💰 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 Eswatini 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 Eswatini Sea Freight — how the lane runs
We move door-to-door sea freight from South China into Eswatini. Cargo enters through Landlocked — via Durban (South Africa) or Maputo (Mozambique) and clears with Eswatini Revenue Service (SACU member), which takes 6–14 days on average.
Maputo is geographically much closer than Durban and is increasingly used, but Durban has the deeper Asian service network. As a SACU member Eswatini shares South Africa's external tariff, so cargo routed through Durban clears once and moves inland duty-paid.
Route facts
| Destination country | Eswatini |
|---|---|
| Region | Africa |
| Mode | Sea Freight |
| Gateways used | Landlocked — via Durban (South Africa) or Maputo (Mozambique) |
| Transit, China to gateway | 28–40 calendar days |
| Clearance / dwell | 6–14 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 Mbabane — capital and administrative centre. Via SHO air / Durban transit; inland leg +2 days. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Manzini — the commercial hub and main market. Via SHO air / Maputo transit; inland leg +1 day. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Matsapha — the country's principal industrial estate. Via SHO air / Durban transit; inland leg +2 days. Sea Freight guide →
- China to Nhlangano — southern district town. Via SHO air / Durban transit; inland leg +2 days. Sea Freight guide →
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ℹ️ Additional Information
Duty, tax and documents for Eswatini
VAT 15%; SACU common external tariff 0–45%. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity: Conformity aligned to South African standards for most product groups.
Known friction points: Compare the Maputo and Durban routings — the distance difference is significant. SACU rules mean duty is normally settled at the first port of entry. Matsapha industrial estate is the main commercial delivery point.
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 Eswatini
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 Eswatini Revenue Service (SACU member) or your broker before shipping.
📊 China to Eswatini — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Landlocked — via Durban (South Africa) or Maputo (Mozambique) |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Eswatini Revenue Service (SACU member) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 15%; SACU common external tariff 0–45% |
| Local currency | SZL |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 6–14 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | Conformity aligned to South African standards 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 Eswatini. 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 →✅ Eswatini Sea Freight Checklist
- Photograph the container number, seal, and loading process for insurance evidence.
- 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 Eswatini or only ocean freight.
- 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 Eswatini take?
Sea freight on this route runs about 25–45 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 6–14 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 Eswatini?
Clearance is handled by Eswatini Revenue Service (SACU member). The regime is: VAT 15%; SACU common external tariff 0–45%, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
Can you ship special cargo (batteries, branded goods) to Eswatini?
Yes — battery goods by sea follow UN3480/UN3481 rules with an MSDS; we prepare the dangerous-goods paperwork as part of DDP into Landlocked — via Durban (South Africa) or Maputo (Mozambique). Surcharges apply.
What certification is needed to import into Eswatini?
For regulated goods, plan for: Conformity aligned to South African standards for most product groups. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with Eswatini Revenue Service (SACU member), so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.
Which ports or airports does this route use into Eswatini?
Sea cargo to Eswatini clears through Landlocked — via Durban (South Africa) or Maputo (Mozambique); air freight clears via SHO (King Mswati III International). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.
In what currency is this route priced and paid?
Freight is quoted and invoiced in USD; the destination-side currency is SZL. Payment is typically due before departure, and DDP means you settle the full landed cost once.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Eswatini
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.
- Mbabane SHO air / Durban transit inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- Manzini SHO air / Maputo transit inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Matsapha SHO air / Durban transit inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- Nhlangano SHO air / Durban transit inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
Shipping Eswatini 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.
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Connectors Electronic Components & Semiconductors
- Consumer Electronics Consumer Electronics & Smart Devices
- Air Conditioning Equipment Home Appliances, HVAC & Commercial
- Kitchenware Furniture & Home Products
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Medical Device Medical, Laboratory & Precision Instruments
- Personal Protective Equipment Fire, Safety & Traffic Products
- Beauty Equipment Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Artificial Flowers Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Retail Products E-commerce & Retail Channels
📞 Contact Us
Ready to ship? Our team responds within one business day. We also handle sourcing and purchasing.