·        Shipping from China to the U.S by air

·        Shipping from China to the U.S by sea

Both of these methods have their own benefits and they are discussed as below:

The greatest benefit served while shipping from China to the U.S by air is that it is fast. Normally, it takes about a month and two additional weeks to get your goods across the land/water and then to the agent or individual. Freight via air consists of the following important factors:

For shifting, you would need an Air Waybill (AWB) at all costs as it indicates that the goods are ready to be shipped. Without this bill you cannot conduct transportation as it is illegal. It is a proof that the agreement between you and the supplier was signed and it also serves as a receipt. In addition to this, there may be local documentations and custom clearances that need to be looked after and paid off. You could do it yourself, but if you are new it is better to investigate and hire someone though you would have to pay for that too.

Freight via air is mostly from airport to airport and not door to door. For acquiring this service you would have to hire an agent who would unload your cargo safely and deliver it to the right destination.

Over weight

It is generally recommended that you should only carry out shipping from China to the US by air when the goods weigh more than 250 kg. The weight is calculated on the basis of the dimensional or gross weight – whichever is higher. 

There are two types of cargoes which are general and special cargo. General cargo consists of electronics, jewelry, medications or other general products whereas special cargo consists of chemicals, animals or things that require a must safe transport. Be sure to check out every aspect because at times you may have to pay extra fees or gain some specific license that allows transportation of those special goods.

Shipping from China to the U.S by sea

Handling shipping from China to the U.S by sea is beneficial when it comes to transporting huge amount of products. Freight via the sea consumes much time thought it promises safe and secure delivery. This means of logistic can be very economical unlike shipping via air. Factors to keep in mind include:

Just like AWB, OBL (Ocean Bill of Lading) is crucial when it comes to shipping from China to the U.S by sea. It is like a receipt and ensures safe passage as it also an agreement between you and the supplier. If you are a U.S citizen there would be no tariffs because of CBP (Custom border protection) though you may need to submit a local license or your importer’s number.

Freight via sea offers door to door carriage facility for a negligible amount compared to freight via air.

While shipping from China to the UK by sea you could choose two types of containers depending on your cargo’s amount namely Fully Loaded Container (FCL) or Less than Container Load (LCL). If you have a significantly large bulk of goods to ship, choose FCL. Otherwise LCL is good enough for a ton and would suffice for your needs.

So here were the two recognized means of freight from China to the U.S. 

·        Shipping of goods via air

·        Shipping of good via sea

Although goods are also shipped via postal service and courier services but they have their own drawbacks. The most impacting drawback is that these services carry small packages and items are not much secure compared to freight via air or sea.

Whether you want to ship from China to USA or from China to the UK, you should keep the following factors in your mind.

For insuring your goods reach US grounds securely you should keep an AWB (Air Waybill) or OBL (Ocean Bill of Lading). These are agreements – custom clearances that ensure safe delivery to your destination. They also serve as a receipt and invoice for you to use in future. Moreover, this document also reflects the fact that an agreement had been signed between you and the supplier. If you are a U.S citizen then under the CBP (Custom Border Protection) act there are certain tax charges which you won’t have to pay though you may have to submit a local license or the number of your importer.

If you ship from China to the UK there is a special tax which you must pay called the Duty tax and VAT. Many freight forwarders can help you calculate the amount and it is mandatory to pay this tariff. Otherwise your goods won’t reach UK grounds. Apart from Europe, every country in the world has to pay this tariff.

If you are shipping via the air, you should make sure that your goods way more than 250 Kg, otherwise you might end up choosing a wrong transportation method for you. The unit of measurement for weight while shipping through air is calculated in Kilograms and the amount depends on the dimensional or gross weight of the goods. 

If you ship via sea, there are two types of containers that can help you in this process. FCL (Fully Container Loaded) and LCL (Less than Container Load). If your good weight in a significant amount and can fit in an entire container you should chose FCL. FCL offers more security as all your goods are in one container. If you goods are in limited amount; consider LCL as your option. The good thing about LCL is that it might prove to be cost effective for you.

When you ship from China to the UK your supplier or Freight Company offers you support and you can track your goods. Even when you ship from China to U.S using air or sea; the concerned company would help you keep track of your goods. In this case, Amazon FBA is an efficient service to use for transportation as there tracking service is highly proficient.

No matter which method you use for transportation, air or sea, you can get your goods shipped from airport to airport, port to port, airport to your door, door to door, port to door or any way you like. It all depends on your needs and choice.