China and Denmark have a long history of trade relations. With the advancement of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the deep integration of the global supply chain, the demand for cargo transportation between the two countries continues to grow. This article will introduce the details of shipping from China to Denmark.
Introduction to Denmark
Denmark is an important trading partner of China in the Nordic region. It mainly imports machinery and equipment, electronic products, textiles, furniture, food and medical equipment from China. With the optimization of the logistics system between China and Denmark, the transportation methods are becoming more and more diversified.
Major ports and airports in Denmark
When shipping from China to Denmark, it is crucial to understand the main airports and ports in Denmark. The following are the main international transportation hubs in Denmark:
- Port of Copenhagen: Denmark’s largest port, located in the capital Copenhagen, is mainly used for container transportation, bulk cargo and roll-on/roll-off transportation.
- Port of Aarhus: Denmark’s most important container port, handling about 60% of the country’s container freight, with advanced facilities, is an important logistics hub in Northern Europe.
- Port of Esbjerg: Denmark’s largest port for ro-ro cargo and wind turbine equipment.
- Copenhagen Airport (CPH): Denmark’s largest airport, handling large volumes of cargo.
- Billund Airport (BLL): An important cargo hub, especially for e-commerce cargo.
- Aalborg Airport (AAL): Provides air freight services to northern Denmark.
How to Ship from China to Denmark
The main modes of transportation from China to Denmark include sea, air and rail. Each mode has its own unique advantages and applicable scenarios.
Sea Freight
Sea Freight is the most economical mode of transportation, especially for large quantities of goods. There are usually two main transportation options: FCL and LCL are more flexible.
- Full container transportation (FCL): refers to renting an entire container to transport goods, mainly 20ft and 40ft containers are more cost-effective.
- Less than container transportation (LCL): allows companies to share a container with other shippers, and requires merging and splitting, which takes longer.
Air Freight
Air Freight is the fastest mode of transport, suitable for goods with light weight, small volume but high value, such as electronic products, luxury goods, and pharmaceutical products. It is highly secure and can be flexibly scheduled according to flights.
Rail Freight
Mainly the China-Europe Railway, which is faster than sea transport (about 15-22 days) and cheaper than air transport. It departs from inland cities in China, passes through Central Asia and Russia to Europe, and is greatly affected by weather, politics, and tariff policies.
Shipping Cost from China to Denmark
The cost of transporting from China to Denmark varies depending on the mode of transport, mainly including sea, air, and rail transport costs. The composition usually includes:
- Basic freight: freight generated by sea, air, and rail.
- Port or airport fees: including loading and unloading fees, warehousing fees, and terminal fees.
- Customs clearance fees: involving import and export customs clearance procedures and related service fees.
- Surcharges: such as fuel surcharges, peak season surcharges, emergency transportation surcharges, etc.
- Insurance costs: provide protection for goods in transit, usually calculated as a certain percentage of the value of the goods.
Sea Freight Cost from China to Denmark
Sea freight costs are mainly calculated based on container type and route, and are also affected by factors such as peak and off-season (prices rise from September to December, and are lower after the Spring Festival), shipping companies and routes (direct flights vs. transit, affecting timeliness and prices), and destination port surcharges (differences in costs at different ports). The following are common costs of sea freight:
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | LCL shipping cost | 20ft container cost | 40ft container cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Copenhagen | $85-$180 | $2050-$3350 | $3500-$5000 |
| Shenzhen | Copenhagen | $85-$185 | $2000-$3500 | $3450-$4950 |
| Ningbo | Copenhagen | $85-$175 | $2000-$3400 | $3650-$4850 |
| Shanghai | Aarhus | $85-$190 | $1950-$3450 | $3350-$4800 |
| Shenzhen | Aarhus | $80-$175 | $2000-$3300 | $3500-$5000 |
| Ningbo | Aarhus | $90-$180 | $2050-$3650 | $3450-$5050 |
| Shanghai | Odense | $85-$175 | $2100-$3500 | $3650-$4850 |
| Shenzhen | Odense | $85-$175 | $2000-$3400 | $3500-$4800 |
| Ningbo | Odense | $80-$175 | $2050-$3350 | $3750-$4950 |
Air Freight Cost from China to Denmark
Air freight costs are calculated based on the chargeable weight (volume weight or actual weight, whichever is greater). The direct flights and transfers of airlines and routes affect the price. Special categories such as charged, liquid, and powder have higher surcharges. Express service also affects the price.
| Departure Airport (China) | Arrival Airport (Denmark) | Cost Range (USD/kg) |
| Shanghai Pudong | Copenhagen Kastrup | $5.0 – $10.2 |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Copenhagen Kastrup | $5.3 – $9.7 |
| Beijing Capital | Copenhagen Kastrup | $5.5 – $9.5 |
| Shanghai Pudong | Billund | $5.7 – $10.0 |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Billund | $6.0 – $9.8 |
| Beijing Capital | Billund | $5.3 – $10.0 |
| Shanghai Pudong | Aalborg | $5.2 – $10.0 |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Aalborg | $6.2 – $10.2 |
| Beijing Capital | Aalborg | $5.0 – $10.0 |
Rail Freight Cost from China to Denmark
Railway freight rates are calculated by weight or volume, and the routes received include direct and transit routes. FCL is cheaper than LCL, and is affected by factors such as capacity and seasonality.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Denmark) | LCL Shipping Cost | FCL Shipping Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chengdu | Padborg | $160 – $220 / CBM | $6000-$8500 /40HQ |
| Chongqing | Padborg | $150 – $220 / CBM | $6100-$8400 /40HQ |
| Xi’an | Padborg | $170 – $215 / CBM | $6200-$8450 /40HQ |
| Chengdu | Aarhus | $150 – $220 / CBM | $6200-$8350 /40HQ |
| Chongqing | Aarhus | $170 – $230 / CBM | $6150-$8580 /40HQ |
| Xi’an | Aarhus | $160 – $225 / CBM | $6200-$8000 /40HQ |
Refer to the following shipping costs from China to other countries:
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to the Netherlands?
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Germany?
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to the UK?
Shipping Time from China to Denmark
The time required to ship from China to Denmark varies depending on the mode of transportation and is also affected by factors such as route selection, transportation frequency, weather conditions, etc.
Sea Freight Time from China to Denmark
Sea transportation is the most economical mode of transportation, but it takes a long time. Goods depart from major ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao, and Shenzhen, pass through the Suez Canal, and arrive at major ports in Denmark. The sea transportation time is usually 30-35 days.
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Copenhagen | 30-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Copenhagen | 30-35 days |
| Ningbo | Copenhagen | 30-35 days |
| Shanghai | Aarhus | 30-33 days |
| Shenzhen | Aarhus | 31-35 days |
| Ningbo | Aarhus | 30-35 days |
| Shanghai | Esbjerg | 30-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Esbjerg | 30-34 days |
| Ningbo | Esbjerg | 31-35 days |
Air Freight Time from China to Denmark
Air transport is the fastest mode of transportation. It usually takes 3-7 days for goods to arrive at Danish airports from airports such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen directly or via Europe.
| Departure Airport (China) | Arrival Airport (Denmark) | Shipping time (days) |
| Shanghai Pudong | Copenhagen Kastrup | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Copenhagen Kastrup | 4-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Copenhagen Kastrup | 3-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Billund | 4-6 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Billund | 4-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Billund | 4-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Aalborg | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Aalborg | 4-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Aalborg | 4-7 days |
Rail Freight Time from China to Denmark
The China-Europe Express provides a relatively economical and efficient mode of transportation. It departs from Chongqing, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu and other places in China, passes through Kazakhstan, Russia, Poland, Germany and finally arrives in Denmark. The transportation time is usually 18-25 days.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Denmark) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Chengdu | Padborg | 15-25 days |
| Chongqing | Padborg | 15-24 days |
| Xi’an | Padborg | 16-24 days |
| Chengdu | Aarhus | 15-25 days |
| Chongqing | Aarhus | 16-23 days |
| Xi’an | Aarhus | 15-24 days |
Learn more about shipping times from China to surrounding areas:
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to the Netherlands?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Germany?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to the UK?
Door-to-Door Shipping from China to Denmark
Door-to-door transport means that the goods are transported directly from the factory or supplier warehouse in China to the receiving address in Denmark, without the need for the consignee to pick up the goods or clear customs. It is suitable for traders, e-commerce sellers, and factory buyers, and can simplify the logistics process and save time and cost.
Advantages of door-to-door
- Save time and energy: no need to handle customs clearance and delivery by yourself, the freight forwarder will handle the whole process.
- Reduce customs clearance risks: Under the DDP mode, the freight forwarder is responsible for customs clearance, reducing the risk of customs detention.
- Controllable costs: One-price quotation, no need to worry about additional costs.
- Suitable for novice buyers: no logistics experience is required, and goods can be easily imported.
Customs Clearance Process from China to Denmark
Goods shipped from China to Denmark need to go through import customs clearance at the Danish Customs (Toldstyrelsen), which generally includes the following steps:
Submit import declaration
Importers or freight forwarders need to submit import declarations (Customs Declaration) to the Danish Customs, mainly through the EU import system (TARIC). The declaration content includes:
- Description of goods
- HS code
- Value of goods
- Tariff rate
- Origin
Payment of customs duties and value-added tax (VAT)
- Tariffs (Import Duty): According to the HS code, some Chinese export goods can enjoy zero tariff treatment in the EU (such as GSP).
- Value-added tax (VAT): The standard VAT rate in Denmark is 25%, calculated as (value of goods + tariff + transportation fee) × 25%.
Customs review and inspection
Most of the goods declared normally can be cleared directly. If the customs suspects that the goods are not declared correctly or involve controlled products, they will conduct random inspections or document reviews, which may cause delays.
Goods Release
After customs clearance is completed, the customs will issue a release order, and the goods can enter Denmark and circulate freely. If the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) model is adopted, the freight forwarder will pay the customs duties and VAT on behalf of the importer, and the importer does not need to do anything extra.
The following documents need to be prepared for customs clearance:
- Commercial Invoice: value of goods, information of both the buyer and the seller
- Packing List: quantity, weight, and size of goods
- Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB): mode of transportation and certificate of ownership of goods
- Certificate of Origin (CO): confirm the country of origin of the goods and enjoy tariff preferences
- HS Code: determine the tariff rate
- Import License (Import License, if applicable): some regulated products need to be applied for in advance
- EORI number: companies importing goods in the EU must have an EORI number
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