FAQ
Frequently asked questions about shipping from China
Straight answers from our Shenzhen operations team — how quoting works, what we ship, where we sail, and how to reach a human who handles China exports every day.
How to get a freight quote from China
To quote accurately, we need four things: your origin city or factory location in China, the destination (port or door), the cargo type and volume — product, weight, and how many CBM or containers — and your timing, meaning when the goods are ready to ship.
Send those details through our quote form, WhatsApp or email, and we come back within 24 hours with an itemized, all-in price: ocean freight, origin charges in China and destination costs, each on its own line. No lump sums, no surprises billed later. If your volume sits between LCL and a full container, we will price both and tell you honestly which one wins. Ready to start? Request your free quote.
What can you ship from China?
We are a full-container forwarder at heart: FCL in 20GP, 40HQ and 45HQ equipment is our daily work, and it is where our carrier relationships earn you better rates and firmer space. If your cargo does not fill a box, we also handle LCL consolidation through our own consolidation points in China.
Awkward cargo is welcome too — open tops for over-height machinery, flat racks for out-of-gauge loads, breakbulk and RoRo for cargo that will not containerize at all. And when ocean is simply too slow, we arrange air freight for urgent shipments. See the full list on our services overview, or just tell us what you are moving and we will propose the right mode.
Where do you ship from China?
We book containers out of every major Chinese port — Shenzhen, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Xiamen and more — with factory pickup in any province. Our strongest trade lanes, where we sail weekly and know the destination agents personally, are these nine:
Each route guide covers transit times, ports and destination charges, so you can plan before you commit.
How to reach a human
No ticket queues, no chatbots. The fastest way to reach us is WhatsApp — you get an operations person directly, usually within minutes during China business hours, and we can look at your booking in real time while we chat.
Prefer email? Write to info@freightmainstay.com with your cargo details and we reply within one business day, often sooner. Attach your packing list, commercial invoice or supplier conversation and we can quote from exactly what you have.
Our office is in Shenzhen, in the middle of the Pearl River Delta manufacturing belt, which means we are in the same time zone as your factory — and we answer for it. Our promise is simple: Stand firm. Ship safely. Grow together.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a container from China?
Ocean freight moves weekly, so the honest answer is a range: in 2026 a 40ft container from China ran roughly $2,200–5,800 to the US West Coast and $2,800–9,500 to the East Coast. Your itemized all-in quote — ocean freight, origin charges and destination charges — arrives within 24 hours.
How long does ocean freight take from China?
Port-to-port transit runs 15–20 days to the US West Coast, 28–35 days to the East Coast, 20–28 days to Mexico's Pacific ports and 30–35 days to Montreal. Add 1–2 days for export clearance in China and 1–3 for import clearance. Air freight is the fast option at 1–5 days door-to-door.
How do I get a freight quote?
Three ways: fill in our online quote form, message us on WhatsApp, or email info@freightmainstay.com. Tell us the origin city in China, destination, cargo type and volume, and your timing. We reply within 24 hours with an itemized all-in quotation — and no hidden charges afterward.
Do you ship DDP, FOB and EXW from China?
We work with FOB, EXW, FCA and CIF, plus door-to-door DDP. DDP is our strongest service on the US and Canada lanes, where we handle duties and final delivery end to end; on other routes we take DDP case by case after reviewing the product and destination requirements.
Which ports in China do you ship from?
Yes. We book from every major port in China — Shenzhen, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Xiamen, Tianjin and others — and we arrange factory pickup and inland trucking from any province, so your goods do not need to be near the coast.
Is my cargo insured when shipping from China?
Ocean freight carries carrier liability limits, which are far below the real value of most cargo. Full cargo insurance is available on request, and we recommend it for high-value or fragile goods. Tell us the cargo value when you book and we will include a competitive premium in your quotation.
Can I track my container?
Yes. You receive milestone updates at booking, container loading, vessel sailing, arrival, customs clearance and delivery — and if anything slips, such as a rolled booking or port congestion, we alert you proactively with the new schedule rather than waiting for you to ask.
How do I pay a freight forwarder in China?
We work with bank transfer (T/T). Payment terms are confirmed in writing together with your booking, before anything moves. All charges are agreed upfront in the itemized quotation — we do not add hidden fees after the shipment is on the water.
Ready to move a container?
Tell us what you are shipping and where it needs to go. We will come back with a clear rate and a straight answer.