Mexico is located in the southern part of the North American continent and borders the United States to the north. It has a population of approximately 128 million in 2022 and a per capita GDP of approximately US$11,000. According to World Bank standards, it is an upper-middle-income country. Mexico has a stable political situation and sound laws. It is a populous country, a large economic power, a large trading country and an important foreign direct investment destination in Latin America.

China has been Mexico’s second largest trading partner in the world for many years. Mexico firmly ranks as China’s second largest trading partner in Latin America and is one of the key countries for Chinese companies to carry out investment cooperation in Latin America. The areas of cooperation mainly include energy, telecommunications, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, finance, etc.

From January to November 2023, the bilateral import and export volume of goods between China and Mexico was US$91,986,820,400, an increase of US$4,757,442,900 compared with the same period in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%

Efficient shipping from China to Mexico is essential for businesses involved in international trade between these two countries. This comprehensive guide provides detailed insights into various aspects of shipping, including sea and air freight, shipping durations, major ports, customs procedures, and the selection of a reliable freight forwarder.

shipping from China to Mexico

The main options are express shipping by courier service, airfreight, and sea freight. In this section, we’ll provide a quick overview of how each method works as well as their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Express Shipping freight From China to Mexico

This is the fastest option to ship goods to Mexico . With Express shipping, your merchandise can reach its destination within 3-7 business days. With Express shipping courier services see your packages from door-to-door – that is, from your supplier factory to the items’ end destination.

A variety of well-known carriers offer these services, such as UPS, TNT, FedEx, and EMS. They all have good reputations for reliability, so you can rest easy knowing your items are quickly making their way to their destination. These carriers use a variety of methods (airfreight and sea freight which we’ll go into in greater depth later) to provide a hands-off, worry-free service. They can pick up your inventory at your door (or factory) and see it to a designated address, whether that be the warehouse in Mexico or directly to your Mexican  customers.

Door-to-door express shipping handles items of all sizes and weights. Light items are generally air-freighted for speed and heavy items are sea-freighted, which involves a longer ship time. But since they come directly to your door, they are the most convenient option.

Upsides to express shipping: A fast, worry-free experience for you
Downsides to express shipping: More expensive than alternatives

Shenzhen to Mexico Parcel

Air freight from China to Mexico

The biggest advantage of air freight is speed. Items shipped from China can arrive in Mexico within 5-8 days. This is the best option for high-value items as they spend less time in transit. However, that speed comes with some trade-offs.

Air freight is usually more expensive than sea freight. It’s also better suited for smaller items since airlines have weight and volume restrictions. Air freight also uses more fuel than other modes of transportation, so if you and your company are ethically concerned about your carbon footprint, you’ll choose sea freight.

Sea Freight from China to Mexico

Ocean Freight is the most common way to ship items from China to Mexico, mainly because of its versatility and reliability. While air freight has restrictions on what it can carry, virtually all items can be shipped by sea, including very large and heavy items (such as cars). The main disadvantage of ocean shipping is its timing. Other shipping methods take just a few days to deliver goods, while ocean freight can take weeks. Items typically take 15-40 days to reach their destination, depending on the type of shipment and the specific departure and arrival ports.

Ocean freight operates under FCL and LCL container systems. Please consider container size when selecting a shipping size and getting a price estimate, as FCL and LCL prices differ. We can help you create commercial invoices, clear customs and purchase insurance for your goods.

Full Container Load (FCL): Shipping in which all contents of the container are owned by one company. This is a good option when you are transporting a volume large enough to fill an entire container yourself. This applies to bulk items and bulky products. If you are filling the entire container, this is the most cost-effective option.

Less than Container Load (LCL): Items from multiple shippers are packed into a single container. This method is used when the quantity you are shipping is too small to fill an entire container. This allows for smaller, more adaptable inventories.

Shipping from China to Mexico’s ports and airports

SEA FREIGHT		AIR FREIGHT
POL	POD	POL	POD
Shanghai	Manzanillo	Shenzhen (SZX)	Mexico City (MEX)
Shenzhen	Veracruz	Shanghai (PVG)	Guadalajara (GDL)
Ningbo	Lázaro Cárdenas	Beijing (PEK)	Monterrey (MTY)
Qingdao	Altamira	Qingdao (TAO)	Queretaro (QRO)
Guangzhou	Enseñada	Ningbo (NBG)	Toluca (TLC)
Tianjin	Progreso	Xiamen (XMN)	Cancun (CUN)
Dalian		Guangzhou (CAN)	Tijuana (TIJ)
Xiamen		Hong-Kong (HKG)	Hermosillo (HMO)
Hong-Kong		Zhengzhou (CGO)
Macao		Xi’An (XIY)

Shipping costs from China to Mexico depend on various factors, including the shipping method, the size and weight of the cargo, and the specific route taken. Below are some general shipping cost estimates for different shipping methods:

Cost Of Shipping 20ft & 40ft Container From China To Mexico

The average price to ship a container from China to Mexico is $3,050 to $5,550.
Shipping costs for shipping a full container from China to Mexico depend on the size of the container (20ft or 40ft) and the timetable route, please contact the Bassendon Quotation Team for detailed rates for shipping containers from China to major container ports in Mexico .

• How much does it cost to ship a 20-foot container from China to Mexico? The average price to ship a 20-foot container from China to Mexico is $3050 to $4050. Shipping schedules for shipping 20-foot containers from China to Mexico vary by route.
• How much does it cost to ship a 40-foot container from China to Mexico? The average price of shipping a 40-foot container from China to Mexico is from $3,550 to $5,550. Shipping schedules for shipping 40-foot containers from China to Mexico vary by route.

You may be interested in the cost of China to other countries in the Americas:

How Much Does Container Shipping Rates From China To Mexico [Updated November 2024]

These are the average prices to ship a container from China Mexico with the cheapest rates for loading and shipping containers from the major ports in China to Mexico for 20ft and 40ft containers (FCL) with all types of cargo such as: commercial cargo, vehicles, or personal effects for international shipments from China to Mexico.

Container shipping service from China to Mexico	Type of container	Ocean freight rates from China to Mexico:
How much does it cost to ship a container from Shanghai China to Mexico.	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3250 20FT average price from: $4050 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Shenzhen China to Mexico.	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3050 20FT average price from: $4350 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Ningbo-Zhoushan China to Mexico.	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4150 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Hong Kong China to Mexico.	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3050 20FT average price from: $4050 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Guangzhou China to Mexico.	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3350 20FT average price from: $4350 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Qingdao China to Mexico	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3450 20FT average price from: $4450 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Tianjin China to Mexico	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3250 20FT average price from: $4350 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Dalian China to Mexico	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3350 20FT average price from: $4550 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Xiamen China to Mexico	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3450 20FT average price from: $4650 40FT
How much does it cost to ship a container from Yingkou China to Mexico	20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL	average price from: $3350 20FT average price from: $4350 40FT

Cost of LCL shipping from China to Mexico

Departure Port	Destination Port	USD/CBM (1-3 CBM)	USD/CBM (3-9 CBM)	Estimated Transit time (days)
Ningbo	Manzanillo	250	200	35
Shanghai	Manzanillo	250	200	35
Shenzhen	Manzanillo	230	200	35

*These rates are subject to change and should be used as a reference only. For personalized LCL quotes, please contact Basenton Logistics.

Air freight price per kG from China to Mexico

Departure City	Range	Destination Airport	Price Per KG ($USD)
Shanghai	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Mexico City (MEX)	6.32
Shanghai	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.6
Shanghai	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Monterrey (MTY)	6.7
Shanghai	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Mexico City (MEX)	6.32
Shanghai	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.6
Shanghai	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Monterrey (MTY)	6.7
Shanghai	Rate for 1000 KG+	Mexico City (MEX)	6.15
Shanghai	Rate for 1000 KG+	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.5
Shanghai	Rate for 1000 KG+	Monterrey (MTY)	6.55
Shenzhen	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Mexico City (MEX)	6.6
Shenzhen	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.55
Shenzhen	Rate for 100 KG-299 KG	Monterrey (MTY)	7
Shenzhen	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Mexico City (MEX)	6.1
Shenzhen	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.55
Shenzhen	Rate for 300 KG-1000 KG	Monterrey (MTY)	7
Shenzhen	Rate for 1000 KG+	Mexico City (MEX)	5.9
Shenzhen	Rate for 1000 KG+	Guadalajara (GDL)	6.45
Shenzhen	RRate for 1000 KG+	Monterrey (MTY)	6.9

Sea, Air & Express transit times from China to Mexico

	Port to Port (days)	Door to Door (days)
Sea Freight FCL	25-40	28-43
Sea Freight LCL	27-42	30-45
Air freight	3-7	4-8
Express	/	3-7

Ship a Container from China to Mexico Time

The average transit time, sailing, and vessel schedule to ship your container from China to Mexico from the major ports in China.

Port of origin	Port of destination	Transit time (days)
Port of Shanghai	Port of Altamira	35
Port of Shenzhen	Port of Veracruz	40
Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan	Port of Lazaro Cardenas	38
Port of Hong Kong	Port of Manzanillo	39
Port of Guangzhou	Port of Altamira	40
Port of Qingdao	Port of Veracruz	42
Port of Tianjin	Port of Lazaro Cardenas	42
Port of Dalian	Port of Manzanillo	32
Port of Xiamen	Port of Altamira	33
Port of Yingkou	Port of Veracruz	32

Cheapest way to ship from China to Mexico

Minimizing transportation costs is crucial to maximizing profits in your importing business. To find the cheapest shipping method, consider these tips:

• Negotiate with multiple suppliers and carriers to find the best price
• Use freight forwarder packaging materials to reduce weight and costs
• Ship during the off-season to take advantage of lower shipping costs
• Consolidate shipments from multiple suppliers to save on shipping costs
• Choose the most suitable shipping method based on your cargo size, weight and required transit time

Door to door Shipping from China to Mexico

Door to door shipping from China to Mexico is the most direct and convenient way. With door to door service, you don’t have to worry about any link in the transportation. The supplier will be responsible for the entire transportation process, including packaging, transportation, customs clearance and final delivery to the designated location.

• Simplified process: When choosing door to door transportation, all transportation and customs clearance procedures are handled by the service provider, and customers only need to provide cargo information and the final delivery address.
• Convenient logistics chain: This method ensures seamless connection of goods from departure to destination.
• Applicable scenarios: Suitable for customers who need fast and full tracking, especially for goods with high timeliness requirements.

Door to Door Shipping from China

DDP Shipping from China to Mexico

DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) means that the seller bears all costs and responsibilities before the goods arrive at the destination and complete all customs clearance and tax procedures. For DDP service from China to Mexico, the seller is responsible for all costs such as cargo transportation, customs clearance and taxation at the destination port, and the buyer only needs to pay the purchase price and freight.

• Full responsibility: The seller needs to bear all transportation costs, including customs duties and taxes, until the goods are delivered to the designated address.
• Hassle-free for customers: Buyers do not need to deal with any additional procedures or fees.
• Suitable for customers: Suitable for customers who are unwilling to deal with complicated import procedures, especially small businesses or individual customers.

DDP Shipping from China

How to ship from China to Amazon FBA warehouse in Mexico?

Shipping to an Amazon FBA warehouse requires additional steps compared to standard shipping. Your products must meet Amazon’s requirements and be appropriately labeled and packaged. Your freight forwarder can guide you through this process to ensure smooth delivery to the Amazon FBA warehouse.

Amazon FBA: Packaging, Labeling, and Pallet Specification Guide

How To Choose Amazon FBA Freight Forwarder

The 12 most important industry goods imported from China to Mexico

Mexico imports a variety of goods from China. The following are the most important categories:

• Motors: From generators to batteries and more.
• Machinery: including engines and refrigeration equipment.
• Vehicles: including cars, trucks and related parts.
• Computers and Electronics: Personal computers, parts and other electronic equipment.
• Fossil fuels: such as oil and coal.
• Plastics and plastic products: from plastic packaging to PVC.
• Optics, Technology, Medical Devices: Covering eyewear to technology and medical devices.
• Steel: Steel raw materials and processed products.
• Appliances: Various household and commercial appliances.
• Organic chemicals: used in various industries.
• Aluminum: Raw and processed aluminum products.
• Tires: Various types and sizes for different vehicles.

Customs Clearance and Import Duties in Mexico

When importing goods from China to Mexico, you must understand the customs clearance process and import duties. Mexican customs imposes a 16% value-added tax (VAT) on imported products, and additional taxes may be levied depending on the specific items being imported. It is crucial to understand these fees and prepare the necessary documentation to ensure a smooth customs clearance process.

Documents required for customs clearance

• Bill of Lading Manifest
• Mexican tax identification number
• Tariff subtitles and product information
• Register as an importer in Mexico
• Mexican Customs Value Declaration
• Mexico’s debt-free status
• Move inventory (if applicable)
• Trade or company patent in Mexico
• Authorization letter from your customs broker

What documents are needed to import from China to Mexico?

The requirements for importing from China to Mexico are to present an English-translated commercial invoice and a detailed packing list, which must indicate details of quantity, product type and shipping location, and then provide the following documents to customs in Mexico:

Goods imported from China must have the following documents:

• Bill of Lading Manifest, used for import, release and tax purposes.
• Mexican tax identification number
• Tariff subheadings and location of goods
• Register as an importer in Mexico
• Mexican Customs Value Declaration
• Mexico debt free
• Transfer inventory from China to Mexico (simple copy)
• Having a trade or company patent in Mexico must show that you are committed to importing from China.
• China Phytosanitary Export Certificate (Simplified Copy)
• Showcasing Mexico’s economic solvency
• Develop the terms of an Incoterms import agreement.
• Find a good customs broker in Mexico
• Original bill of lading, sea waybill or air waybill from the shipping company
• packing list
• commercial invoice
• China Joint Certificate of Production Value and Origin (CCVO)
• A letter of authorization authorizing your customs broker to handle import customs clearance for you in Mexico.