Your Best Freight Forwarder for Shipping From China to UK

                 Shipping From China To UK | The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Introduction:

The UK, one of the third largest export destinations, has imported many goods from China.

In fact, in 2019, UK broke the record of importing goods of around $65 billion from China.

If you want to import shipment from China to UK, the major issue you will face is supply chain cost, shipping time, and logistics.

In this FAQ guide, you will get knowledge about how you can solve these problems easily while shipping from China to UK.

Table Of Contents

1. How Can I Ship My Products To UK From China?
2. Is UK Getting Shipments From China?
3. What Is The Shipping Cost From China To UK?
4. Is DHL Express Shipping To UK From China?
5. How Much Is International Express Shipping Cost From China To UK, Like DHL, FedEx Ups, USPS, China Post, Or Other Express Company?
6. What Is The Time Period To Ship Using USPS Express To UK From China?
7. Why Should You Choose Air Cargo Over Sea Cargo When Shipping To UK From China?
8. How Does Air Freight Calculate Chargeable Weight While Shipping To UK From China?
9. How Much Is Air Freight Cost Between UK And China?
10. How Long Does It Take For An Air Cargo Ship To UK From China?
11. What Is The Maximum Weight For Air Shipping To UK From China?
12. Which Kind Of Goods Are Not Suitable For Airfreight Shipment From China To UK?
13. What Is The Cost To Ship A 40 Foot Container To UK From China?
14. What Are The Differences Between Sea Freight And Air Freight Shipping From China To UK?
15. How Long Does Shipping By Sea Take From China To UK?
16. Is It Cheaper To Ship By Air Or Sea From China To UK?
17. How Can I Reduce Shipping Costs To Import Goods To UK From China?
18. What Is Customs Clearance Process For Shipping To UK From China?
19. Do I Have To Pay Customs Charges For Package From China To UK?
20. How Much Does Customs Clearance Cost in UK For Shipping From China?
21. Do I Have To Pay Duty On Items Shipped From China To UK?
22. Why Would A Package Be Held In Customs When Shipping From China To UK?
23. Can I Avoid Customs Charges From My Shipping From China To UK?

1. How Can I Ship My Products To UK From China?

You can ship from China to UK in many ways.

You can ship your products by air as well as by sea.

There are several kinds of shipping modes for you to ship your products.

They are- sea FCL (Full Container Load), sea LCL (Less than a Container Load), air or express.

You have to watch out for all the factors that make the cost if you want your shipment from China to UK.

The cost includes location, size, shipping modes, custom clearance, etc.

You need to learn about the system to ship from China to UK.

Because without knowing the proper way, you can lose time and wealth while shipping products a lot.

2. Is UK Getting Shipments From China?

Yes, UK is still getting shipments from China.

It has been many years since China is delivering shipments to the UK.

China is the second-largest economy globally and has a connection with the UK in the trading business.

You will not believe that the UK imports a massive 7% of goods from China that values over £40-£45 billion worth of goods.

3. What Is The Shipping Charge In UK Shipped From China?

There are always ups and downs in rates while shipping from China to UK.

These ups and downs in rates depend on several factors. These are:

• Shipping types (Air, Water)
• Amount of freights/cargo
• Mode of shipping (FCL, LCL, Express, etc.)
• Fuel Cost
• Demand, and availability in the market
• Choices of services like door-to-door shipping from China to UK, port-to-port, port-to-door, etc.

There are some other conditions to look after too.

Depending on the weight, there are some variable calculations you have to know to ship your products properly and cost-efficiently.

• If shipment from China to UK weighs under 100 kilograms, you can use air transport rather than LCL ocean freight, because the cost will not differ. But you can import products faster via air.
• If you have large shipments to transport, FCL will be the most cost-efficient for you. Without some exceptions, you can choose FCL as your shipping method.

On average, the shipping cost from China to UK is around $1,750 to $1,800 for a 40-foot container in peak season.

4. Is DHL Express Shipping To UK From China?

DHL is express shipping from China to UK for a long time along with 220 more countries.

They can import anywhere in UK like Newcastle, Manchester or London easily and conveniently.

You can import goods by express shipping from China to UK that will only take 3-5 days.

You can do both shipping your parcel off at one of 1,300 DHL service points, or book a courier collection online using DHLLitNow or by phone with customer service.

The pricing of shipping depends on the size and weight of the shipment from China to UK, the destination, and the way of service that you choose.

DHL is one of the cheapest shipping from China to UK and popular to send parcels within UK.

5. How Much Is International Express Shipping Cost From China To UK, Like DHL, FedEx Ups, USPS, China Post, Or Other Express Company?

The shipping cost from China to UK depends on several factors.

How you bring it here does not matter, the charge can vary from time to time.

Express shipping from China to UK is one of the fastest modes if you want your goods to ship.

The cost depending on shipping via Express are:

• Weight of Cargo
• Custom Clearance taxes and duties
• Shipping cost from China to UK depends on Company(DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS, China Post, etc)
• Landing Port

Courier(Express)	Shipping Cost(Weighing 2 Pounds)
USPS	$15 to $20
UPS	$25 to $30
FedEx	$22 to $27
DHL	$30 to $35
China Post	$25 to $30

Table-1: Shipping Cost from China to UK using express (in USD)

6. What Is The Time Period To Ship Using USPS Express To UK From China?

Compared to the other express shipping from China to UK, USPS is one of the cheapest expresses that has been working to move the shipment.

But the other express ships shorter than USPS’s delivery time

USPS has been doing the cheapest express shipping from China to UK for a long time.

USPS offers several factors of choosing based on your delivery timeline.

The average delivery time depends on several services,

• Priority Mail International: 6-10 days
• First-Class Package International: 7-15 days
• Priority Mail Express International: 3-5 days
• However, even if the shipping time is a bit higher than another international express, with the low shipping cost, it is grabbing its adaptability in the whole world .

7. Why Should You Choose Air Cargo Over Sea Cargo When Shipping To UK From China?

For shipping cost, yes.

Sea freight has changed everything by reducing the shipping cost from China to UK to a much lower rate than other shipping systems.

But air freight from China to UK is a faster option than sea freight from China to UK.

If you need a product urgently and want to ship it from China to UK, air transportation is needed the most.

While airfreight is shipping faster, it is also ensuring the freshness of perishable goods like flowers, or fresh produce.

For direct city-to-city transport, air freight is definitely the most preferred shipping method.

You can choose air freight when time sensitivity is a major factor.

Although not all cargo is time-sensitive, still you can ship a product that is urgently needed to deliver.

Air cargo has a minimal risk of damaging the cargo. It has full safety while shipping goods thanks to the strict air shipping regulations.

Air shipment from China to UK can not take a lot of shipments. Due to the lower volume, they tend to be handled quickly.

So, after reading all the criteria, you can understand how good can air freight from China to UK ships your products.

These are the reasons why you should choose air cargo overseas cargo.

8. How Does Air Freight Calculate Chargeable Weight While Shipping To UK From China?

Airfreight weight is a reason for cost variation while shipping from China to UK.

As you want to ship to another country, there is a cost calculation you should know to ship from China to UK.

There are two types of weight that you need to know first, gross weight, and volumetric weight.

The formula to calculate the chargeable weight is given below:

If you want to calculate volume using inches as a unit, multiply length, width, and height to get cubic inches as result.

After that, to obtain the dimensional weight in pounds, convert cubic inch to cubic meters.

1 cubic meters(CBM) = 61,024 cubic inches

Now multiply the conversion factor with CBM, you will get volumetric weight.

Volumetric weight = cubic meters X conversion factor.

Conversion factor = 167.

Now, if the actual gross weight is greater than the calculated volumetric weight, then the actual gross rate is charged.

If your volumetric weight is greater than the gross weight, then your shipping charge will be as by the volumetric weight.

That is how you can calculate the chargeable weight of your goods while shipping from China to UK

9. How Much Is Air Freight Cost Between UK And China?

The shipping rate is generously higher than sea freight, as it was told before.

Also, now you know the process to calculate the volumetric weight, and how you can figure out the chargeable weight.

Some more things are added to the chargeable weight while you ship from China to UK.

As there are different ports, the charges change a bit.

Here is a table that will show the variation of shipping cost from China to UK.

	Shenzhen(Avg)	Ningbo(Avg)	Shanghai(Avg)
Felixstowe(Avg)	$1,100-$1,150	$1,100-$1,150	$1,190-$1,230
Southampton(Avg)	$1,125-$1,175	$1,100-1,150	$1,125-$1,150
London(Avg)	$1,025-$1,075	$1,090-$1,120	$1,050-$1,100

Table-2: Shipping Cost By Airfreight In Different Ports From China To UK

The rate here shows a load of 200 kg/CBM for door-to-door shipping from China to UK.

The per kg rate varies on the weight of the goods. For 10 kg, price is $60-$70, 100 kg price is $12-$20, 300 kg price is $5-$10.

The best way you can reduce your shipping cost from China to UK is by choosing HART WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS LIMITED as your service guide.

HART Logistics can help you out by shipping your goods at a minimal rate, along with that we can ship your products faster than ever!

We can assure you, you will be satisfied after relying on us.

10. How Long Does It Take For An Air Cargo Ship To UK From China?

As the cost differs from door-to-door, shipping time also differs from door-to-door shipping from China to UK.

Although shipping time does not differ that much, basically 2-3 days is the most difference between the ports.

Here is a table with different ports and shipping time on average given below:

Port Name(China to UK)	Shipping Time(Avg)
Shanghai->Manchester	4-7 days
Shenzhen->London	3-5 days
Shenzhen->Manchester	5-9 days
Xiamen->London	5-7 days
Zhengzhou->London	5-9 days
Beijing->Manchester	2-5 days

Table-3: Shipping Time In Different Ports While Shipping From China To UK By Air

11. What Is The Maximum Weight For Air Shipping From China To UK?

The maximum weight differs from airplane to airplane.

The maximum weight that you can ship via air is on average 75,000 to 80,000 kg (175,000 lbs) including the weight of the plane.

You cannot ship more than this value.

12. Which Kind Of Goods Are Not Suitable For Airfreight Shipments When Shipping From China To UK?

Of course, you cannot bring the goods that are not allowed to import to UK from China.

•  Some of them are,
•  Rough diamonds
• Pirated media
• Food or plants outside of UK, or diseased
• Endangered animals
• Meat and diary for personal consumptions
• More than 16 liters of beer
• More than 1 liter of spirits that exceeds 22% ABV

These items are banned to import to UK from China. So, learn before shipping your items first.

13. What Is The Cost To Ship A 40 Foot Container To UK From China?

If you want to ship a 40-foot container from China to UK, it obviously will differ where the port is, shipping company, and so on.

For shipping from China to UK, on average it costs from $4,000-$5,000 mostly.

It can change as the port or shipping company can make a difference.

But if you want to import your products from China to UK with a cheap shipping cost, HART WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS LIMITED is there for you.

We ship products all over the world in the most efficient way possible.

We ship products at a very low rate, and at a decent time. Feel free to look

14. What Are The Key Differences Between Air Freight And Sea Freight Shipping From China To UK?

There are a lot of differences between sea freight and air freight.

If you ship from China to UK, you will see these major differences.

There is no universal answer about which one is better, one is better on one thing, then another one is better on another thing.

There are some factors that can differentiate them from each other.

• Distance Shipping: If shipping is directed to city-to-city, airfreight is mostly the preferred option than sea freight from China to UK.
• Type of Cargo: If there are fresh ingredients or productions in a cargo, shipping by air is the most viable option. But if the shipment from China to UK is a lot or a container, Sea freight from China to UK gets the advantage.
• Time Sensitivity: Air freight from China to UK has the advantage when you need to ship faster with safety. Sea freight takes 4-7 weeks to reach its destination where air freight from China to UK can reach the destination within a week.
• Cheap Costing: If you want to ship your products cheaply, and you don’t have any problem with time delay, sea freight from China to UK (FCL) is here for you.

It makes the cheapest shipping from China to UK.

But for air freight, it costs a lot while you ship from China to UK.

15. How Long Does Shipping By Sea Take From China To UK?

There are a lot of things to consider when you ship your goods from China to UK.

It depends on FCL, LCL, different destination transit times, loading and discharge of shipment from China to UK, and so on.

For this reason, shipping through sea freight from China to UK takes a long time, like 4-7 weeks on average.

Sea freight (FCL) takes 30-35 days from port-to-port and for door-to-door, 45-52 days shipping from China to UK.

For Less than Container Load (LCL), it takes 25-50 days to port, and for door-to-door shipping from China to UK, it takes 40-60 days.

As you can see, it takes a long time to reach your shipment from China to UK via sea freight.

16. Is It Cheaper To Ship By Air Or Sea From China To UK?

Shipping by sea is definitely cheaper than air freight from China to UK, especially if you want to ship larger shipments or containers.

Figure-6: Cheapest Way To Ship From China To UK

It is affordable, has the cheapest shipping from China to UK, and also efficient to import goods.

You can ship by the sea in two ways: FCL (Full Container Load), LCL (Less than a container Load).

On average, it can be seen that sea freight is 4-6 times cheaper than air freight from China to UK.

For businesses who are looking to import tonnes of goods, sea freight from China to UK is the best option.

Here is a link where you can learn about cheap shipping from China to UK-

17. How Can I Reduce Shipping Costs To Import Goods To UK From China?

If you want to ship something worldwide, the first question always occurs: Which is which way is the cheapest shipping from China to UK?

Yes, there are ways and if you maintain them, you can reduce your shipping rates by a lot and can also invest more to import.

Some ways that you can reduce your cost while shipping from China to UK are:

• Finding the right shipping provider.
• Buy larger quantities and you can reduce the shipping cost.
• Use an online shipping calculator to check how much is coming if you import shipment from China to UK.
• Optimizing package.
• If you need to hurry and want to import quicker, then only use air or courier, else go for sea freight shipping.
• Calculate the weight and measurement of your shipments properly.

These are some of the ways you can try to reduce your costs while door-to-door shipping from China to UK.

If you still have any confusion, you can let it go on us.

HART WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS LIMITED is a company in China that provides the cheapest shipping from China to UK worldwide service.

We can take your shipping problem and can make a great reduction of your shipping cost from China to UK.

So, hurry up and do not miss the chance!

18. What Is Customs Clearance Process For Shipping To UK From China?

Customs clearance is a process where you have to show some paperwork before entering your goods across international borders.

SMEs sometimes are difficult to navigate and sometimes mystifying aspects of global logistics.

Your business should put all the requirements of customs clearance to a freight forwarder.

You can talk to the custom brokers and they can handle the procedure of the clearances.

The documents needed to show to customs officials in China and UK are given as follows-

• Commercial Invoice
• Certificate of Origin
• Packing List
• Other Payment Terms
• Bill of Lading

Here is a link to how you can calculate Customs duty and VAT –

19. Do I Have To Pay Customs Charges For Package From China To UK?

Yes, it is a duty that you have to follow if you want door-to-door shipping from China to UK.

Customs Clearance is the most essential thing that you need to clear out before shipping any goods to UK from China.

As the goods are coming from outside of UK, you have to fulfill the VAT or excise duty.

It does not matter whether it is a gift or other goods, if it has value, you have to pay customs duty for it.

But you do not have to pay customs duty of the item if your shipping cost from China to UK is under £135.

20. How Much Does Customs Clearance Cost in UK For Shipping From China?

Customs Clearance cost in UK for shipping from China is only £29 at any UK sea or airport.

What you need to do is to contact the customs officers and have to give them the details such as the Airwaybill number, or Sea Line Notice of Arrival.

The shipping line will charge you some local terminal and handling fees. Here it varies by carrier and weight and volume of your shipment.

Here is a guide of documents that you need to ship goods in UK-

21. Do I Have To Pay Duty On Items Shipped From China To UK?

Yes, you have to pay duty on items shipped from China to UK.

Import VAT is payable on all goods that are shipped from China and imported into UK.

Duty is payable at different rates that rely on different types of shipping modes.

Even if you import alcohol and tobacco for your personal use, you are still liable to VAT and duty taxes.

But you don’t need an EORI number (Unique Reference Number) to import personal stuff.

If you bring samples of products and can prove them to customs, you do not need to pay VAT or duty.

22. Why Would A Package Be Held In Customs When Shipping From China To UK?

Customs can hold your package for several reasons; if your goods can not clear customs, they cannot enter UK.

As customs control the whole border, they pay for the border. So clearing customs is essential to ship your product inside UK.

If you do not clear the customs and duties, you should say goodbye to your products.

Customs clearance is one of the most essential things to import your goods inside the UK from China.

Sometimes UK customs hold your goods even if you have all the papers okay.

They do it to test the quality of your goods to UK standards.

There is nothing you can do about this inconvenience.

23. Can I Avoid Customs Charges From My Shipping From China To UK?

Well, you CANNOT avoid paying customs fees.

If you declare your goods under £135, it will be called an illegal act.

No reputable company will help you with avoiding your customs charges.

You should pay for the customs charges and duties because it is inevitable.

Else, you can go through harassment for trying to skip the customs charges.

Final Words

Hope this FAQ guideline will help to clear all your confusion regarding shipping from China to UK.

You may have some other queries too which might not have been mentioned here.

So, don’t worry about it and let us know what you need to know.

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