Sea Shipping from China to Africa

Mian Ports in Africa

East Africa

Mombasa, Kenya: East Africa's busiest port, serving landlocked nations including Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan;

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Under rapid expansion, serving as a vital gateway for Central and Southern Africa;

Djibouti: Situated at the junction of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in the Horn of Africa. The sole major seaport connecting Ethiopia (Ethiopia has no coastline).

Maputo, Mozambique: Located in southern Mozambique near the South African border. Mozambique's capital port and a strategic hub for Southern Africa; Proximity to South Africa complements its land transport network.

Port Louis, Mauritius: A key transshipment port for the Indian Ocean island nation and surrounding countries, serving the Indian Ocean region;

West Africa

TINCAN/Lagos, Nigeria: TINCAN, APAPA, and LAGOS are island ports in Nigeria's Benin Bay, forming West Africa's largest port complex. High cargo volume but severe congestion issues;

Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Ivory Coast's largest city (port) and economic capital, serving as the country's de facto administrative center. High customs clearance efficiency, a popular alternative to Lagos;

Tema, Ghana: One of West Africa's logistics hubs, experiencing rapid growth in recent years; located approximately 26 km from the capital Accra.

Douala, Cameroon: Cameroon's largest port serving Central and West Africa's hinterlands, with convenient inland connectivity.

South Africa

Durban, South Africa: Africa's busiest container port with the most developed infrastructure. It is also South Africa's second-largest manufacturing hub after Johannesburg.

Cape Town, South Africa: Western South African shipping route hub, suitable for local distribution.

Walvis Bay, Namibia: Key port for Namibia, Southern Africa, and Southwest Africa; deep-water port.

North Africa

Alexandria, Egypt: Egypt's largest port, connected to the Suez Canal, serving as a vital Mediterranean logistics hub;

Algiers, Algeria: Algeria's capital and central-northern region, political and economic center, suitable for customs clearance and distribution of consumer goods and building materials;

Tunis, Tunisia: Political and economic hub port, serving the entire nation with relatively transparent procedures;

Tripoli, Libya: Libya's capital and largest port; undergoing political recovery, suitable for project cargo;

Transit Time of Sea Shipping from China to Africa

I. In-Depth Analysis: Core Value of Duty Paid + Door-to-Door Delivery

Duty Paid (DDP - Delivered Duty Paid):

Worry-Free Customs Clearance: The service provider handles all export customs clearance in the exporting country (China) and import customs clearance in the importing country (African destination).

Transparent Taxing: The service provider pre-calculates and includes (or commits to include) all duties, Value Added Tax (VAT), and other potential taxes incurred during the destination country's customs clearance. Sellers pay only a clear total price, eliminating concerns about complex destination-country tax calculations and potential additional expenses.

Risk Transfer: Primary risks and liabilities during customs clearance (e.g., document discrepancies, classification disputes, tax payments) are borne by the service provider, significantly reducing operational risks for sellers.

Door-to-Door Delivery:

End-to-End Coverage: The service encompasses the entire transportation and delivery process, starting from door-to-door pickup at the seller's warehouse in China (or delivery to a consolidation warehouse) and ending with the secure delivery of the package to the end buyer in Africa (or a designated warehouse).

Last-Mile Coverage: Overcoming challenges such as underdeveloped local logistics networks and unclear address systems in parts of Africa, the service leverages the provider's local distribution resources (either proprietary teams or partner networks) to ensure reliable “last-mile” delivery.

Enhanced Customer Experience: Buyers enjoy convenient delivery akin to local shopping, significantly boosting satisfaction and repeat purchase rates.

II. Full Process Breakdown: How Does the Service Operate Efficiently?

Domestic Consolidation & Operations:

Sellers ship goods to the service provider's domestic consolidation warehouse (or schedule door-to-door pickup).

Service provider conducts goods inspection, weighing, measurement, reinforcement packaging (if needed), and labeling (international waybills, local delivery slips).

Complete Chinese export customs clearance (provide required documents like commercial invoices, packing lists; service provider assists or acts as agent)

International Trunk Transportation:

Air Freight Dedicated Lines: Primary choice. Utilizes chartered or fixed-schedule flights from major Chinese airports to Africa's core hubs via direct or connecting routes. Fast transit times (typically 3-7 days to port in major countries), ideal for high-value goods with strict time constraints

Sea Freight Dedicated Line: Lower cost. Ships from major Chinese ports to key African ports. Suitable for bulky, heavy cargo, and bulk commodities less sensitive to transit time. Overall transit time (sea freight + local delivery) is longer (weeks to months).

Destination Country Customs Clearance (Core Process):

Prepare and submit complete customs documentation in advance (based on accurate seller-provided information)

Act on behalf of the consignee to communicate with destination customs authorities and handle duty payments

Address potential inspections to ensure compliance with destination import regulations (e.g., product certifications, labeling requirements). This is critical for fulfilling the “Double Clearance & Duty-Paid” commitment

Local Warehousing & Distribution:

After customs clearance, goods enter the service provider's local distribution center/warehouse in the destination country.

Unpacking and sorting occur, with goods allocated to corresponding distribution hubs or partner carriers based on final delivery addresses.

Last-Mile Delivery:

Local delivery teams or deep-cooperation networks complete final door-to-door delivery, providing proof-of-delivery feedback (digital or photographic).

Primary Clients: Cross-border e-commerce platform sellers (e.g., Jumia, Kilimall), independent website sellers, and small-scale B2B traders.

Applicable Goods: Daily necessities, electronics and accessories, apparel/footwear/bags, small appliances, auto parts, building materials (small batches), etc. Note destination country import restrictions and certification requirements for specific goods (e.g., battery-powered products, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals).

Key Selection Criteria:

Destination Country Coverage & Depth: Identify target countries and evaluate the service provider's customs clearance capabilities (e.g., in-house team? Strength of partner agents?) and last-mile delivery network coverage (e.g., does it reach remote areas?).

Customs Clearance Capability & Reputation: The core of “door-to-door delivery with tax included” lies in customs clearance. Understand the service provider's clearance history, problem-solving ability, and reputation in the target country.

Delivery Time Stability: Compare promised transit times and actual fulfillment rates across different modes (air/sea) to select a solution aligned with business requirements.

Price Transparency and Reasonableness: Clearly understand what costs are included in the quote (e.g., fuel surcharges, remote area fees) and compare the value offered by different providers.

Cargo Insurance: Confirm whether insurance options are available and understand the claims process.

Information Systems: A robust logistics tracking system (providing end-to-end visibility from domestic pickup to final delivery) is critical.

Quotation Overview: Door-to-door delivery with tax included, quoted in RMB, minimum charge applies from 0.5 cubic meters, overweight cargo: 400 RMB per cubic meter; estimated transit time 65-75 days.

Delivery Fee: Lagos +1 RMB/kg, minimum 300 RMB; other regions +5 RMB/kg, minimum 500 RMB.

Trade Customs Clearance: Minimum charge for 2 cubic meters, customs clearance fee 500 RMB/shipment

Oversized/Overweight: Single box weight 65-500KG, longest side 118-258CM, oversize/overweight fee +200 RMB/box;

Packaging Requirements: High-value goods require wooden crates with hinged doors and pallet bases with 10cm forklift clearance. Logistics packaging is mandatory for shipment; fragile items require reinforced packaging. Sea freight covers loss but not damage. Recommended per-item weight: under 1500KG; dimensions: maximum length/width 2.3m, height 2.5m.

Accurate Declaration: Goods description, quantity, weight, and declared value must be truthfully reported. Any losses or legal liabilities arising from customs inspections due to inaccurate, concealed, omitted, or false declarations, or from subsequent transportation incidents, shall be borne by the shipper. Our company reserves the right to seek compensation.

Free Storage Period: 7 days at destination warehouse. Storage charges of RMB 20/CBM/day apply for each day exceeding this period. Charges for volumes less than 1 CBM will be billed as 1 CBM. Goods unclaimed after one month without payment of storage fees or written notice will be treated as abandoned cargo, and we reserve the right to seek compensation for related costs.

Transit Time Note: Due to port characteristics in Nigeria, the estimated door-to-door transit time is 65-70 days. This serves as a reference only; actual customs clearance duration prevails. No compensation will be provided for delays caused by carrier container abandonment, sailing delays, port skipping, or customs inspection during declaration/clearance.

Insurance Coverage: Shippers may opt to purchase cargo value insurance from our company at 3% of the declared value. For losses during transit attributable to our company, compensation shall be the lower of the insured value or the actual cargo value. Alternatively, we can arrange marine cargo insurance on behalf of the shipper at 0.05% of the declared value.

Uninsured Shipments: For confiscation or loss during customs inspection, shippers without insurance shall compensate at twice the freight cost for the affected portion, capped at the declared value. Freight charges for this shipment are non-refundable. If the shipper has purchased cargo insurance and loss occurs due to our company's fault, we shall compensate based on the declared value provided by the customer. For marine cargo insurance purchased by our company, the client shall communicate directly with the insurance provider in the event of a claim. If goods are detained by customs due to the shipper's fault, the shipper shall bear full responsibility.