If you’re looking for a company that will handle your international freight logistics, then look no further; Sino Shipping has the experience, the expertise, and the networks to make sure that your shipping needs are taken care of professionally.

 

Our team has a vast array of knowledge gained from years of experience in this field and if you want advice on the best shipping strategy for your business needs,then give us a call and we’ll help you design a strategy that makes sense for you and your business’ needs.

In this FAQ, we’ll take you through the various steps when it comes to importing from China to Bangladesh, answering the common questions that both new and established businesses have.

What are the main ways to ship goods from China to Bangladesh?

The available methods for shipment from China to Bangladesh are Air freight, Express delivery via air, and sea freight.

Is it possible to ship from China to Bangladesh?

Yes. Every year, many Chinese and Bangladeshi companies do business, conducting international trade between the two countries. Generally, shipping from China to Bangladesh operates via cargo ships and air freight.

Nevertheless, starting an import/export business can be daunting for many companies.That’s why businesses choose to use a freight forwarder/logistic partner that will handle their goods, getting them from A to B with as little hassle as possible for you.

Freight forwarders make it their role to take care of your goods, if needs be, transporting them all the way from the factory/retailer in China to your address in Bangladesh.They guide your goods at each step of the way and liaise with you to ensure that your goods are correctly packaged, labelled, and that you have the correct documents at each and every port. 

These logistics companies also help you to strategise your means of transportation and the various options this involves. Freight forwarding agencies succeed when the businesses they partner with do, so there is an in-built motivation for them to transport your goods cheaply and economically.   

How much does express shipping cost and what are the advantages and disadvantages
of express shipping?

When it comes to speed, express delivery is the best option. Express delivery refers to courier led delivery by companies such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc. As well as speed, express delivery also puts most of the logistics into the hands of the courier company, and may save you on costs such as insurance and using your own transport from port-to-door.

When it comes to customs and duty, generally express delivery companies will pay the custom as the goods pass through the ports and then collect this from the receiving company before delivery.

However, this may be different depending on the express company you choose so be sure to check their rules and regulations when it comes to customs. Your freight forwarder may also be able to assist you with this.   

Express shipping is also by far the most expensive option, so if you’re looking to keep your margins tight, then consider whether the advantages of speed and others outweigh the premium cost. If your company relies on near-instantaneous shipping of small goods, then express delivery services may end up being a good strategy in the long term, as you’ll add value to your company’s reputation for getting gods quickly.

If, on the other hand, you are shipping large quantities of goods in bulk and time is not as important to the business’s bottom line, then you may want to consider other shipping options. As there are many different companies operating in this sector, there can be wide variety of companies offering their services, with a correspondingly wide range of prices and schedules.

Express delievery services from China to Bangladesh can take as little as 1-5 working days.

In terms of cost, the range of courier services vary according to price. This is another area where it pays to balance the advantages and disadvantages of different companies and take a close look at what they are offering.

Those who have a premium price may offer economic advantages in other areas such as time or additional services.

Price breakdown of different companies:  

DHL: Documents: 0.5Kg $37

Parcel 10KG $196; 20KG $258; 30KG 320. 70KG $568

FedEx Documents 2Kg $166 Parcel: 68 Kg $961

UPS Documents 1 Kg $73 Parcels 70Kg $1696 

How can I monitor my express delivery orders?

We know that once you’ve placed an order, you might want to keep an eye on where it is. This is especially true for business where accurate timing is all part of the service.For example, if you’re ordering a specific item for a client of customer, it makes you look professional if you can tell them exactly where their goods are and give an accurate estimate of the time it will take to arrive.

With air freight, and especially express delivery, you can track your goods as they move across the continent. Most express delivery services will have a tracking application on their website. You’ll simply need to enter your order number and then you’ll be given a live update on the status of your goods as well as an estimated time of arrival

What is the difference between Express and Air Freight?

With express delivery (also known as air courier) you pay a courier company to transport your goods from one address to another. With ‘regular’ air freight, we refer to port-to-port cost of transporting your goods. After they reach the port of arrival, it is your (or more likely, your freight forwarding partner’s) responsibility to ensure they pass through customs and are delivered.

While this is obviously more work and documentation, it is the cheaper option compared to express delivery via courier, even when taking into account partnering with an freight forwarder/logistics company.

With air freight, you need to keep a track of the different additional prices involved for handling your goods after arrival, nevertheless, if you’re shipping larger quantities of goods, air freight will be a more economic choice for your air shipping needs.

Of course, if you’re shipping much larger quantities of goods, and time is not a problem, then you may want to look into sea shipping.

What are the advantages of shipping by air freight when transporting goods

from China to Bangladesh?

Air freight brings many advantages for importers. Firstly, the speed of air freight is much quicker than shipping by sea. This is not just a question of getting goods quicker, but it’s also near-essential if you’re shipping certain goods that may spoil if transported for lengthy periods of goods.

Another advantage is that air transport is normally a more safer and stable mode of transport for fragile or goods that could break. This is due both to the reduced time in handling and to the means of transportation itself. With both rail and sea, there is a small risk of water or damage due to bumps, etc.   

Air freight also allows much more precision when it comes to scheduling your transport logistics. Air travel is rarely delayed meaning your goods will mostly arrive when they are scheduled to.
Furthermore, with the higher frequency of flights, you have a much wider choice when it comes to shipping at your convenience.

Another reason for favouring air freight is that it could mean lower insurance premiums as the transportation time is quicker than other methods and thus there is less overall risk of goods being damaged. A final benefit is that with air freight you don’t need to package the goods as thoroughly as you would have to with sea freight.

How long does air freight take between China and Bangladesh?

Generally, air freight between China and Bangladesh will take around 4 to 5 days. Compared to shipping by sea, which will take at least 3 weeks, this is much quicker and could therefore give you additional value. If you’re shipping goods that are time sensitive, then air freight could make a lot of sense.

How is the price of air freight calculated when shipping from China to Bangladesh?

Air travel is a sophisticated means of transportation but it also costs a lot to maintain, thus the costs of air freight are high compared to ground and ocean transport. When transporting goods by air, you need to be aware of two concepts: Actual Weight and Volumetric weight.

The price of air freight is calculated based on either the actual/natural weight or the volumetric weight. Actual weight of your product is calculated from the gross and net weight. This is then compared to the volumetric weight to determine the fees.
 
Volume weight is calculated by first multiplying the width of the package by the height and the length (WxLxH). Following this, the volumetric weight is calculated by dividing the number by 6000.

As airlines are trying to maximise their own revenues, they will charge you according to whichever is greater, the actual weight or the volumetric weight. The charge will be according to whichever one is greater.
 
The reason for this is that if you have something that is large but relatively light, the transportation companies would want to charge you by the space it takes up rather than the weight, otherwise they would end up not being able to make sustainable income.

It pays to understand the difference between actual weight and volume weight, as it may be a shock if you get charged by volumetric weight if you aren’t aware that this is a possibility.
 
In short, if you are shipping something large and bulky then it is likely that it will be charged according to the size not the weight. If you would like a more in-depth explanation of this with added detail and calculations, we will be happy to help you.

Just get in contact with our expert team and we’ll talk you through the process and make some estimates as to whether your goods will be charged according to volume or actual weight.

What is the Maximum weight for goods shipped via air freight from China to Bangladesh?

The maximum weight generally allowed is 70kg for a single parcel.

What items are prohibited to be transported by air from China to Bangladesh?

Airline carriers have strict rules about what can and cannot be transported.

When it comes to air cargo the following items are prohibited:

Live animals, weapons such as firearms, explosive materials, antiseptic cans and vapor containers, nitrogen gas, mechanical parts such as generators, etc.

If you’re unsure about whether your goods can be transported by plane then you must get in contact with the airline or your freight forwarder so you can be absolutely sure. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

How much does shipping via sea freight from China to Bangladesh cost?

The cost of sea freight varies according to many factors. These include the type of good being imported, the weight of the good and the volume. As China and Bangladesh have many ports, we will provide estimates based on shipping from Shenzhen, China, to Chattagram, Bangladesh

Sea shipping is done via containers. On average renting a 20 foot container from China to Bangladesh, will cost around $75 per cubic meter. If you wish to rent the whole container (FCL Shipping) this will cost around $1100
 

What’s the difference between FCL and LCL shipping?

Ocean shipping is based on containers that you rent from the carrier. The standard container sizes are 20 foot and 40 foot. A 40 foot container will gold 22 pallets while a 20 foot container will hold 10 pallets. When you are shipping via sea freight, there are two major terms you should be familiar with, FCL and LCL.

FCL stands for full container load and refers to an arrangement where you or your business rent the entire container for yourself. LCL, also known as groupage, stands for less than container load and refers to an arrangement where your goods share space in a container with cargo and freight from other companies and shippers.

Depending on the size of your cargo, you may not have to choose between FCL and LCL, as the quantity will make it obvious which one you should select. For instance, If you have enough cargo to fill a container, then FCL is the obvious choice. Or if you’re only shipping one pallet, then LCL is likely to be your selection.

However, in certain cases you may need to decide whether to ship via FCL or LCL and this choice could save you money in the long run.

There are many advantages to FCL. Firstly if you’re renting a full container, while obviously it will be more expensive than sharing one, it can make economical sense at scale. In fact, even if you don’t have enough goods to completely fill a container, FCL shipping can still be the most economical option, especially due to the other advantages it brings.

FCL shipping brings its own unique advantages with regards to logistics. One of the most obvious is security. When your goods are occupying a container that solely belongs to you, then you have much greater control over what goes in and out.

There is less chance for your goods to be stolen or lost when they are transported in one container without mixing with other companies goods. When you ship with LCL, you have little control over what other goods may share the container with yours.

Most of the time this won’t be a problem, as all goods shipped via container have to follow the regulations, but some importers prefer to have all their goods together without having to share with others

The other great logistical advantage of FCL shipping is the time it can save. Loading and unloading cargo at ports is a time consuming process, and part of the reason why your overall shipping time is much longer than the port-to-port transit time.

When it comes to LCL shipping, your goods will need to be consolidated and grouped with other goods in a container. This process can take a long time. On the other hand, if you’re shipping via FCL, then the process is much quicker, as it’s a simple case of loading all your goods into one container without the need to organise the sharing of space.

When goods arrive at the port of destination, they also need to go through a process of deconsolidation, which, in the case of LCL shipping means emptying out the containers and taking the time to separate the different pallets out according to the customer. Such a process involves quite a bit of logistics and document checking too.

With FCL shipping, this process is no needed and you can even get your full container delivered to your address to be unloaded there.

Therefore with FCL there is a lot of time to be saved with your shipping. And as we know time is a value all itself. Therefore, FCL shipping could also save you in the long run if you can establish quicker shipping patterns.

It also works out as more economical per cubic meter of space than LCL.
Between air and sea freight, there is also a middle way, which is shipping goods via rail.
Railway freight is becoming an interesting and innovative way to send goods.

On the other hand, LCL might be preferable if you are only shipping small quantities of goods. If your business has a relatively quick need to get certain goods within a few weeks, then shipping via LCL can be a more attractive opportunity, as it allows importers to ship with only a few pallets.

If your business involved placing small orders from a variety of suppliers and those suppliers have differing schedules, then shipping via LCL may be preferable if you don’t want to wait for warehousing and simply want your goods as quickly as possible. LCL shipping is good for cheap transport of small quantities of goods.

If you’re transporting very large goods, or goods too bulky for a container there are other specialised options available for you for sea shipping. Please get in contact and we can discuss with you the options for large cargo shipping.

How long does sea freight take from China to Bangladesh?

It can take anywhere from 15 to 40 days for sea freight to reach Bangladesh from China. The variation in time can depend on many factors, such as the port of departure, the time of year, etc.

What’s the difference between sea freight and air freight when shipping
between China and Bangladesh?

There are advantage and disadvantages of both air and sea freight. When it comes to cost of transport, sea freight can be much cheaper than air freight, thus making it the natural choice for importers who need to transport large quantities of goods or want to transport goods but don’t mind waiting a few weeks for it to arrive. Sea freight is also a more environmentally friendly option.

Air freight is a much faster option, and if your business depends on speed of delivery, then air freight offers the advantage of time. Another reason for favouring air freight is that it could mean lower insurance premiums as the transportation time is quicker than other methods and thus there is less overall risk of goods being damaged.

Airports also tend to have high levels of security, which means that your goods tend to be less at risk of being stolen or tampered with.

Warehousing costs may also be reduced if you choose air freight. As air freight is quick and regular, you may not need to keep items stored in regional warehouses or warehouses close to ports to await consolidation with other goods. Instead, you can transport your goods instantly and in smaller quantities.

Who is responsible for customs clearance and import duty when
importing from China to Bangladesh?

Generally, the importing business in Bangladesh will be responsible for customs clearance when goods arrive at the Bangladeshi port. However, if you are working with a freight forwarder, you may wish to delegate the responsibility for customs clearance to them.

If you are shipping with an Express delivery or courier services, these companies may take your items through customs and pay the fee as well as import duty and then charge you on delivery.

What paperwork and documentation will I need?

When you’re importing from China to Bangladesh, you will need the following paperwork:
A commercial invoice with the details of the goods, a packing list, a certificate of origin, a letter of credit (depending on the contract between buyer and seller this may not be needed). A bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight.

What happens if my goods are held by customs?

If your goods are held by customs then, you need to notify your freight forwarder, or if your freight forwarder is taking care of your package, they will notify you. Customs officials holding a package may be because they suspect that it is not being transported according to regulations.This could be because of the type of good or the labelling of the goods.

This is a reason why you need to take care when you are packaging your good and completing documentation. A good freight forwarder will help you package your goods and advise you on what can and can’t be imported.

If customs hold your goods it could take days or even months before they release it. You will have to wait until they call you.