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First Base FreightFreight forwarding

Asia

Container Shipping from the UK to China

One of our busiest long-haul lanes — full container load out of the UK to Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen, inbound groupage from nine Chinese ports, and inland collection reaching Chongqing, Wuhan and the Pearl River Delta.

Code
CN
Ports
10
Sea transit
30–42days

Container shipping from the UK to China runs full container load to Shanghai (CNSHA), Ningbo-Zhoushan (CNNGB), Shenzhen (CNSZX), Qingdao (CNTAO), Tianjin (CNTXG), Dalian (CNDLC), Guangzhou (CNGZG), Xiamen (CNXMN), Fuzhou (CNFOC) and Lianyungang (CNLYG). Less than container load runs to Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Fuzhou, with onward delivery to Beijing, Huangpu, Jiao Xin, Lanshi, Nanhai, Nanjing, Nansha, Nantong, Rong Qi, Xingang, Yantai, Zhangjiagang, Zhongshan and Zhuhai. Sea transit is 30–42 days port to port and air freight 2–4 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in China are not included.

Where we ship

Ports in China

Full container load goes to Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou and Lianyungang. Groupage goes to Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Fuzhou. It is delivered onward to Beijing, Huangpu, Jiao Xin, Lanshi, Nanhai, Nanjing, Nansha, Nantong, Rong Qi, Xingang, Yantai, Zhangjiagang, Zhongshan and Zhuhai. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.

FCLFull container load
  1. UK door
  2. UK port
  3. Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou or Lianyungang

Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.

LCLLess than container load
  1. UK door
  2. UK loading warehouse
  3. Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen or Fuzhou
  4. Beijing, Huangpu, Jiao Xin, Lanshi, Nanhai, Nanjing, Nansha, Nantong, Rong Qi, Xingang, Yantai, Zhangjiagang, Zhongshan or Zhuhai

Consolidated first at our UK loading warehouses: Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Essex, Glasgow, Manchester or Newcastle.

Shanghai

CNSHA

Shanghai

32–40 daysView port

Ningbo-Zhoushan

CNNGB

Ningbo

32–40 daysView port

Shenzhen

CNSZX

Shenzhen

34–42 daysView port

Qingdao

CNTAO

Qingdao, Shandong

33–41 daysView port

Tianjin

CNTXG

Tianjin

34–42 daysView port

Dalian

CNDLC

Dalian, Liaoning

34–42 daysView port

Guangzhou

CNGZG

Guangzhou, Guangdong

30–38 daysView port

Xiamen

CNXMN

Xiamen, Fujian

31–39 daysView port

Fuzhou

CNFOC

Fuzhou, Fujian

32–40 daysView port

Lianyungang

CNLYG

Lianyungang, Jiangsu

33–41 daysView port

Inland delivery points in China

Groupage reaches 14 locations beyond the ports, by road from whichever port the container is stripped at. If your town is on this list we deliver to the door; if it is not, ask — the list is where we run a regular service, not the limit of where we can go.

Beijing

Huangpu

Jiao Xin

Lanshi

Nanhai

Nanjing

Nansha

Nantong

Rong Qi

Xingang

Yantai

Zhangjiagang

Zhongshan

Zhuhai

The transit figures on the port cards above are port to port. Delivery to an inland point adds the road leg from the arrival port, which is confirmed with your quote rather than estimated here.

Get a price for China

The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.

Indicative pricing

Rates are set per port and per direction, because they genuinely differ — the British gateway, the arrival port and which way the cargo is moving all change the number. The cheapest gateway for each China port is shown below — ask us for the full pair-by-pair table if you need to compare gateways.

PortDirectionViaFrom
Shanghai CNSHAUK to ChinaFelixstowe£93 per cubic metre
Shanghai CNSHAChina to UKFelixstowe£87 per cubic metre
Ningbo-Zhoushan CNNGBUK to ChinaFelixstowe£95 per cubic metre
Ningbo-Zhoushan CNNGBChina to UKFelixstowe£89 per cubic metre
Shenzhen CNSZXUK to ChinaFelixstowe£98 per cubic metre
Shenzhen CNSZXChina to UKFelixstowe£92 per cubic metre

These port-by-port figures are a worked example showing how lane pricing displays — not quotable rates. Ask us for the real figure on your pair before you budget from it.

What can you ship to China?

Machinery and spare parts, automotive components, scientific and medical equipment, cosmetics and branded consumer goods, and packaged chemicals move on the UK–China lane as routine palletised cargo through Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen.

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 China?

China charges VAT at a standard rate of 13%, charged on the customs value plus duty plus any consumption tax. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–20% on most manufactured goods at MFN rates, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.

The consignee must be registered with China Customs before anything can be cleared in their name, and an unregistered buyer is the most common reason a first shipment sits at Shanghai. Many product categories also need CCC certification (China Compulsory Certification) held before arrival, not applied for afterwards — electricals, toys and automotive parts among them.

What are the import restrictions in China?

Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.

CCC certification is mandatory for a long list of product categories and must be in place before the goods arrive.
The consignee must hold China Customs registration and a valid import licence for controlled categories.
Used machinery is subject to pre-shipment inspection by a CIQ-appointed agency in the country of export.
Waste materials, most used equipment and CITES-listed goods are heavily restricted or banned.

What documents do I need to import into China?

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.

Commercial invoice with the HS code and declared CIF value
Packing list with piece count, dimensions and gross weight
House bill of lading
Certificate of origin
CCC certificate where the product category requires one
Consignee's China Customs registration number

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.

A GB EORI number — free from HMRC, usually issued within a few working days, and no export declaration can be filed without one.
The export declaration itself, which we file with HMRC against your EORI before the vessel sails.
A commercial invoice showing the commodity code, value, currency, Incoterm and both parties in full.
A packing list with piece count, dimensions and gross weight — per pallet where the cargo travels as groupage.
An export licence where the goods are controlled. Dual-use items with both civilian and military application need one even when the destination is routine.
Proof of export, which is what lets you zero-rate the sale for VAT. Keep it — HMRC can ask for it years later, and without it the VAT becomes yours to pay.

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 .

UK to China shipping: FAQs

How long does shipping from the UK to China take?

Sea freight runs about 30–42 days port to port, and air freight 2–4 days airport to airport. Guangzhou 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 China?

We move cargo through 10 ports in China: Shanghai (CNSHA), Ningbo-Zhoushan (CNNGB), Shenzhen (CNSZX), Qingdao (CNTAO), Tianjin (CNTXG), Dalian (CNDLC), Guangzhou (CNGZG), Xiamen (CNXMN), Fuzhou (CNFOC), Lianyungang (CNLYG). Full container load goes to Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou and Lianyungang. Groupage runs to Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Beijing, Huangpu, Jiao Xin, Lanshi, Nanhai, Nanjing, Nansha, Nantong, Rong Qi, Xingang, Yantai, Zhangjiagang, Zhongshan and Zhuhai, including inland points served by road from the arrival port. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.

Do you handle customs clearance for China?

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 China — 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 China lane?

Space and equipment tighten noticeably around Chinese New Year, when factories close for an extended period and the whole market moves cargo beforehand. If your shipment lands in that window, book earlier than you normally would. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes industrial machinery and parts, scotch whisky and premium beverages, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Compare lanes

Other countries we ship to and from

Rates and transit times for countries near China — each one works as an origin or a destination.

View all countries
Asia

Singapore

Import & export · Singapore

FCL from

£295.00

per 20ft container

26+ days

ExportUK → SingaporeImportSingapore → UK
Asia

India

Import & export · Nhava Sheva (JNPT)

FCL from

£895.00

per 20ft container

20+ days

ExportUK → IndiaImportIndia → UK
Asia

South Korea

Import & export · Busan

FCL from

£295.00

per 20ft container

30+ days

ExportUK → South KoreaImportSouth Korea → UK

Plan the rest of the move

Full container load (FCL)Container types, dimensions and when a full box beats a shared one.Less than container load (LCL)Shared-container consolidation for part loads and smaller orders.Air freightWhen 2–4 days justifies the premium over sea.RoRo (vehicles and plant)Cars, motorbikes and wheeled machinery, driven on rather than containerised.Shipping by cargo typePallet, box, crate, drum or motorbike — how each is priced and packed.Customs clearanceExport declarations at one end and entry formalities at the other.Shipping guides and insightsIncoterms, documentation and how freight pricing actually works.Request a quoteAny country to any country — origin and destination, city by city.
A large cargo ship loaded with containers sailing under a vibrant sunset sky

Shipping to China? 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.

Indicative from £295.00 per 20ft container on China lanes. Cities and cargo details next.

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