Shipping from China to Norway | Sea & Air Freight [2022]

Trading between China and Norway reaches well over $5 billion each year. Even with the large distance between the two countries, there are multiple ways for goods to make their way from China to Norway.

In the following article, we???ll explain the routes and means available to you for shipping your goods and outline some of the strategic choices you can make when you???re importing.

What are the transportation options for shipping from China to Norway?

Norwegian Importers have two main options when importing from China to Norway. These are sea freight and air freight.
 

 

Sea/Ocean Freight from China to Norway

Sea freight is generally the cheapest option, although it is also the slowest option for transporting too.

Shipping via sea freight is done via containers. Within this option it is useful to understand the difference between FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL Less than Container Load) shipping and establish which is better for your needs.

FCL is when you hire a whole container for your own use. LCL is when your goods are transported in a container with goods from other importers and companies.

If you aren???t transporting a lot of goods then LCL is cheaper, but because you are sharing with other businesses, it can also add time to the process. FCL could prove a better option even if you don???t have a full container.

A standard 40 foot container can accommodate 22 standard pallets, with a 20 foot container holding 10 pallets. If you???re shipping large volumes and can fill a container, it makes sense to choose FCL (Full Container Load).
 
FCL shipping brings many advantages when it comes to logistics as if everything inside the container belongs to one company, then generally this makes things run a lot more smoothly, which can have a cost benefit too.

On the other hand, LCL (Less than a Container Load) refers to shipping where your goods share space within a container with other goods. If you???re okay with that, then LCL shipping (also known as groupage) offers a more economical way to ship smaller quantities that make up less than half of the volume of a full container.

However LCL can also mean that your goods can take longer to arrive as the process of loading and unloading takes longer.

Smart packaging can also help you save money. Packaging goods tightly and safely, can get you more value for the space you occupy, as well as preventing any unnecessary breakages.

You???ll also want to make sure that you know the exact weights of your goods. This can be useful when comparing them to your freight forwarder???s quotes.

Also keep in mind that certain types of freight may require specialised tools when in transit, your freight forwarder. be able to provide you with these to ensure your goods remain in perfect condition!

How long does sea freight via ocean liner take from China to Norway?

China to Norway is one of the longest journeys in world ocean shipping. Therefore you should plan for goods being transported by sea to take around 5 weeks to arrive in Norway, by either FCL or LCL

There are certain differences in the time depending on the ports of departure and arrival. For example Wuhan to Oslo could take around 54 days, while Shanghai to Oslo could take 46 days. You can consult with your freight forwarder on the specific times for your goods and what makes business sense when it comes to shipping from certain ports in China.
 

 

Air Freight from China to Norway

Air freight is likely to be both the quickest and the most expensive means of transport for your goods. Therefore, you need to weigh up the pros and cons of shipping via air before making your decision.

Air freight from China to Norway will normally take around 8 days to arrive.

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

from China to Norway?

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.

Do keep in mind that all air freight arriving in Norway from China is subject to customs inspections, which is why the length of time it takes your goods to be delivered to your private or business address is longer than the transit time from port to port.

When I???m importing from China to Norway what documentation do I need for customs?

Navigating the waters of customs documentation as well as arranging for your goods to be transported in the most cost and time-efficient way can be a daunting task for importers.
 
That???s why it makes financial sense to utilise the services of a freight forwarder, who will not only take care of the details but also bring their wealth of knowledge and contacts to negotiate the best deals for your transportation needs.

If you???re transporting goods from China to Norway, then choosing the right freight forwarder can make a huge difference to the success of your business. You???ll save not only money but time as well, which can be just as important to businesses.

Freight forwarding companies make it their business to be familiar with the ins and outs and the fine print of importing laws and regulations. Of course, each country has different regulations and expected standards when it comes to importing.

By using a freight forwarding service, you save yourself the hassle of having to learn all the different contexts and required documentation. That???s their job and they???ll be able to make sure your goods??? journey is as smooth as possible while you can devote your time to better serving your bottom line elsewhere.

When you???re importing from China to Norway, you will need the following documentation:

1.Commercial Invoice

2.Packing List

3. Certificate of origin

4. Depending on the agreement between buyer and seller, a letter of credit.

5. A Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for sea freight.

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo Ports of Origin in China

WUHAN

Port Facts: Wuhan is located at the intersection of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers and has facilities for 244 berths and 15 different port areas that can handle many types of cargo. It handles half a million containers annually.

UN/LOCODE: CNWUH.

SHANGHAI

Port Facts: Shanghai has some of the most cutting edge port infrastructure in the world including the world???s largest automated container terminal. It is also perhaps the world???s best connected port and serves around 40 million containers each year.

UN/LOCODE: CNSHA.

NANSHA

Port Facts: Nansha is a useful port for importers who are working with manufacturers based in Guangdong province, and the South China Sea area. It serves around 15 million containers a year.

UN/LOCODE: CNNSA

SHENZHEN

Port Facts: Located on the southern coast of China, Shenzhen connects to over 150 container routes including Oslo and is one of the top 5 container ports in the world with a volume of 25 million containers passing through each year.

UN/LOCODE: CNSHK.

NINGBO

Port Facts: Ningbo is located close to Shanghai and also has a high level of port infrastructure, with capacity for sixth generation containers. It has an annual volume of over 26 millions containers passing through its port.

UN/LOCODE: CNNGB.

OTHER PORTS IN CHINA

There are many other ports in China that can deliver goods. We advise consulting with your freight forwarder on which port will make sense for your business. Choosing the right port will depend on the relative location of your manufacturer/retailer in China as well as the time it takes to reach Norway from the port.

Cargo Port of Arrival in Norway

OSLO

Port Facts: Oslo is the primary port for all imports and exports, including those from China to Norway. It is Norway???s largest freight hub and is planning to become the world???s first zero-emissions cargo hub, with upgrades to environmentally friendly infrastructure. Around 200,000 containers pass through here annually.

UN/LOCODE: NOOSL.

Flying Your Freight: Airport Guide

 
Airports of Origin in China
 
GUANGZHOU
 
Airport Facts: Guangzhou is the primary airport of Guangdong province and is one of the world???s busiest freight hubs, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes of goods. It also has direct routes to Oslo.

IATA Code: CAN.
 
SHANGHAI-PUDONG
 
Airport Facts: Shanghai-Pudong is based around 30km outside of Shanghai and has direct cargo and courier services to Oslo. The airport has six runways and two terminals with cutting edge technical infrastructure.

IATA Code: PVG.
 
OTHER AIRPORTS IN CHINA
 
There are of course, many other airports in China and as with sea freight, it may make sense to choose one of these depending on the point of origin of your goods. Remember that when you???re importing from China by air, you will still need to take into account the transit costs of getting your goods from the factory or retail outlet. Therefore, it could make sense to ship from a port closer to the factory.

Airport of Arrival in Norway
 
OSLO
 
Airport Facts: Oslo Airport is located around 35 kilometres northeast of Oslo and has two runways. The cargo terminal has infrastructure for seven gates and areas specifically for pallets and containers. It connects to Shanghai-Pudong and Guangzhou airports in China.

IATA Code: OSL
 

Is train freight possible for shipping from China to Norway?

 
Train freight is becoming a more popular way to transport goods across the world. There is a possibility to ship your goods via rail from China to Norway.
 
Like sea freight, rail freight is generally done via containers. Rail freight is something of a ???middle ground??? between air and sea freight, being quicker than sea freight and cheaper than air freight.
 
For more details on rail freight solutions, please contact us or your freight forwarding company and we???ll be able to strategize whether this makes sense for you.
 

Why choose Sino Shipping as your freight forwarder?

 
If you???re looking for a company to help manage your shipping between China and Norway, whether it is by air, land or sea, then look no further, as Sino Shipping can handle all your logistics and freight forwarding needs.
 
Our team brings years of experience to our role in making sure that your transportation needs are met professionally.
 
Our years of experience brings with it not only the expert knowledge about the best routes and methods of shipping freight, but has also given us key relationships with carriers, meaning that we can and will work to give you the best possible price on the market as well as being able to gain priority space on carriers.
 
Whether you are choosing to ship your goods via air or ocean freight, we help get your cargo from A to B. Our services include:

Picking up your goods from the factory/retailer in China.

With your authorisation we???ll take care of the transit between the factory or retailer in China and the sea or airport of departure.
 
Packaging of your goods
 
Packaging is an important yet often forgotten part of the international shipping process. Good packaging can save you money if things are packed snugly, not to mention preventing the risk of damage.
 
We have experience in shipping goods across the world and we know how to pack your goods to give them the best possible chance of making it to your address in one piece. Also, when you???re shipping goods across borders, the labelling of packages is very important.
 
Customs officials need to know what is inside the packaging. Mislabelling can be very costly in terms of possible fine and also delays to your shipment. We work with you to make sure your goods are packaged and labelled correctly, so your goods can travel smoothly across borders.
 
Documentation and Paperwork for customs clearance and duties
 
As well as the correct labels, your goods will also need to come with the correct documentation according to rules of both exporting and importing countries. Navigating the waters of customs documentation as well as arranging for your goods to be transported in the most cost and time-efficient way can be a daunting task for importers.
 
That???s why it makes financial sense to utilise the services of a freight forwarder, who will not only take care of the details but also bring their wealth of knowledge and contacts to negotiate the best deals for your transportation needs.
 
If you???re transporting goods from China to Norway, then choosing the right freight forwarder can make a huge difference to the success of your business. You???ll save not only money but time as well, which can be just as important to businesses.
 
We make it our business to be familiar with the ins and outs and the fine print of importing laws and regulations. Of course, each country has different regulations and expected standards when it comes to importing.
 
By using a freight forwarding service, you save yourself the hassle of having to learn all the different contexts and required documentation. That???s our job and we???ll be able to make sure your goods??? journey is as smooth as possible while you can devote your time to better serving your bottom line elsewhere.
 
Loading and unloading cargo
 
When your goods arrive at ports, they need to be loaded and unloaded into the transport. This can be a bit more complicated than simply checking in your luggage at the airport.
 
When it comes to cargo and commercial goods, especially large amounts, loading and unloading goods can require some assistance and communication with the port authorities. This is a key part of our service.
 
Warehousing and Consolidation
 
If you???re transporting goods from a variety of retailers, then having a warehouse available that can hold your goods while they wait for the rest of the consignment to arrive is essential. Our service from China to Norway also includes warehousing your goods as they await consolidation.
 
Warehousing may also be an option if you are waiting for a specific time to ship out from China
 
Advice on Shipping Strategy
 
One of our most important services is offering our expert knowledge and depth of experience. Our success depends on the success of our clients/ Therefore we have very strong motivation in ensuring that your shipping strategy is one that is economical for your business needs and allows you to be sustainable.
 
Get in contact with us for a quote and advice on how best to ship your goods and we???ll help you make the choices that are right for you.
 
Wide service across China
 
We work extensively with the most important ports in China, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Xiaman, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Dalian, and many more.
 
This means in practice we reduce the time it takes for your goods to be transported to ports or alternatively we can help select the port that makes the most economical sense for your goods to be shipped from China to Norway.
 
We???ll take care of your goods all the way from China to Norway, and our regional knowledge of China, helps give us an edge when it comes to knowing the best ways to get your goods to you without a hassle. Seasonal events and cultural differences can cause delays, but we???ll be able to keep you well-informed so you can stay one step ahead.
 

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 goods 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.
 
The price of express/courier delivery ranges according to different companies. As we at Sino Shipping work with a wide variety of courier companies, so when you make us your freight forwarding/logistics company, we???ll be able to get you the best deal every time through our extensive networks.