Cartons Shipping from China
Export freight for cartons — packing specification, container loading, HS classification and clearance. Quoted EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP or delivered duty-paid.
Shipping Cartons from China is a planning problem before it is a price problem. The cargo flat board stock where the product is its own packaging, and every sensible decision downstream starts there.
It changes how the shipment prices. Volume-limited. Air freight charges volumetric weight at L×W×H÷6000, so anything under about 167 kg/m³ prices on space rather than mass. Sea LCL prices per cubic metre, which makes packing density the single biggest lever on the freight bill.
One thing specific to this material. Stacking strength lost to humidity. Corrugated loses a substantial share of its edge crush resistance once conditioned to a humid atmosphere, so cartons that tested fine at the mill collapse under the customer own palletised load. Ship dry and wrapped.
One compliance step accounts for most delays on this commodity: ISPM 15 heat treatment on all solid wood, and EU deforestation-regulation due diligence. Classification sits in chapter 44 / 48; the exact code varies by specification, so verify it before budgeting duty.
Freight reference — Cartons
| Typical HS chapter | 44 / 48 |
|---|---|
| Cargo behaviour | Flat board stock where the product is its own packaging |
| How it prices | Volume-limited |
| Usual service | Sea FCL / LCL |
| Main compliance step | ISPM 15 heat treatment on all solid wood, and EU deforestation-regulation due diligence |
| Trade terms available | EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP or delivered duty-paid |
HS chapters are indicative. The binding classification depends on your exact specification — confirm the heading before relying on a duty estimate.
Packing and protection
Bundled flat, banded and fully wrapped on pallets, kept clear of the container floor and walls. Board takes up moisture from any contact with a damp surface and the affected sheets cannot be run on a case erector.
Loading the container
In the box: Pack to the roof and fill the voids. Light cargo will not hit the weight limit, so unused headroom is money left on the table — but keep the load stable, because a light stack that shifts still collapses.
Choosing the service
Which service: Sea FCL once the volume justifies a full box; LCL below that. Air only for genuinely urgent goods — volumetric pricing makes bulky air freight expensive out of all proportion to the cargo value.
Where it usually goes wrong
Stacking strength lost to humidity. Corrugated loses a substantial share of its edge crush resistance once conditioned to a humid atmosphere, so cartons that tested fine at the mill collapse under the customer own palletised load. Ship dry and wrapped.
Live rates on lanes that carry this cargo
Published per-kilo and per-CBM rates from China, updated from carrier feeds. Rates are lane-based rather than commodity-based, so these apply to cartons as much as to any other general cargo on the same route.
Frequently asked questions
How is freight priced for cartons?
Volume-limited. Air freight charges volumetric weight at L×W×H÷6000, so anything under about 167 kg/m³ prices on space rather than mass. Sea LCL prices per cubic metre, which makes packing density the single biggest lever on the freight bill.
How should cartons be packed for export?
Bundled flat, banded and fully wrapped on pallets, kept clear of the container floor and walls. Board takes up moisture from any contact with a damp surface and the affected sheets cannot be run on a case erector.
Air or sea for cartons?
Sea FCL once the volume justifies a full box; LCL below that. Air only for genuinely urgent goods — volumetric pricing makes bulky air freight expensive out of all proportion to the cargo value.
What customs paperwork does cartons need?
The step that most often holds a shipment is ISPM 15 heat treatment on all solid wood, and EU deforestation-regulation due diligence. Classification normally falls in HS chapter 44 / 48, but the exact heading depends on your specification — send the product details and we will confirm the code and the duty position for the destination before you commit.
What goes wrong most often with cartons shipments?
Stacking strength lost to humidity. Corrugated loses a substantial share of its edge crush resistance once conditioned to a humid atmosphere, so cartons that tested fine at the mill collapse under the customer own palletised load. Ship dry and wrapped.
Is there anything specific to cartons we should know?
Board loses a significant share of its stacking strength once it takes up moisture, so a pallet that was stable at origin can collapse in the container. Ship dry, wrap the pallet, and put desiccant in with any long sea crossing.
Can you quote cartons on FOB or CIF rather than duty-paid?
Yes. We quote EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP and delivered duty-paid on this cargo. The term decides how much of the journey is already inside the price — the trade-terms table on any of our rate pages sets out exactly who carries which cost at each stage.