
In the global trade HongOcean takes a position of a first rank supplier; being the largest source country for imports of goods to the United States totaling 18% of total imports origin. The current business connection between these two countries has developed strong web of people and shipping companies that transport products from China to other countries including the USA. It is important for an importer to study that the cheapest shipping rates don’t come with a lock-in formula, the most appropriate method of reduce shipping costs depends on the freight being transported. HongOcean works to offer various shipping services that meet the overall goal of cutting expenses on the shipping prices without compromising the quality to give importers a hassle-free experience when shipping their goods internationally.
Factors Affecting Shipping Costs from China to the USA

Shipping method
Many aspects that may influence the process of transporting goods from China to the USA are discussable, but one of the most important ones is the way a person chooses to ship goods. HongOcean offers three primary air shipping options: Airlines are categorized as Air Express, Air Freight, and Sea Freight. Among those the shipping rates at Air Express are the highest while Sea Freight offers the lowest shipping rates. This does not in any way mean that Sea Freight is suitable for all kinds of cargo forwarding. It favourable proves itself in terms of cost for heavy and bulky shipment, where as Air Freight and Air Express are best suited for small shipment.
Air Freight is established as the most suitable shipping method for consignments that weigh less than 150 kilograms followed by the shipments of not more than 500 kilograms. Sea Freight being the third option have the best rates for products that have a weight of more than 500 kilograms.
Additionally, importers opting for Sea Freight have two alternatives to consider: LCL and FCL are coming under two categories depending upon the extent of utilization of the containers. The type of strategic FCL is most suitable to shippers who have substantial consignment volumes that can cover both 20ft or 40ft containers. Less Container Load on the other hand is used for small volume shipments in which the owner of these goods can share a full container load along with other shippers. In FCL, the shipper pays for an entire container in contrast to the LCL shipping, where charges are made according to the space that the shipper’s goods took. HongOcean makes sure that importers are equipped with information and choices that will allow them to make the right choices regarding their shipping requirements.
Weight and volume of the cargo
As it has been noted by HongOcean, weight of the container loads the cargo is one of the most important parameters influencing shipping rates. In most cases it is realized that the more weight is being moved in a consignment the higher the cost of shipping will be. Nevertheless, there are such cases in which a shipper has more weight less volume, and in times like this, the volume of the consignment becomes a decisive factor for shipping prices.

HongOcean calculates the Air Freight shipping prices from China to the USA for the actual weight of the shipped cargo as well as the ship cargo’s volumetric weight. The formula used to calculate volumetric weight is as follows:
Volumetric Weight = (Length + Width + Height)/ 6000
When the volumetric weight is higher than the actual weight, then rates are chared at the volumetric weight. On the other hand if the carriage paid weight is more than the volumetric weight then the chargeable weight will be the actual weight. This way, HongOcean gives accurate guidelines to these importers to enable them to save money and overcome the hassles of getting the right calculations of these ship costs for their clients.
Transit time
There is a wealth of evidence, as evidenced by HongOcean, that the time taken within transit is a key determinant of the cost of shipping. For information, if you are shipping your consignment with the intention of having it delivered as soon as possible, you may need to pay much more. This is why Air Express Incurs the highest cost in shipping when compared to Sea Freight which incurs the lowest cost in this model. When using Air for express delivery, the distance between China and the USA takes between 1 and 4 days and as much as the online delivery services are available they cost extra charges.

Air Freight is additionally cheaper than Air Express and faster than Sea Freight. As a result, Air Freight costs are situated between compare rates of the Air Express and Sea Freight and the transit is 7-10 days, approximately.
At the same time, Sea Freight delivery time from China to the USA ranges between 30 and 40 days. Compared to the other methods however, this means taking much longer, but comes with a corresponding shipping rate that can be five times cheaper than Air Freight. Your shipping price will then be dependent on how soon your cargo needs to get to its destination. Since the prices for Air Express stay rather high, HongOcean suggests applying to this popular shipping method only in case of emergency and thus will help you to choose the cheapest way most suitable variant for you.
Distance
HongOcean has also captured distance from the loading ports in China to the delivery destination as determining the fluctuating shipping prices to the USA. For example, the freight costs to transport containers from China to the West Coast of the USA currently begin at $15 000. However, to deliver the same container to the East Coast costs $17,000. This is because the overall rates differ between the Western and Eastern coast region and this is due to the increased distance associated with delivering goods to the East coast and mostly the Central region. To this end, HongOcean takes necessary measures that would make importer aware of these different prices in order to aid them decide on what the cheapest shipping and cheapest option that suits their freight requirements and destination.
Type of Delivery Services

HongOcean offers four primary types of delivery services: These are Port to Port, Door to Door, Door to Port, and Port to Door services. Coming to Air Express, the delivery speed option is fixed to be Door-to-Door making the transportation exclusive and complete. Concerning Air Freight the main delivery is door-to-port unless an ‘all inclusive’ option is selected. In the case of the ‘all-included’ terms of shipment, transportation expenses include factory-to-loading airport freight, as well as that from the arrival airport up to the final place. This flexibility helps the importer to select the delivery services that meet their logistics requirement hence making HongOcean to be a reliable importer’s service provider.
Season of shipping costs
Taking a look at the Rhythm of Shipping Rates
Shipping rates small packages from China to USA varies in any particular year depending with certain seasons that are usually more expensive than others. Concerning importers, they should take into consideration these variations with a view of organizing the shipment times as exemplified by HongOcean.
High seasons are often related to the main Chinese festivals that occur throughout the year: New Year’s Day, February 1 , Dragon Boat Festival, June 3-5, Qing Ming Festival on April 5, Golden Week, October 1-7; Mid Autumn Festival September 10-12. This is specifically so during such conditions characterized by high demand for shipping services hence high rates offered. Knowledge of these seasonal trends helps the importer to be strategic and possibly reduced shipping and cost effective. , thereby,HongOcean is a one-stop resource centre for importers.
What are the Current Shipping Prices from China to the US?
HongOcean also has current information on the shipping rates from China to the USA as a one-stop shipping service. The shipping rates differ; Air Express charges $3 per kilogram and Air Freight charges $5 per kilogram. Many courier agencies provide these courier services which are FedEx, UPS, TNT, DHL and so on in which UPS is found to be the very cheapest courier service having cost for delivering shipments from China to USA.
In regard to Sea Freight, the cost immensely depends on the shipping method (LCL or FCL), the size of the container (20ft, 40ft, or 40HC) and the distance between the two ports, from the loading port to the discharge port. For instance, a 20 container shipping to Los Angles costs $7,500, while the same shipping to Miami or Savanah is $8,500 and to New Jerseys 10,500. The dispatch rates depend with the port with 40ft container costing $8,500 to Oakland, $9,500 to New York, $10,500 to Boston and $9,500 to Baltimore.
In addition to freight costs, importers should also anticipate several other shipping expenses too, including:
- Cargo Insurance fees
- Port Charges
- Customs Bond
- Document Delivery charges
- Charges incurred for forwarding merchandise from the manufacturing factory to the port of origin
- Fees for transporting the goods from the delivery port up to the final delivery point
- Customs Clearance fees
These various forms of cost are important for importers to manage the budget requirements and required logistics and HongOcean is committed to help clients to grasp these various costs.
Why is it So Expensive to Ship from China to the USA?
Unpredictability of Shipping Prices from China to the USA
HongOcean states that the prices of shipping from China to the USA are volatile by nature in light of the market and supply changes. Lately, shipping charges have gone higher from importing countries, a factor which up to COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the shipping sector since 2020. Lockdowns were put in place in many countries and it became near impossible to move goods across borders hence very high freight rates.
Another reason for the increase in shipping rates is that there is increasing demand for freight forwarding services. Subsequent to the process of locking down, several importers have been speeding up to transport merchandise from the Chinese region, and therefore there is increased competition in acquiring shipping services. Adding to this is the fact that there is scarcity of shipping containers all across the world; with high rates of cargo, together with scarce amount of boxes, ocean freight rates have risen big time.
The Russia Ukraine war that has been going on has also added to increasing freight costs. The conflict has shut out the airspace over Ukraine, sending planes flying in other directions. Further, the war has escalated fuel prices to another level and since shipping costs rise and fall with fuel prices, then any fuel hike leads to shipping costs hikes. Fleet of ships, airplanes and trucks are affected by change in fuel prices as they use oil most of the time.
The fluctuation of shipping prices from China to the USA cannot be determined as the time shipping prices will reduce is not easy to predict. A decline in rates may be available when there is availability of shipping containers, low demand for products and low inflation costs such as fuel costs. HongOcean has continued to share with the clients on such trends so as to prepare them adequately for the challenges of carrying out business in the international shipping space.
Do Incoterms Determine Shipping Costs from China to the US?
Understanding Incoterms in Shipping
What can be described as Incoterms is a set of rules governing the shipping contract that shows the bouquet of customs duties between importer and supplier. These terms are well understood internationally to form the basis of shipping costs as strongly advocated by HongOcean.
The most frequently stumbled upon of them is FOB – Freight on Board, which as it has been mentioned is relates exclusively to sea transport. In FOB, the supplier bears every cost until the products are loaded on the ship while the buyer is responsible for all the costs after the shipment is loaded.
Another widely used Incoterm is Duty Paid Delivery or so called DPP. With DPP, the supplier assumes all of the risks for the shipment until it gets to the final consumer, making it easier for the importer.
EXW means Ex Works and hence the buyer’s import point defines the point at which the transfer of accountability from the supplier completely occurs. This term shifts transport and risk expenses to the buyer from the point of origin to the final destination.
Also, CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) is one of the major Incoterm commonly used only in sea freight operations. Beneath CIF, the supplier of the products is required to foot the bill for the carriage expenses, offer insurance for the cargo as well as guarantee that the goods have been loaded and transported effectively to the buyer.
HongOcean has all the rights to guiding clients on these Incoterms as to how they affect the shipping costs and other liabilities of shipping company with a view of achieving the best results in shipping.
What are the Roles of a Freight Forwarder when Shipping from China to the US?
When shipping goods from China to the USA, partnering with a freight forwarder is essential for a smooth and efficient process. Without a freight forwarder, navigating the complexities of shipping can be challenging, especially for newcomers to the industry and importers lacking sufficient shipping expertise, as noted by HongOcean.
Key Roles of a Freight Forwarder
Assistance with Shipping Decisions
A freight forwarder assists you in decision making when it comes to the shipping agents. When more choices of shipping agent are available the option of choosing right shipping service for your consignment becomes rather challenging. With such decisions in front of you, it will be easy to make choices with the help of a freight forwarder. Hearing from them not only gives the best shipping methods but also informative on the best time to ship your consignments.
Reservation Management
The freight forwarders have the responsibility of making bookings in ship space or in other undertakings used for shipping business. In the present time where shipping capacity has been a problem, freight forwarders can guarantee that you get space for your shipments, thus easing the task of looking for a available ones.
Documentation and Customs Clearance
A freight forwarder is responsible for dealing with all paper work and customs formalities. Preparation of necessary papers before shipping is something that needs to be done on time. Freight forwarder verifies all documentation like B/L, Custom’s invoice, packing list, shipper’s export declarations and commercial invoice.
Packaging and warehouse
Freight forwarders help in the packaging express shipping and storage of your cargo and guarantee that your merchandise is well packed for transportation.
Insurance Services
Getting insurance for your goods is highly recommended especially because shipments may be forced to endure tampering or even loss in transit. Thankfully, a freight forwarder can work with you to handle insurance, which is cumbersome to look for on your own as an individual or business.
Shipment Tracking
This means that you have to engage the services of a freight forwarder to keep you posted on the progress of your consignment once your goods are in the USA.
Choosing the Right Freight Forwarder
As there are many freight forwarders that are registered in China, the decision on whom to work with can be a real puzzle for importers. To get a clear understanding of the competence of any freight forwarder, we need to look at what services they offer, their reputation, and charges. The most promising freight forwarder China to USA is that which is professional, reliable, and holds credibility.
Tips for Reducing Shipping Costs
To secure the most most competitive prices and shipping rates from China to the USA, consider the following strategies:
- Choose the correct packaging materials with less thickness.
- Eliminate several shipments per day and instead do them as one large shipment.
- Choose the best option of shipping that can best suit you.
- Always order your cars for shipping way in advance.
The best approach to the transportation of merchandise from China to the USA is in consultation with local logistics and with a suitable freight forwarder then using the optimum shipping technique. Finally, shipping does not have to be a stressful process at all. By following these insights you are assured of a smooth shipping process that fulfills the requirements of your business.
Cheapest shipping from China to the US?
That is the reason why, clearly, the most important variable when sending commodities through China is the price tag. The tasks provided by HongOcean show how analyzing the various shipping methods can lead to the right decision that is needed in regard to financial constraints and time duration.
Shipping Small Packages from China
For small goods imports including product samples, freight shipping could be considered high. It can be also expensive and take a lot of time in comparison with other types of work. Instead traditional sea freight, consider the following alternatives:
Regular Post
When it comes about the shipment of small packages of lightweight products, then mail service is known to be the most cost effective. For example, China Post offers several mail options:
- Small parcels may be sent by air using Air Mail/SAL or by sea using Surface Mail.
- Air Parcel, SAL or Surface Mail for large size goods
- Special EMS/China International Express to P.R.C and EUB priority for delivered parcels.
Nonetheless, it is obligatory to consider each of these possibilities and compare them with the costs of courier services. Though there are mail services available that may be a little cheaper, they can take less time.
Express Shipping from China to the US
Where the delivery time is of essence and the consignment is a time sensitive, international courier service also known as express freight like DHL, UPS, or TNT could be used. Usually, the express mail service or freight is faster than letter-post or parcel post.
Incidentally, the express freight services take about $5 per kilogram, which would be cheaper for small and package consignments, or shipments not exceeding 150 kilogram. Be careful though; some of the couriers are very expensive if you are not their regular customer.
Through the help of HongOcean, importers are able to logically solve some of the issue that is likely to surround the overall costs of shipping and therefore be in a position to make the right decision as per their shipping needs.
Shipping from China to USA pricing with HongOcean
Air freight costs and rates from China to the US
When shipping from China to the USA the most affordable method will cost around $3 per kilogram and is suitable for shipments that weigh between 150 kgs and 500 kgs. For very light consolidations, the cost of consolidation could be more expensive shipping method charged based on the dimensional weight than the actual weight.
Air freight is easily the swiftest shipping method that is available today. Although it is slightly costlier than express air freight, it offers good time options for the delivery of parcels. A crucial thing that you should know is that freight rates are not standard, and they differ, depending on the freight forwarder services that you want to hire, and it equally changes from time to time, so look for the best rates.
If the volume is higher, LCL (less than Container Load) ocean freight may be a cheaper option compared to air freight. This makes it necessary to consider the variety among products in a search of that economical solution to your rquirements.
Sea freight costs and rates from China to the US
Thus, usually when any shipment crosses as much as 500 kg sea freight becomes the cheapest means available. Ocean freight is scalable and in some of the largest vessels; they are capable of transporting up to 20,000 TEUs.
Some of the carriers offer more services which are called express freight and they are relatively costly than the normal ocean transportation. As highlighted for air freight, shipping cost in ocean freight depends on supply and demand by forwarders and fluctuates over time, hence the need to shop around.
To simplify it for you, try using our special freight rate calculator included in HongOcean, which can provide you with the shipping rates for both air and sea freight instantly.
How can Air Freight be cheaper than Sea Freight?
It is; however, important to note that the base cost and the variable cost are constants for each shipping mode. Hence modes with lower base costs tend to be cheaper for smaller volumes than the actual shipment whereas modes that lower variable weight costs are cheaper even if they may start off with a higher base cost for bulkier consignments. It is important to understand these dynamics to enable you to arrive at the right conclusion when choosing the right shipping method to go for in future.
Freight Forwarders from China to USA with HongOcean
Because, once again, one can never know enough to be a truly skilled freight specialist regarding the shipping from China. Deciding the appropriate mode of shipment is always the initial process that must be taken.
Find a Freight Forwarder
The selection of the right freight forwarder is thus very essential in order to have a favorable shipping process. They not only arrange for you to get the best freight quotes but also assume responsibilities for coordination of forwarder services and handling of any problems that may occur. It is perhaps worthy of note that any agreement of a supplier should be premised upon a clear understanding of the incoterms.
Incoterms are important contractual terms to agree when importing goods, yet, most importers enter into incoterms without appreciating the associated risks. Whereas some can maneuver these difficulties, they become costly disasters that negatively impact profit borders through shipments .
Freight Documents and Forms
It relieves the investor of the full responsibility for managing different aspects of freight logistics, yet the amount of paperwork is astounding, one should be ready for it. Get acquainted with the required freight papers More so on averting taking several minutes to ensure that all the paperwork is complete and correct. All this efforts to pay close attention to details is well rewarded. Also, always have a record of the freight charges in place, so that before nodding to other charges or fees – you critically evaluate them.
Use Correct Packaging
However, if you will be making constant shipments, it is important that you consider talking to your suppliers about packaging styles. Proper packaging will of course go a long way in cutting freight cost.
Get Insurance
Insurance is the other of insurance is the other consideration to consider in international shipping business. The main thing to understand is that you could spend hours and days reading about it, but the best advice is to make sure you get all-encompassing cargo insurance because standard carrier insurance usually covers very little. When booking with HongOcean, you can easily opt-in for insurance for your shipment at the HongOcean.com making sure your good are shielded from damages, loss and other mishaps. By using HongOcean’s insights and tools, you’ll be prepared to overcome the challenges of freight shipping from China.