Shipping Basics

Sea freight from China takes about 14–20 days to the US West Coast, 30–40 to the East Coast, 38–50 to the UK and North Europe via the Cape, and 14–22 to Australia, port to port.

A bill of lading is the shipping line’s receipt for your goods, the contract of carriage and, in its original form, the document that lets you collect the cargo.

Airlines charge the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is L × W × H in cm divided by 6,000 (5,000 for most express couriers).

CBM is length × width × height in metres, multiplied by the number of cartons. Here is how to work it out in cm or inches and what it means for your freight cost.

Most importers are best off buying FOB or FCA and using their own forwarder. Here is what each common Incoterm means and who pays for what.

LCL is usually cheaper below about 13–15 CBM; above that, a full 20ft container usually costs less per unit and arrives faster.