Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions importers and exporters ask us most — from container choices to customs, insurance and payment terms.
Straight answers to the questions importers and exporters ask us most — from container choices to customs, insurance and payment terms.
Can't find your answer? Email [email protected] — we reply within one business day.
FCL (Full Container Load) means your cargo fills an entire 20ft or 40ft container, which is usually cheaper and faster per unit for shipments of roughly 15 CBM or more. LCL (Less than Container Load) lets you share container space with other shippers and pay only for the volume you use, making it economical for smaller loads. Our Ningbo team can consolidate your LCL cargo in our own warehouse before loading.
A standard export requires a commercial invoice, packing list, sales contract and customs declaration form; certain products also need a certificate of origin, inspection certificate or export licence. We prepare and verify every document against your HS codes before declaration to avoid customs holds. Send us your product details and we will tell you exactly which documents your shipment needs.
Ocean freight from Ningbo-Zhoushan typically takes 28–35 days to Northern Europe, 14–18 days to the US West Coast and 28–35 days to the US East Coast. Air freight takes 3–7 days door to door depending on routing and customs. Transit times vary by carrier and season, so we confirm the exact schedule with your quote.
Incoterms define who pays for and manages each leg of a shipment. Under FOB the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel and the buyer covers ocean freight and everything after; CIF adds insurance and freight to the destination port; DDP means the seller handles the entire journey including destination customs and duties. We quote under all major incoterms and can recommend the best fit for your trade lane.
Fill in our quote form with your origin, destination, cargo description and weight or volume — or simply email [email protected]. You will receive a detailed, itemized quote within 24 hours, including carrier, routing and rate validity. There is no obligation, and the price you accept is the price you pay.
Yes. Once your cargo is booked you receive a Bill of Lading number and proactive email updates at every milestone — departure, transshipment, arrival, customs clearance and final delivery. For an immediate status check, contact our operations team at [email protected] or +86-18668291666.
Yes — we provide full export customs clearance in China and, through our vetted partner network, import clearance at destination. Our brokers classify your goods under the correct HS codes, calculate duties and taxes, and manage any inspection. On door-to-door shipments under DDP or DAP, clearance is included in the price.
Carrier liability is limited by international conventions — roughly 2 SDR per kilo by air or 666.67 units per package by sea — which rarely covers full commercial value. We arrange all-risk cargo insurance through licensed underwriters for a small premium based on your invoice value. We strongly recommend it for high-value, fragile or time-critical goods.
Standard terms are payment by bank transfer (T/T) before cargo release, with the invoice issued once the vessel sails. For regular shippers we offer monthly settlement after a simple credit review. Quotes can be issued in USD, EUR or CNY, whichever suits your accounting.
No strict minimum — LCL sea freight starts from 1 CBM and air freight from about 45 kg. For very small parcels we will point you toward the most sensible courier or express option instead. As a rule of thumb, if your cargo is below roughly 15 CBM, LCL consolidation is the most economical choice.
Ningbo-Zhoushan is the world's largest port by cargo throughput, offering deeper berths (up to 20m draft) than Shanghai for mega-vessels, lower port congestion, and direct rail-sea intermodal links to interior China via the Yiwu-Ningbo rail corridor. Shippers benefit from faster vessel berthing, more carrier options, and competitive terminal handling rates. Our team is based 15 minutes from the terminal, giving us real-time visibility of vessel schedules and gate operations.
CBM (cubic meter) is calculated as Length × Width × Height in meters. For LCL, carriers compare actual CBM against chargeable weight (gross weight ÷ 1000 for sea, ÷ 6000 for air) and charge on the greater of the two. For example, a pallet measuring 1.2m × 1.0m × 1.5m = 1.8 CBM. If that pallet weighs 1200 kg, the chargeable sea freight weight is 1.2 CBM, so you pay on 1.8 CBM. Our quote team verifies every measurement before booking to ensure accurate billing.
For volume shipments above 15 CBM, FCL ocean freight via the Ningbo to Rotterdam or Hamburg lane is typically the most cost-effective, with 28-35 day transit at roughly USD 1,500-3,500 per 40ft container depending on season. For urgent cargo under 5 CBM, LCL ocean freight costs less than air. For time-critical shipments, air freight from Ningbo Lishe Airport via Shanghai Pudong connections takes 3-7 days door to door. We compare all options in your quote so you can choose the best balance of cost and speed.