With the restructuring of the global supply chain, Taiwan, as an important base for high-end manufacturing and precision electronic products, has continued to grow in logistics demand for exports to the United States. Although the tariffs on imports to the United States have increased a lot since April 2025, there is still a lot of demand. Whether it is regular corporate shipments or cross-border e-commerce retail shipments, it is crucial to choose the right transportation method and professional logistics partners when importing from Taiwan to the USA.

Shipping from Taiwan to USA

There are three common ways to transport goods from Taiwan to the USA: sea freight, air freight and international express. Each method is suitable for different types of goods and customer needs. Choosing the right method can significantly reduce costs and improve transportation efficiency. Recommended reading: Shipping from China to USA.

Sea Freight from Taiwan to USA

Sea freight has always been the most cost-effective mode of transportation for Taiwan’s exports to the United States, especially for companies with large volume, heavy weight or flexible shipping schedules. Common departure ports include Kaohsiung Port, Keelung Port and Taichung Port. These ports have complete facilities and intensive liner services, and have frequent flights to ports on the west coast of the United States such as Los Angeles and Oakland, and on the east coast such as New York and Charleston.

Full container shipping (FCL) means that a whole container of goods is used by one shipper alone, without the need to share containers with others, which is suitable for customers who ship in large quantities. Compared with LCL, it has high security, stable transportation time, and low unit cost after cost sharing.

Less-than-Container Load (LCL) is suitable for situations where the cargo volume is less than that of a full container. The cargo of multiple customers is combined in one container for shipment. Although the process is relatively complicated and the timeliness is slightly longer, it is an ideal choice for small and medium-sized customers.

Current Ocean Freight Invoice from Taiwan to USA

In the process of ocean shipping, an important document for freight settlement is the Ocean Freight Invoice from Taiwan to USA (Ocean Freight Invoice from Taiwan to the United States). This invoice is usually issued by the carrier freight forwarder or shipping company and clearly lists the following:

• Port of departure and port of destination
• Carrier information
• Shipping time and ship name
• Freight rate details (such as full container fee, LCL fee, surcharge, fuel fee, etc.)
• Payment method (prepaid/collect)

Ocean freight invoice plays a key role in customer settlement, cost declaration, tax refund application, accounting, etc., and must be kept intact.

Air Freight from Taiwan to USA

For companies exporting high-precision electronics, medical equipment, high-end clothing or urgent sample orders, air freight from Taiwan to the USA is still the first choice. From Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, fly directly or transfer to major international airports in the United States such as Los Angeles LAX, Chicago ORD, New York JFK, etc. Taoyuan International Airport has a complete freight operation platform that can achieve fast customs clearance and high-frequency flight arrangements.

The air freight rate is usually charged based on the actual weight and volume weight, ranging from US$5 to US$10 per kilogram, and fluctuates according to the route and season. Although the cost is higher than sea freight, it saves time cost and is suitable for orders with high timeliness requirements.

Air freight can usually complete the entire process from Taiwan to the United States within 3-7 days, which is suitable for replenishment during the holiday peak season, fast turnover of e-commerce or fulfillment of urgent projects.

Cheapest Air Shipping from China to USA

Cost of shipping from Taiwan to the USA

The cost of shipping from Taiwan to the USA will vary greatly depending on whether you choose air or sea freight. Air freight costs usually range from $4 to $10 per kilogram, while sea freight costs range from $2,500 to $4,500 for a 20-foot container. You can refer to the table below:

Shipping Method	Shipping From Taiwan to USA (Cost)
Sea Shipping (20ft Container)	Approx. USD 2,850 for a 20ft container
Sea Shipping (40ft Container)	Approx. USD 3,350 for a 40ft container
Sea Shipping (LCL)	Approx. USD 100 per cubic meters (m3)
Air Freight Shipping	Approx. USD 550 for 100kg
Door to Door Shipping	Approx. USD 10 to 15 per kgs or approx. USD 150 – 280 per m3
DDP Air Freight	Approx. USD 12 to 18 per kgs
DDP Sea Freight	Approx. USD 150 to 350 per cbm (m3)
Express Shipping	Approx. USD 15.5 per Kgs

Recommended reading: Shipping Costs from China to the USA

Cost of shipping 20ft & 40ft container from Taiwan to USA

POL (Port of Taiwan)	POL (Port of USA)	20ft Container Cost	40ft Container Cost
Taipei	Los Angeles	$2050-$3000	$3200-$4500
Kaohsiung	Long Beach	$2000-$2900	$3150-$4650
Taichung	New York	$2000-$3000	$3350-$4750
Keelung	Houston	$2050-$2950	$3250-$4550

Recommended reading: Cost of shipping 20ft & 40ft container from China to USA

Air freight cost per kilogram from Taiwan to USA

Air freight from Taiwan to the USA is usually faster but more expensive than sea freight, with a general cost of between $4 and $10, suitable for high value-added or time-sensitive goods.

Chargeable weight	50 kg	100 kg	300 kg
Price per kg	$10	$7	$5.5

How long does it take to ship from Taiwan to the USA

Sea freight time from Taiwan to the USA

The sea freight time from Taiwan to the USA varies depending on many factors, including the specific departure and arrival ports, the transportation route, and whether the goods are direct or require transshipment. It is generally 15 to 35 days. The following table shows the transportation time from Taiwan to the USA on different routes for reference only:

Route	Estimated Transit Time
Taipei to Los Angeles	15-28 days
Kaohsiung to New York	20-32 days
Taichung to Seattle	18-30 days
Keelung to San Francisco	17-31 days

Air freight time from Taiwan to the USA

Air freight time from Taiwan to the USA can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the selected airline, route, and any potential customs delays. Generally, the estimated shipping time is 3 to 7 days.

Shipping Route	Estimated Transit Time
Taipei to Los Angeles	3-5 days
Taipei to New York	5-7 days
Kaohsiung to San Francisco	4-6 days

Please note that holidays, port congestion or customs clearance issues may affect the transportation cycle. It is recommended that customers plan the stocking period reasonably.

How Long is Freight from China to USA

Freight forwarder from Taiwan to USA

How to choose a freight forwarder from Taiwan to the United States?

A professional freight forwarding company is not only the executor of transportation, but also the designer and risk management expert of your cross-border logistics plan. When choosing a freight forwarder, you can pay attention to the following points:

• Whether you are familiar with the customs clearance and trade policies between Taiwan and the United States;
• Whether you have rich experience in sea freight LCL, FCL and air freight services;
• Whether you provide a variety of flexible services such as door-to-door, DDP, DDU, etc.;
• Whether the service team responds quickly and communicates smoothly.

In this regard, Basenton Logistics, with its many years of practical experience in the Greater China and North American markets, can provide customers with full-process sea freight, air freight, express delivery and customized customs clearance and warehousing services from Taiwan to the United States.

Basenton is particularly good at tailoring efficient, transparent and compliant cross-border logistics solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises, e-commerce platforms and manufacturing companies.