Best Shipping guide from China to the UK | 2022 Full Guide

A country is strong only if it has a strong economy, and keeping the business connected with that of others globally is a great step for making the economy strong.

Shipping from China to the UK is also a great way by which transport and exchange of goods are done. The process has a lot of advantages. One is making and maintaining a good relationship with that of other countries, and the second is helping in the process of bringing money to the economy and making it grow.

It is also a great reason by which high-quality experts’ services of transport are covered, and shipping is done from China to the UK easily.

In this content, we will know more about the different transport modes that shipping from China to the UK takes place. So be patient and read till the end to know how the economy of both these nations never fails to surprise us all.

Airfreight shipping from China to the UK

One of the best ways of shipping from China to the UK is via air freight.

It should be mentioned that bait freight is not only for China to the UK, and it is used globally as well. It has been stated that bespoke services are provided by air freight, and it is an excellent option for transporting and shipping from China to the UK.

The China cargo services normally include the following:

• Blocked space arrangements along with some major airlines.
• Services that are direct or different in nature.
• Out of gauge or project cargoes.
• Cross-trade services are possible.
• Custom brokerage is available.
• Last but not least a great option for goods that need controlled temperature and dangerous logistics goods.
• This is why air freight is always a great option when it comes to shipping.
• The airport operators, as well as the airlines, simply maintain very light security, and this makes the process of air freight ideal when there is a high-value cargo.
• The air freight is amazing due to the fact that it has a short transit time, and it is good news in the case of perishables and fragile goods.

Advantages

There are a lot of advantages when it comes to air freight shipping from China to the UK. Some of them are stated as below such as:

• It provides a speedy process as compared to sea freight.
• There is a tremendous ability to send very sensitively as well as valuable cargo.
• There are very few chances of damages to the goods that are being shipped from China to the UK.

It should be kept in mind that until and unless it is written all included in the request you had on the air freight, the following will not be included in it at all.

• The logistics started from the factory based in China right up to the airport.
• The destination starts from the airport to the UK and from there to the final destination.
• Last but not least is the customs clearance which is kept on the arrivals in the UK.

Disadvantages

Airfreight can often have its disadvantages as well, such as:

• It is not as fast and flexible as compared to air express.
• It is very expensive compared to sea or road shipping.
• It has a lot of added costs such as the logistics to and from the airport costs along with the customs fees. So this makes it even more costly.

ERA freight offers Air freight shipping with both DDP way and port to port freight, we offer easy, reliable, and affordable shipping to make the process of importing easier for you, you can contact our sales team now and get your free quote!

Sea Freight Shipping from China to the UK

After reading about the shipping process by air from China to the UK, now it’s time to read more about the sea freight of the same process from China to the UK.

Shipping from China to the UK is simply the movement of goods from sea lanes via shipping containers. There are two options. One is the full container load, and the other is the less than a container load. Let us know what these two mean.

Full container load is simply when there is shipping from China to the, and the container is yours only. This means it is not being shared with anyone. It is considered to be the shipping method that exceeds 15 cubic meters.

On the other hand, the less than a container load involves the process of shipping goods from China to the UK in a container that is being shared along with other shippers.

It is often chosen due to the fact that it is very economical as compared to air freight. Sea shipping from China to the UK takes about 25 to 60 days, but again it depends highly on its origin and the destination where it is supposed to be sent.

You can ship your goods from China to the UK both Door-to-Door (DDP) way and normal freight to the port with ERA, contact our sales team so they will guide you through the steps and offer you an easy, reliable, and affordable service.

Road Freight Shipping from China to the UK 

The third option of shipping from China to the UK is road freight. Yes, there is a road freight shipping from China to the UK option as well. It is now a very good alternative as compared to air freight when it comes to the high costs.

Road freight shipping from China to the UK is a great option for shipping as you get the opportunity to load the truck and start shipping from China to the UK. The process of road freight takes something around 14 to 21 days and hence makes it even easier and faster to ship as compared to the rail and sea shipping process.

It should be mentioned that in the UK, door-to-door services emerged in the year 2018, right after China ratified an agreement in the year 2016.

China to UK road shipping takes a very similar route to railways and lines. The process of road shipping has its potential benefits, such as the increased demand for some goods can be met easier, and there is the diversion of freight because of disruption.

Road freight is on the safe side as it is way cheaper than air freight and even more flexible as compared to sea freight.

2 of the advantages of road transport according to the website noatumlogistics are as follows

It is the most profitable
Road transport is the cheapest means of transport available. The main reason is that a truck is not as expensive as a ship or a place, and it does not require a large specific infrastructure such as ports, stations, or airports.

It is the fastest and most agile
Although other means are faster, road transport is much more agile.

The preparation of the shipment and the start-up of the service is much more immediate, and it makes it the most efficient option for short and medium distances of up to 2,500 km.

Rail Freight Shipping from China to the UK

Last but not least, it’s time for rail freight now. Another process of shipping from China to the UK is very eco-friendly, and it is an excellent alternative to shipping along with less container load and full container load options.

The time of transit via the process of rail shipping from China to the UK takes around 18 to 22 days. It is way faster than road and sea freight and, on the other hand, more affordable compared to air freight.

Rail freight is a good option when you want to receive your goods sooner than the seaway but at a lower price than air, fortunately for you, here in ERA offer rail freight to the UK  both DDP way and port to port way with affordable prices and easy, reliable service, contact us now 🙂

How Is It Possible to Perform the Process of Shipping from China to the UK?

The process is as easy as a cherry on top of a cake. You only need to know whom to approve to make the entire process easier and better for you.

There are a few steps that will guide you further in knowing and even performing the process of shipping from China to the UK. Steps are:

1) You should contact a freight forwarder based in China first. It will help you in releasing the unwanted stress and timely delivery and shipment of the goods to the UK for you.

2)  In this step, all you need to do is get a shipping quote from China. This process will help you receive the best value, the load, and the requirements when it comes to pricing.

3)  Do not forget to get China freight Insurance. In this way, you will protect your investment. It is a significant step that is considered to be very affordable as well.

4)  Now, you should arrange a custom clearance. It will help you in leaving China and later arriving in the UK along with all the requirements and the documentation.

ERA can take care of all the steps, contact our sales team and get your free quote now.

What Are the Custom Duties of the Shipping from China to the UK?

Read more: guide for customs regulation for importing from China to UAE

When you are in the process of importing right from China to the UK, you are sure to need to pay some custom duty along with a VAT just before all your goods are being released into the country of destination.

If you try to research all your costs as early as possible before undergoing the process of shipping from China to the UK, it will be very beneficial and can help you to keep you away from getting caught by unwanted surprises.

All we need to know about custom duty is that it is simply calculated based on the code of HS. It is an international system that has the potential of classifying the foods for the process of trading.

It is obvious that all products do have a different percentage of duty to them and they normally range from 0-12%, and they are mainly determined by the revenue and customs.

So in case, the shipment is worth $10, 000 then the product is bound to have tax at the rate of 10%. The duty you are left with is $1 000. So simple.

When the goods reach the destination, in this case, the UK, the customs officials will look at first check to see all the paper works are done nicely all in their orders. Then comes the step for calculating the amount of the duties that are simply owned by the payment. Once payment is made, it will be time to release the goods.

Is There Any Requirement for Insurance for Shipping from China to the UK?

Yes, it is crucial to get insurance for shipping from China to the UK. It should be mentioned that before calculating your costs of shipping, you should not forget to protect yourself along with your cargo from the possible damages and even losses.

This process can be done easily only by inspiring and taking the help of a third-party insurance agent. The costs of the insurance are worth it. It can be something around 0.3% to 0.5% of the invoice value, and it is the amount you pay for your goods.

A commercial invoice is needed if you plan to do shipping from China to the UK. There is a need for an EORI number as well.

What Are the Tips for Making the Process of Shipping from China to the UK at A Low Cost?

• If you desire to know the tips by which you will be able to cut down the cost to some extent, read the following tips and make sure you follow them while you are shipping to the UK.
• Try to book in advance. Sea freight is known to be the cheapest mode of shipping, but as we know, it is very time-consuming and takes a really long period of time. When you try and boom in advance, it helps you in saving a lot of money as well as the unwanted stress.
• Ship off the peak. It simply means that when the carriers are very busy, the cost of the shipping along with its transit increases. It is highly advised to try and ship during the off leak seasons if possible.
• Get all your documentation done properly. Keep all your paper works in order, and it will help you in making a difference when it is time for clearing all the customs quickly.
• Make sure you know all the HS codes. Custom fees often surprise all the shippers and have an impact on the cost of the business.
• Make sure to understand all that is included in your quotes. As we know, quotes can vary. It is better to check the providers before you decide to make any decisions.

Know More About the China and UK Ports

Before shipping from China to the UK, it is a great idea to know about the ports present in China and the UK.

Shipping Ports in China

Let us start with the ports that are available in China first. You will be advised on choosing the port which is known to be best for the process of exporting from China.

The advice is given based on some factors such as location, customs clearance, and its easiness, the time allotted for transit, the volume of the port, agreements, along with the relationships that are between the factory as well as the ports.

If you like to choose the port on your own, it is excellent if you know the location, the cost, time of transit as well.

Some of the ports you should know for shipping from China to the UK are stated as below such as;

• The port of Shanghai
• The port of Ningbo
• Last but not least, the port of Shenzhen

Things to Know About Shipping Ports in the UK

Now it’s time to know and read about the ports in the UK. Some of the top ports of the UK that are worth mentioning are stated below such as:

• The port of Felixstowe
• The port of Southampton
• The port of London

Keep in mind that the port of London is an ideal location that reaches the largest consumers in the market in the UK. There is a possibility of events transporting right across the country via road, sea, and even rail. Isn’t it too good and too ideal for a port?

Know More About the Process of Shipping

China express shipping to the UK is considered to be a door-to-door service that is mainly offered by global couriers such as UPS, DHL, and well as FedEx. As we see from its name, the most important benefit of China express shipping is its speed.

There are more benefits to it such as shipping to UK which includes and states that the goods will be delivered directly starting from the factory to the final station in the UK.

It should be mentioned that all the required clearance is included in it. So you have nothing to worry about. Shipping from China to the UK usually takes around 1-3 days, but in this case, the cost will be high due to the speed.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship from China to the UK?

The process of shipping from China to the UK has a cost that varies and is not fix always. The only accurate and exact way by which you can assess the process of transportation is when you import from China to the UK by getting the quote from the freight forwarder.

It should be noted that all forwarders simply base their quotes on some calculations that take a lot of factors into consideration, such as:

• The first and foremost factor is the demand for as well as the availability of the freight and finally the market capacity.
• The cost of fuel is an essential factor.
• The type of freight that we desire to ship.
• Amount of the freight that will easily make up our shipment.
• The mode of shipping is essential.
• The choice and desire of the door to door or port to port and finally port to door and door to point services.

More About Shipping from China to the UK

It is no doubt that China has the potential of possessing seven out of ten worlds’ largest as well as the busiest shipping ports to date.

It is a great option in order to keep the high demand of the country due to its vast population and hence it does a lot of import and export. China has about 34 major ports along with around 2000 small ports.

Without all these ports, China would not have been able to develop, and at the rate, it is developing now. The most famous ports that are in China, along with some details, are mentioned below such as:

The Shanghai port is known to be the largest port of China since the year 2010, and it is precisely located on the river Delta of the Yangtze. It is interesting that this port sees around 42 million TEU passing through it annually. That’s a huge number, isn’t it?

The Shenzhen port is known to be the second-largest port in China, and it is located right on the Pearl River. It should be noted that this port has another type of cargo that is assigned to it along with its designated zones.

The Ningbo Zhoushan port is simply formed by the merging process of the Ningbo and the Zhoushan ports. This port generally takes the raw materials and the cargo along with the finished goods from the North and South of USA.

Guangzhou is the last but not least port in China. It is located precisely on the Pearl River Delta, trading along with 80 nations worldwide. It boasts 4500 berths as well as 2400 Anchorage points.

Did you know all this about the ports in China?

How Are the Shipping Costs from China to the UK Affected by Covid 19?

It is not a secret that a lot of sectors, as well as businesses, faced huge drawbacks due to covid 19. The pandemic had its adverse impacts on almost everything. During the pandemic, the rates of shopping increased to a very great extent, and it also gave a lot of importers a challenging time to deal with.

Issues have also been raised in the global shipping industry in the year 2020, which raised the cost of shipping from China to the UK. According to what many importers mentioned, the prices of shipping have tripled or even have quartered within a few months.

The increase which has been seen in the prices has caused disruption in the schedule of the production as well. Demands have also been affected as a result of rising costs.

It was reported to be the first time the costs raised so drastically from China to the UK. Many companies were forced to stop importing from China due to the high costs as well.

Conclusion

On a final note, it should be that it is better to always check for reliable rates for shipping from China to the UK. The process is not easy. It is accurate, and it needs a lot of research and much hands-on work for the process to be a success.

Most importantly, you will be able to save a lot of unwanted costs on shipping from China to the UK. On the other hand, you will also be able to find a cost-effective carrier who will ship your goods to the destination successfully.

Needless to say, here in ERA we’ve taken care of all of these concerns, we provide easy, reliable, and affordable shipping service from China to the UK, we can help you choose the best shipping method that matches your needs, and also take care of A to Z, until you receive the goods at the port or even better at your doorstep, don’t forget to contact our sales team and get your free quote 😉