Your Best Freight Forwarder For China To UK Shipping

China To UK Shipping | The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Introduction

China and UK have had a great bonding in the trade business for several years.

Every day, tonnes of products are getting imported and exported from China to UK and vice versa.

You can face issues when you ship for the first time or try to ship without knowing the proper shipping method.

If you look for a reliable freight forwarder, HART can be there to help you out.

So, in this FAQ guide, you will learn all the concepts and the way of China to UK shipping.

Also, you will learn how to ship at a sufficient cost.

Table Of Contents

1. What Is The Procedure For China To UK Shipping?
2. How Long Does It Take For Your Products From China Shipping To UK?
3. Which Freight Forwarding Method Should You Choose When Doing China To UK Shipping?
4. What Are The Incoterms And How Do They Affect On China To UK Shipping?
5. Which Are The Major Ports That Do Freight Forwarding From China Shipping To UK?
6. Is DHL Express Available For China To UK Shipping?
7. What Is The Average Express Shipping Time From China To UK?
8. What Are Paper Works Needed For Doing China To UK Delivery?
9. What Is The Average Cost Of China To UK Shipping?
10. How To Reduce Shipping Costs For China Shipping To UK?
11. What Is The Fastest Method For China Shipping To UK?
12. How Can You Do China To UK Amazon FBA Shipping?
13. Do I Need A Cargo Insurance For China Shipping To UK?
14. What Is The Average Air Freight Cost For China Shipping To UK?
15. How Do You Calculate The Air Freight Cost When Doing China To UK Shipping?
16. What Are The Major Differences Between Air Freight And Sea Freight When China To UK Shipping?
17. How To Do Door To Door Shipping When Doing China To UK Delivery?
18. What Is The Average Cost Via Sea Freight For China To UK Shipping?
19. How Long Does It Take To Do Sea Shipping To UK From China?
20. What Is The Customs Clearance And How Does It Work When Doing China To UK Delivery?
21. What Duties Or Tariffs Do You Have To Pay When Importing To UK From China?
22. Who Can Clear Your Customs When Doing China To UK Shipping?
23. Is There Any Way To Avoid Customs Clearance When Shipping From China To UK?

1. What Is The Procedure For China To UK Shipping?

You can ship from China to UK by following certain procedures.

It is not easy if you do not follow the process or provide the proper documents in time.

It may take a lot of time if you do not abide by the rules properly.

Here are some steps you can follow to easily import your goods by China to UK shipping-

• First, you should learn about the laws and regulations of import and export.
  Try to learn about the documents needed to ship, prohibited and restricted goods that should not be shipped, etc.
• You have to learn about the market insights before you do China shipping to UK.
  Without knowing about the market prices you should not go for buying from China.

Learn the product value in UK and China, then try to buy which will be profitable for you.

• Look for a Chinese supplier or producer who will create your products.
  This is better than having a middle man who can sell the same product at a higher rate.
  You can find a lot of manufacturers online for your goods.
• Learn the regulations of taxation, VAT, and tariffs.
  Also, you should try to learn about the documentation needed to clear customs.
• At last, hire a freight forwarder who can do China to UK shipping in the most efficient way possible for you.
  You can find a lot of freight forwarders online.
  HART Worldwide Logistics Limited is a reliable option for you.
  We can do China to UK delivery at low cost, and in time.
  You can have a look and can choose which shipping option you want anytime.

2. How Long Does It Take For Your Products From China Shipping To UK?

When it comes to China shipping to UK, people normally take a lengthy process to do so.

The fastest process can cause you a lot of money when doing China to UK shipping.

As there are many methods to ship, the transit time of different methods can be different too.

There are two major shipping methods that people love to do when doing China to UK delivery, one is air shipping, another is sea shipping.

When doing China to UK shipping by air, the transit time can be on average 4-12 days upmost.

China shipping to UK via sea freight can take on average 30-60 days almost.

3. Which Freight Forwarding Method Should You Choose When Doing China To UK Shipping?

As there are three major methods of shipping, ocean freight, and air freight, they can both be beneficial in a different way when doing China to UK shipping.

If you ship via sea freight, you will learn about two different methods of sea shipping, FCL (Full Container Load), and LCL (Less than a Container Load).

For a sufficient quantity of goods, you can take the FCL method when doing China to UK shipping.

On the contrary, if you are shipping a small number of goods, you can take the LCL method.

You should know that either of the methods will be done via container shipping method.

For urgent China shipping to UK, you can always take the help of the air shipping method.

If you want to send small packages, then you can choose the express shipping option when doing China to UK shipping.

Air freight can help you to ship your goods faster than any other shipping option.

The major disadvantage will be the shipping cost that can turn many small businesses down to take this option.

But if you are doing small package China shipping to UK, then air freight will be a viable option for you.

There is also the third method, train freight from China to UK which can help you to freight forward your shipment with minimal cost.

So, you can take advantage of any method when you need it depending on their benefits.

4. What Are The Incoterms And How Do They Affect On China To UK Shipping?

To ship your goods, the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) has made sets of rules which are known as incoterms.

This set of rules help to facilitate commerce around the world.

Now there are many Incoterms that can affect your China shipping to UK.

There are some Incoterms that affect any mode of transport like EXW (Ex Works), CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid To), DDP( Delivered Duty Paid), etc.

These are applied to any mode of transportation when you do China to UK shipping.

These are FOB (Free On Board), CFR (Cost and Freight), CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight), etc which are applied to ocean transportation specifically.

Your freight forwarder may provide these types of offerings, so you should compare them with freight quotes.

When doing China to UK shipping, you will see many people using FOB Incoterms as it makes the cost quite low.

But you may pay up the cost by paying your supplier to ship your goods to the port of China, making the cost even higher than before.

Sometimes, some Incoterms can cost you more than what you used to pay if you do not know the proper way to ship.

5. Which Are The Major Ports That Do Freight Forwarding From China Shipping To UK?

There are different ports you will find that you can use to ship your goods from China to UK.

Based on your location, based on the location of your supplier, it can be determined which port you and your supplier should use.

Here are some ports name given below that you should learn about when you do China to UK shipping-

Shipping Ports From China

• Shanghai port
• Shenzhen port
• Ningbo port, etc.

Shipping Ports To UK

• Felixstowe
• London
• Southampton, etc.

6. Is DHL Express Available For China To UK Shipping?

Yes, you can ship goods and packages using DHL express to UK from China.

DHL is located in more than 200 countries including China and UK.

If you want to ship a small package and want to do China to UK delivery, DHL will be the best option for you.

It takes only a few days (3-5 days) for DHL express to make China to UK delivery.

7. What Is The Average Express Shipping Time From China To UK?

On average, the express shipping time can take around 3-5 days when doing China to UK delivery.

So, if you want to ship your goods or packages urgently, you can choose the express shipping option.

You just have to pay some extra cash to do China to UK delivery.

8. What Are Paper Works Needed For Doing China To UK Delivery?

When you ship your products to UK from China, you need to provide some documents to the customs to get your products.

So, learning about those papers is essential for import and export.

Here are some papers that you need to show when doing China to UK shipping-

Proforma Invoice

When you do the transaction from China shipping to UK, your quote is used as a proforma invoice.

You need this document to open a letter of credit, apply for proper import licenses, and so on.

A proforma invoice is almost similar to a commercial invoice.

Commercial Invoice

After sending your proforma invoice, you need to prepare goods and make a commercial invoice list.

This is one of the most important documents that you need when you do China to UK shipping.

It contains more than any other documents and has a lot of export transaction details.

Packing List

A packing list is very important when you ship your goods to UK from China, because your freight forwarder may use it to create bills of lading.

The packing list actually helps you to identify your shipment including the dimensions and the gross weight of your products.

These are some of the papers you will need to show when you do China to UK shipping.

Country Of Origin

It is mandatory for importing but is not mandatory in China.

It actually represents the country, that is China, where your goods are manufactured.

Bill Of Lading

A bill of lading actually works as a contract between the manufacturer of the products and the shipper.

You need an original as proof of ownership and take possession of the goods.

9. What Is The Average Cost Of China To UK Shipping?

As there are different methods of China shipping to UK, the costs also differ from each other.

If you are doing air shipping, for normal China to UK shipping, the average cost is around $1,100-$1,200 for the load of 200 kg or per CBM (Cubic Meter).

For express China shipping to UK, the average cost can be around $850-$900 for the load of 50 kg or per 0.2 CBM.

If you want to ship via sea freight, for FCL container shipping, it can cost around $1,100-$1,200 mostly.

For LCL shipping, it can cost around $500-$600 per CBM.

10. How To Reduce Shipping Costs For China Shipping To UK?

If you are running a small business and doing China to UK delivery of your shipment, it is right to be concerned about the shipping costs.

There is no better way to reduce shipping costs than following some tips.

Here are some of the best tips for you to reduce your shipping costs when doing China to UK delivery-

• You can book in advance and then take the sea freight to keep your shipping costs in control along with the transit time.
• Try to ship during the off-peak seasons, because China shipping to UK costs can be higher when the carriers get busy.
• You can budget your customs costs if you research the customs fees well.
  Customs clearance can put a great impact on your shipping costs.
• Try to understand your quotation provided by your freight forwarder.
  Without understanding, you may give more money than you should give.

11. What Is The Fastest Method For China Shipping To UK?

If you are looking for a quick shipping method that can do China to UK shipping faster and in the shortest amount of time, air freight is the best option.

If you compare the transit time of sea freight with air freight when China shipping to UK, you will see that air freight is 6-8 times faster than sea freight.

You can even do door to door China to UK delivery using express shipping within 4-7 days, which is so fast.

So if you urgently need to ship your products, air freight from China to UK shipping will be the best option for you.

12. How Can You Do China To UK Amazon FBA Shipping?

You can easily ship your goods from China to UK amazon FBA with the help of your supplier.

When you are ready for China to UK shipping, just ask your supplier to apply the FBA carton labels on your goods.

Your shipper can use many methods like sea freight for cost-efficient shipping, air freight for fast shipping, warehousing, etc.

Your freight forwarder can even collect products from your different suppliers and ship them to the Amazon FBA in UK.

13. Do I Need A Cargo Insurance For China Shipping To UK?

Cargo insurance is actually meant to ensure your cargo’s safety.
If your cargo gets damaged when China to UK shipping, the freight forwarder is liable to compensate for the goods.

As your cargo ship is a long way from China to UK, it may take quite a long time.

While maintaining the long period of freight forwarding, your products may get damaged.

Until the product is supplied from hand to hand, your freight forwarders are liable for the container.

If you are shipping fragile items from China to UK, you should make insurance, otherwise, it is not suggested to make one.

If you make cargo insurance before China to UK shipping, if any damage occurs, you don’t have to take any hassles of sourcing replacements for damaged goods.

If you want to learn more about cargo insurance, here is a link that can help you out-

14. What Is The Average Air Freight Cost For China Shipping To UK?

When you choose air freight for China to UK shipping, there are a lot of factors you have to follow.

These are like, port, weight, dimensions, door to door option, etc.

On average, the air shipping cost to UK from China is around $1,100-$1,200 for 200 kg per CBM.

The price can decrease depending on how huge your shipment can weigh.

For 10 kg, the chargeable weight can be $65-$66 per kg around.

And for 100 kg, the chargeable weight can go lower than 10 kg, which is around 14 USD-15 USD.

There is another method called express shipping, which can cost around $800-$900 for 50 kg or per 0.2 CBM.

15. How Do You Calculate The Air Freight Cost When Doing China To UK Shipping?

When you calculate the air freight cost, it depends on your weight.

The chargeable weight is measured in two ways, one is the gross weight, another is the dimensional weight or also known as the volumetric weight.

You can measure the gross weight by just a machine.

To find out the dimensional weight, you have to calculate the dimensions of your product first.

Volume = length x width x height

After you have figured out the volume, convert it into cubic meters.

Then multiply the volume with the conversion factor, which is 167.

Volumetric weight = Volume x 167

Now you have gotten the dimensional weight, you have to compare it with the gross weight to see which one is bigger.

If dimensional weight is bigger than gross weight, then the dimensional weight is your chargeable weight and vice versa.

After you get your chargeable weight, multiply it with your per kg value, and you can get your total freight weight cost when doing China shipping to UK.

16. What Are The Major Differences Between Air Freight And Sea Freight When China To UK Shipping?

Although air freight and sea freight have their own benefits, they have some differences between them.

Here they are given below-

Sea Freight	Air Freight
Cost-efficient shipping method	Costly shipping method
Takes a lot of time to do China to UK shipping.	Takes the shortest time for China to UK shipping.
A bit risky when it comes to damage risks	Air freight keeps your damages safe when doing China shipping to UK.
Fresh ingredients can be damaged while in the container for many days	As air shipping takes a few days, your ingredients remain fresh.

17.  How To Do Door To Door Shipping When Doing China To UK Delivery?

 There is a process to do door to door shipping to UK from China.

You should understand it before you try to do so.

Once your goods are ready to ship, your freight forwarder can bring the goods from the factory of the supplier or the supplier can arrange them to the port.

After your goods are moved to a certain port, they will go through customs for approximately a week.

The main time takes when shipping through sea or air for China shipping to UK.

After your shipment is delivered to the destination port, it again goes through the customs of UK. Again it may take a week or so to deliver.

After the customs clearance, your freight forwarder may use a truck to ship your goods to your suitable destination.

This is the whole process of door to door from China to UK delivery.

18. What Is The Average Cost Via Sea Freight For China To UK Shipping?

When you are doing China to UK shipping via sea freight, you are probably using containers.

So, the average cost depends on the container rating.

If you are shipping using the FCL method, on average, a 40-foot container can cost around $1,500-$1,900 depending on which port you are shipping to.

For LCL shipping, per CBM, of a container, the average cost can be around $500-$600.

Sometimes, it can go higher if you do not choose a reliable freight forwarder on your side.

On that side, HART Worldwide Logistics Limited is here for you.

We can ship your goods easily and cheaply with our best freight forwarding team.

If you are going through a hardship, let us know.

19. How Long Does It Take To Do Sea Shipping To UK From China?

The transit time depends on many things when you are doing sea China shipping to UK.

It takes more time to fulfill the process and after finishing the process, you can get the average time limit.

Some factors like port, loading and unloading, customs, etc can make your shipment arrival time longer.

On average, the transit time of China shipping to UK can take around 4-8 weeks depending on door to door shipping too.

20. What Is The Customs Clearance And How Does It Work When Doing China To UK Delivery?

Customs clearance is a procedure to check your products before shipping inside UK.

It is important to check your goods before shipping them inside because prohibited items ensured by UK can be inside of it too.

If you are doing China to UK delivery, this process occurs when your shipment comes into one of the ports of UK.

You have to show your invoice lists and other necessary documents to ship them inside the country.

You also have to pay your duties and tariffs in order to ship your goods.

This procedure can take around a week to finish.

If you are curious about learning more about customs clearance, here is a link that can help you out-

21. What Duties Or Tariffs Do You Have To Pay When Importing To UK From China?

Depending on the commodity of your goods, you can pay the duties and tariffs when doing China to UK delivery.

Your supplier will inform you of the HS code(Harmonized System Code) and using the HS code, you can easily get the import VAT with UK HMRC.

22. Who Can Clear Your Customs When Doing China To UK Shipping?

You, the freight forwarding companies with the right software and badges, and customs broker can clear your customs when doing China to UK delivery.

Not all the people who are freight forwarding your goods can clear your customs for you.

The person who is shipping your goods, if he does not have a badge, he is not liable to clear your customs for China shipping to UK.

23. Is There Any Way To Avoid Customs Clearance When Shipping From China To UK?

You can not ship your goods inside UK without the customs clearance.

It is your duty to fulfill customs duties, tariffs, and the documentation needed to clear.

What you can do to avoid customs is look for offers from different freight forwarding companies.

Or you can ask your freight forwarder to fulfill your customs duties for you.

Final Words

Hope you have got a good knowledge of China shipping to UK.

If you have more doubts, you can always ask us.

HART is here to help you out anytime you want.

We can provide you with the best options to do China to UK delivery.

Let us know whenever you are ready to ship your goods.

Share your thoughts with us.