Freight from China to Australia | Rates – Transit times – Duties & Taxes

Sea freight from China to Australia

Overview - Trade relations between China and Australia

After Australia initiated diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972, it established an embassy in Beijing in 1973.

Australia and China bilateral relationship is based on strong complementarities in economy and trade. In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and the Chinese President qualified the relation between both countries as a "comprehensive and strategic partnership".
A few years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and China, the market oriented reforms led to a significant and growing expansion of bilateral trade.

China is Australia's largest trading partner, mainly due to China's strong demand for iron, coal and liquefied natural gas, which together account for 27.4% of Australia's foreign trade.
Exports to China saved Australia from the global financial crisis' worst effects. Indeed, Bilateral trade registered a record of $252 billion in 2019.

The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force on December 20, 2015. CHAFTA is a history-making agreement that brings enormous benefits to Australia.

The agreement opens up valuable opportunities for Australia in China, which is Australia's largest export market for goods and services, accounting for nearly one-third of total exports, and a growing source of foreign investment.

The main shipping seaports in Australia

Port of Brisbane

The Port of Brisbane is the Queensland's largest seaport and currently the third busiest port in all of Australia, with the fastest growing registered in terms of container handling capacity. The port is responsible for 2600 vessels and over 28 million cargoes each year, and is ranked as a level 1 port facility in Australia. Brisbane's port caracterisctics is its engagment toward environmental preservation. However, it has a problem with sludge accumulation that obstructs transportation and is costly to get rid of. Liquid goods are handled in a special terminal of the port, when crude oil is the main import commodity and is treated at the main terminal in the port. Common commodities handled in this port are goods such as fertilizers, chemicals, cement and construction machinery. Concerning the exported ones you can find coal, mineral sand, grain, oils, wood chips,cotton and scrap metal.

Website: Port of brisbane

Port of Sydney

Really named Port Botany because it is located in Botany Bay, it is the second biggest port in Australia and it is close to the Sydney airport. Since his creation in 1811 until 1995, it was owned by the Sydney Ports Corporation before July 1, 2014 when the Port Authority of New South Wales took its control. They are in charge for the development and management of the marine port infrastructure in this region which is handling either liquid or solid merchandise. (Sydney Harbour, Glebe Island and White Bay, Eden Harbour, Yamba Harbour).

Website : Port of Sydney

Port of Melbourne

C'est il y après de 180 ans que l'homme d'affaire John Pascoe Fawkner en arrivant sur son navire nommé le Enterprize en 1835 qu'il donne son nom à ce port. Ce port tiens un rôle important dans l'emploi de la ville et ses habitants partagent une histoire commune. Il est dirigé depuis le 1er juillet 2003 par la port Melbourne Corporation. En 2006-2007, il est devenu le premier port australien à traiter deux millions de container par an en atteignant presque 2,6 millions de containers maintenant et environ 3000 navires par an.

Website: Port of Melbourne

Port of Fremantle

The Port of Fremantle contributes to developing and enforced maritime sector by supporting the local and national economy, with the employee amount that are involving the port activities. The Fremantle port is mainly used ofr the transport of goods such as : gypsum, clinker, sulfuric acid, coal, iron ore, fertilizer. The port is generating a value of 26 billions euros by dealing with 35.76 millions tons of merchandise each year.The port is named fremantle for the simple reason that it is the port where Captain Charles H fremantle arrived in 1829.

Website: Port of Fremantle

LCL: Less than Container Load

LCL: Less than a full container, when you are shipping a small volume of goods, this will be the best choice for you.

LCL can be divided into straight LCL or transfer LCL, straight LCL refers to the LCL container cargo in the same port of loading and unloading, the goods are not unpacked before they reach the destination port, that is, the cargo for the same discharge port. This kind of LCL service transportation period is short, convenient, and fast, generally, the company has the strength of the LCL will provide such services. Transfer LCL is not the same destination port of cargo containers. The goods need to be unloaded in the middle of the unloading or transfer ship. This kind of cargo due to the different destination ports, longer waiting time, and other factors, the shipment period is longer, thus freight is higher.

FCL: Full Container Load

FCL means you are going to be charged with the whole container, and meantime you can use all the space of the container.

Under this method, the consignor is responsible for packing, counting, filling out the shipping documents, and sealing the goods by customs. The unpacking of the whole container of goods is carried out generally by the consignee, can also be entrusted to the carrier in the freight station unpacking, but the carrier is not responsible for the loss of the box, the goods, unless the cargo side has the evidence that is indeed the carrier's liability for damages. As long as the container appearance and receiving similar and seal integrity, the carrier shall complete the carrier responsibility. On the bill of lading for a full container of freight, "the principal packing, counting and sealing" clause should be added.

What you should be paid attention to when choosing Load LCL

The terms of trade and the policies and regulations of the importing and exporting countries with regard to restrictions and requirements for various types of goods, some of which are not subject to restrictions at the time of export but are in the importing country, which, if they occur, will not only affect the clearance of the goods in question but will also directly affect other goods being transported in the same container.

There are different aspects of customs declaration, inspection, and other aspects of import and export of goods:

Customs clearance: Such as omission of inspection and omission of inspection items. For goods transported in the same container, if there is one batch of goods are held in customs clearance and inspection, it will affect the transportation of the whole container.
Complete documents: The complete of the documents, the consignor, and the port of destination, the name of the goods, specifications, packaging, quantity, weight, size, etc should be consistent with the actual condition.
Consistency of goods: Any error occurs, such as weight, if each batch of goods has a trace overweight, there might be a consequence of the entire container of a significant overweight. It might lead to container transport difficulties, or even worse, will occur in transport accidents.
Temporary changes: From the place of production to the final loading and sailing of the ship, traders and shippers will constantly check and verify the real condition of the cargo, and if any errors are found, including subjective and objective ones, they will propose to amend the documents or adjust the cargo.

Therefore, it is the duty of a professional LCL company to verify all the conditions of cargoes before they are packed and to judge accurately the various matters that may happen after the goods arrive at the destination port, and contact relevant parties in time if there is any problem to ensure the smooth transportation of cargoes. If there are any issues, they should contact the relevant parties in time to ensure the smooth delivery of cargo.

Air freight from China to Australia

There are 2 categories of Air Freight

So we have just mentioned Sea Freight, which might be the cheapest way but the slower way. If you want to choose a faster way, here we have recommendations for you: Air Freight.

There are 2 different ways of air freight as well, they vary in some ways:

In price and speed, as well as service:

Traditional Airfreight: for instance, Virgin Australia, Air China, Qantas
Express Airfreight: for example, UPS, DHL, TNT, FedEx, …

Why do we choose air transport?

International air transportation has advantages that no other transportation can match. It is fast(usually takes 7 days as transit time), safe, and accurate, simplifies packaging, and saves packaging costs.

International air freight is calculated in W/M, but the weight to volume ratio is 6000 cubic centimeters to 1 kilogram (equivalent to 6 cubic meters per metric ton), so the actual freight is calculated in kilograms. Although air freight is generally higher, international air freight has advantages for large volumes that no other transportation can match.

What is volumetric weight?

The airlines specify that when the cargo is small and heavy, it is calculated by actual weight; when it is large and heavy, it is calculated by volume. In centralized consignments, a shipment consists of several different pieces of cargo, both light, and heavy blister cargo.

Calculation: Volumetric weight = (length cm * width cm * height cm) / 6000

The chargeable weight is calculated using the total gross weight or total volume weight of the whole batch of goods, according to the higher of the two.

How much time does it take to ship air Cargo from China to Australia?

The average air freight shipping time from China to Australia is around 3 to 6 days. This transit time can vary depending on several factors such as the departure and arrival airports, the airline carrier, and any customs clearance procedures that need to be achieved.

Air freight shipping is generally faster than sea freight shipping, which can take many weeks to arrive at the destination. However, air freight shipping can be more expensive than sea freight, so it's important to consider the time and cost factors when choosing a shipping method.

Door-to-door delivery between China and Australia

Do you find all these choices with every step are bothersome? You should choose between two different transportation methods, then it comes to LCL or FCL, and traditional or express,... I mean, how to be concentrate on your business? Here we have a special service called door-to-door delivery. It basically means we are going to pick up your goods and prepare the documents for you and send them to the delivery address you give us.

During this period, you don't need to waste any time and energy, we can give you a professional and customized service. Check our website for any information you need, and this is exactly what we do in Docshipper.

Customs clearance in Australia for goods imported from China

Customs clearance, refers to that products imported, exported and in transit must be proclaimed to the customs authorities when entering or leaving the customs territory of a country territory ; it is only after fulfilling their obligations and going through the formalities of customs declaration, inspection, taxation and release that the goods can be released and the owner or declarant takes delivery of them. Similarly, all means of transport carrying imported and exported goods for entry, exit or transhipment must be declared to customs, go through customs formalities and obtain authorization from customs.

At the time of customs clearance, whether for import, export or transhipment, the goods are under customs control and are not allowed to move freely.

Categories of tariffs

It is a tax levied by the State on goods and articles entering or leaving the customs territory under the authority of the customs. In each country, tariffs are generally high-level taxes at a rate specified by the highest administrative unit of the State, and for countries with advanced foreign trade, tariffs are often the main source of revenue for the State and even for the State Treasury.

Tariff classification based on commodity flow

Import duties: Import duties are taxes levied by the customs authorities of the importing country on foreign goods entering the customs territory in accordance with the customs tariff code.

Export tariff: An export tariff is a tax levied by the customs of the exporting country on the exported goods when the products of the country are exported abroad, and is paid by the exporter.

Transit Tariff: A transit tariff is also known as a pass-through tariff. It refers to the tariffs imposed by a country on foreign goods passing through its customs territory.

Most countries in the world today have policies of export incentives and import restrictions so that export tariffs are reduced, import tariffs predominate and most countries do not levy transit tariffs. Most countries now levy only a small number of permit fees, stamp fees, registration fees, and statistical fees on the passage of foreign goods through their territory.

Tariff classification based on tariff purpose

Fiscal Tariffs: Fiscal tariffs, also known as revenue tariffs, are tariffs that are levied with the primary purpose of increasing a country's revenue.

With the development of the economy and the increase in other sources of taxation, the importance of fiscal tariffs in fiscal revenue has relatively decreased, and the proportion of tariff revenue in the country's fiscal revenue has generally tended to decline.

Protective Tariff: A protective tariff is a tariff levied with the primary purpose of protecting the country's industrial and agricultural development. Protection tariffs are higher than fiscal tariffs and increase with the degree of processing of the product, and are usually capped at the taxed price of the imported goods above the domestic price of similar products. However, if the protective tariff exceeds this limit too much, it will instead affect the competitiveness of the protected enterprise.

Punitive or retaliatory tariff: An import surcharge imposed by a country on goods imported from another country because it discriminates against it in trade and breaches agreements.

Tariff classification based on tariff treatment

Ordinary tariffs: Ordinary tariffs, also known as general tariffs, are non-preferential tariffs on goods originating from countries with which the country has no friendly agreements, such as trade or economic reciprocity. Such tariff rates are generally set by the importing country autonomously and are used over a long period of time at higher rates as long as conditions at home and abroad do not change.

Preferential tariffs: Preferential tariffs are preferential tariff treatment given to goods imported from specific countries at a rate lower than the general tariff rate. You should check this one when doing business, maybe some of the products can be beneficial of this type of tariff

How to calculate customs duties and taxes?

Here are three perspectives we should take consideration into when we are going to calculate the customs duties and taxes: Tariff type, origin, and Customs value.

Firstly, we should check the tariff type of goods imported. All over the world, we are using the same system to check the tariff type for goods. Then what is this system?

The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System: HS code

The Harmonized System is a multi-purpose international trade commodity classification catalog, based on the former Customs Cooperation Council's Commodity Classification List and the Standard International Trade Classification List, and harmonized with various international commodity classification lists. In reality, in order to apply to customs supervision, customs taxation, and customs statistics, it is necessary to accurately classify commodities into the corresponding categories and numbers in the Harmonized System according to the nature, purpose, function, or degree of processing of import and export commodities.

Commodity code is a scientific and systematic international trade commodity classification system, applicable to a variety of needs related to international trade, such as customs, statistics, trade, transport, production, etc., which is a kind of "standard language" of international trade commodity classification.

The composition of an HS Code is as follows

How do I find the HS Code?

You have two choices. Of course, the quickest way is to ask the Chinese supplier directly, he should know the HS code of the products. And if you want to do it independently, you can simply check the database of “Harmonized System” as we advised.

Calculate the applicable tariff with the HS code

So now we can go to the next step since you have already found the HS Code: Figure out the tariff of your products.

We are dealing with Australia today, so the easiest solution is to check directly on the Australian customs website, where there is a dedicated section to import, export, and manufacturing tariff consultation, you will find what is listed above.

In order to find the tariff related to your product, you will need to fill out a form with this information.

Your HS Code
Origin of goods

Required documents

Bill of Lading

The bill of lading is issued by the carrier or the carrier's agent, certifying that the receipt of specific goods, allowing the goods to be transported to a specific destination and delivered to the consignee of the document. The bill of lading is evidence of the contract of carriage and a receipt for the goods. What does it contain? The content includes shipper, consignee, notify party, place of receipt, the port of loading, the port of discharge, place of delivery, gross weight, measurement, place, and date of issue, signed for the carrier.

Packing List

A packing list should indicate the necessary information such as Issuer, invoice number, number and kind of packages, description of goods, and should be identical to what is stated in the bill of lading.

Export enterprises not only need to provide a packing list and weight list in the export customs declaration, but the letter of credit will often also be used as a document for foreign exchange settlement. In fact, the Packing List, Weight List, and Measurement List are commercial invoices for supplementary documents. They indicate the different packaging and specifications of goods, different colors, and different weights, respectively, a detailed list of documents. It is the main basis for the buyer to check the variety, color, size, and specification of the goods and customs acceptance when receiving the goods.

Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin is a document issued by a notary agency or the government or the exporter to prove the origin or place of manufacture of the goods, which is supplied by the exporter requested by the importer. Contents of certificate of origin: name and address of the importer/exporter; mode of transport and route; commodity mark and number; commodity name, quantity, and weight, etc. Notice: CERTIFICATE NO. This column cannot be left blank, or the certificate will be invalid.

Documents of conformity

Since 2016, all telecommunication and radio communication equipment, electrical/electronic products sold in Australia must comply with ACMA regulatory requirements which is simila to the CE label in Europe for example.
To be able to comply with all applicable ACMA regulations, concerned products should have a visible indication of the label including all technical and record keeping requirements. Like in Morocco the RCM must be attached to a product before it is supplied to the Australian market. It is the responsibility of the supplier to ensure that a compliance label is applied in the respect of rules for each product. However, An agent can also be assigned to this tasks by one of the two parties.

Restricted and prohibited products

If you want to be a successful importer, please check the following information because you don't want to waste your time and energy, even money in the products which are restricted and prohibited in Australia.

Cooperation relationship between China and Australia

Bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries is developing strongly, in fact China has overtaken Japan as Australia's largest trading partner and also its largest export market. Australia ranks 7th in the list of China's partners. Forty years ago, bilateral trade was less than $100 million, but today it is well above that figure.
Chinese investment in Australia is largely responsible for the well-being of the bilateral relationship. In recent years, Chinese investment has expanded to become the sixth largest investor in Australia, investing in both the mining and agricultural sectors.

Other logistics services

Warehousing and storage

Warehousing means using warehouses to store and handle, distribute the goods. If you need this service, you get the right agent. We understand that your customers need their purchases as soon as possible, so why should you choose an incompetent and inadequate service instead of choosing us? As a mature company, we have our own warehouse site in both Australia and China, which will be easier for you to check your products at any time, and thus avoiding being cheated. With strategic locations in every major city in China, we can manage your purchases anywhere in China.

Check here to find more information: Warehousing services

Packaging and repackaging

We are talking about packing everyday, so what is packaging? Packaging refers to the overall name of the containers, materials and auxiliary materials used in the circulation process to protect products, facilitate storage, and promote sales. As we might find that packaging is actually a really important process for our shipment, you should really entrust this to a trustworthy agent to do it. We have countless experiences helping our customers, and Docshipper is the most suitable one who provides you dedicated packaging and repackaging services.

Check here to find more information: Packing Services

Transportation insurances

Transport insurance is a type of insurance that covers property in a mobile state, including insurance of transported goods and means of transport. The common feature of this type of insurance is that the subject matter of the insurance is in a state of transport or constantly in operation, as distinguished from fire insurance, which requires the subject matter of the insurance to be stored in a fixed place and in a relatively static state, and therefore cannot be covered by fire insurance. It's acknowledged that prevention is better than cure, so our suggestion is that you should be really aware of this part. If anything is not clear, please contact us directly.

More info on our dedicated page: Insurance services

Supplier Management in China

Our merit for you to choose is that we have both warehouse and staff in China. How to be in full knowledge of the suppliers? How to find the suppliers offering better products while charging less? How to identify if a supplier is a fraud? The best solution is to talk to staff who really have the background of that culture, isn't it? Our staff with native language Chinese and the ability to use both China as well as English will be your most suitable choice. Backed by our ISO certification, our exceptional service allows us to work with what we consider to be the "best" suppliers. More than just a sourcing partner, we are here in China to guide you through the process.

Check here to know more information: Sourcing Services

3PL Service

3PLs refers to the company to provide all or part of the logistics services of external suppliers. 3PL logistics services generally provide transportation, warehouse management, distribution, etc.. In this process, the 3PL supplier is not on the production side nor the sales side, but in the whole logistics process from production to sales services to the third party, it generally does not own goods, but only provide customers with warehousing, distribution, and other logistics services. DocShipper has launched a 3PL division to round out its services in the supply chain. In fact, we manage your entire process. Concentrate on marketing and sales, Let us take care of everything else!

Check here to know more information: 3PL Services

Shipment of personal effects

We have been dealing with personal effects since the establishment of our company. Do you have fragile or bulky objects that you are afraid to carry yourself? Why don't let our team of professionals do the work for you? Our highly qualified staff will help with your personal belongings in the most perfect way so that your stuff is guaranteed throughout the moving process.We have encountered and overcome many obstacles with our history dealing with movement. We will provide you with a free quote tailored to your needs and budget. We are very flexible with what you want and need, whether it is a full destination service.

Check more info here : Moving services

FAQ - Transport from China to Australia

✅ How does a country collect the customs duties?

Generally speaking, various countries apply for different duties. However, normally, the customs use the same standard about the duties on the imported and exported products. There are 4 taxes shall be requested when doing the calculation, which are: Ad valorem tax, non ad valorem tax, sliding duties, and mixed tax.

✅ What are the major ports in Australia?

There are two main ports in Australia: Brisbane and Sydney. Brisbane is the largest port in Australia and Sydney is the second one. Sydney's one is located in Botany Bay and close to the Sydney airport so that'ts why it's called Botany port. Brisbane's port is the third busiest one but also the one which registered the fastest growing capacity in terms of handling capacity. The port is responsible for 2600 vessels and over 28 million cargoes each year

✅ Why is the emergence of 3PL?

For reducing operating costs: Generally speaking, 3PLs can reduce at least 10% of the shipping cost China to Australia. This is the main reason why many companies are now opting for outsourcing. Especially in Oceania, due to more taxes, higher labor costing, and more regulations and operation restrictions, the logistics cost in Oceania is higher as in many other parts of the world. This is also an important reason why many companies choose to outsource. For the commitment to core business: Modern competition theory holds that in order to gain competitive advantage, enterprises must consolidate and expand their core business, which requires enterprises to commit to the development of their core business. As a result, more and more firms are outsourcing their non-core business to specialized 3PLs. DocShipper has launched a 3PL division to round out its services in the supply chain. In fact, we manage your entire process.

✅ How can Docshipper help you?

Docshipper offer you warehousing and storage service: As a mature company, we have our own warehouse site in both Australia and China, which will be easier for you to check your products at any time, and thus avoiding being cheated. We offer you Packaging and Repackaging service: We have countless experiences helping our customers, and Docshipper is the most suitable one who provides you dedicated packaging and repackaging services. We offer you supplier management in China: Our staff with native language Chinese and the ability to use both French as well as English will be your most suitable choice. Concentrate on your business, let us take care of the rest.

DocShipper Advise : We help you with the entire sourcing process so don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

Having trouble finding the appropriate product? Enjoy our sourcing services, we directly find the right suppliers for you!
You don't trust your supplier? Ask our experts to do quality control to guarantee the condition of your goods!
Do you need help with the logistics? Our international freight department supports you with door to door services!
You don't want to handle distribution? Our 3PL department will handle the storage, order fulfillment, and last-mile delivery!

	Sydney	Fremantle	Brisbane	Melbourne
Shangaï	19	18	21	24
Shenzhen	21	17	22	24
Guangzhou	21	21	22	24
Qingdao	23	21	24	23
Tianjin	22	22	25	25
Ningbo	21	19	23	24
Dalian	23	19	21	22

Freight from China to Australia | Rates – Transit times – Duties & Taxes – Advices

The different methods of transportation between China and Australia

Sea freight from China to Australia

Overview - Trade relations between China and Australia

The main shipping seaports in Australia

Port of Brisbane

Port of Sydney

Port of Melbourne

Port of Fremantle

How much time does it take to ship from China to Australia?

Sydney

Fremantle

Brisbane

Melbourne

What container can I choose for shipment from China to Australia?