Freight Shipping between China and Pakistan | Rates – Transit times – Duties and Taxes

In practice, yes. Pakistan customs clearance requires a licensed customs clearing agent registered with authorities. Without one, your container or air cargo cannot be processed.

Beyond formal requirements, clearance in Karachi Port, Port Qasim, or major airports like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad involves valuation checks, GST application, and sometimes physical inspection. Import duties can range widely depending on product type, and GST is typically applied on the customs value plus duty.

If your documents or declared value raise questions, clearance can move from 1 to 3 working days to significantly longer. We coordinate directly with licensed brokers on your behalf to avoid valuation disputes and unexpected regulatory duties.

If you’re new to importing, this is not the step to handle alone.

It depends on what you’re shipping, not just the rate per kilo.

Air freight from major Chinese airports to Karachi, Lahore, or Islamabad typically ranges between 3 to 8 USD per kg for general cargo, depending on weight brackets and urgency. Sea freight is far cheaper per unit for heavy or bulky cargo, especially full containers, which often range around 1,000 to 2,000 USD for a 20ft container depending on the port pair and season.

But here’s the real decision point. If your shipment is under 300 kg and not very dense, air can sometimes make financial sense when you factor in inventory holding cost and faster sales cycles.

For anything above that, especially machinery, furniture, or large cartons, sea freight wins almost every time. We calculate both options side by side before you decide, so you’re not choosing based on guesswork.

Insurance is not legally mandatory, but skipping it is a gamble.

Sea freight transit from Shanghai, Ningbo, or Shenzhen to Karachi usually takes around 18 to 25 days port to port. During that time, cargo is exposed to handling risks, container shifts, humidity damage, and port congestion delays.

Air freight is faster, typically 3 to 6 days, but high-value goods like electronics are still exposed to damage or loss during handling.

Insurance usually represents a small percentage of cargo value, yet it protects your capital. We strongly recommend coverage, especially for first shipments or new suppliers. Most importers only realize its importance after their first damaged container.

The cheapest method depends on volume.

For full container loads, sea freight is almost always the lowest cost option. A 20ft container from major Chinese ports to Karachi or Port Qasim generally falls within the low four-figure USD range depending on season and demand.

If you don’t have enough cargo for a full container, LCL sea freight, typically priced per cubic meter, is the most economical option for non-urgent goods. Transit time is usually around 20 to 30 days door to port.

Air freight and express courier are significantly more expensive per kilogram and are only cost-efficient for small, urgent, or high-margin products.

If someone quotes you “cheap” air freight for heavy cargo, double-check fuel surcharges and destination handling fees. The cheapest quote upfront is not always the cheapest landed cost.

Most Pakistani importers buy under EXW or FOB, but each option changes your level of control.

EXW means you control everything from the supplier’s factory door. That gives you maximum visibility but requires a freight forwarder to manage pickup, export customs, and international transport.

FOB is often more balanced. Your supplier handles Chinese export clearance and delivery to port, and you control the main freight and destination process.

CIF looks simple, but it limits your control. The supplier chooses the carrier, and destination charges in Pakistan can sometimes be higher than expected.

If you want predictable landed cost and no surprise port fees, we usually recommend FOB combined with a forwarder that manages the shipment all the way to your warehouse.

Arrival at port is not the finish line. It’s the start of the clearance clock.

Once your container or air cargo lands in Karachi, Port Qasim, Lahore, or Islamabad, customs clearance must be completed before delivery. That includes duty payment, GST settlement, and potential inspection.

After release, the cargo moves by truck to your final destination. Inland transport cost depends on distance, container size, and fuel conditions.

If you bought under CIF, you still need a local agent to handle clearance and trucking. With door-to-door services such as DAP or DDP, we coordinate the entire chain so you don’t have to negotiate separately with port agents and truckers.

The key is speed. Every extra day at port can trigger storage or demurrage charges.

We provide structured quotations that break down freight, origin charges, and destination handling so you see exactly what you’re paying for.

Import duties, GST, and any regulatory duties in Pakistan are usually excluded from initial freight quotes because they depend on your product’s HS code and declared value.

Before you confirm shipment, we estimate the landed cost so you can calculate margin properly. If a quote looks unusually low, we check for missing local charges at destination. That’s where many importers get surprised.

Our goal is cost visibility, not just a competitive freight rate.

Shipping cost per kg depends entirely on the transport mode and weight bracket.

For air freight, general cargo from major Chinese airports to Pakistan typically ranges between 3 and 8 USD per kg. Heavier shipments above 300 kg usually get lower per‑kg rates.

Express courier services like DHL or FedEx are faster but more expensive, often ranging higher per kg, especially for small parcels.

Sea freight is rarely calculated per kg. It is priced per container or per cubic meter. If converted, sea freight equivalent per kg is significantly lower for dense cargo, which is why heavy goods move by ocean.

If someone quotes a single “per kg” price without asking about weight, dimensions, and destination city, that’s a red flag. Accurate pricing always depends on real shipment data.

The total cost includes more than freight.

For reference, a 20ft container by sea commonly falls within roughly 1,000 to 2,000 USD depending on route and season. LCL sea freight is typically charged per cubic meter. Air freight generally ranges from 3 to 8 USD per kg depending on urgency and volume.

On top of freight, you must factor in customs duties, GST, clearance fees, port handling, and inland delivery inside Pakistan.

Transit times also affect cost planning. Sea freight usually takes around 18 to 25 days port to port, while air freight averages 3 to 6 days.

The smartest way to calculate cost is not asking “what’s the freight rate?” but “what’s my landed cost at warehouse?” That’s the number that protects your margin.