Asia
Container Shipping from the UK to Hong Kong
One of the world's busiest container ports and a long-standing gateway into southern China, with excellent onward air and sea connections.
Container shipping from the UK to Hong Kong runs full container load to Hong Kong (HKHKG). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Hong Kong at present. Sea transit is 30–36 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Hong Kong are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Hong Kong
Full container load and groupage both go to Hong Kong. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Hong Kong
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Hong Kong at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Hong Kong
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Hong Kong are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,780.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,880.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £94.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Hong Kong?
Electronics and components, luxury and branded consumer goods, machinery and spares, pharmaceuticals, and exhibition and trade-show cargo move through Hong Kong, which also serves as a re-export gateway into southern China.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Hong Kong?
Hong Kong levies no VAT, GST or sales tax on imports, which makes the landed cost here unusually predictable. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0% on everything except four dutiable commodities, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Hong Kong is a genuine free port. There is no import VAT and no customs duty except on liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil and methyl alcohol, which makes the landed cost unusually predictable. The obligation that catches people is administrative rather than fiscal: an import declaration must be lodged within 14 days of arrival, and a declaration charge applies by value even though no duty does.
What are the import restrictions in Hong Kong?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Hong Kong?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Shipping to Hong Kong: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Hong Kong take?
Sea freight runs about 30–36 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. Hong Kong is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 30 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Hong Kong?
We move cargo through one port in Hong Kong: Hong Kong (HKHKG). Full container load goes to Hong Kong. We have no scheduled groupage service to Hong Kong at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Hong Kong?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Hong Kong — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Hong Kong lane?
A lot of cargo landing here is not staying here. If the ultimate consignee is across the border, agree at booking who handles the onward leg and the associated formalities so it does not fall between two parties. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes electronics and precision components, luxury and branded consumer goods, spirits, wine and premium foods.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Hong Kong — each one works as an origin or a destination.
China
Import & export · Shanghai
LCL from
£95.00
per cubic metre
32+ days
View lane
Singapore
Import & export · Singapore
LCL from
£90.00
per cubic metre
26+ days
View lane
India
Import & export · Nhava Sheva (JNPT)
LCL from
£72.00
per cubic metre
22+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to Hong Kong? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.