China to Brazil freight shipping.

Ocean freight from China to Brazil takes 35–50 days for FCL. Shanghai to Santos usually takes 38–45 days. Ningbo to Itajaí takes 38–48 days. Shenzhen to Paranaguá takes 40–50 days. LCL adds 5–7 more days for consolidation and deconsolidation. Then add 7–14 days for Brazilian customs, through Siscomex — the exact time depends on your customs channel (green means same-day release; red means a full inspection). Air freight from China to São Paulo Guarulhos takes 5–9 days, plus 3–5 more days for customs release.

Santos handles about 40% of Brazil's national container volume, so it offers the best frequency of LCL services from China. Itajaí and Navegantes, both in Santa Catarina state, have long had a favorable ICMS regime for some product types, under SC state rules. This can lower your total landed cost if you ship to southern Brazil. The best choice still depends on your cargo type, NCM code, your state of domicile, and your inland delivery point. Our partners can model both options for you.

Yes. Every Brazilian legal entity (CNPJ) that wants to import must first sign up with Radar Siscomex. There are three tiers to choose from. The Limitado tier caps you at US$150,000 in imports per semester, and it suits importers who ship now and then. The Ordinário tier allows imports with no cap, but you must show proof that you have the funds. The Expresso tier gives a faster approval path to some company types. You sign up through Receita Federal. Our partner customs brokers can walk you through the whole Radar process, step by step.

AFRMM (Adicional ao Frete para Renovação da Marinha Mercante) is a Brazilian maritime levy. It adds 25% to the ocean freight value on all goods brought in by sea. It funds the Merchant Marine fund, run by ANTAQ. You cannot avoid AFRMM, and it applies no matter which carrier or route you use. It gets collected at customs clearance, and you must pay it before the DI is released. Note that AFRMM does not apply to air freight.

True DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) into Brazil needs a Brazilian CNPJ, an active Radar Siscomex registration, and up-front payment of II, IPI, PIS/COFINS, ICMS, and AFRMM by the importer of record. Suaid Global (Suaid LLC) is a US entity, so we do not act as the Brazilian importer of record ourselves. In practice, our partners offer 'importação por conta e ordem de terceiros.' Under this model, a licensed Brazilian importer acts for the foreign buyer and handles all tax payments and customs filings. We can connect you with registered importers in SC or SP when this fits your needs. Tax duty then passes to the registered importer, and this carries legal and cost effects you should review with a Brazilian trade lawyer.

You will need a commercial invoice — in Portuguese, or with a certified translation — plus a packing list, and a bill of lading or air waybill. You also need an NCM classification for each product line you ship. If your product needs prior sign-off from ANVISA, INMETRO, MAPA, or DECEX, you must add a Licença de Importação (LI) too. Add a certificate of origin as well, if you want to claim any preferential treatment, plus a valid Radar Siscomex registration for the Brazilian importer. Wooden packaging must meet the ISPM 15 rule (heat treatment or fumigation). Your licensed customs broker partner then files the Siscomex DI on your behalf.

NCM stands for Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul, an 8-digit code. The first 6 digits match the HS (Harmonized System) code you may already know; the last 2 are just for Mercosul. To find your NCM, start with the HS 6-digit code for your product. Then look up the MDIC/SECEX NCM table for the Mercosul extension. Rules on substantial change, plus Brazilian technical standards (ABNT), can also shift the class for goods that get made or built. Getting this wrong is a real risk in Brazil — it can lead to a red or grey channel check, fines, or even seizure. So we advise you to talk with a licensed Brazilian customs broker before you ship for the first time.

'Importação por conta e ordem de terceiros' means importation on behalf of a third party. It is a legal model under Brazilian customs law, where a registered importer, the trading company, acts for the real buyer. The buyer pays for the goods and the costs. The registered importer then handles the DI filing, the tax payment, and customs clearance, all under its own CNPJ. The registered importer's name sits on the DI, but the buyer still owns the full economic interest. This model lets foreign sellers, or firms with no Radar, import into Brazil through a compliant local partner. Suaid Global can connect you with established trading companies in SC and SP for this purpose.

It depends on what you plan to ship. ANVISA sign-off — a Licença de Importação from the health authority — is a must for cosmetics, personal care items, medical devices, drugs, and some food items. INMETRO checks apply to electronics, electrical goods, toys, and other safety-regulated items; once approved, the product must carry the Brazilian INMETRO seal. MAPA sign-off covers farm inputs, animal feed, and plant goods. DECEX, in turn, issues general import licenses for items on the Lista de Licenciamento Não-Automático. You must get all these approvals before your goods reach the Brazilian port, or else the cargo risks getting stuck at customs.

No, that is not how it works. Section 301 tariffs are a US trade policy tool. US Customs and Border Protection applies them only to goods that move from China into the United States. They do not touch goods that enter Brazil at all. When you ship straight from China to Brazil, you face Brazil's own set of import duties instead: II, IPI, PIS/COFINS, ICMS, and AFRMM. All of these sit under Brazilian Receita Federal rules, fully apart from any US trade policy.