Freight Shipping between China and Spain

If you want to be an importer or shipper from China to Spain, then you are in the right place. No matter whether you are a newcomer in this industry, or maybe you have developed many skills in the field, you might learn something from this article. We try to organize every process and all the details in the whole operation, not to mention the regulations and duties, and shipping costs. If you don't know the files and the clearance well, check our dedicated page for your information, and let us be your guide through this article.

Sea freight from China to Spain

Overview - Trade relations between China and Spain

China and Spain established diplomatic relations on March 9, 1973. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have developed steadily, and exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the fields of politics, economy and trade, science and technology, and culture have expanded continuously. Political relations between the two countries have become increasingly close, and leaders of the two sides maintain regular contacts.

Judging from the amount of Spain's main products imported from China as a proportion of the total imports of such products, China is the largest source of imports of Spanish textiles and raw materials, furniture and toys, shoes, boots and umbrellas, and other light industrial products, accounting for 17.6%, 33.5%, and 28.5% respectively of Spain's market share of similar products.

The volume of bilateral trade between China and Spain will continue to grow. In recent years, bilateral trade between China and Spain has increased by 39.44 percent. With the strengthening of China's influence in global trade, as well as the continuous advancement and landing of China's "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure projects in Europe, China-European Union (CEU) class train projects, and port expansion projects in Valencia and Bilbao, Spain, etc., better development opportunities and conditions will be created for China-Spain trade, which will help push forward the China-West bilateral trade.

The main shipping seaports in Spain

Port of Valencia

This Port of Valencia is located in Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous region of Valencia. North of the southern shore of the mouth of the Turia River, east of the western side of the Gulf of Valencia. It is near the port of Alicante to the south. Valencia is the nearest sea gateway to the capital Madrid and is one of the main ports of eastern Spain. Owing to its characteristics, this port handles a large variety of fields and owns complexity and variety.

Website: Port of Valencia

Port of Barcelona

The Port of Barcelona is Spain's leading port in terms of the volume of cargo handled, accounting for 24% of the country's foreign maritime trade passing through its facilities. It is also one of the most popular ports for European and Mediterranean cruise ships. It is part of a unique European logistics hub that includes the port itself, Barcelona El Prat Airport, Zona Franca (duty free zone), Mercabarna and ZAL-Port (logistics zone), reaching 4 million consumers in less than 48 hours.

It offers 100 maritime services, connecting it to all 200 ports on five continents and is the only Spanish port with direct rail links to Europe.

Website: Port of Barcelona

Port of Algeciras

The Port of Algeciras, located east of the Strait of Gibraltar on the southern coast of Spain. On the western shore of the Gulf of Algeciras to the north, it is Spain's largest container port and crude oil import port. Strategically located at the crossroads between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It is connected to the Spanish interior by rail and has a ferry service to and from Morocco. It has a pleasant climate, beautiful seaside baths, mineral springs, winter resorts, and a well-developed tourist and fishing industry. The port is about 120 km from the nearest airport of Malaga.

Website:Port of Algeciras

Port of Bilbao

The Port of Bilbao is one of the most important ports in Europe, in terms of transport and infrastructure as a transport and logistics hub and maritime route, linking it to about 900 ports worldwide. The multi-purpose port terminal with the deepest containers in Spain is 21 meters deep and can receive any vessel or cargo without restriction. It is directly connected to the national network of motorways and railways and offers competitive intermodal links to cover any part of the Iberian Peninsula.

Website: Port of Bilbao

How much time does it take to ship freight from China to Spain?

The average sea freight shipping time from China to Spain is between 24 and 38 days. And this will vary depending on several factors such as customs formalities, and the distance between the different ports. As well as other factors.

	Valencia	Barcelona	Algeciras	Bilbao
Shangaï	27	28	33	33
Shenzhen	24	33	26	34
Guangzhou	26	29	27	29
Qingdao	30	30	31	33
Tianjin	32	31	39	36
Ningbo	29	29	34	27
Dalian	28	28	38	31

Container Hand Over method

In container transport, full container cargo and LCL cargo in the ship between the two sides of the delivery are of the following ways:

1. Door to door: the shipper is responsible for loading the container, in its warehouse or factory warehouse to the carrier after acceptance, responsible for the entire transport, until the delivery of the goods to the consignee's warehouse or factory warehouse. This kind of full-line transport is known as "door-to-door" transport.

2. Door to CY: The container loading and unloading yard from the shipper's warehouse or factory warehouse to the destination or discharge port.

3. Door to CFS: the container freight station from the shipper's warehouse or factory warehouse to the destination or discharge port.

4. CY to door: From the container loading and unloading yard at the place of origin or container port to the consignee's warehouse or factory warehouse.

5. CY to CY: From the container yard at the place of origin or container port to the container yard at the place of destination or container port of discharge.

6. CY to CFS: A container freight station from the container loading and unloading yard at the place of origin or container port to the destination or discharge port.

7. CFS to Door: From the container freight station at the place of origin or container port to the consignee's warehouse or factory warehouse.

8. CFS to CF: Container Freight Station (CFS) from the place of origin or container port to the container loading yard at the place of destination or container discharge port.

9. CFS to CFS: The container freight station from the place of origin or container port to the destination of the container freight station at the port of discharge.

Air freight from China to Spain

There are 2 categories of Air Freight

Besides what we have mentioned - Sea Freight, you also have a choice when importing goods from China to Spain. Air Freight is another option for the importers.

Therefore, we have here two categories of air freight for you information, so you can decide when you are choosing the air freight companies.

They vary not only in price but also in the speed and service as we know.

Traditional Airfreight: for instance, Iberia, Air China, Air France
Express Airfreight: for example, UPS, DHL, TNT, FedEx, ...

What is volumetric weight?

The weight of goods is usually used as a measure for billing in both international and domestic transportation, and it is necessary to weigh goods for international shipping, international air transportation, international express, domestic land transportation, domestic sea transportation, railway transportation, and express transportation.

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

Volumetric weight refers to the weight of a good with a volume converted weight greater than actual weight

Rail freight from China to Spain

Rail transport from China to Spain

On February 22, 2015, the first return trip of the "Yi Xin Europe" train arrived in Yiwu. The train was loaded with 64 containers of Spanish food products, including wine, olive oil, dairy products and ham, which are increasingly popular consumer goods among the Chinese middle class. The opening of the train is an effective measure to expand the market share of Yiwu small commodities in Europe, as well as the actual needs of the transformation and upgrading of the Yiwu market. In the future, with the introduction of a series of logistics products such as less-than-truckload (LTL) and parcels, the total trade cost of Yiwu's small commodities exported to Spain will be gradually reduced, and the transport advantages of the train will gradually appear.

The railway from China to Spain started from Yiwu, China, and left through Alashankou port in Xinjiang, passing through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, and France, and lasted 21 days with a journey of more than 13,000 kilometers, almost crossing Europe, and finally arrived in Madrid, Spain. This is the world's longest railway freight train - "YiXinOu" China-Spain freight train.

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

"YiXinOu" China-Spain freight train has shortened the railway speed between China and Spain. By railway freight, usually, it takes half of the month for shipment. But as the cooperation relationship is improving gradually, the speed of the railway is growing. And now, it costs from 12-15 days from China to Spain as our experience with the previous clients.

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

At the beginning of December 2015, a freight train from China arrived in Spain for the first time. The "21st Century Silk Road" is the "world's longest railway", longer than the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Orient Express combined. In 21 days, the train traveled more than 8,000 miles through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France, and Spain, setting a new record.

According to Miklos Kopp, director of freight at the International Union of Railways (UIC), transporting a 10-ton, 40-foot container from Chengdu, China, to Lodz, Poland, takes 12 to 14 days by Railway, only a few days by plane (plus the time it takes to get through customs and make deliveries in both countries), and six weeks or more by sea. In terms of price, Kopp said the box would cost about $40,000 by air, while $10,000 by rail.

Door-to-door delivery between China and Spain

What does door-to-door delivery mean? This means you don't have to deal with every detail and all the process, which will save you a lot of time and energy. All you need to find is a professional agent to deal with all these troublesome matters for you.

We offer a professional team for specialized door-to-door service for you. Check our dedicated website for more information, about any process, any documents required. This is what Docshipper is good at.

Why is door-to-door service useful?

Whether by rail or truck, we will transport your cargo to and from the port of origin and destination. We will check with you and submit all the relevant customs documents for your cargo. We will ensure the transportation of your cargo in the container and all related matters and will contact the shipping company for you. Once customs clearance has been done, we will pick them up from the port and deliver them directly to the delivery address you gave us.

All these procedures are what we can do for you, and it really would save a lot of time and energy for you. Please take care of your business and we can deal with all these matters meticulously.

Know more about our service package: Door-to-door service

Otherwise, you can directly fill in our online form

Customs clearance in Spain for goods imported from China

Customs clearance, means that imported goods, exported goods and goods in transit must be declared to the customs authorities when they enter or exit a country's customs territory or national territory and must go through all the formalities prescribed by the customs authorities and fulfill the obligations stipulated in various laws and regulations; only after they have fulfilled their obligations and gone through the formalities of customs declaration, inspection, taxation and release can the goods be released and the owner or declarant take delivery of the goods.

Likewise, all means of transport carrying imported and exported goods for entry, exit or transshipment must be declared to Customs, go through Customs formalities and obtain Customs' permission.

Methodology for the collection of customs duties

Different countries apply for different duties, but normally, all over the world, customs have the same standard to calculate the duties on the goods imported and exported. Four taxes are mainly applied here in the calculation. Ad valorem tax, ad valorem tax, mixed tax, and Sliding Duties.

Ad-valorem duties

Ad-valorem duties are tariffs levied according to the price of the products imported. The rate of the ad valorem duty is expressed as a percentage of the price of the goods. The formula for calculating ad valorem duties is.

Value of ad valorem duty = total value of imported goods x ad valorem duty rate

In order to compensate for differences in the determination of duty-paid prices among countries and to reduce their negative effects as non-tariff barriers, the Tokyo Round of GATT concluded the Agreement on Customs Valuation, which provides for six customs valuation methods to be used in sequence. Among them, the actual value of imported goods or equivalent goods is used as the main basis of valuation, that is, the price at which a commodity or equivalent goods are sold or offered for sale under conditions of full competition in the normal course of trade at a time or place determined by the legislation of the importing country, but not on the basis of imaginary or fictitious prices. When the actual price cannot be determined, the equivalent of the nearest ascertainable actual price shall be the basis for determining the duty-paid price.

Non ad-valorem duties

Non-ad-valorem duties are duties levied on the weight, length, quantity, capacity, and area of imported goods as measurement. Among them, the weight unit is the most commonly used unit of measurement for ad valorem duties. The formula for calculating ad valorem duties is.

Non-ad-valorem duty = number of units of measure of goods x specific duty rate

For a long period of time, when industrial production was not very developed, the variety of commodities was simple and the tariff classification was not very specific, many countries used to use this type of duty on most commodities. However, after the Second World War, with the emergence of hyperinflation and the increase in the proportion of trade in industrially manufactured goods, the collection of specific duties did not protect tariffs, and countries have abandoned the practice of charging tariffs entirely on the basis of specific duties. So this type of duty might not be very useful as Ad Valorem Duties.

Mixed Duty

Because of the drawbacks of both the ad valorem and non - ad valorem taxes, the method of collecting tariffs has given rise to a hybrid tax on top of the ad valorem and non - ad valorem taxes. Mixed duties is a tax with both ad valorem and specific rates of tax in the same tax bracket. The tax is levied using a combination of the two rates. Mixed duties can be divided into compound tax and options tax.

Mixed tax = ad valorem tax + non ad valorem taxes

Mixed taxes combine the use of ad valorem and non-ad Valorem taxes to provide some protection regardless of the price of imported goods. Currently, most countries in the world, such as the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan, as well as some developing countries such as India and Panama, appying the mixed tax.

Anti-dumping duties

Anti-dumping is a financial term that refers to countermeasures against the dumping of foreign goods in the domestic market. In general, dumped foreign goods are subject to a general import duty and an additional duty to prevent them from being sold cheaply, which is called an "anti-dumping duty". Although the issue of anti-dumping is clearly provided for in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), in practice countries, each on its own, continue to use anti-dumping as one of the main tools in trade wars.

How to calculate customs duties and taxes?

Customs value, origin, and tariff type should be the three major parts when it comes to deciding the customs taxes and duties.

First and foremost, you should find the tariff type for your imported goods. The tariff type works with the products all over the world, therefore, there must be a standardized system to decide which type your goods belong to.

HS code, which is short for the Harmonized System Code, is what we applied nowadays.

HS uses a six-digit code to classify all internationally traded commodities into 22 categories and 98 chapters. After the chapter is divided into items and subheadings. The first two digits of the commodity code represent "chapter", the third and fourth digits represent "Heading", and the fifth and sixth digits represent "subheading". (Subheading). The first six digits are HS international standard codes, and HS has 1241 four-digit tax headings and 5113 six-digit subheadings. Some countries have subdivided the seventh, eighth, and ninth digits according to their own practices.

The composition of an HS Code is as follows

How do I find the HS Code?

You can always ask your supplier about the HS Code, however, the best solution is to check the "Harmonized System" database as what we suggest here and the type of product what you want to check, as "pineapple" here.

Calculate applicable tariff with the HS code

Now that you find out the HS code, we can start to figure out the tariff of your imported goods.

As we are importers from Spain, which belongs to the European Union, it should be complied with what suggest in this website (Free Trade Agreement Portal European Union), you will find what is listed above.

Since they are using the same system, here we are going to make EU the standard.

Please fill in the empty part in accordance with what we suggested in the screenshot and list above.

Your HS Code
Origin of goods

Check the duties and taxes applied to your product

Does Docshipper charge duty?

Remember one most important thing: Docshipper never charges duty, nor does any other agent.

You should keep in mind to avoid the scams when you dealing with all the agents, the customs duty and taxes should be paid to the government where you import your goods to, and for the customs clearance, the agents charge it because they need to help you with the clearance process, like the documents and everything else. Don’t be cheated by anyone at this point.

Procedure and customs contact

Required documents

Bill of Lading

The bill of lading is used as the basis for handling the rights and obligations of both parties in the transport between the carrier and the shipper. So what is the content in the bill of lading?

The name of the carrier: the shipping company that bears the transport, the bill of lading is issued by the carrier, so the name of the carrier in general - in the bill of lading. The bill of lading will be prominently printed in advance. The name of the bill of lading: - generally for the bill of lading, if it is intermodal, will be in the second column of this place, will be typed on the intermodal bill of lading (Combined Transport BILL OF LADING), if it is a direct or forwarding bill of lading, it will be marked in the second column as direct or words in the wording of the bill of lading (DIRECT OR WITH TRANSSHIPMENT BILL OF LADING). This is the name field of the bill of lading. B/L No. of B/L. It should be the same as the B/L number. (The "B/L No. - - - field" is to be used when filling out the inspection declaration. Shipper. shipper is a person who signs a contract of carriage with the carrier, generally speaking, the exporter, that is, the consignor. And Consignee, and etc..

Packing List

A packing list is a document supplemental to an invoice that lists the items agreed upon by the buyer and seller in a letter of credit (or contract). The details of packaging matters for the foreign buyer to facilitate customs inspection and verification of the goods when they arrive at the port of destination. It can usually be added to commercial invoices, but where a letter of credit specifically requires it, it must be complied with the L/C. Remember that, It is strictly made in accordance with the letter of the credit agreement. What does it contain?

PackingList: Fill out the packing list title in the space above the packing list. The name and address of the packing list can be changed according to the requirements. Issuer: The name and address of the issuer. In case of L/C mode of payment, this field should be identical to the following. The name and address of the beneficiary of a letter of credit are the same. To (To):The name and address of the beneficiary party. In most cases, the name and address of the importer Date: The date on which the "packing list" was repaired. Should be the same as the date of the invoice, not later than the date of the letter of credit. Expiration date and bill of lading date. Marks and Number: Also known as markings, these are shipping marks and markings on the packaging of goods for export. And also Description of package type and number of items.

Certificate of Origin

Certificate of origin is the exporter's proof of the origin or place of manufacture of products issued by a notary public or government or an exporter at the request of the importer. The certificate of origin is a trade relationship between people handing over goods, settlement of payments, claims settlement, customs inspection and acceptance of the importing country, the collection of tariffs of effective proof, it is also the exporting country to enjoy the quota treatment, importing country for different exporting countries to implement different trade policies of proof.

Documents of conformity (CE standard)

Before you import the products from a country, you have to check that, is this type of good complied with the regulations and safety standards with what requires in your targeted market. And you have you show the documents of conformity to prove that does apply to the requirements and safety standards there. Especially if you are an importer of electronics, electrical equipment or toys, or bikes... You can either check in the target country website about it or you can ask your supplier first to make sure everything is gonna happen smoothly.

Your EORI number (Economic Operator Registration Identification)

EORI is a neologism that stands for Economic Operator Registration and Identification in English and Registro de Operador Económico y de Identificación in Spanish. The registration number is mandatory for all companies with economic activity in the EU, especially for import and export business. The number can be used throughout the European Union as long as it is registered with the customs of the country of the enterprise. So make sure you have this number before you start to do business in Spain.

Restricted and prohibited products

Here we should remind you that there are certain types of products are restricted and prohibited in Spain. Be careful with these type of goods and don't waste time until you fail this shipment

Cooperation relationship between China and Spain

The economies of China and Spain have strong complementarities. Trade and economic and technical cooperation and exchanges are of immense importance. As to development potential, Spain is a moderately developed capitalist country and an industrial country with the tenth-largest GDP in the world, of which the industrial system with a high level of modernization and fishing. The bilateral trade between China and Spain, each party shall, on equal terms, give priority to importing from the other party what is needed. At the same time, the two governments also encourage national companies to invest in the other country for the establishment of factories. And recent years have witnessed the investment in the expansion of the petrochemical, construction, and fishing sectors. All in all, the relationship between China and Spain is getting better and better and there are huge potential there.

Warehousing and storage

Logistics warehousing is the use of self-built or leased warehouses, sites, storage, custody, handling, distribution of goods. The traditional definition of warehousing is given from the perspective of material reserves. Modern "warehousing" is not the traditional sense of "warehouse", "warehouse management" is in the context of economic globalization and supply chain integration of warehousing, is the modern logistics system. We have both warehouses in China and Europe, so we are able to offer you the best and the most convenient service, if you wanna know more about us providing this service,

Check here to find more information: Warehousing services

Packaging and repackaging

Packaging and repackaging is really a troublesome matter since you have to prepare a lot of boxes and tapes and scissors etc, which will cost you much time and energy. But time is money, you can save all those time to dig in your business and make more money. What might be worse is that you are not with your products and goods, so it might be difficult for you to do it yourself, and it's not very easy to trust others about it. Just leave it to a professional consultant like Docshipper, so you can know all the process, and can save you all the energy.

Check here to find more information: Packing Services

Transport insurances

Cargo transportation insurance covers the loss of goods due to natural disasters or accidents during transportation, and it can be divided into different categories based on the mode of transportation. The insurance period is usually calculated for a single voyage or shipment, and anyone with insurance interest, such as cargo owners, shippers, and carriers, can take out insurance. The perils covered by cargo insurance include natural disasters, accidents, theft, and malicious acts by the captain or crew. The loss caused by the insured accident can be individual or general average, and total or partial loss. The insurer is responsible not only for the loss of the insured goods, but also for the cost of rescue and relief after the accident.

More info on our dedicated page: Insurance services

Supplier Management in China

What is our biggest advantage compared with other companies in Spain? We have staff as well as warehouses in China. You can keep an eye on your products all the time even if it's from a country speaks a different language and share different culture. Our staff is fluent in Mandarin and they know China very well so you don't have to worry about scams and being cheated by the some people you don't understand well. We will take care of every step and make sure your products being managed in a really perfect condition.

Check here to know more information: Sourcing Services

3PL Service

Third-party logistics, also known as outsourced logistics or contract logistics, third-party logistics has been the most misunderstood term in logistics and supply chain management. Third-party logistics refers to an enterprise company with substantial assets to provide logistics-related services to other companies, such as transportation, warehousing, inventory management, order management, information integration, and value-added services, or with the logistics services related to the industry, providing more complete services of professional logistics companies. And this is what are good at in Docshipper. If you are interested, please check our website for more details.

Check here to know more information: 3PL Services

FAQ - Freight Shipping between China and Spain | DocShipper

What are the major ports in Spain?

The port of Vigo is located on the south shore of the Bay of Vigo, on the northwest coast of Spain, opposite the Morrazo Peninsula, with the Archipelago as a barrier at the mouth of the bay. It is also the largest fishing port in Spain and Europe. The port of Valencia, Spain's third-largest city, the second-largest seaport, known as the City of Sunshine of Europe, is located in southeastern Spain, east of the sea, backed by a vast plain. With its pleasant climate, it is known as a pearl of the west coast of the Mediterranean. If you want to know more about the ports, please check our whole page for detail information.

How can you avoid mistakes when dealing with all the procedures?

I am sure you know how many mistakes and problems can happen when you make business with foreign people, especially a country share so many differences with you. From our perspective, you really need a mature and professional consultancy: Docshipper, let us handle you with all the processes. Let us help you to get rid of obstacles and make everything happen smoothly.

How can Docshipper help you?

Docshipper has several years experience in dealing with the logistic services. We provide sourcing services: finding suppliers (usually in China), quality control and compliance. We provide shipping services: what you will work on for the coming period. And we also provide distribution services: actually we called it 3PL (Third Party Logistics), we store goods, inventory management, order fulfillment and last-mile delivery ( a focus for E-Merchant). Let us handle the rest, you should always focus on your business.

How much does it cost to ship a container to Spain?

The cost of shipping a container from China to Spain will depend on several factors such as the distance, the size of the container, the mode of transportation, and the route taken by the shipping company. As a rough estimate, the cost of shipping a 20-foot container from Shanghai to Valencia, Spain may range from $1,800 to $2,500. A 40-foot container from Shanghai to Valencia may cost between $2,800 to $4,000. However, prices can vary based on several factors such as the current market conditions, the shipping company, and the time of the year.

What is the cheapest way to ship freight from China to Spain?

The cheapest way to ship freight from China to Spain will depend on various factors such as the size of the shipment, the time frame for delivery, and the mode of transportation. Generally, shipping by sea is the most cost-effective way to transport freight from China to Spain. However, the transit time is longer than other modes of transportation, such as air freight.

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!

Freight Shipping between China and Spain | DocShipper

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

What is the best method of transport between China and Spain?

Sea freight from China to Spain

Overview - Trade relations between China and Spain

The main shipping seaports in Spain

Port of Valencia

Port of Barcelona

Port of Algeciras

How much time does it take to ship freight from China to Spain?

Valencia

Barcelona

Bilbao

What are the choices of the container do I have for shipment from China to Spain?

LCL: Less than Container Load

FCL: Full Container Load

Container Hand Over method

How much does sea freight between China and Spain cost?