea Freight into North Macedonia runs through Landlocked — via Thessaloniki (Greece) or Durrës (Albania). Clearance is by Customs Administration of North Macedonia and typical dwell before release is 3–8 days.
Thessaloniki is the shortest sea gateway — roughly a half-day road leg to Skopje — which makes North Macedonia one of the easier landlocked Balkan markets to serve. Durrës in Albania is the alternative when Greek capacity tightens.
Route facts
| Destination country | North Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Mode | Sea Freight |
| Gateways used | Landlocked — via Thessaloniki (Greece) or Durrës (Albania) |
| Transit, China to gateway | 26–34 calendar days plus inland leg |
| 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 Skopje — capital and the country's distribution centre. Via SKP air / Thessaloniki transit; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Bitola — southern industrial city. Via SKP air / Thessaloniki transit; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Kumanovo — northern trading town. Via SKP air / Thessaloniki transit; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Prilep — central manufacturing centre. Via SKP air / Thessaloniki transit; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Tetovo — western commercial city. Via SKP air / Durres transit; inland leg same day. Sea Freight guide →
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ℹ️ Additional Information
Duty, tax and documents for North Macedonia
VAT 18%; customs duty 0–20%. The de-minimis position is EUR 45 for personal consignments.
Conformity: Technical regulations aligned to EU rules for most product groups.
Known friction points: Greek or Albanian transit documentation is required. Free economic zones near Skopje offer duty relief for qualifying manufacturing inputs.
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 North Macedonia
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 Customs Administration of North Macedonia or your broker before shipping.
📊 China to North Macedonia — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Landlocked — via Thessaloniki (Greece) or Durrës (Albania) |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Customs Administration of North Macedonia |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | EUR 45 for personal consignments |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 18%; customs duty 0–20% |
| Local currency | MKD |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 3–8 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | Technical regulations aligned to EU rules for most product groups |
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 North Macedonia. 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 →✅ North Macedonia Sea Freight Checklist
- Verify the receiver's customs import capability in North Macedonia for DDP terms before booking.
- Declare accurate gross weight — VGM misdeclaration delays vessels and triggers fines.
- Reserve loading space 5-7 days before the sailing cut-off for this route during peak season.
- Confirm whether your North Macedonia rate is per CBM or per container before comparing quotes.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sea DDP Door-to-Door from China to North Macedonia 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 North Macedonia?
Clearance is handled by Customs Administration of North Macedonia. The regime is: VAT 18%; customs duty 0–20%, with a de-minimis position of EUR 45 for personal consignments. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What does DDP shipping to North Macedonia include on this route?
DDP means one price covering freight, the duty/tax owed to Customs Administration of North Macedonia, and last-mile delivery to your door in North Macedonia. There are no surprise charges at destination.
What documents are required for customs clearance in North Macedonia?
Customs Administration of North Macedonia 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 (Technical regulations aligned to EU rules for most product groups). We file these under DDP.
When does capacity tighten on the China–North Macedonia 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.
How is the shipping cost on this route calculated?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) and charge the greater, rounded up to the next kilogram, then apply the per-KG rate shown in the table above.
Inland Delivery Coverage — North Macedonia
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.
- Skopje SKP air / Thessaloniki transit inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Bitola SKP air / Thessaloniki transit inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Kumanovo SKP air / Thessaloniki transit inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Prilep SKP air / Thessaloniki transit inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Tetovo SKP air / Durres transit inland same day Guide only — no rates
Shipping North Macedonia 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.
- Office Supplies Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Cross-border E-commerce E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Architectural Hardware Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Production Line Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Aerial Work Platform Construction, Mining & Material Handling
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Automotive Electronics Automotive & Vehicles
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Electronic Components Electronic Components & Semiconductors
📞 Contact Us
Ready to ship? Our team responds within one business day. We also handle sourcing and purchasing.