China is Australia’s largest export market and its largest source of imports. Overall, it accounts for more than 30% of Australia’s trade. The total bilateral trade between China and Australia in 2022 will be US$220.9 billion, and China’s exports to Australia will be US$78.8 billion. How to Shipping from China to Australia is also what many exporters want to know.
Basenton Logistics, as a Chinese freight forwarding company serving Australia, we would like to share this shipping guide from China to Australia, including available shipping methods, time, cost, cheapest shipping method, etc. We hope it will be helpful to you. help.
Freight forwarding from China to Australia
What is a freight forwarder?
A freight forwarder is a person who provides services such as handling transportation formalities, picking up, dispatching and transporting goods on behalf of others.
Specifically, in the international freight market, a freight forwarder is between the cargo owner and the carrier. He accepts the cargo owner’s entrustment and handles a series of cargo transportation-related businesses such as chartering, booking, loading, preparing relevant documents, customs declaration, inspection, insurance, container transportation, unpacking, issuing bills of lading, settling freight and miscellaneous charges, and even negotiating and settling bills of lading and foreign exchange according to the instructions of the customer.
According to the definition of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), a freight forwarder is a person who takes goods for the benefit of the customer according to the customer’s instructions, and he is not a carrier.
Responsibilities of freight forwarders from China to Australia
In the process of freight from China to Australia, the main responsibilities of freight forwarders include:
- Transportation mode selection: Help customers choose the best mode of transportation, such as sea, air or express services.
- Price negotiation: Freight forwarders negotiate transportation costs with carriers, striving to obtain the best price for customers.
- Cargo packaging and loading: Ensure that the goods are safely packaged and loaded onto the means of transport as required.
- Handle customs clearance: Freight forwarders handle bilateral customs clearance procedures between China and Australia to ensure smooth customs clearance of goods.
- Transport insurance: Provide transport insurance services to ensure the safety of goods during transportation.
- Problem solving: If there are problems during transportation, freight forwarders are responsible for communication and coordination to solve the problems in a timely manner.
How to Choose the Right Freight Forwarder from China to Australia
Choosing the right freight forwarder is essential to ensure that goods are transported safely and efficiently. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a freight forwarder:
- Experience and Reputation: Choose a freight forwarder with rich experience and good reputation, who understands the logistics process between China and Australia.
- Service Scope: Make sure the freight forwarder can provide the services you need, including different modes of transportation, customs clearance services, and cargo insurance, etc.
- Price Transparency: Choose a freight forwarder with transparent prices to ensure that there are no hidden fees.
- Customer Support: A strong customer support team can promptly solve various problems encountered during transportation.
- Network Coverage: Freight forwarders with a wide network can better coordinate various links to ensure smooth transportation.
Learn More: How to Choose the Right China Freight Forwarder
Why choose a Chinese freight forwarder instead of an Australian freight forwarder?
When choosing a freight forwarder, many customers will face a question: should they choose a Chinese freight forwarder or an Australian freight forwarder? Here are a few reasons to choose a Chinese freight forwarder:
- Familiar with the Chinese market: Chinese freight forwarders are more familiar with local logistics processes, port operations, and relevant regulations, and can better handle export goods.
- Price advantage: Chinese freight forwarders are usually able to negotiate directly with carriers to obtain more favorable transportation prices and avoid middlemen’s markups.
- Timeliness: Chinese freight forwarders work closely with local supply chains and can handle all aspects of cargo transportation faster.
- One-stop service: Chinese freight forwarders are usually able to provide one-stop logistics services from factory to destination, reducing customers’ troubles during transportation.
Basenton Logistics As one of the top Chinese freight forwarders serving Australia, we have the knowledge, expertise and experience to provide the most accurate answers and the best transportation solutions according to your needs, and you will be free from all the troubles and complexities of transportation and logistics.
Learn More: 8 questions to help you find the right Chinese Freight Forwarding Company
Trade between China and Australia
From the perspective of trade structure, the top three categories of goods imported by Australia from China are mechanical and electrical products (machines and equipment, electronic products), textiles (clothes, shoes, bags) and furniture, toys and miscellaneous products. China’s imports of iron, coal and liquefied products from Australia are Strong demand for natural gas.
Among Australia’s top ten import source countries, China ranks first, followed by the USA and Japan. The remaining top ten import source countries include Germany, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Shipping Methods from China to Australia | Sea freight and Air freight
From China to Australia, there are mainly 2 modes of transportation, sea freight and air freight.
Sea freight from China to Australia
Sea freight is the main option for all importers and exporters who need to ship from China to Australia. If you have enough time and your supply chain requires you to transport goods within a certain budget, ocean shipping is the right choice as it is the most cost-effective option. More advantages of sea freight: it has large capacity and can carry large and heavy equipment, while air freight is not feasible.
FCL, Full Container Load: Ship your goods from China to Australia in a container designed specifically for you.
LCL, Less Than Container Load: Sharing a container with a customer who has goods shipped from the same origin and destination at the same time. Of course, LCL is more expensive and takes longer than a full box due to the more extra work involved, but it’s still a good option for small businesses.
In addition, we also handle OOG cargo, bulk carriers, ro-ro ships from China.
Basenton Logistics ships from Chinese ports such as Foshan, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Ningbo, Shanghai, Wuhan, Qingdao, Tianjin, and Dalian to major Australian cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. Shipping from Guangzhou and Shenzhen to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia only takes 11-15 days from port to port. We cooperate with major shipping companies such as APL, HPL, YML, COSCO, OOCL, MSK and so on.
Australia’s major ports
- Sydney
Sydney Harbor is located in Botany Bay, hence the name Port Botany. It was one of the country’s first major ports and played a key role in the country’s development.
Australia’s second largest container port
Container throughput in 2021 is 2.7 million TEU - Melbourne
The Port of Melbourne is Australia’s largest container and breakbulk port. It is an important economic asset to the businesses and people of Victoria and south-eastern Australia. In 2021, the port’s throughput will be 3.3 million TEU. - Brisbane
The Port of Brisbane is Australia’s third busiest port and the country’s fastest growing container port.
Australia’s first port to use automated container handling equipment
Container throughput in 2021 is 1.55 million TEU - Fremantle
The Port of Fremantle is Western Australia’s largest and busiest cargo port. The port handles nearly all container traffic in the western region.
In the 12 months of 2021, Fremantle handled 778,000 TEU. - Adelaide
Port Adelaide is the largest port in South Australia and is the main gateway for goods entering and leaving South Australia.
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Located in northern Australia, the port is the closest port to Asia and is the perfect gateway for inbound and outbound cargo from South Australia. Trade with Asia. - Hedland
Hedland is located on the northwest coast of Australia.
Exports include iron ore, lithium and salt.
One of the largest iron ore loading ports in the world and the largest in Australia.
Port Hedland handles more than 452 million tonnes of cargo each year.
Air freight from China to Australia
Air freight from China to Australia is one of the fastest ways to ship goods. Air freight shipping time is usually 3 to 7 days. It’s an excellent choice for transporting fragile and sensitive items, offering enhanced protection and safer delivery.
Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao and other airports have direct flights to Australia. The main delivery cities are Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The delivery time from airport to airport is only about 3 days.
Although air freight is more expensive than sea freight, it is more cost-effective for shipments weighing between 300 and 500 kilograms. For shipments below this weight range, costs increase significantly.
Generally speaking, air freight is not recommended for bulk shipments due to its higher cost. Although possible, most importers find it too expensive compared to other options.
Shipping market prices change rapidly. Ocean and air freight prices fluctuate over time and are affected by supply and demand and carrier strategic adjustments. Year-over-year differences can be significant, and last week’s prices may not apply to this week.
Prices from China to Australia can only be estimated. If you want to know the latest and most correct prices,you can contact Bassenton Logistics to get a quote.
Cost Of Shipping 20ft Container From China To Australia
How much does it cost to ship a 20ft container from China to Australia? The average price for shipping a 20-foot container from China to Australia is US$1050 to US$1,850. Shipping schedules for shipping 20-foot containers from China to Australia vary by route.
Cost Of Shipping 40ft Container From China To Australia
How much does it cost to ship a 40ft container from China to Australia? The average price for shipping a 40-foot container from China to Australia is US$1,550 to US$3,050. Shipping schedules for shipping 40-foot containers from China to Australia vary by route.
If you want to know the container costs from China to other countries, you can click the link below:
Cost Of Shipping 20ft & 40ft Container From China To Germany
20ft & 40ft Container Cost From China To UAE
20FT And 40FT Container Shipping Cost From China To Canada
20 FT & 40 FT Container Shipping Cost From China To USA
Shipping Container Cost From China To Australia
| Container shipping service from China to Australia | Type of container | Ocean freight rates from China to Australia |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Shanghai China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1150 20FT average price from: $2050 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Shenzhen China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1250 20FT average price from: $2250 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Ningbo-Zhoushan China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1500 20FT average price from: $2650 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Hong Kong China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1550 20FT average price from: $2250 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Guangzhou China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1350 20FT average price from: $2350 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Qingdao China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1650 20FT average price from: $2550 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Tianjin China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1050 20FT average price from: $1850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Dalian China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1250 20FT average price from: $2350 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Xiamen China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1750 20FT average price from: $2750 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Yingkou China to Australia | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL |
average price from: $1350 20FT average price from: $2350 40FT |
Sea freight from China to Australia LCL freight per cubic meter
| City | Price Range(USD/CBM) |
|---|---|
| Sydney | 100-250 |
| Melbourne | 150-260 |
| Brisbane | 180-280 |
Air freight price per kilogram from China to Australia
| City | Weight | Price Range(USD) | Weight | Price Range(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ≥45 kgs | 6.5-10.5/KG | ≥100kgs | 4.5-8.0/KG |
| Melbourne | ≥45 kgs | 6-9.5/KG | ≥100kgs | 5-8.5/KG |
| Brisbane | ≥45 kgs | 6.5-9.5/KG | ≥100kgs | 5.5-8.0/KG |
Shipping time from China to Australia takes 2 to 7 days by air and 15 to 35 days by sea, depending on a variety of factors such as the mode of transport, port/airport, route, service chosen, weather, seasonal changes in the shipping market, etc.
Sea freight time from China to Australia
Sea container shipping transit time from China to Australia(Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
| POL | POD | Transit time |
| Shanghai | Sydney | 18 days |
| Shanghai | Melbourne | 20 days |
| Shanghai | Brisbane | 18 days |
| Shenzhen | Sydney | 15 days |
| Shenzhen | Melbourne | 15 days |
| Shenzhen | Brisbane | 15 days |
| Qingdao | Sydney | 20 days |
| Qingdao | Melbourne | 22 days |
| Qingdao | Brisbane | 25 days |
The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice of carrier.
Air freight time from China to Australia
| City | Airport to Airport | Door to Door |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 3-5 days | 5-10 days |
| Melbourne | 1-3 days | 5-10 days |
| Brisbane | 3-5 days | 6-12 days |
| Adelaide | 2-5 days | 7-15 days |
| Perth | 2-5 days | 7-18 days |
Cheapest Shipping from China to Australia
To find the cheapest shipping from China to Australia, you need to have a clear understanding of which goods are best shipped using which freight method. For small packages under 100kg, express and air freight are the cheapest.
Heavier or bulky goods can choose sea shipping, which can transport a variety of items at the most affordable and cheapest shipping rates. You also have the option of FCL and LCL, which allows you to decide on shipping costs.
Amazon FBA shipping from China to Australia
Can be shipped from China to Amazon Australia, Basenton Logistics specializes in shipping from China to Amazon Australia. We offer air and sea door-to-door options for shipping to Amazon Australia.
If you are not an Australian registered company, we can provide you with DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid) and import customs clearance services under your ABN (Australian Business Number) account, or ship via DDP (Delivery Duty Paid), including customs clearance and Customs service.
Here are the Australian Amazon fulfillment centers and reputable 3PL warehouses where we provide shipping services:
| Warehouse | Zones | Code | Post Code | Full Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FBA | Sydney | BWU1 | 2170 | 23 Centenary Ave,Moorebank, NSW 2170,AU |
| FBA | Sydney | BWU2 | 2178 | 13 Emporium Avenue Kemps Creek, NSW 2178 AU |
| FBA | Sydney | XAU2 | 2142 | Warehouse A, 19 Berry Street, Granville, Sydney NSW, 2142, AU |
| FBA | Melbourne | MEL1 | 3175 | 29 National Drive,Dandenong South, VIC 3175,AU |
| FBA | Melbourne | XAU1 | 3043 | Non Sort Pop Up(Tullamarine,AU)Warehouse B,25-29 Jets Court, Tullamarine,Victoria,3043, AU |
| FBA | Melbourne | MEL5 | 3023 | 103 Palm Springs Road RAVENHALL,VIC 3023 AU |
| FBA | Brisbane | BNE1 | 4178 | 42-52 EXPORT STREETY LYTTON,QUEENLAND 4178 AU |
| FBA | Perth | PER2/PER3 | 6105 | 60 Paltridge Road Perth Airport WA 6105 |
| WINIT | Sydney | WINIT-SYD | 2142 | C/O Warehouse 2,54 Ferndell St South Granville 2142 AU |
| WINIT | Melbourne | WINIT-MEL | 3029 | 1-5 Felstead Drive, Trunganina, Victoria, 3029 |
| CK1 | Sydney | CK1-SYD | 2211 | Warehouse 6 45-53 davies road， padstow， nsw 2211 |
| 4PX | Sydney | 4PX-SYD | 2143 | G2/391 Park Road, Regents Park,NSW 2143 AU |
| CL | Sydney | CL-A1 | 2143 | Block A1, 391 Park Rd，Regents Park，NSW AU 2143 |
| CL | Sydney | CL-G1 | 2143 | Building G1, 391 Park Road, Regents Park NSW 2143 AU |
| CL | Sydney | CL-G2 | 2143 | GATE 3, BLOCK G2,REGENTS PARK NSW 2143 AU |
| GC | Sydney | GC-SYD | 2163 | C/O 2B/246 Miller Road Villawood NSW 2163 |
| GC | Melbourne | GC-MEL-1 | 3175 | C/O 63-69 Pound Road West,DandenongSouth,VIC 3175 |
| GC-MEL-2 | 3175 | C/O 42-62 Pound Road West,Dandenong South VIC 3175 |
learn more:
Australian duties and taxes
Most shipments to Australia are subject to customs duties and a 10% GTS (Goods and Services Tax).
- Self-Assessment Clearance (SAC) for shipments under $1,000
If the value of your goods is less than $1000 (other than goods arriving by post) you will need to submit a SAC Statement in order for the goods to be cleared by Australian Customs and Border Protection. Your Australian freight forwarder or customs broker can make SAC declarations on your behalf for a service fee. - Clearance worth over $1000
If your goods are worth more than $1,000, you will need to complete and submit an Import Declaration (Form B650) whether your goods are imported by sea, air or mail. In order for the goods to clear through Australian Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in addition to the B650 form, you will need to pay customs duties, GTS and other taxes that may apply.
Importing goods from China to Australia for customs clearance
Before you decide to source products from your chosen Chinese trading partner, please make sure the goods meet Australian safety standards. For example, Australian law regulates chemicals in consumer products, children’s products, vehicles and furniture.
You should also familiarize yourself with HS codes and tariffs. Fortunately, tariffs are usually imposed on products from China. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) has eliminated tariffs on more than 85% of goods entering the Australia-China border. Remember, imported goods are subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST). If the value of your goods is less than A$1,000, you will need to submit a Self-Assessed Clearance (SAC) declaration and will not be required to pay GST. Otherwise, you must complete and submit an import declaration (Form B650).
For the customs clearance process, you need to provide many documents. These include:
- commercial invoice
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- Certificate of Origin
- Packing list (inventory)
- Letter of credit (or other payment terms).
For customs clearance, you can use the brokerage services provided by the freight forwarder or hire a broker.
