Route and Timing
Compare the proposed transport and estimated transit for your cargo.
Shipping Corridor
China to Germany freight shipping.
A 40ft container from China to Hamburg or Bremerhaven runs about US$3,500–4,500, and a 20ft about US$2,000–2,600. Drewry assessed Shanghai–Rotterdam at US$3,997 per 40ft on September 10, 2026. Plan on 30–38 days by ocean and 5–8 days by air, door to door. Germany adds 19% import VAT, and the duty follows your goods code. Suaid Global coordinates the shipment through partner carriers and licensed customs brokers.
The Lane
One corridor, no carrier bias.
Suaid Global compares routing, mode, customs requirements and final delivery as one plan, so the quoted option is aligned to timing, documentation and landed cost.
Corridor at a glance
- Ocean FCL
- 30–38 days
- Ocean LCL
- 28–40 days
- Air Freight
- 5–8 days
- Origin gateways
- Port of Shanghai (Yangshan) · Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan · Port of Shenzhen (Yantian)
- Destination gateways
- Port of Hamburg · Port of Bremerhaven · Frankfurt Airport (air)
- Top cargo
- Electronics & Consumer Technology · Machinery & Industrial Equipment · Auto Parts & Components · Furniture & Home Goods · Textiles & Apparel · Solar & Renewable Energy Equipment · Toys & Consumer Goods
Transit Times
Mode by mode.
Use these as planning ranges. Door-to-door timing still depends on pickup, clearance, port dwell and final delivery.
| Mode | Transit | Best fit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean FCLChina to Germany | 30–38 days | Full 20ft, 40ft or 40ft High Cube loads, best from about 10–15 CBM. Planning range of about US$2,000–2,600 for a 20ft and US$3,500–4,500 for a 40ft to Hamburg or Bremerhaven. This is port-to-port freight. Terminal fees, customs and delivery come on top. | Quote this mode |
| Ocean LCLChina to Germany | 28–40 days | Smaller lots that share a container. Base freight runs about USD 70–150 per CBM (FreightAmigo, early 2026). Your cargo is billed on weight or volume, whichever is larger. CFS fees, customs and delivery are extra. | Quote this mode |
| Air FreightChina to Germany | 5–8 days | Urgent, high-value or time-sensitive cargo into Frankfurt (FRA) and other German airports. Freightos reported USD 4.88/kg from the Far East to Europe in the week before its September 8, 2026 update. You pay on chargeable weight. | Quote this mode |
Ranges are planning estimates from the corridor profile. Dated quotes confirm sailing, uplift, drayage and clearance assumptions.
Dated references
China to Germany Freight: Dated Price References
These are the published figures behind the ranges above, with their source and date. The Drewry figure covers port-to-port transport only. Inland transport, documents and customs clearance sit outside it. Our China to Germany shipping cost guide explains each cost line.
| Mode and unit | Reference | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean, 40ft dry container, Shanghai–Rotterdam | US$3,997 | Drewry World Container Index, September 10, 2026 |
| Ocean, 20ft dry container, Far East–North Europe | US$2,300 | Hapag-Lloyd FAK price, sailings from May 15, 2026 |
| Ocean, 40ft dry container, Far East–North Europe | US$3,500 | Hapag-Lloyd FAK price, sailings from May 15, 2026 |
| Ocean, 20ft and 40ft to Hamburg or Bremerhaven | US$2,000–2,600 and US$3,500–4,500 | Suaid Global planning range, as in our cost guide, September 2026 |
| LCL, China–Europe, base freight per CBM | USD 70–150 | FreightAmigo LCL guide, early 2026 |
| Air, Far East–Europe, per chargeable kg | USD 4.88 | Freightos, week before the September 8, 2026 update |
Budget
Worked Example: 57 CBM from Shanghai to Hamburg
Here is how a full-container shipment adds up, from the container price to the import VAT. A small lot and an air option follow for comparison.
- Choose the equipment — 57 CBM fits below the 67.7 m³ that Maersk lists for an empty 40ft dry container. Check the real load plan, and price a 40ft High Cube as well.
- Check the scale — A 40ft to Hamburg runs about US$3,500–4,500. Drewry put Shanghai–Rotterdam at US$3,997 on September 10, 2026.
- Add the other lines — Add pickup, export customs in China, terminal fees in Germany, the broker fee and delivery. Take each amount from the written quote.
- Work out the import VAT — Add the customs value, the duty and the transport cost to the first EU destination. Multiply by 19%. For every EUR 10,000 of tax base, import VAT is EUR 1,900.
- Compare LCL for a small lot — A 2 CBM, 800 kg lot bills as 2 units. At USD 70–150 per CBM, base freight is USD 140–300 before fees and taxes.
- Compare air for urgent cargo — At USD 4.88/kg, 400 kg of chargeable weight gives USD 1,952 of freight before minimums, fees and taxes.
Germany
Costs and Rules at the German End
These costs arise in Germany, after the ship or plane arrives. Some are official taxes with a legal rate. Others are service fees set by terminals, brokers and hauliers.
| Charge | Published amount or rule | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) | 19% standard rate; 7% for listed goods | German VAT law, UStG §12 |
| Tax base for import VAT | Customs value, plus duty and transport to the first EU destination | UStG §11 and German Customs |
| Customs duty | Set per goods code and origin; no single rate | EU TARIC database |
| EORI number | Needed by an EU importer for customs operations | European Commission |
| Terminal handling at the port | Confirm in the quote | Terminal or carrier tariff |
| Customs broker fee | Confirm in the quote | The broker's written offer |
| Delivery from Hamburg or Bremerhaven | Confirm in the quote | Truck or rail offer |
Schedule
What the Sailing Time Leaves Out
A sailing time covers the voyage from port to port. The stages below add days to your door-to-door schedule. Routing through Suez or around the Cape of Good Hope also changes the voyage, so ask for the days of a named service. Our Red Sea route guide lists what to check.
- Pickup and export customs in China.
- LCL consolidation at the origin warehouse.
- Waiting for the cutoff and loading.
- Transfer at another port, if the service has one.
- Unloading and release at Hamburg or Bremerhaven.
- Customs clearance and payment of import VAT.
- Delivery to your address.
Quote
What to Send for a China to Germany Quote
- Pickup city in China and delivery city in Germany, or the ports, such as Shanghai and Hamburg.
- Number of packages, packed size and gross weight. The CBM calculator works out the volume.
- What the goods are, with the goods code if you have it.
- Cargo-ready date and the Incoterm agreed with your supplier.
- Door to door or port to port, and whether you need customs clearance in Germany.
- Any batteries, dangerous goods or temperature needs.
- Whether your company already has an EORI number.
- For a first estimate by mode, try the freight calculator.
Planning
Customs and landed-cost planning.
This corridor is not just a freight leg. Duties, agency reviews, document timing and mode selection all affect the real landed cost.
Ocean planning range30–38 days typical
Air planning range5–8 days typical
Quote modelAll-in routing review
Reviewed Before Booking
What changes the plan
Customs requirementsEvery shipment from China to Germany needs a commercial invoice and a packing list. Add a bill of lading for ocean freight, or an air waybill for air freight. Your company, as the importer, needs an EORI number for customs work in the EU. Many products also need CE marking or other proof of conformity, so confirm this for your goods before you ship. A customs broker files the declaration with German Customs on your behalf. Licensed customs broker partners in our network can check the goods code, the duty and the import VAT before the cargo lands. Terminal handling, the broker fee and delivery from the port come from written offers, not from a public tariff. German Customs collects import VAT together with duty when goods enter from outside the EU. A missing paper can hold a container at the terminal, and storage charges start once free time ends. Send the invoice and packing list for review before the cargo leaves China.
Tariff and duty treatmentThe EU sets customs duty for all member states, so Germany applies the EU rate for your goods code. Look the code up with China as the origin in the EU's TARIC database. This page gives no product rate, because the code decides the duty. Some Chinese products face anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties on top. These apply per product and sometimes per maker, and TARIC shows them when you enter the origin. Germany then charges import VAT at 19%, or 7% for listed goods, on the customs value plus duty and transport to the first EU destination. For every EUR 10,000 of tax base, import VAT is EUR 1,900.
Carrier-neutral routingOptions are compared by schedule, transshipment risk, customs exposure and final delivery, not by carrier preference.
Services
Services on this corridor.
Advisories
View all insights Guides for this corridor.
FAQ
China to Germany, answered.
Planning answers from the corridor profile. A dated quote confirms the route, carrier and customs assumptions for your shipment.
A 40ft container from China to Hamburg or Bremerhaven runs about US$3,500–4,500, and a 20ft about US$2,000–2,600. Drewry put Shanghai–Rotterdam at US$3,997 per 40ft on September 10, 2026. That is port-to-port freight. Terminal fees, customs and delivery come on top.
LCL from China to Germany runs about USD 70–150 per CBM of base freight, the China to Europe range from FreightAmigo's early-2026 guide. CFS fees, customs and delivery are extra. The rate applies to the larger of weight and volume, where 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg.
Freightos reported USD 4.88/kg from the Far East to Europe for the week before its September 8, 2026 update. Your price uses chargeable weight, the higher of gross and volume weight. Minimum charges and fees change the total.
Plan on 30–38 days door to door for a full container by ocean, and 28–40 days for LCL. Air freight runs 5–8 days door to door. Routing through Suez or around the Cape of Good Hope changes sailing time, so ask for the days of a named service.
Both are major German container ports. The right choice depends on where your goods go next, the carrier service and the terminal fees in each quote. Name the port in your request and compare written offers for both.
Expect import VAT, any customs duty, terminal handling, a broker fee and delivery. Import VAT is 19% at the standard rate. Terminal, broker and delivery fees come from the written quote, not from a public tariff.
An EU importer needs an EORI number for customs operations. If your company does not have one yet, your customs broker can confirm how to get it. Get it before the cargo arrives, so that clearance does not wait.
Some do. The EU applies anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties to certain Chinese products, set per product and sometimes per maker. TARIC shows them when you enter your goods code with China as origin. A licensed customs broker can confirm it before you ship.
Send the pickup and delivery points, or the ports, such as Shanghai and Hamburg. Add the number of packages, packed size, gross weight, what the goods are and the ready date. Include the Incoterm and any batteries or temperature needs. Suaid Global coordinates the shipment through partner carriers and licensed customs brokers.
Before You Book
A Quote You Can Review With Confidence
Charges and Scope
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