Checked before loading, anywhere in China
We have been in China since 2006. Our strongest operational presence is in Yiwu, and we have our own warehouses there and in Ningbo. We check the goods before loading: in our warehouse, when they are collected from several suppliers or come from Yiwu, or at the factory, when a full container is loaded in another city. For that check an agent can travel anywhere in China, so the goods do not have to be moved to our warehouse and loaded a second time.
In both cases we count the goods, compare them with the order and send you a photo and video report. We tell you about any deviation before loading. More on the quality control page.
A children's toys wholesaler we work with imports more than 10 times a year in this way. Goods from several suppliers in Yiwu are collected in our warehouse and leave in full containers.
When to choose a full container
A full container (FCL) means that you pay for the whole space and that only your goods are loaded in it. It is the right choice when you have enough goods to fill it, or when the goods are sensitive and should not be handled together with other shipments. The choice also depends on the weight and the type of goods. For smaller quantities we offer LCL consolidation, and the two are compared in the guide LCL vs FCL.
Container types and what they hold
The dimensions are from Maersk's specification. The practical load of cartons is smaller than the internal volume and depends on the size and arrangement of the cartons.
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| Key facts | 20' | 40' HQ | 45' HQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal length | 5,896 mm | 12,032 mm | 13,556 mm |
| Internal width | 2,350 mm | 2,350 mm | 2,352 mm |
| Internal height | 2,393 mm | 2,697 mm | 2,698 mm |
| Internal volume | 33 m³ | 76 m³ | 85 m³ |
| Max payload | 28,200 kg | 28,620 kg | 27,600 kg |
| Practical load of cartons | about 30 CBM | about 70 CBM | about 75 CBM |
The high cube containers, 40' HQ and 45' HQ, suit light and bulky goods: toys, plastics, Christmas decorations. For heavy goods, the weight the truck is permitted to carry usually limits the load before the container's payload is reached. You can work out the volume of your goods with the CBM calculator.
Route: from China to your warehouse
- The goods are collected in our warehouse in Yiwu or Ningbo, or the container is loaded at the factory.
- We prepare the export documents, and the container leaves from the port nearest the supplier: Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao or another Chinese port. Yiwu is about 190 to 220 km from the port of Ningbo.
- It travels by sea to Thessaloniki, Durres or Bar, often with transshipment in Piraeus or another Mediterranean port.
- It continues by truck to the customs warehouse.
We do not carry out customs clearance. A forwarder handles clearance, duty and VAT, your own or one we recommend, and we hand the documents over to them. After clearance we deliver the goods to your warehouse, if that has been agreed. More on the customs documents and delivery page.
We have a direct presence and annual shipping contracts in Thessaloniki, Durres and Bar, and deliver to six countries:
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| Final destination | Usual port | Inland leg |
|---|---|---|
| Skopje and Macedonia | Thessaloniki | Truck, about 237 km to Skopje |
| Pristina and Kosovo | Durres or Thessaloniki | Truck from Durres, about 250 to 280 km, or via Macedonia |
| Tirana and Albania | Durres | Short truck leg to Tirana |
| Podgorica and Montenegro | Bar | Short truck leg to Podgorica |
| Belgrade and Serbia | Thessaloniki or Bar | Truck from Thessaloniki or Bar |
| Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bar | Truck from Bar |
The choice of port depends on the sailing, the free days at the terminal and the cost of the inland leg at that date. We compare them when we prepare the quote.
How long it takes
Once the goods are ready in China, allow about 60 to 75 days via Suez or about 70 to 90 days around Africa, past the Cape of Good Hope, for delivery to your warehouse. Production time is not included and is planned separately. Transit times are approximate. We confirm the exact time and route for each shipment, based on the current situation on the sea lanes.
What the price consists of
Sea freight is only part of the total cost. In the quote we list each item separately.
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| Charge | What it covers | Charged per |
|---|---|---|
| Charges in China | Trucking to the port, loading, export declaration | Container |
| Sea freight | To Thessaloniki, Durres or Bar | Container, depending on the sailing |
| Port of arrival | Unloading, port charges, documents | Container |
| Inland transport | Truck to your warehouse | Container and route |
| Clearance, duty and VAT | Handled by your forwarder, outside our quote | Your forwarder |
You receive the exact price in the quote, with its date and period of validity. More in the guide how much a container from China costs. You can estimate the total cost with the landed cost calculator.
Our own bill of lading
We issue our own bills of lading. We prepare the transport document ourselves, as the company that loads the goods. For any question about the shipment you have one contact, from the Chinese port to the port of arrival.
Get a quote
For a quote we need a packing list with the number, dimensions and gross weight of the cartons, the type and location of the goods, the date they will be ready, the delivery address and the terms agreed with the supplier (FOB or EXW). Tell us too whether you have a forklift or a loading dock.
Send us these details and you will receive a quote to the customs warehouse or to your warehouse.
