With the continuous deepening of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area policy, Cambodia, as an important country along the “Belt and Road”, has become an important node for Chinese companies and merchants to expand the Southeast Asian market. This article will comprehensively introduce the logistics of transporting goods from China to Cambodia.
Shipping Methods from China to Cambodia
According to the type of goods, transportation time requirements and budget, you can choose the following main logistics methods:
Road Freight
Road transportation has a fast transportation time, which is especially suitable for customers who have certain requirements on time but do not want to bear high air transportation costs. The cost is controllable, cost-effective, and flexible. It can be directly delivered door to door via Guangxi Pingxiang Port to Vietnam, or Yunnan Mohan Port to Cambodia through Laos. It is suitable for a variety of cargo types, has high customs clearance efficiency, and has mature customs clearance experience at the China-Vietnam and China-Laos borders.
Sea Freight
It is the most economical mode of all transportation methods. It can transport in large quantities, the sea transportation process is standardized and normalized, and the risk is controllable. You can choose full container (FCL) or less than container (LCL) transportation.
Main ports:
- Sihanoukville Autonomous Port: It is the only deep-water port in Cambodia and is vital to international trade. Sihanoukville Autonomous Port is the busiest port in Cambodia, with an annual cargo volume of more than 500,000 TEUs.
- Phnom Penh Autonomous Port: Located 333 kilometers inland from the Mekong River, it has a superior geographical location and is the second largest port in Cambodia, with an annual throughput of approximately 200,000 TEUs.
Air Freight
Air transport is the fastest, and the airport cargo port is efficient. With the cooperation of professional freight forwarders, import and export declarations can be completed quickly; there are many flights and rich routes. There are flights directly to Cambodia or transit every day, flexible scheduling, high security, strict security checks, short transportation process, and extremely low cargo damage rate.
- Main airport: The airport handles more than 73,000 tons of cargo each year and is the busiest cargo airport in Cambodia. The airport has modern facilities and provides 24-hour cargo services, which can achieve late interception and early collection.
Shipping Cost from China to Cambodia
When conducting international logistics, different modes of transport (land, sea, air) have significant differences in costs. The following is the cost composition of the entire transportation process;
- Domestic pickup fee: transportation cost from the factory or place of shipment to the collection point or warehouse
- Customs clearance fee: export customs clearance service fee,
- Transportation fee: calculated based on the weight, volume and different modes of transportation of goods,
- Customs clearance fee: Cambodia import customs clearance service fee,
- Destination delivery fee: delivery cost from Cambodia port to the final address,
- Other fees: such as cargo insurance, expedited service, security inspection/warehousing fees
| Shipping Mode | Cost | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| LCL (Less Container Load) | $80~$150 per m³ | Ideal for small shipments consolidated into shared containers. |
| FCL (20-foot container) | $1,000~$1,400 | Suitable for medium-sized shipments requiring dedicated space. |
| FCL (40-foot container) | $1,600~$2,200 | Cost-effective for bulk shipments with large volumes. |
| Road Freight | $0.5~$1.2 per kg | Faster than sea freight and suitable for medium-volume shipments. |
| Air Freight | $3~$6 per kg | Recommended for high-value or time-sensitive goods. |
Main factors affecting transportation costs
In addition to the above-mentioned transportation methods, transportation costs are also affected by the following factors:
Distance between the departure point and the destination
The cost of picking up and delivering goods is higher in remote areas of China or non-main cities in Cambodia;
Nature and volume weight of goods
Overweight/oversized or dangerous goods require additional fees;
Peak and off-season
Prices will fluctuate during holidays, rainy seasons or special periods (such as the Spring Festival);
Whether value-added services are needed
Such as door-to-door pickup, cargo packaging, insurance, and customs duties payment.
Find out about the cost of shipping from China to surrounding areas:
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Thailand
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Malaysia
Customs Duties for Shipping from China to Cambodia
Customs Duties and Import Taxes are important cost components that exporters and importers must pay attention to when shipping goods from China to Cambodia.
| Product | Customs Duty Rate | VAT Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture | 15% | 10% |
| Electronics | 15%~20% | 10% |
| Clothing | 7%~15% | 10% |
| Cars/Motorcycles | 35% | 10% |
| Tobacco/Alcoholic Beverages | 30% | 10% |
| Building Materials (ceramics, steel) | 7%~15% | 10% |
Shipping Time from China to Cambodia
The time for transporting goods from China to Cambodia depends on the selected mode of transport (land transport, sea transport, air transport), departure city, customs clearance efficiency and whether there is a transit. The following are the times for different modes of transport:
- Sea transport departs from ports such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai, and is shipped to Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh Port in Vietnam, and then transported by land to the inland of Cambodia. It usually takes 10-15 days.
- Land transport departs from Pingxiang, Guangxi, China or Mohan, Yunnan, transits through Vietnam, and is transferred via Ho Chi Minh City or Phnom Penh. The time limit is generally 5-8 days.
- Air transport is mainly transported from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Shanghai, Yiwu and other cities to Phnom Penh International Airport or Siem Reap International Airport, which usually takes 1-3 days.
Find out the timeliness from nearby areas:
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Thailand
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Malaysia
Detailed Steps for Shipping from China to Cambodia
The following are detailed steps for transporting goods from China to Cambodia, suitable for enterprises, exporters or individual customers to understand the entire logistics process:
Confirm order and quotation
Clarify the type, volume, weight, quantity, and timeliness requirements of the goods, choose the appropriate mode of transportation (land transportation/sea transportation/air transportation), and obtain the transportation plan and quotation provided by professional freight forwarding companies
Pick up goods at home (limited to China)
The freight forwarder arranges a truck to pick up the goods at the factory, warehouse or designated location, and provides a bill of lading and a list of goods.
Export customs declaration (Chinese port)
The freight forwarder prepares export customs declaration materials for you:
- Commercial invoice: required for customs declaration, settlement, and customs clearance, and complete information must be filled in
- Packing list: shows packaging, gross weight/net weight, volume and other cargo details
- Contract: sometimes used for export verification
- Certificate of origin: used to apply for Cambodian tariff reduction (if eligible)
- Bill of lading/waybill: provided by the freight forwarder, cargo transportation certificate
International transportation (sea/land/air freight)
Ship from China to Cambodia through appropriate transportation methods. Freight forwarders usually provide real-time tracking systems or tracking update services.
Customs clearance procedures in the destination country
Submit import information to Cambodian Customs, submit Form E (if any) to apply for tariff exemption, pay customs duties, value-added tax (VAT) or special taxes (if applicable)
Final delivery
The freight forwarder arranges local delivery vehicles to deliver the goods to the customer’s door or the customer picks up the goods by himself
Things to Note When Shipping from China to Cambodia
Customs clearance policies need to be noted
Customs clearance in Cambodia is relatively relaxed, but some goods (such as medical equipment, food, and cosmetics) require import permits to be applied for in advance. Cambodia often uses a simplified declaration system, but if there are special regulatory requirements, customs clearance time will be extended.
Packaging compliance and labeling requirements
It is recommended to use sturdy outer packaging with a “Made in China” label. For electrical products, pay attention to voltage adaptation (220V 50Hz in Cambodia) and plug specifications.
Choose the right mode of transportation
- For heavy and large goods, it is recommended to ship by sea in full container or in a container.
- For urgent or high-value goods, choose air transportation.
- For small e-commerce goods, it is most cost-effective to choose a cross-border dedicated line.
Insurance advice
Although most freight forwarders offer “DDP fixed price”, it is recommended to purchase freight insurance separately to avoid transportation risks (especially for high-value goods)
Logistics from China to Cambodia are becoming increasingly mature. Choosing the right mode of transportation and professional freight forwarding service providers as described in this article is the key to improving efficiency and reducing costs.