This is a question we are frequently asked, unfortunately there is no simple answer. Listed below are the top 4 considerations when importing from China:
1. Covid and shipping from China to Australia
Shipping from China to Australia has been massively interrupted over the past 18 months. The Covid epidemic and the incident in the Suez Canal, where a large container vessel got stuck, have all contributed to massive delays, these delays have also impacted on costs and the increase in shipping rates. With the third wave and further lock-downs, importers can expect more delays. If you need urgent shipping from China to Australia it is essential to engage with an experience company who can manage your shipments timely from China. Generally shipping from China to Australia will vary as there are several considerations these include:
2. Mode of Transport & Shipment Size
Determine which mode of transport best suits your requirements especially with COVID restrictions in place at present
The length of time it takes to ship:
• Ocean/Sea Freight FCL takes 22-26 days, and is the most affordable, if you can wait.
• Ocean/Sea Freight LCL takes 22-26 days, and is the most affordable, if you can wait.
• Air Freight takes between 5-10 days
3. Terms of Sale: Fob or Ex works
Terms of sale are determined between your supplier and yourself . Usually importers buy on an FOB basis when importing from China, very rarely they will sell on Ex works basis. There are several shipping ports in China and sometimes Chinese suppliers decide from which port to send cargo to, as the FOB charges vary substantially from one port to the other. Weekly consolidation services are available from these major ports.
The main ports that ship from China to Australia are:
• Port Name: Shanghai
• Port Name: Ningbo
• Port Name: Shenzhen
• Port Name Guangzhou
• Port Name: Shanghai
• Port Name: Guangzhou
• Port Name: Dalian
• Port Name : Foshan /Fuzhou
• Port Name : Qingdaou
• Port Name : Xiamen
• Port Name : Xingang
• Port Name : Zhonsghan
The 4 main port in Australia are:
• Port Name: Sydney
• Port Name: Melbourne
• Port Name: Brisbane
• Port Name: Fremantle
4. CHAFTA Certificate
China and Australia have had a FREE TRADE AGREEMENT from the 20th December 2015. This means that goods entered with a CHAFTA Certificate of Origin will reduce the duty status.
Certificate of Origin ( CHAFTA ) is obtained from a government body and be officially authorized and stamped . It will need to be provided for each shipment from the manufacturer to be able to claim preferential duty rate ( if applicable )
Once the agreement is in place, Australian importers will be entitled to imports MOST goods duty free from China. Approximately 85% of Australian originating goods enter China Tariff-free
Please click for an example of a ChAFTA – COO example