With the continuous growth of bilateral trade between China and Mexico, China, as Mexico’s second largest source of imports, is continuously exporting various commodities such as electronic products, machinery and equipment, auto parts, textiles, daily consumer goods, etc. to Mexico.
The logistics time from China to Mexico has become one of the keys to cross-border trade. This article will introduce the transportation time between the two countries in detail.
Trade Relations Between China and Mexico
With the increasing frequency of trade between China and Mexico, it is crucial for import and export companies to choose the right mode of transportation and understand the accurate time. The main modes of transportation from China to Mexico include sea and air, among which sea transportation occupies a dominant position, accounting for about 85% of China-Mexico freight volume, air transportation accounts for about 12%, and other modes account for 3%.
Major ports:
- Port of Manzanillo: Located on the Pacific coast, it is the busiest port in Mexico and an important entry point for goods from Asia.
- Port of Lazaro Cardenas: Another major Pacific port, known for its deep-water capabilities and suitable for handling large ships.
- Port of Veracruz: Located in the Gulf of Mexico, the port is an important hub for goods shipped to central and eastern Mexico.
Major airports:
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX): As Mexico’s busiest airport, it is a central hub for air cargo, providing extensive connections to domestic and international destinations.
- Guadalajara International Airport (GDL): Located in the state of Jalisco, this airport is the main gateway for cargo to the western and northern regions of Mexico.
- Monterrey International Airport (MTY): Located in the industrial heartland of Mexico, this airport plays a key role in the import of goods to the northern part of the country.
How to Ship from China to Mexico
Transportation time is directly related to the selected mode of transportation. Depending on the nature of the goods, urgency, cost budget and customs clearance convenience, shippers usually choose air or sea transportation:
Sea Freight
Sea Freight is the most commonly used mode of transportation in China-Mexico trade, especially for full container load (FCL) and less than container load (LCL) goods. It has the lowest freight cost, is suitable for large-volume transportation, can transport special-sized goods, and brings reliable and efficient services.
Air Freight
Air transport is the fastest mode of transport, mainly used for goods with high timeliness requirements. It has high security, less contact with the ground, and a global network coverage that provides frequent and flexible scheduling options, and simplified customs clearance and declaration processes.
Key Factors Affecting Shipping Time from China to Mexico
Transportation time depends not only on distance and mode of transportation, but also on the following factors:
- Force majeure factors: extreme weather (such as hurricane season) may cause transportation interruptions.
- Routes and transit: whether it is direct and the number of transits affect the overall time.
- Seasonal changes: holidays, peak seasons (such as “Black Friday” and “Christmas season”) or strikes may delay.
- Customs clearance efficiency: customs policies and inspection rates at the export and import ends.
- Logistics service provider capabilities: experienced freight forwarders can effectively coordinate processes and improve efficiency.
- Port/airport congestion: Mexican ports are occasionally congested, and buffer time needs to be reserved.
Sea Freight Time from China to Mexico
When considering sea freight from China to Mexico, it is crucial to understand the typical shipping time. Generally, sea freight time varies depending on a variety of factors. On average, sea freight time from major ports in China to major ports in Mexico (such as Veracruz or Manzanillo) is about 25 to 40 days.
The following is the sea freight operation process:
- Cargo preparation and booking: confirm the mode of transportation and cargo volume with the freight forwarder, and book the space
- Pick up the goods at the port: make an appointment in advance, arrange the loading or consolidation operation
- China export customs declaration: customs declaration materials invoice, packing list, contract, customs declaration, etc.
- Maritime transportation: different routes, different times; direct flights are faster, and transshipment is slower
- Mexico customs clearance: provide complete information, and the importer must have qualifications such as tax number
- Inland transportation: truck transportation time from port to final destination
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | Shipping days |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Manzanillo | 25-40 days |
| Shenzhen | Manzanillo | 28-38 days |
| Ningbo | Manzanillo | 26-39 days |
| Shanghai | Lazaro Cardenas | 25-42 days |
| Shenzhen | Lazaro Cardenas | 28-38 days |
| Ningbo | Lazaro Cardenas | 28-40 days |
| Shanghai | Veracruz | 27-40 days |
| Shenzhen | Veracruz | 28-37 days |
| Ningbo | Veracruz | 25-40 days |
Air Freight Time from China to Mexico
Compared with sea freight, air freight is significantly faster, but also more expensive. The transportation time of goods from China to Mexico by air is usually 3 to 7 days, depending on factors such as the specific airport used and the frequency of flights.
The following is the air freight operation process:
- Cargo preparation and booking: fast booking, suitable for urgent orders
- Pick up or deliver to the airport: some freight forwarders provide door-to-door pickup service
- Customs clearance & airport security: export customs clearance is faster, and cargo information must be declared in compliance
- Air transportation: see if it is a direct flight or a transfer flight (mostly transiting through the United States/Canada)
- Mexico customs clearance: confirm whether it is DDP in advance to speed up customs clearance
- Delivery to the door: use express or truck to complete the last mile delivery
| Departure Airport (China) | Arrival Airport (Mexico) | Shipping days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Mexico City | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Mexico City | 4-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Mexico City | 3-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Guadalajara | 4-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Guadalajara | 3-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Guadalajara | 3-7 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Monterrey | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Monterrey | 3-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Monterrey | 4-6 days |
Learn more about shipping times to other countries below:
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to USA?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Canada?
How to Optimize Shipping Time Efficiency
In order to improve time efficiency and ensure logistics stability, it is recommended to start from the following aspects:
Reasonably plan the delivery time
Avoid holidays and port congestion peaks, and leave a buffer period.
Choose a reliable freight forwarder
Professional freight forwarders can provide door-to-door services and coordinate all links.
Use multimodal transport solutions
Such as air and sea transport, to achieve a balance between cost and time efficiency.
Prepare customs clearance materials in advance
Such as invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, etc., to avoid delays in customs clearance.
Strengthen communication and cooperation
Maintain close communication and cooperation with all parties in the logistics supply chain to jointly solve delays.
Customs compliance optimization
Pre-declare customs in advance, use AEO certified enterprise channels, and professional customs clearance agency services
Monitor logistics nodes
Know the status of goods at any time through the logistics tracking system.
Through this article, we can understand that the optimization of logistics time efficiency from China to Mexico needs to focus on “demand matching”, comprehensively consider four dimensions: cost, cargo attributes, urgency, and logistics capabilities, so that the goods can arrive at the destination quickly and on time.