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

France is one of China's largest trading partners in Europe, and China is France's second-largest source of imports. In 2020, the total value of trade between the two countries was over $60 billion. China is a major exporter to France, with the main products being electronic equipment, textiles, clothing, and footwear. On the other hand, France is a significant exporter to China as well, with the main products being aircraft, pharmaceuticals, and luxury goods.

Freight transportation between China and France is typically carried out by sea, with the majority of shipments being containerized. The main ports for shipping between the two countries are Shanghai and Ningbo in China, and Le Havre and Marseille in France. Have you just found products or a supplier in China and you want to import goods to France? Do you find it difficult to find the right information about regulations and different modes of transport? Through this guide, you will understand everything you need to know.

Whether you're a large company, a small business, a start-up or an individual, DocShipper can organize your shipment from start to finish, without you having to do anything. Tell us about your project, so our experts can find the most appropriate solution for your freight and give you tips on how to save on shipping costs. We'll answer any questions you have!

Sea freight from China to France

Overview - Trade relations between China and France

China and France have deep historical relations: in 1964, France became the first Western power to establish diplomatic relations with China; in 1997, France became the first Western power to establish a comprehensive partnership with China; and in 2000, China and France jointly pioneered a bilateral strategic dialogue. It can be said that these histories have made Sino-French relations a model for China-West cooperation.

In recent years, bilateral trade between China and France has risen greatly, with French exporting to China in fields as medicine, agriculture, and food growing rapidly, especially in the new business model represented by e-commerce, and the scale of business cooperation expanding continuously. Chinese enterprises are expanding their investment in France as well. At present, Paris is the key region for Chinese enterprises to invest in France, with more than 40% of Chinese enterprises choosing Paris for investment and cooperation. However, in addition to Paris, Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Brittany and Normandie are also becoming hot spots for Chinese companies to invest.

This year is an important moment of the 56th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, further deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation is an important guarantee for the continued vitality of the relationship between the two countries, and the prospect of Sino-France relations will be more promising. At the same time, close business contacts will also promote the common development of the economy and trade between the two countries and make new and greater contributions to win-win cooperation.

The main shipping seaports in France

Port of Le Havre

Located on the north bank of the Seine estuary on the northwest coast of France, on the eastern side of the Bay of Seine, it is the second-largest port and the largest container port in France, as well as the import and export gateway of the industrial zone in the middle and lower reaches of the Seine River. The port of Le Havre has more than 150 lines connecting more than 500 ports around the world, and is one of the largest ports in Europe, mostly for bulk cargo. It ranks first in France in container throughput, with nearly 900,000 TEUs, and is one of the ten largest container ports in Northwest Europe.

Website: Port of Le Havre

Port of Marseille

Marseille is a port on the northeast coast of the Gulf of Lyon on the southeastern coast of France, on the northwest side of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the largest commercial port in France and the largest commercial port in the Mediterranean Sea. Special requirements for container ships in the port of Marseille: the port authorities state that "if the ship is loaded with large cargoes or containers that cannot be unloaded and need to be lifted from the shore, please inform the agent three days prior to arrival in port and specify the location of the heavy cargo so that arrangements can be made in advance.

Website: Port of Marseille

Port of Bordeaux

The port of Bordeaux is a French commercial port located in the southwest of the country along the lower Garonne River, with an airport and a port above the stone bridge in the port city, distributed in six port areas, three of the main are dry cargo port area. The total length of the wharf line is 11 kilometers, with about 90 berths, handling petroleum, timber, coal, ore, grain, fertilizer, general cargo, and liquor.

Website:Port of Bordeaux

Port of Lyon

Since 2006, the Port of Lyon has been committed to a sustainable development approach that aims to strike a balance between port development, urban development, and environmental quality in order to optimize the management and attractiveness of its site. It is reorienting its land-use policy by favoring projects that use multimodality (river and rail) to serve the city. The Port of Lyon also aims to develop a relevant rail offer by optimizing reception capacities on the bundle and by opening up to alternative operators.

Website: Port of Lyon

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 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 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 cargoes arrive at the destination port, and contact with relevant parties in time if there is any problem to ensure the smooth transportation of cargoes. If there are any problems, they should contact the relevant parties in time to ensure the smooth delivery of cargoes.

Air freight from China to France

There are 2 categories of Air Freight

So we have just mentioned about Sea Freight, which might be a cheaper 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, Air Canada, Air China, Air France
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.

Rail freight from China to France

Rail transport from China to France

At 11:23 a.m. on April 21, 2016, the first Wuhan-Lyon special railway loaded with electronic products, machinery parts and clothing arrived at Vénissieux train station near Lyon after 11,300 kilometers.

The first Sino-European train to France started from Wuhan Wujiashan Railway Central Station on April 6, and left the country at Alashankou, going west, crossing seven Eurasian countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Germany, and finally arrived at Lyon, France - the European end of the "Silk Road".

When the train slowly entered the station, the French railway representatives, Lyon government officials, media and overseas Chinese representatives, who had been waiting there for a long time, applauded unanimously.
Jean-Dominique Durand, Deputy Mayor of Lyon, said at the welcoming ceremony that this was a historic moment, as the China-EU-France shuttle train had once again linked up the historical "Silk Road", enabling more trade exchanges and people-to-people contacts between China and European countries.

It is widely believed that the rise of the China-EU Bangla was in 2014. At that time, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the European Union, during which he proposed that China and Europe should upgrade the simple business-type trade cooperation to a complex economic and trade cooperation with linkages in various fields, and strive to achieve the goal of an annual trade volume of US$1 trillion as soon as possible.

How long does it take to travel by train from China?

More than 2000 years ago, relying on human feet and camels, along the ancient Silk Road, from China to Europe takes more than a year; now, in the whistle of the train, along the New Silk Road, from Wuhan to Lyon in just 15 days! In the case of water transport, although it is cheaper, it takes at least a month to a month and a half. Between the two modes of transport, sea, and air, rail transport is the more compromise option in terms of time and price.

What are the advantages of rail transport between China and France?

Alain Galliano, vice-president of the Metropolis of Lyon, also said that the route was built within the framework of China's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which is today's reincarnation of China's transport The "Silk Road" is a major strategy.

The economic ties between Lyon and China also have great potential for future development, with more than 20 Chinese companies locating in Lyon in recent years, as well as more than 80 Lyon companies locating in China. With the expansion of Sino-Europe International's business in Europe, the next step is to establish a French company on the basis of the European office, in order to better promote the practical cooperation between China and France.

Door-to-door delivery between China and France

Do you find all these choices with every step are bothersome? You should choose between three 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 France 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 your 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 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 from France, which belongs to the European Union, so they are applying the same rules. Thus we will take EU as example here (Free Trade Agreement Portal European Union), you will find what is listed above.

Please carry out the tasks as what we implied above, fill out the blanks with:

Your HS Code
Origin of goods

Check the duties and taxes applied to your product

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 (CE standard)

The DOC is a declaration of responsibility stating that you comply with the requirements of the CE Directive and related harmonized standards, and it must be based on a conformity assessment, such as a test report or certificate of conformity for the product. In the case of electrical and electronic products, for example, the manufacturer can issue the DOC for both directives after passing the LVD/EMC test and preparing the technical data as required by the directives.

Your EORI number (Economic Operator Registration Identification)

This number is a mandatory registration number for all companies with economic activities in the European Union, especially for import and export businesses. The EORI number is valid throughout the European Union as long as it is registered at the customs office of the country of the company.

The EORI is issued by the customs authorities of the country in which the business is registered and is valid throughout the European Union. It is registered and issued by the national customs office and is used throughout the European Union since July 1, 2009. Its purpose is to better guarantee the effective implementation of the European Union security amendments and their content.

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 France.

Cooperation relationship between China and France

France is now China's fourth-largest trading partner within the EU. According to Chinese customs statistics, the bilateral trade volume between China and France reached $62.9 billion in 2018.. In 2018, Sino-French trade volume increased by 15.5% year-on-year, an increase of more than 15% for two consecutive years, the fastest growth rate among China's major trading partners with the EU. Then China further expands market opening, China and France strengthen relevant animal and plant inspection and quarantine cooperation, increase French meat products, dairy products, infant milk powder and other exports to China, which promotes the negotiation of the China-EU Geographical Indication Products Agreement, And it promotes trade in agricultural products between the two sides; strengthens trade exchanges in the field of aerospace; vigorously promotes the construction of China-France cross-border e-commerce trade platform.

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 France 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 French 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 Europe

✅ 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 France?

There are two main ports in France: Le Havre and Fos. Fos is the largest port in France and Le Havre is one of the basic ports in Europe. Le Havre is a famous port city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Normandy region of northwestern France. Located on the north bank of the Seine estuary on the northwest coast of France, on the eastern side of the Bay of Seine, Le Havre is the second largest port in France and the largest container port in the country. Fos is located on the northeastern shore of the Bay of Lyon on the southeastern coast of France, on the northwestern side of the Mediterranean Sea, including the port area of Fos and Bouc, is the largest seaport in France. The port is a natural harbor with a mountainous backdrop, no strong tides or currents, and safe shipping channels that are open day and night.

✅ Why is the emergence of 3PL?

For reducing operating costs: Generally speaking, 3PLs can reduce at least 10% of costs for the shipper. This is the main reason why many companies are now opting for outsourcing. Especially in Europe, due to more taxes, higher labor costing and more regulations and operation restrictions, the logistics cost in Europe is twice as high as in the U.S. 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 France 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!

	Le Havre	Marseille	Bordeaux	Lyon
Shangaï	26	27	35	32
Shenzhen	26	32	28	32
Guangzhou	28	34	28	28
Qingdao	32	29	34	32
Tianjin	31	30	37	35
Ningbo	30	26	35	26
Dalian	27	29	37	30

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

Air ✈️ | Sea 🛳 | Truck 🚚 - All you need to know to ship from China to France | Process & Rates - Learn more about our services and get your FREE quote now!

The different methods of transportation between China and France?