Shipping from China to Singapore

With the increasingly close economic exchanges between China and Southeast Asia, the flow of goods from China to Singapore is becoming more and more frequent. Singapore is not only an important port country in Southeast Asia, but also a key node in China’s foreign trade. This article will introduce the logistics from China to Singapore in detail.

Introduction to Singapore

As an important global trade and financial center, Singapore has highly developed infrastructure and is located at the eastern entrance of the Strait of Malacca. It is a must-go place for Asia-Europe shipping. It has a natural deep-water port and connects the East-West maritime trade routes. Singapore Port is the world’s second largest container port, with high automation and global route connection capabilities. It is an ideal springboard for entering Southeast Asian markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

How to Ship from China to Singapore

Sea Freight
Sea Freight is currently the international transportation method with the lowest unit freight rate, with large capacity and strong carrying capacity. It is suitable for goods with large weight and volume (such as building materials, home appliances, mechanical equipment, etc.), with mature routes and stable services, and full container (FCL) and less than container (LCL) options, which are more flexible.

• Full Container Load (FCL): The service is ideal for businesses with enough cargo to fill an entire container, reducing the risk of damage and theft, is generally more cost-effective, and can speed up customs clearance.
• Less-than-Container Load (LCL): Ideal for businesses with smaller cargo that do not need to use full container loads. Combined with other cargo for transportation, it reduces costs.

Air Freight
Air freight is fast and has a simple process. Documents and customs clearance procedures are relatively simpler than sea freight. Due to the short transportation cycle and relatively delicate cargo handling, the cargo damage rate is low. The dense flights and well-developed airport network are suitable for goods with extremely high timeliness requirements, such as electronic products, samples, medical equipment, etc.

Changi Airport (SIN) – One of the busiest cargo airports in the world, it is known for its efficiency and connectivity and is the main entry point for air freight into Singapore.

Factors Affecting of Shipping Cost from China to Singapore

The logistics cost of shipping from China to Singapore is also affected by the following factors

Seasonal changes
Prices rise significantly before festivals or during peak seasons (such as Double Eleven).

Port of departure and port of destination
Different ports have different charges due to different distances between them.

Cargo type
Dangerous goods, heavy goods or large items require special transportation and additional costs.

Service type
Door to door (DDP/DDU) is usually more expensive than port to port, including customs clearance services, warehousing, loading and unloading, etc.

Bunker surcharge (BAF)
Bunker surcharge will significantly affect the overall transportation cost

Shipping Cost from China to Singapore

The cost of shipping from China to Singapore is affected by the above factors, mainly composed of the following costs:

• Sea freight: charged by container (FCL) or cubic meter (LCL).
• Air freight: charged by weight or volume weight (the higher one).
• Tariffs and Value Added Tax (GST): Singapore GST is 9% (starting in 2024).
• Surcharges: fuel surcharge, peak season surcharge, port congestion charge, etc.

Sea Freight Cost from China to Singapore

Ocean freight is charged mainly based on the type of service. Full container load is charged based on the size of the container (20ft and 40ft containers), and LCL is charged based on CBM. The following are the charges from different ports in China to Singapore:

Air Freight Cost from China to Singapore

Air freight charges are mainly calculated based on the chargeable weight (the larger of the actual weight and the volumetric weight). The volumetric weight calculation formula is: length × width × height (cm) ÷ 6000:

Read below for shipping costs to other countries to help you understand more:

How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Malaysia

How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to the Philippines

How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Indonesia

Shipping Time from China to Singapore

The shipping time from China to Singapore is usually 5 to 10 days by sea, and 1 to 3 days by air. The specific shipping time depends on the following factors:

Is the route direct
Direct ships are faster and more stable, and transit ships need to change ships midway

Port congestion or holidays
Holidays (such as China’s National Day, Spring Festival or Singapore public holidays) often cause delays in loading or customs clearance.

Weather factors
Severe weather such as typhoons and heavy rains may cause shipping delays.

Cargo attributes
Dangerous goods, live electrical products, etc. require special declaration or review, which may take longer.

Customs clearance and delivery efficiency
Incomplete customs declaration documents or customers’ failure to cooperate with customs clearance in a timely manner will cause delays.

Read below for shipping costs to other countries to help you understand more:

How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Thailand

How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to the Philippines

How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Indonesia

Door-to-door Shipping from China to Singapore

Door-to-door transportation refers to a one-stop service that starts from the warehouse or factory of the Chinese shipper, goes through the whole process of picking up, customs declaration, transportation, customs clearance, delivery, etc., and finally delivers the goods to the designated address of the consignee in Singapore.

Door-to-door service is usually combined with air or sea transportation, and is flexibly matched according to transportation time and budget. For example, large goods are shipped by door-to-door sea transportation, while small or urgent items are shipped by air transportation, which is both economical and efficient.

Customers do not need to deal with the tedious links of customs declaration, booking, customs clearance, delivery, etc. by themselves, and the freight forwarder will assist in the whole process.

Door-to-Door Shipping Process from China to Singapore

Confirm cargo information
The customer provides cargo information, packaging method, whether it is charged/liquid and other special properties. The freight forwarder provides a quotation and time limit, and confirms the mode of transportation.

Delivery to the warehouse
The freight forwarder arranges domestic trucks to pick up the goods, or the seller/factory delivers the goods to the logistics company’s collection warehouse.

Warehouse operation and packaging
Warehouse inspection, packaging reinforcement, box consolidation (if necessary), printing invoices, labels, etc. Confirm the mode of transportation, transportation terms (DDU/DDP) and consignee information.

Export customs declaration
The logistics company or agent is responsible for export customs declaration. Required documents:

• Invoice
• Packing List
• Contract
• Customs declaration letter
• Bill of Lading or Air Waybill

In transit

• Sea transportation: LCL or FCL, through Nansha, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Shanghai and other ports.
• Air transportation: departing from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou and other airports.
• Express delivery: directly handed over to international express delivery companies such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc.

Singapore customs clearance
Submit import information in advance, and the logistics company will do customs clearance and tax payment on your behalf, and the buyer does not need to do anything.

Local delivery
After customs clearance, arrange local express delivery or truck delivery to the designated address in Singapore, and provide proof of receipt or delivery receipt

Freight Forwarding Company from China to Singapore

For businesses looking to import goods from China to Singapore efficiently and economically, choosing the right freight forwarder is crucial. A reliable freight forwarder acts as an intermediary and manages logistics, documentation, and regulatory compliance throughout the entire transportation process. Its main services include arranging sea or air transportation, managing a large number of documents such as bills of lading and customs declarations, and facilitating efficient customs clearance.

Advantages of Ubestshipping:

• Experience in Southeast Asia dedicated lines: understand Singapore market rules and customs clearance procedures.
• Multiple modes of transportation are available: sea, air, express, and flexible switching.
• Transparent service and clear quotation: avoid additional costs later.
• DDP service is available: solve the problem of buyers not having import qualifications.
• Quick communication response and strong professional ability: can respond to emergencies and handle them in a timely manner.

Shipping from China to Singapore not only has geographical and policy advantages, but also has a mature transportation network and efficient customs clearance environment. Whether you are exporting large quantities of goods or cross-border e-commerce packages, by choosing the right logistics method and professional freight forwarding through this article, you can complete the transportation efficiently, safely and at a low cost.