Shipping from China to Kenya
As trade between China and Kenya continues to grow, the demand for shipping goods from China to Kenya is also gradually increasing. Kenya is an important economic and logistics center in East Africa. With key seaports such as the Port of Mombasa and important cities such as Nairobi, it has become an important hub for China-Africa trade. Ubest Shipping provides a full range of logistics solutions from China to Kenya, ensuring that your goods can reach their destination safely and on time.
Whether you need to transport bulk commodities, light and small commodities, or need to deliver high-value items quickly, we can provide you with tailor-made transportation services. Ubest Shipping meets the needs of different customers through both sea and air transportation, helping customers optimize costs while ensuring transportation timeliness. Our professional team will provide you with one-stop services, including customs clearance, document preparation, real-time tracking, etc., to ensure a smooth and worry-free transportation process.
What can we do when shipping from China to Kenya?
Sea freight FCL from China to Kenya
- Shipping from China to Port of Mombasa, Kenya.
- Reliable shipping schedule, on-time delivery, cheap freight
- Container Shipping: 20ft container, 40ft container, 40HQ container
Sea freight LCL from China to Kenya
- Consolidate multiple shipments into one container
- Competitive freight rates based on cubic meters or tons
- Collect shipments from different suppliers in different cities
Air freight from China to Kenya
- Our air freight service flies directly from major airports in China to Jordan
- Quickly respond to market demand and offer competitive air freight prices
- It takes 2 to 5 days to air freight from China to Iraq
Express delivery service from China to Kenya
- Express delivery from China to any city in Kenya
- Super fast, 1 to 3 days to Kenya
- Huge discounts on DHL, UPS, Fedex, TNT, EMS, SF Express
Door to Door Shipping from China to Kenya
- Shipping from any city in China to the warehouse in Kenya
- Including Kenya customs duties and taxes (DDP/DDU)
- Charged per cubic meter or per kilogram
DDP Shipping from China to Kenya
- Provide one-stop service from China to Kenya warehouse
- DDP service, all tariffs and taxes included, reduce cost risks.
- Flexibly choose the mode of transportation to ensure the fast and safe arrival of goods.
Content Guidelines
Guide to Shipping from China to Kenya
Shipping goods from China to Kenya requires precise planning and professional logistics support. Choosing the right mode of transportation and freight forwarding company is a key step to ensure smooth delivery. Understanding local customs regulations, tariffs and import requirements is an important part of ensuring the smoothness of the entire transportation process. When formulating a transportation plan, customers should choose the right mode of transportation based on the nature of the goods, transportation time and budget.
Sea Freight is the main way to transport bulk goods from China to Kenya. First, you need to contact a professional freight forwarder or logistics company, who will provide you with a series of services from cargo packaging, boxing, customs declaration to transportation tracking.
After the goods are prepared, they will be shipped to a major port in China, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou or Shenzhen. After that, the goods will be transported by freighter to major ports such as Mombasa Port or Kisumu Port in Kenya. After the goods arrive in Kenya, customs clearance procedures are required, including submitting necessary documents, paying tariffs, etc. Finally, the goods will be shipped to your designated destination.
In addition, you also need to understand Kenya’s import policy and tariff system to prepare for customs clearance of goods.
Ubest Shipping offers a variety of options from door-to-door services to port-to-port shipping, and helps customers prepare necessary customs clearance documents such as commercial invoices, packing lists, and bills of lading. We ensure that customers receive full support and information transparency throughout the entire shipping process.
Sea Freight from China to Kenya
Sea freight is the most economical option for shipping large quantities of goods from China to Kenya. The Port of Mombasa is the main port in Kenya, handling a large amount of international cargo every year and is a core logistics node in East Africa.
Sea freight is suitable for bulk goods or heavy goods, and customers can choose full container load (FCL) or less than container load (LCL) shipping. FCL shipping is suitable for customers who need full container load to ensure the privacy and security of their goods; while LCL shipping provides an economical option for small quantities of goods, sharing a container with other shippers.
From major Chinese ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo and Guangzhou to the Port of Mombasa, sea freight time is usually 25 to 40 days, depending on the route and port arrangement. Ubest Shipping provides flexible shipping solutions to help customers make the best decision when choosing routes, schedules and budgets. In addition, our team will help handle customs clearance and other necessary procedures for the goods at the destination port to ensure the smooth delivery of your goods.
Advantages of Sea Freight
Sea freight from China to Kenya has significant cost advantages. Compared with air freight, sea freight usually has lower freight rates, which makes it the preferred mode of transportation for bulk and heavy goods. In addition, sea freight also has the characteristics of strong carrying capacity and large transportation volume, which can meet the transportation needs of a large number of goods.
Sea Freight from China to Kenya process steps
The sea freight process includes booking, packing, customs declaration, transportation and customs clearance.
- First, you need to contact the freight forwarder or logistics company to book according to the quantity, size and weight of the goods.
- After the booking is confirmed, the freight forwarder will arrange a professional packing team to load the goods into the container and ensure the safety and stability of the goods.
- Next, the goods will be shipped to the port in China for customs clearance.
- After customs clearance is completed, the goods will be taken to the port in Kenya by freighter.
- After arriving in Kenya, customs clearance procedures are required, including submitting necessary documents, paying customs duties, etc.
- Finally, the freight forwarder will arrange to transport the goods from the port to your designated destination.
Notes on Sea Freight to Kenya
When choosing a sea freight method, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- First, since sea freight takes a long time, please make sure that your goods are not time-sensitive.
- Second, you need to understand Kenya’s import policy and tariff system to prepare for customs clearance of goods.
- In addition, you also need to choose an experienced and considerate freight forwarder or logistics company to ensure the safety and on-time arrival of the goods.
During the transportation process, you can also consider purchasing transportation insurance to reduce the risk of loss or damage of goods.
Air Freight from China to Kenya
For time-sensitive or high-value shipments, air freight is an ideal option from China to Kenya. The main advantages of air freight are its speed and efficiency. China’s major departure airports such as Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport offer flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Air freight time is usually 3 to 7 days, which greatly shortens the delivery cycle.
Advantages of Air Freight
Air freight from China to Kenya is characterized by speed and efficiency. Compared with sea freight, air freight can greatly shorten the transportation time of goods, usually only taking a few days to reach Kenya. This makes air freight the preferred mode of transportation for time-sensitive goods. In addition, air freight also has the characteristics of flexible service and high reliability, which can meet the diverse needs of customers.
Although the cost of air freight is relatively high, this mode of transportation is the most ideal for electronic products, time-sensitive goods and high-value items. Ubest Shipping provides professional air freight solutions, covering flight arrangements, insurance services and customs clearance support. Our team will help customers prepare all necessary documents and provide real-time cargo tracking services to ensure that the transportation process is efficient and transparent.
Air Freight from China to Kenya Process and Notes
Steps of Air Freight from China to Kenya
The air freight process includes booking space, cargo preparation, customs declaration, transportation and customs clearance.
- First, you need to contact the freight forwarder or airline to book space based on the quantity, size and weight of the cargo.
- After the space is confirmed, you need to prepare the cargo according to the requirements of the airline, including packaging, labeling, weighing, etc.
- Next, the cargo will be transported to the airport in China for customs clearance.
- After customs clearance is completed, the cargo will be taken to the airport in Kenya by flight.
- After arriving in Kenya, customs clearance procedures are required, including submitting necessary documents, paying tariffs, etc.
- Finally, the freight forwarder will arrange to transport the cargo from the airport to your designated destination.
Precautions for Air Freight from China to Kenya
When choosing air freight, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- First, due to the high cost of air freight, please make sure that your goods are time-sensitive and of high value.
- Second, you need to understand Kenya’s import policy and tariff system to prepare for customs clearance of goods.
- In addition, you also need to choose an experienced and considerate freight forwarder or airline to ensure the safety and on-time arrival of the goods. During the transportation process, you can also consider purchasing transportation insurance to reduce the risk of loss or damage of goods.
Shipping costs from China to Kenya (Updated November 2024)
- The cost of shipping from China to Kenya will vary greatly depending on whether you choose air or sea freight. Air freight costs are usually between $5 and $10 per kilogram, while sea freight costs range from $2,500 to $4,000 for a 20-foot container. You can refer to the table below:
| Shipping Method | Shipping From China to Kenya (Cost) |
|---|---|
| Sea Shipping (20ft Container) | Approx. USD 2,850 for a 20ft container |
| Sea Shipping (40ft Container) | Approx. USD 3,550 for a 40ft container |
| Sea Shipping (LCL) | Approx. USD 100 per cubic meters (m3) |
| Air Freight Shipping | Approx. USD 750 for 100kg |
| Door to Door Shipping | Approx. USD 13 to 15 per kgs or approx. USD 150 – 200 per m3 |
| DDP Air Freight | Approx. USD 10.5 to 15 per kgs |
| DDP Sea Freight | Approx. USD 150 to 300 per cbm (m3) |
| Express Shipping | Approx. USD 14.5 per Kgs |
Cost of Shipping 20ft & 40ft Container From China To Kenya
| POL (Port of China) | POL (Port of Kenya) | 20ft container cost | 40ft container cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Mombasa Port | $2550-$3500 | $3500-$4500 |
| Shenzhen | Mombasa Port | $2200-$3300 | $3450-$4350 |
| Qingdao | Mombasa Port | $2650-$3650 | $3350-$4550 |
| Ningbo | Mombasa Port | $2500-$3500 | $3250-$4550 |
| Guangzhou | Mombasa Port | $2750-$3850 | $3450-$4600 |
| Tainjin | Mombasa Port | $3000-$3500 | $3500-$4800 |
How long does it take to ship from China to Kenya?
Shipping time from China to Kenya varies depending on the method used. Ocean freight has an estimated shipping time of 30 to 45 days. Air freight is faster and usually arrives within 3 to 7 days. The number of days required may vary if you choose different origins, destinations, services and routes.
| Shipping Method | Shipping Time From China to Kenya |
|---|---|
| Sea Freight (FCL & LCL) | 30-45 days |
| Air Freight | 3-7 days |
| Express Shipping | 2-4 days |
| Door to Door Shipping | 40 – 50 days |
Sea Freight time from China to Kenya
| Origin City | Destination Port | Transit Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Mombasa Port | 29-36 (FCL), 40-46 (LCL) |
| Ningbo | Mombasa Port | 28-35 (FCL), 38-45 (LCL) |
| Shenzhen | Mombasa Port | 32-38 (FCL), 44-50 (LCL) |
| Guangzhou | Mombasa Port | 32-38 (FCL), 44-50 (LCL) |
| Qingdao | Mombasa Port | 34-41 (FCL), 46-53 (LCL) |
| Tianjin | Mombasa Port | 34-41 (FCL), 46-53 (LCL) |
| Dalian | Mombasa Port | 37-44 (FCL), 49-56 (LCL) |
| Xiamen | Mombasa Port | 34-41 (FCL), 46-53 (LCL) |
Door to Door Shipping from China to Kenya
Door to Door Shipping is a streamlined logistics solution designed to simplify the entire shipping process from the supplier’s warehouse in China to the consignee’s doorstep in Kenya.
What is Door to Door Shipping?
Door to Door Shipping is an integrated logistics solution where the freight forwarder manages the entire shipping process from the point of origin to the final destination. This service typically includes:
- Pickup: Collecting the goods from the supplier or manufacturer in China.
- Transportation: Coordinating inland transportation within China and then coordinating international transportation (air or sea) to Kenya.
- Customs Clearance: Processing all necessary customs documents and formalities at the point of origin and destination.
- Delivery: Transporting the goods from the Kenyan port or airport to the consignee’s address.
This door to door shipping service from China to Kenya ensures that all logistics links are centrally managed by Ubest Shipping, providing a hassle-free experience for shippers.
VAT and Duties on Imports from China to Kenya
When importing products from China to Kenya, the landed cost must be calculated. This is determined by the customs duty on imports from China to Kenya. All imports are subject to a VAT equivalent to 14% of the FOB value, with an additional 10% added to this amount.
In Kenya, customs duties typically range from 0% to 45%, depending on the product, as shown in the table below:
| Product Category | Customs Duty | VAT (16%) | Total Tax Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 25% | 16% | 41% |
| Clothing | 35% | 16% | 51% |
| Machinery | 10% | 16% | 26% |
| Automotive Parts | 20% | 16% | 36% |
| Agriculture Products | 0% | 16% | 16% |
Customs clearance documents for shipping from China to Kenya
For goods shipped from China to Kenya, the customs clearance process requires a series of documents to ensure that the goods pass through Kenyan customs smoothly. The following are the main customs clearance documents:
- Commercial Invoice
This document is provided by the shipper and details the description, quantity, value, country of origin of the goods, and information about the buyer and seller. The invoice is used to determine duties and taxes. - Packing List
The packing list lists the specific contents of each package or container, including the dimensions, weight, packaging method and quantity of the goods. It helps customs verify the details of the goods. - Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB)
A bill of lading is used for ocean shipments and an airway bill is used for air shipments. It is a legal document for the transportation of goods, proving that the goods have been loaded on a ship or air shipment and providing detailed transportation information and destination information. - Certificate of Origin (COO)
This certificate proves the country of origin of the production or manufacturing of the goods. It can affect the application of tariffs, especially if tariff reductions may be obtained under free trade agreements. - Import License
Some special types of goods may require an import license to legally enter Kenya, such as medicines, chemicals or certain foods. Importers should check the requirements for the goods in advance. - Insurance Certificate
If the goods are insured during transportation, the insurance certificate is used to prove that the goods have been insured and to specify the insurance coverage. - Customs Declaration Form
The document that the importer or customs clearance agent needs to submit, listing all the detailed information related to the goods, such as quantity, value, taxes, etc., for customs to assess and calculate tariffs. - Product Certification Documents
Some products may require additional certification documents, such as health certificates, quality certifications or certificates of compliance with international standards, especially for goods such as food, medicines, chemicals, etc.
Providing correct and complete documents can speed up the customs clearance process in Kenya and reduce delays.
Best Freight Forwarder for Shipping from China to Kenya
Freight forwarders are essential to simplifying the process of international shipping from China to Kenya. As intermediaries, they facilitate the logistics of shipping goods across borders by working with various shipping services. This includes organizing freight, negotiating freight rates, and booking cargo space.
Freight forwarders provide a range of services that enhance the shipping process:
- Document handling: ensuring that all shipping documents are submitted correctly and in a timely manner.
- Customs clearance: dealing with complex customs regulations to avoid delays.
- Cargo tracking: providing shippers with the latest status of the entire shipment.
Ubest Shipping As one of the top freight forwarders serving China to Kenya, we have the knowledge, expertise, and experience to provide you with the most accurate answers and the best shipping solutions. Leave it to the experts and you will be free from all the hassles and complexities of shipping and logistics.