Your Best Freight Forwarder Agent for Sea Freight Germany From China.

Sea Freight Germany | The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Introduction

When you are talking about international trading between China and Germany, the term sea freight comes in.

Germany has a $124,354 million importing market from China.

Expectedly, the biggest portion of shipments of importation comes by shipping container from China to Germany.

There are many facts to know about sea freight China to Germany, and we are the way to go.

You will find several questions answered in this FAQ guide about sea cargo Germany from China.

So, let’s move forward.

Table of Content

1. What Is Sea Freight?
2. Is Sea Shipping From China To Germany Available?
3. What Are The Step-by-step Processes For Sea Freight Germany From China?
4. What Is The Transit Time Of Sea Freight China To Germany?
5. What Are The Different Types Of Shipping Containers From China To Germany Available?
6. What Are The Differences Between FCL And LCL Shipping From China To Germany By Sea?
7. Why Does The Transit Time Differ Between FCL And LCL?
8. How To Calculate The Cost Of Sea Freight Germany From China?
9. How Much Does It Cost To Ship From China To Germany?
10. What Are The Required Documents For Sea Cargo Germany From China?
11. What Are The Most Used Incoterms For Sea Freight China To Germany?
12. Why Should You Choose Sea Freight Germany From China Over Other Shipping Methods?
13. Which Factors Impact To Determine The Sea Freight Cost From China To Germany?
14. Why Is Sea Freight Cheaper Than Other Shipping Methods?
15. Is Door-to-door Delivery Available By Sea Cargo Germany From China?
16. What Is The Customs Charge Rate For Sea Freight China To Germany?
17. Who Is Liable For Paying Customs Charges For Shipping From China To Germany By Sea?
18. Who Is Responsible For Clearing Customs Formalities For Sea Freight Germany From China?
19. Can You Insure Your Sea Cargo Germany From China?
20. Is There Any Tracking Facility For Sea Freight China To Germany?
21. What Are The Prohibited Items To Ship From China To Germany?
22. How To Choose The Best Freight Forwarder For Sea Freight China To Germany?

1. What Is Sea Freight?

Sea freight is one of the methods of transporting a big portion of goods by cargo ships through the ocean.

In most cases, sea freight actually happens internationally.

Basically, you will find two types of shipping from China to Germany by sea.

One is FCL, and another is LCL.

Watch here explained sea freight:

FCL

FCL stands for Full Container Load.

Like you are shipping a large number of goods by sea freight Germany from China.

In this case, you will be needing a large space for your goods to be shipped.

For this situation, FCL is the most preferable mode of sea freight.

You will hire a whole container that might be sized either 20ft or 40ft, and you are the only importer to use the whole container.

No other user will be able to use your hired container, and you have to pay the total bill of the container.

And like this, you can hire as many as the container you need.

LCL

LCL stands for Less than Container Load.

Unlike FCL, you will not have to hire a whole container for your shipments.

You might be shipping a small-sized shipment by sea freight China to Germany.

In this case, you will just hire spaces in a container as per your need, and you will be paying according to the space consumed.

You might be paying by per CBM, or per kg whatever you get.

LCL is perfectly suitable for a small shipment by shipping container from China to Germany.

2. Is Sea Shipping From China To Germany Available?

In one word, yes, shipping from China to Germany is available.

Not only available but also the biggest portion of imports are being shipped by sea freight Germany from China.

And sea freight is an orthodox shipping method, and almost 90% of total goods from China to Germany shipped by sea cargo Germany.

3. What Are The Differences Between FCL And LCL Shipping From China To Germany By Sea?

There are some basic differences between FCL and LCL shipping from China to Germany.

FCL	LCL
FCL is mostly suitable for large shipments	LCL is mostly preferable for small shipments
FCL needs less transit time because only a  single importer hires the whole container for his shipment and after the container is loaded, the journey starts.	But, LCL needs more transit time because more than one importers’ goods are to be loaded in a single container.
FCL is cost-effective in terms of shipping rates.	LCL is costlier than FCL in terms of the shipping rate.

4. Why Does The Transit Time Between FCL And LCL Differ?

When you are talking about the shipping container from China to Germany, the transit time of different shipping modes comes in.

Basically, the transit time of FCL and LCL differs from each other.

For FCL, the container loading needs less time because the FCL container is being loaded for one individual importer.

There is no hassle for multi-importers loading.

As soon as the loading is finished, the journey starts directly and moves to a certain destination.

On the other hand, in an FCL mode, there is a number of goods of the different importers to be loaded.

You have to wait for different importer’s goods for a single container.

After finishing the loading, the journey starts.

As a result, there is much loading time needed for an FCL container, and expectedly, it gets late.

5. What Are The Step-by-step Processes For Sea Freight Germany From China?

When you are shipping from China to Germany by sea, there are some systematic steps to be followed.

Following are the step-by-step processes that need to follow for deploying a successful sea freight Germany from China.

Product Sourcing

The first job is to source the products that you want to import from China by sea freight China to Germany.

You can do this in three ways.

1. Using Local Sourcing Agent: A local sourcing agent in China will search for the best vendors/suppliers/manufacturers for you. You can then make your orders from the best one remotely.
2. Online Platform: Online marketplace is one of the biggest marketplaces nowadays. You can source your goods from an online marketplace like Amazon, Alibaba, AliExpress, eBay, etc.
3. Direct Sourcing: The final one is to visit China directly on your own. You can then choose the best products by checking them yourself.

Pick up and Packing

After successfully sourcing your desired goods from a perfect vendor, you need to pick up your goods from the vendor’s place.

You might hire an expert freight forwarding company like HART Worldwide Logistics, or you can do it yourself.

After picking the goods, you have to pack them quietly and safely.

Required Paperwork

When you are going to import goods by sea cargo Germany from China, you must have done some required paperwork.

You will need various documents to ship your goods by using a shipping container from China to Germany.

We will discuss the required documents for doing sea freight Germany from China in a later section of the article.

Moving to Exporting Country’s Port and Clearing Customs

After entirely packing your goods tightly, and completing all required paperwork, now the time is to move your goods to the Chinese seaport for transporting goods by sea cargo Germany.

Then you must clear all customs formalities of your shipping goods.

When you hire an expert freight forwarder like HART, they will do hassle-free customs clearance for you.

Loading

After clearing the customs in China, your goods are ready to load in the shipping container from China to Germany.

After completing loading the goods, the travel will begin at the port in Germany.

Porting in the Importing Country and Customs Clearance

When your goods are reached in the port of Germany, the customs authority will check the goods.

You will have to show the required legal papers to clear your goods in German customs.

After.

If everything is okay, your shipment will get the green signal to release.

Unloading and Receiving Goods and Warehousing

After finishing all necessary formalities, now you are ready to unload and receive your goods.

After receiving your goods by yourself or your freight forwarder, your goods will be moving to your warehouse.

This is how a successful importation by sea freight Germany from China gets completed.

6. What Is The Transit Time Of Sea Freight China To Germany?

The average sea route distance between China and Germany is more than 12,000 nautical miles.

At an average speed (18-20 knots) of the sea cargo Germany from China, it will take 25 to 40 days to reach from China to Germany.

Let’s demonstrate a transit timetable for shipping from China to Germany by sea.

From (China)	To (Germany)	Transit Time
Port of Shanghai	Port of Hamburg	28/35 days
Port of Shenzhen	Port of Hamburg	25/30 days
Port of Shenzhen	Port of Wilhelmshaven	25/30 days
Port of Shanghai	Port of Duisburg (Ruhrort)	28/35 days
Xiangzhou Port	Elbe Harbour (Elbe Hafen)	25/30 days
Huangpu Xingang Port	Port of Duisburg (Ruhrort)	25/30 days
Port of Dalian	Port of Rostock	30/40 days
Port of Xiamen (Amoy)	Port of Rostock	30/35 days
Port of Ningbo	Port of Frankfurt	30/40 days
Port of Nanjing	Port of Frankfurt	30/40 days

7. What Are The Different Types Of Shipping Containers From China To Germany Available?

The container is a three-dimensional carrying object that is used to load and ship goods by ship.

There are two types of standard sizes of containers available for sea cargo ships for shipping: 20ft container, and 40ft container.

20ft Container

A 20ft container is 20ft in length, and it is named by its length.

The dimension of a 20ft container differs for inside and outside.

Following are the different dimensions for a 20ft container in size.

• Outer dimension in foot: Length X Width X Height: 20ft X 8ft X 8ft 6inches
• Inner dimension in foot: Length X Width X Height:19ft 4inches X 7ft 9inches X 7ft 10inches
• Outer dimension in meter: Length X Width X Height: 6.10 meter X .44 meter X 2.59 meter
• Inner dimension in meter: Length X Width X Height: 5.898 meter X 2.352 meter X 2.393 meter

In terms of usable capacity, a 20ft container is 33CBM (cubic Meter) in size.

40ft Container

Like 20ft container, a 40ft shipping container of the ship is 40ft in length, and it is also named by its length as well.

The dimension of a 40ft container also differs from inside and outside.

Following are the different dimensions for a 40ft container in size.

• Outer dimension in foot: Length X Width X Height: 40 foot X 8 foot X 8 foot 6 inches.
• Inner dimension in foot: Length X Width X Height: 39 foot 6inches X 7 foot 9Inches X 7 foot 10 inches
• Outer dimension in meter: Length X Width X Height: 12.19 meters X 2.44 meters X 2.59 meters
• Inner dimension in meter: Length X Width X Height: 12.025 meter X 2.352 meter X 2.393 meter

In terms of usable capacity, a 40ft container is 66CBM (Cubic Meter) in size.

The cost of shipping 20ft container from China to Germany and the cost of shipping 40ft container from China to Germany vary from each other.

We will discuss the cost of the container in a later section.

Check here how to choose container type:

8. How To Calculate The Cost Of Sea Freight Germany From China?

Chargeable is the weight on which the sea line carrier authority imposes the shipping cost.

There are two ways to determine the chargeable weight of goods for sea freight China to Germany: Gross weight, and Volumetric weight.

Between the gross weight and volumetric weight, the carrier authority will consider the bigger one in number as the chargeable weight.

Gross Weight

Gross weight is the total weight of a goods package including the weight of the box of the goods.

Suppose you are shipping goods through sea cargo Germany from China which weighs 2000 kg, and the box that carrying the goods weighs 500 kg.

The gross weight of the total package will be 2000+500= 2500 kg.

Volumetric Weight

The box of your 2000 kg goods has a size.

Suppose the dimension of the box in which you are carrying 2000 kg goods is:

Length- 4 m, width- 2 m, and height- 2 m.

The volume of the box is =4 X 2 X 2= 16 CBM.

The weight conversion number of CBM to kg is 167.

So, the volumetric weight of the comes = 167 X 16= 2672 kg.

Here we see the volumetric weight of the package is bigger than the gross weight.

The authority of sea freight Germany from China will consider the volumetric weight as the chargeable weight for the goods.

9. Which Factors Impact To Determine The Sea Freight Cost From China To Germany?

There are various factors that exist that impact the cost of shipping 20ft container from China to Germany and the cost of shipping 40ft container from China to Germany.

The following facts mostly play a role in changing the shipping cost of sea freight China to Germany.

• Product quantity. The greater the quantity, the less will be the shipping cost rate.
• Product quality. Fragile or special items increase the cost.
• Shipping season. On season shipping rate stays lower than the off-season
• Port to port distance varies the shipping cost
• Container type like 20ft and 40ft differs the shipping cost
• Container mode: FCL and LCL differs in the shipping cost of a shipping container from China to Germany
• A special situation like Covid-19 or other.

10. How Much Does It Cost To Ship From China To Germany?

Generally, the cost of shipping 20ft container from China to Germany differs from the cost of 40ft container from China to Germany.

For various types of varieties, you might have to pay $850 to $1500 for the cost of shipping 20ft container from China to Germany.

On the converse, you might have to pay $1500 to $2200 for the cost of shipping 40ft container from China to Germany.

All the calculations for FCL mode where you hire a whole container.

For the FCL mode, it might be $1 to $3 per kg of goods, and it might be under $1 sometimes.

Already we mentioned that the shipping cost for a shipping container from China to Germany varies from time to time, based on different factors.

11. What Are The Required Documents For Sea Cargo Germany From China?

When you are going to import goods from China to Germany, you will need several necessary documents for the sea freight Germany from China.

Following are the documents that you will need.

Import/Export Certificate

You will need an import/export certificate to import or export goods by sea freight Germany from China.

Commercial Invoice

A commercial invoice is among the most important documents for shipping from China to Germany by sea.

The commercial invoice is issued and approved by the vendor to the importer as a business receipt.

German customs will ask for this document during the checking.

Packing List

The packing list is another essential document that is issued based on the commercial invoice.

It also describes how the goods are packed with marked numbers and notes.

Letter of Instruction

Letter of instruction the instruction letter from the exporter to the carrier on how to carry the goods.

Export/Import Customs Declaration

Export/import customs declaration is one of the important documents which is made by the customs clearance agent on behalf of the importer.

It shows the information about the shipment and the total value of the shipment which is needed to impose customs duties on the imported shipment.

Bill of Lading

Bill of Lading is a transportation contract between the carrier and the importer.

It shows that the carrier received the goods with no-fault, and it also ensures control over the shipment for the holder.

One of the most important roles of the bill of lading is that the importer will have to show this document while receiving the shipment.

Certificate of Origin

The certificate of origin shows the details about the goods that are manufactured, the exporting country, the importing country, the material of the goods, and the expiry date of the goods if applicable.

12. What Are The Most Used Incoterms For Sea Freight China To Germany?

Incoterms are international commercial terms used for international trading which is a set of terms generated by the International Chamber of Commerce.

Several incoterms are used for sea cargo Germany from China.

CFR

Cost and Freight- CFR is a legal incoterm in an international sea freight contract between the seller and the importer.

The seller will be responsible for any type of transportation up to the port of destination.

After reaching the shipment to the port of destination, the importer will handle the rest of the responsibilities with legal documents provided by the seller.

DDP

Delivery Duty Paid is another most used incoterm.

If the shipment happens under the incoterm DDP, then all responsibilities go to the seller.

He will arrange all transportation till the destination, will expense and bear the risk of the shipment, clear the customs and pay the customs duties and VAT.

EXW

Ex Works is one of the used incoterms for sea freight which describe when the seller/exporter/vendor of the goods makes available them in the predetermined destination.

The importer of the goods will bear all transportation costs.

FOB

Free on Board is an incoterm that refers to whether the seller or the importer is liable for the destruction or damage of the goods during the shipment.

FOB origin means the importer is the liable person from the seller’s place.

On the other hand, FOB destination means the seller is the liable person till the buyer’s predetermined destination of the goods.

13. Why Should You Choose Sea Freight Germany From China Over Other Shipping Methods?

There are numerous advantages of sea freight Germany from China you will get.

• Sea cargo Germany from China is the most economical transportation method which offers the cheapest shipping rate than any other transportation methods.
• No worry about the size of your shipment or quantity, sea shipping line can hold any type and number of goods for transport. Sea freight China to Germany is the most efficient shipping method.
• Large shipments holding ability is one of the major advantages
• Ship with a shipping container from China to Germany is safe and secure.
• Sea freight is the most reliable shipping method.

14. Why Is Sea Freight Cheaper Than Other Shipping Methods?

A cargo ship can hold millions of tons of products which is much more than any other shipping method.

Together with the large volume of goods gives a better economy, which other methods cannot afford.

“The more capacity, the less is the shipping rate”, according to this law, sea freight is able to offer the cheapest shipping rate than any other transportation.

15. Is Door-to-door Delivery Available By Sea Cargo Germany From China?

Door-to-door delivery means the delivery of goods to the doorstep of the buyer from the seller’s origin.

Door-to-door delivery is quite an available service by sea freight China to Germany.

HART is one of the best shipping agents in China that provides door-to-door services from China to Germany.

16. What Is The Customs Charge Rate For Sea Freight China To Germany?

As a European Union country, German importing customs charges range from 0-17%.

On average the rate is 4.2%

Rates on different sectors differ from each other, such as the dairy sector pays 32.3%, confectionery pays 27%, meat 19%.

The customs rate for cereals and preparation is 17.2%, fruit and vegetables is 13%, clothing is 11.6%.

17. What Are The Prohibited Items To Ship From China To Germany?

You cannot import some items in Germany from not only China, but also anywhere in the world.

Following are the prohibited items in Germany:

• The products that contain the biocide dimethyl fumarate (DMF)
• Printed material, Film, Audio, CD, DVD, Cassettes that contain propaganda,
• material that encourages aggressiveness towards the free democratic ordinances and establishments.
• Counterfeit or pirated goods
• Copies replicas of an extreme and aggressive non-democratic, violent group, and ideologies.
• Asbestos fibers: subject to the Rotterdam Convention
• Specified carcinogenic elements
• Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Indecent or Obscene Material
• Weapons Convention (CWC)
• Specific goods subject to Convention on International Trade in Endangered
• Flags, uniform pieces
• Specific Chemicals subject to the Chemical
• Counterfeit coins and banknotes
• Offensive Weapon: death stars, belt buckle knives, martial arts equipment, pepper, and similar sprays, and throwing stars
• Rabies susceptible animals
• Live animals
• Medication except for pharmaceutical manufacturers or traders with import permits/licenses
• Fully Automatic weapons, or guides for weapons, concealed weapons,
• Electronic night scopes, laser guides
• Green and Black Tea of P.R. China origin
• knives with blades that open automatically by operation of a spring device, Flick and Gravity Knives
• Fighting dogs
• Goods infringing a trademark, and a copyright
• Stamps (fictitious) including dies and plates for manufacture

18. Who Is Liable For Paying Customs Charges For Shipping From China To Germany By Sea?

The final liable person to pay customs charges is the importer/buyer of the goods.

But the freight forwarder also can handle the things on behalf of the buyer.

Also, the seller or the exporter can pay the charges of customs under the incoterm DDP.

19. Who Is Responsible For Clearing Customs Formalities For Sea Freight Germany From China?

The importer of the goods is responsible for the customs clearance in German customs.

He also can hire a clearing agent or freight forwarder who will do so on his behalf.

Also, he can get this done by the seller under the incoterm DDP.

20. Can You Insure Your Sea Cargo Germany From China?

Yes, insurance is available for your goods shipping from China to Germany by sea.

You can get insurance for your goods from the carrier, or also can insure from a third-party insurance company as well.

21. Is There Any Tracking Facility For Sea Freight China To Germany?

Yes, your freight forwarder will provide you a unique tracking id by which you can track your shipment during the sea freight Germany from China.

22. How To Choose The Best Freight Forwarder For Sea Freight China To Germany?

There are features that should have on a reliable and trustworthy freight forwarder.

If you find the following features and characteristics of freight forwarders, you can rely on them.

• Experienced in the industry
• Reliable and accessible customer service
• Quick response-ability
• Free quote facilities
• Best quality services with competitive rates
• Provide all types of warehousing facilities
• Standard and systematized logistic solutions

Last Words

Hope you would get an answer to a bunch of questions in this article about sea freight Germany from China.

You can study more before shipping your goods by sea freight.

You also can take help and hire an experienced freight forwarder for sea freight China to Germany like HART.