Shipping from China to Turkey
The logistics demand from China to Turkey continues to grow. As a trade hub connecting Europe and Asia, Turkey’s import demand for Chinese products has steadily increased. In 2023, the bilateral import and export volume of goods between China and Turkey was US$43.3 billion. Electronic products, machinery and equipment, clothing and furniture are in great demand in the Turkish market, so it is particularly important to ensure the safety and timeliness of transportation.
Choosing the right Shipping method will ensure that your goods can reach Turkey quickly and safely. For bulk goods or cost-sensitive needs, sea freight is an ideal choice. Goods can be shipped from major ports in China and eventually arrive at Istanbul or Mersin Port. Sea freight usually takes a long time, generally 25 to 35 days, but it is very suitable for large quantities of non-urgent goods. For goods with higher timeliness requirements, air freight can deliver goods within 3 to 7 days, and goods are usually quickly cleared and distributed through waypoints such as Istanbul International Airport.
Ubest Shipping is committed to providing comprehensive Shipping services from China to Turkey, including sea, air, door to door Shipping, DDP Shipping, customs clearance and other services to help your goods arrive smoothly in Turkey’s major cities and ports such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.
What can we do when shipping from China to Turkey?
Sea freight FCL from China to Turkey
- Shipping from China to Mersin Port, Istanbul, Turkey
- Reliable shipping schedule, on-time delivery, cheap freight
- Container Shipping: 20ft container, 40ft container, 40HQ container
Sea freight LCL from China to Turkey
- 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 Turkey
- Our air freight service flies directly from major airports in China to Turkey
- Quickly respond to market demand and offer competitive air freight prices
- It takes 2 to 5 days to airfreight from China to Dubai, UAE
Express delivery service from China to Turkey
- Express delivery from China to any city in Turkey
- Super fast, 1 to 3 days to Turkey
- Huge discounts on DHL, UPS, Fedex, TNT, EMS, SF Express
Door to Door Shipping from China to Turkey
- Shipping from any city in China to the warehouse in the Turkey
- Including Turkey customs duties and taxes (DDP/DDU)
- Charged per cubic meter or per kilogram
DDP Shipping from China to Turkey
- Provide one-stop service from China to Turkey 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 Turkey
Shipping goods from China to Turkey is a multi-step process, from choosing the right mode of transport to ensuring customs clearance is completed smoothly, every step is crucial. Turkey’s demand covers a wide range of goods such as electronics, textiles, machinery and equipment, so understanding the shipping process is particularly important to successfully close a deal.
How to Ship from China to Turkey
- Air Freight: Air freight from China to Turkey is known for its speed and is ideal for urgent or high-value goods. However, it is generally more expensive than sea freight, especially for larger, heavier goods.
- Ocean Freight: Ocean freight is a cost-effective solution for freight from China to Turkey, especially for larger, non-urgent goods. Utilizing cargo ships and a variety of container sizes, ocean freight can meet the needs of a wide range of goods, from raw materials to specialized products, and the unit cost is generally lower than air freight.
- Door-to-Door/DDP Shipping Service: Door-to-door shipping from China to Turkey simplifies the entire logistics process, from initial pickup to final delivery to the recipient’s address in Turkey. This comprehensive service provides unparalleled convenience, allowing businesses to entrust every logistics detail to a Chinese freight forwarding company.
- Express delivery: Major express delivery companies such as DHL, FedEx and UPS provide express delivery services from China to Turkey, which are specially designed for fast and reliable delivery of small urgent packages. It combines air and land transportation methods, which is faster than traditional air or sea transportation methods and is suitable for time-limited delivery such as documents or e-commerce products.
Choosing a suitable shipping method depends on the volume, weight, urgency and budget of the goods. Generally, sea transportation is suitable for bulk and non-urgent goods, while air transportation is more suitable for small quantities or urgent goods. Secondly, prepare all necessary documents before departure, including commercial invoices, packing lists and certificates of origin to speed up customs clearance in Turkey. Smooth customs clearance will avoid cargo detention and ensure on-time delivery.
In order to ensure the safety and timely delivery of goods, it is recommended to cooperate with professional logistics companies, such as Ubest Shipping. We not only help customers choose the best route, but also provide real-time tracking services to ensure that your goods arrive smoothly in major cities and ports in Turkey.
Sea Freight from China to Turkey
Sea freight is one of the main ways to transport bulk goods from China to Turkey, suitable for customers with limited budgets and relatively flexible time requirements. Sea freight usually departs from major Chinese ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shenzhen, and finally arrives at Turkish ports such as Istanbul and Mersin. The time span of sea freight varies from 20 to 35 days, depending on the distance between the departure port and the destination port and the arrangement of the route.
For sea freight, there are two options: Less than container load (LCL) and Full container load (FCL). If the goods are small, LCL is a more cost-effective option, and you can share a container with other shippers. For goods that require exclusive space or orders with large quantities, Full container load (FCL) is more suitable, and the cost is charged by container. In addition, the insurance service provided during the transportation of goods can ensure the safety of goods during transportation and effectively reduce unexpected risks.
Ubest Shipping provides professional sea freight services to help customers arrange suitable shipping routes to ensure that goods arrive in Turkey efficiently and safely. We cooperate with multiple shipping companies to provide flexible shipping schedules and full tracking to give customers peace of mind.
Sea Freight from China to Turkey: FCL vs LCL
How to choose between FCL or LCL for sea freight from China to Turkey?
LCL Shipping from China to Turkey
- Definition: LCL or Less than Container Load (LCL) is a method of shipping where your goods will share space with other goods within the same container. This method of shipping is ideal for goods that are too small to fill an entire container.
- When to use: Choose LCL shipping between China and Turkey if your goods do not exceed 13-15 CBM (cubic meters). This provides flexibility as it allows you to ship your goods when they are ready, rather than waiting for enough to justify the cost of a full container.
- Example: Let’s say you are a boutique fashion retailer importing unique goods from China to Turkey. Your orders may be irregular and each shipment may not be large enough to fill a container. In this case, using LCL shipping allows you to better manage freight costs and inventory levels.
- Cost Impact: With LCL shipping, you only pay for the space your goods take up in the container. However, keep in mind that the per-unit shipping cost may be higher compared to FCL shipping. Still, for smaller or inconsistent shipments, the overall cost and enhanced supply chain flexibility offered by LCL shipping may still make it a more attractive option.
FCL Shipping from China to Turkey
- Definition: FCL or Full Container Load is a unique mode of ocean freight where the cargo fills an entire container, usually 20 feet or 40 feet. It is called FCL shipping because it remains sealed from origin to destination, providing security.
- When to use: FCL shipping is an ideal mode of shipping for large shipments, usually more than 15 cubic meters. This is because of economies of scale, and it is more cost-effective to ship large shipments.
- Example: Let’s say you are shipping a large shipment of electronics from Shanghai to Turkey. Considering the size and value of the shipment, choosing FCL shipping allows your shipment to fit securely in one container, reducing potential loss or damage during transportation.
- Cost Impact: In FCL shipping, you are responsible for the cost of the entire container; therefore, the cost may seem high. However, since the cost per cubic meter is lower, it will be less for larger shipments. Getting a FCL shipping quote is essential to understanding your financial situation. Quotations usually include terminal handling charges at origin and destination, freight charges and possible surcharges depending on the cargo and route.
Major Ports in Turkey
Port of Ambalı:
Location and Capacity: Port of Ambalı is located on the Sea of Marmara and is Istanbul’s main maritime gateway. The port handles up to 3.9 million TEUs of cargo per year.
Port of Mersin:
Location and Capacity: Port of Mersin is located on the Mediterranean Sea and is Turkey’s largest port, with an annual cargo volume of approximately 3.6 million TEUs.
Port of Izmir
Location and Capacity: Port of Izmir is located on the Aegean Sea and handles an annual cargo volume of more than 1.1 million TEUs.
Port of Iskenderun
Location and Capacity: Port of Iskenderun is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and handles an annual throughput of more than 700,000 TEUs.
Port of Haydarpaşa
Location and Capacity: Port of Haydarpaşa is located on the Bosphorus Strait and has a huge shipping volume of more than 700,000 TEUs.
Port of Antalya
Location and Capacity: Port of Antalya is located on the southwest coast of Turkey and handles approximately 200,000 TEUs per year.
Air Freight from China to Turkey
Air freight is an ideal choice for urgent needs, and can quickly send goods from China to Turkey, especially for high value-added and time-sensitive goods. Air freight usually passes through airports in major Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc., and flies to Istanbul Airport or Ankara Airport in Turkey. Depending on the flight schedule, air freight usually takes only 3 to 7 days to complete, ensuring that your goods arrive quickly.
The cost of air freight is usually higher, but it has obvious advantages in timeliness and safety. For small quantities of goods with low weight, air freight is a relatively economical choice. For customers who ship frequently or in large quantities, you can choose a package service to get a more favorable air freight price. In addition, before air freight, be sure to ensure that all customs clearance documents are complete so that the goods can pass through Turkish customs smoothly and avoid delays.
Ubest Shipping provides efficient air freight services. With rich experience in international logistics, we can recommend the fastest routes and economical freight plans for customers to ensure that your goods arrive in Turkey safely and quickly.
Major International Airports in Turkey
Istanbul International Airport: Located in Istanbul, it is the largest airport in Turkey and one of the busiest airports in Europe. It offers a wide range of international routes, connecting many cities around the world.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport: Also located in Istanbul, it is the second largest international airport in Turkey and is named after Turkey’s first female pilot. The airport also offers a wide range of international flight services.
Ankara Esenboga International Airport: Located in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, it is an important political and business aviation hub in Turkey, connecting many cities at home and abroad.
Antalya International Airport: Located in Antalya, a tourist city on the Mediterranean coast in southern Turkey, it is one of Turkey’s major tourist airports, providing tourists with convenient flight services.
Shipping costs from China to Turkey (updated October 2024)
| Shipping Mode | Cost |
|---|---|
| LCL | $50 – $100 per cubic meter |
| FCL (20-foot container) | $2,550 |
| FCL (40-foot container) | $3,250 |
| FCL (40HQ container) | $5,000 |
| Express Shipping (50kg) | $9.5 per kilogram |
| Air Freight (100kg) | $6.5 per kilogram |
Please note that these estimates are general and may vary depending on the specific factors listed above.
Cost of 20ft & 40ft container from China to Turkey
Ocean freight costs vary greatly depending on the type of goods, size of goods, specific transportation conditions, etc. The cost of shipping a 20ft container from China to Turkey by sea is between $2,500 and $3,500, while the cost of a 40ft ocean container is between $3,000 and $4,500.
| China Sea Port | Turkey Sea Port | 20ft Container Cost | 40ft Container Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Port of Istanbul | $2750 | $3250 |
| Shenzhen | Port of Istanbul | $2650 | $3550 |
| Ningbo | Port of Istanbul | $2850 | $3450 |
| Guangzhou | Port of Istanbul | $2550 | $3150 |
| Hong Kong | Port of Istanbul | $2650 | $3650 |
| Qingdao | Port of Istanbul | $2750 | $3350 |
| Tianjin | Port of Istanbul | $2550 | $3250 |
How long does it take to ship from China to Turkey?
Sea freight time from China to Turkey
Sea freight is a cost-effective option for transporting large quantities of goods, but it usually takes a long time to ship. The average shipping time from China to Turkey by sea is as follows:
Port to port transit time: 25 to 35 days
This includes the time it takes for the vessel to sail from the Chinese port of departure (such as Shanghai, Ningbo or Shenzhen) to the Turkish port of arrival (Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir).
| POL | POD | Transit time |
| Shanghai | Istanbul | 25-30 days |
| Shanghai | Mersin | 22-28 days |
| Shanghai | Izmir | 26-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Istanbul | 26-32 days |
| Shenzhen | Mersin | 25-30 days |
| Shenzhen | Izmir | 28-35 days |
| Qingdao | Istanbul | 24-32 days |
| Qingdao | Mersin | 25-30 dayss |
| Qingdao | Izmir | 27-33 days |
Additional handling time: 3 to 5 days
This includes the time required for loading, unloading, customs clearance and inland transportation to the final destination.
Air Freight Time from China to Turkey
Air freight has significantly faster transit times compared to sea freight, making it an ideal choice for urgent or high-value shipments. The average transit time for air freight from China to Turkey is 3 to 7 days.
Airport to Airport Transfer Time: 1 to 3 Days
This includes the flight time from major Chinese airports (such as Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport or Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport) to an international airport in Turkey.
Door to Door Shipping from China to Turkey
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 Turkey.
What is Door-to-Door Service?
Door-to-Door service 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 international transportation (air or sea) to Turkey.
- Customs Clearance: Handling all necessary customs documents and formalities at the point of origin and destination.
- Delivery: Transporting the goods from the port or airport in Turkey to the consignee’s address.
This end-to-end service ensures that all logistics links are managed by a single provider, providing a hassle-free experience for shippers.
Tariffs and VAT on Importing Goods from China to Turkey
How to calculate duties and VAT on importing goods from China to Turkey?
When importing goods from China to Turkey, understanding import taxes and duties is essential to effectively manage overall shipping costs. Here’s what you need to know:
- Value Added Tax (VAT): Applied to the total value of the goods, including cost, insurance, and freight (CIF). The standard VAT rate in Turkey is 18%, but it varies based on the product category.
- Duty: Duty is calculated as a percentage of the CIF value and varies based on the HS code of the product. Rates range from 0% to 20%, depending on the classification of the goods.
Example: Shipping a shipment of $20,000 worth of goods from Shanghai for a product category that is subject to a 10% duty and the standard VAT rate, the additional costs would be:
Duty: $2,000 (10% of $20,000)
VAT: $3,800 (18% of $20,000 [CIF value + duty])
Total additional costs: $5,580
Customs clearance documents for shipping from China to Turkey
When shipping goods from China to Turkey, the customs clearance process requires a series of documents to ensure that the goods pass through Turkish 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 Turkey, 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 Turkey and reduce delays.
Freight Forwarder from China to Turkey
Freight forwarders are essential to simplifying the process of international shipping from China to Turkey. 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 on time.
- Customs clearance: dealing with complex customs regulations to avoid delays.
- Cargo tracking: providing shippers with updates on the status of the entire shipment.
Ubest Shipping As one of the top freight forwarders serving China to Turkey, 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.