FCL ocean freight from China to the United States

Port-to-port transit is typically 15–20 days to West Coast gateways such as Los Angeles/Long Beach and 28–35 days to the East Coast via the Panama Canal. Add a few days on each side for export clearance in China and import clearance in the US. Schedules vary by carrier and season — we confirm the exact sailing plan with every quote.

Your total cost is ocean freight plus origin charges in China (factory pickup, export customs, documentation) plus destination charges (unloading, customs entry and final delivery). Rates move with fuel, season and carrier capacity, so we quote itemized, all-in numbers per shipment — usually within 24 hours.

Our US lane is built around FCL: if your cargo fills roughly half a 20′ container or more, a full container is usually cheaper per cubic meter and safer, since your goods travel in a sealed container only you use. For smaller volumes, ask us about consolidation options before booking LCL separately.

US-bound shipments need a commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading, plus ISF (10+2) filing before the container is loaded and a customs entry filed at destination. We handle the export declaration in China and coordinate with your US customs broker so clearance is never the bottleneck.

Yes — the US is one of our strongest lanes for door-to-door and DDP. We handle factory pickup and loading supervision in China, export clearance, ocean freight, import clearance with duties paid, and final-mile delivery to warehouses, Amazon fulfillment centers or stores.

A continuous bond covering all entries runs roughly $270–650 a year at the $50,000 minimum coverage; a single-entry bond for a low-value shipment starts around $15–75. At a few containers a year the continuous bond usually wins, and it also covers ISF. On DDP shipments we arrange the bond for you.

CBP can assess liquidated damages of up to $5,000 per late or inaccurate filing, though first offenders are often mitigated to around $1,000–2,500. Late ISF can also delay release. Because the deadline is 24 hours before loading in China, we file at booking confirmation — this is a risk you avoid by sending cargo data early.

Most China-origin goods carry extra tariff layers on top of normal duty: Section 301 duties of 7.5–25% on most lists, with higher rates on some categories, plus measures that have changed repeatedly since 2025. The exact stack depends on your HS code. Send us the product description and we confirm the landed duty line before you commit.

In practice, yes for any formal ocean entry: a licensed customs broker files the entry under a power of attorney from the importer of record. Most importers use their forwarder's broker network rather than finding one themselves. We coordinate the broker on every US shipment, and on DDP the entry is filed and managed entirely by us.

Yes — FBA deliveries are a routine part of our US door-to-door service. We handle the ISF and customs entry, book the delivery appointment the warehouse requires, label to Amazon's requirements when needed, and deliver DDP with duties paid so no surprise charges reach your account. Send us your FBA destination and carton details when you request the quote.

For most cargo the cheapest realistic option is ocean: LCL for volumes under roughly 13–15 cbm, a full 20ft or 40ft above that. Air is faster but several times the price. The bigger saving is usually at the margins — booking two to three weeks early, comparing itemized quotes, and avoiding demurrage with clean clearance.