Shipping from China to France

How Long Does it Take Shipping from China to France

Port of Loading	Port of Arrive	Transmit Time
Shanghai	Le havre	28
Shenzhen	Le havre	24
Ningbo	Le havre	29
Qingdao	Le havre	33
Tianjin	Le havre	39
Xiamen	Le havre	26

Shipping from China to France: The Complete Guide 2018

Do you want to ship from China to France?

If yes – then this is a must-read guide for you.

I am going to tell you everything to consider when importing from China to France.

From France import rules and regulations, prohibited products to methods of shipping from China to France.

Whether you want rail freight, ocean freight, air freight, LCL, OOG or Ro-Ro shipping; I have all that for you in this guide.

From China to France

Here is a quick overview of what I am going to cover in this guide:

Chapter 1: France Import Rules, Regulations and Customs

Every country has control over the kind of the goods allowed into her borders.

Most countries have the set standards for the products allowed into the country by the customs office.

Also, prohibited products can never be allowed within the customs territory.

Before you decide to import from China to France, JMS wishes to give a quick brief on what one needs to know about import regulations.

Regulations and customs in France

Here, I am going to take you through critical aspects you need to know about the French customs regulations.

· Non-Tariff Barriers

France is part of the European Union. Therefore, it uses similar regulation like other EU countries.

The agricultural products are protected by the Common Agricultural Policy.

France and EU

Textile products from China are also subjected to import licenses and control procedures (export document and monitoring document).

Any trade involving plants, seeds and aircraft has to be declared.

They will then be certified by the National Inter Professional Organization for Seeds and Plants (GNIS), the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Defense.

At this stage, they go through various:

• Bureaucratic procedures and the France’s regulations
• Safety and quality testing
• Certification

Of course, all these form part of non-tariff barriers.

· Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

Normally, free duty is levied on the operations carried within the European Union External Action (EEA).

EU External Action

For goods originating outside the European Union, Common Customs Tariff will be levied.

These will be goods originating outside Europe.

The duty is generally very low at an average of 4.2 % for industrial products.

· Procedure for Imports

When importing goods worth below EUR 1,000 or 1,000 kg, a verbal declaration at the customs office and presentation of the purchase proof receipt will be enough.

The goods with value higher than this must be fully declared at the customs office.

Some of the required documentations may include:

1. A short declaration (maritime or air manifest) which concludes the collection of the goods.
2. A single administrative document abbreviated as SAD (common law declaration) as well as the accompanying documents to help in their clearance. This document (SAD) can be got from any approved printer or chamber of commerce.

When there are deliveries and purchases within Europe, the customs service advises that the intrastat declaration and the declaration of exchange of goods (DEB) be sent to them.

French Customs

The European Union advocates for safety standards as dictated by the World Customs Organization.

The EU has therefore set the import control system with the objective to secure the flow of products into the European territory.

France also has this practice, but part of the European Union.

Before introducing any good into the European Union territory, Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) is required.

This is simply a statement showing the products and the transportation vehicle.

This document is submitted electronically before the products arrive at the customs office.

This gives time for cargo risk analysis before it enters the French customs territory.

· Importing Samples

During sourcing of the right product, samples may be sent to the buyer, but this can be treated as temporary admission.

The Temporary Admission book may be used.

On the product, it has to be indicated that the product is not for sale, but imported as a free sample.

· Cosmetics Regulation

This law requires that companies not physically present in France to appoint the responsible agents to represent them in such countries.

This applies to other European Countries.

The EU doesn’t accept cosmetic products which contain ingredients which have been subject to animal testing.

This regulation is exempted to the ingredients where some safety data were gotten by tastings per the EU regulation.

France

Import duty & Taxes when Importing into France

Import duty and taxes are levied on anyone importing any commodity outside the European Union.

The payable import duty and taxes are always calculated on the CIF value (the total value of the imported goods, the cost of shipping and insurance).

· Duty Rates

In France, the import duty rates range between 0% in the case of books and up to 17% for the case of Wellington Boots.

Other goods are treated as duty free.

They may include mobile Phones, video Game consoles, Laptops and Digital cameras.

Depending on the country of manufacture, some goods will have additional duties levied.

Example of product with additional duty (damping) is bicycle from China which may incur duty of 48.5%.

· VAT Rates

This is calculated on the total value of goods, insurance, the international shipping cost and any import duty.

The general VAT rate to import into France is 20%, though some products may attract lower rate as low as 2.1%.

· Minimum thresholds

Anyone importing into France will have a minimum threshold at which duty is waived.

In such case, the VAT is not payable.

This happens when the FOB value is not more than €150 (If the value of the goods only without considering insurance and shipping is not more than €150).

Prohibited Goods to Import to France

The following is the list of goods not allowed into France when planning to import.

It is important to have all these in mind so as not to go into a loss during the time of clearance at the port.

Like any other country, France also has a list of restricted and prohibited imports.

So, here is a list of prohibited and restricted imports to France.

In case you want to learn more about this, here are some links to learn from:

• France Customs Regulations
• France Prohibited and Restricted Imports
• Import Regulations in France

I hope we are together up to this point.

Great, let’s move on to yet another critical aspect.

Chapter 2: How to Get Products to Import from China to France

Getting products from China when in France sometimes may be very challenging.

First, you may not get genuine manufacturers to deal with.

Also, you may not be well versed with where to source for the right product.

Knowing where the product can be sourced will help in planning for the shipping costs to be incurred.

YiWu Trade City

Once the location in China is known, the nearest port or airport can be used.

Apart from knowing the products one can be able to import, it is also important to know the safest means of sourcing the product.

Best sourcing practices are necessary since the buyer may not have to travel from France to China.

Product imports from China to France

Importing products from China to France requires a lot of knowledge on where to source for such a particular commodity.

Global imports by France – Photo courtesy:  BRIDGAT

You need to deal with a reputable supplier and manufacturer who know how to control quality.

Commonly imported products from China to France with their sourced locations in China may include:

i. Construction machinery in Shanghai

ii. Electronics from Shenzen

iii. Metals such as aluminum in Beijing

iv. Medical equipment in TsimShaTsui

v. Automobiles from Guangzhou, Changping, Beijing and Chongqing

vi. Clothing’s from China town, Hong Kong

vii. Iron and steel in Anhui and Shanxi

viii. Copper in Linfen, Yuncheng and Shanxi

ix. Organic chemicals from Chengdu Shi and Sichuan Sheng

x. Paper products from Sichuan and Guanxi

xi. Machine spares from Suzhou Shi and Shanxi

xii. Plastics from Guangzhou, HuairouQu, Wan Chai, Tianjin, Foshan Shi and Wanchai

xiii. Hats and hand bags from Dongguan Shi

xiv. Shoes, Wulanchabu Shi, Dezhou Shi

xv. Children clothing in TsimShaTsui

xvi. Furniture from Heze Shi

Of course, you can get these products from other cities in China too.

Here is exactly what I want you to understand.

Once the product location is identified, a process of getting the genuine product is initiated.

Several ways can be used to get the genuine product.

Some of the three most advisable ways may include:

1. Source via Email, Web Search and Phone

This may sound risky but it works so long as precautions are taken care of.

You can follow these simple steps:

a) Research for the Best Supplier

Using reputable platforms such as Global Sources, Alibaba, Made in China, etc.

Then go ahead and identify a product you need.

Alibaba

Once you get a range of agencies offering your product need/requirement, further narrow down to the top 3 most potential ones.

b) Get the Samples

With the 3 chosen suppliers, get the samples from them and make conclusive comparisons after evaluation.

This means that the supplier has to ship the samples to your place.

Ensure that the 3 suppliers send the samples at the same time to give time for comparison.

c) Modification In Case there is Need

If the products need some modification, give the details to the supplier chosen to do the final modification.

d) Go Ahead and Order the Final Samples

Out of the modification by the supplier, go ahead and order the final samples after verification that it is done as per the requirements.

This can be used for batch manufacturing.

e) Final Sample Approval and Purchase Order

One contented with the final product, a purchase order can be issued to the supplier.

Normally, 30% will be paid upfront to the supplier and the remaining 70% is cleared once the bill of lading is released.

f) Shipping of the Good

Once all the above processes are done, the client now chooses the best freight forwarder to ship the product from China to France.

Although this method seems to be the simplest and easy way to source for the goods.

It is also faced with a number of challenges which may include:

· There can be Communication Barrier

During discussion of more sophisticated products, there may be misunderstanding between the two about the real requirement.

In such a case, the translation may distort completely what one means and the samples may not reflect the requirement.

· Lack of Trust

Having phone or email correspondences may not give a true picture of whether you are dealing with the factory agent or not.

· Compromised Quality during Batch Production

The final samples may sometimes differ from the final batch produced products.

It is vital to insist on quality in this case.

2. Use of the Sourcing Agent to Inspect Every Steps Proposed

The agent is used and will follow every step in the production of the product.

The steps involve:

a) Pre- Manufacture Inspection

This takes place before the manufacturing process starts.

All the components and materials to be used are inspected for the desired quality.

Once the standards are met, manufacturing can take place.

b) Manufacturing/Production Inspection

This is done during the manufacturing/production process to ensure errors and defects are eliminated.

Once 10 – 20% is produced, random checks are done.

In this case, the packed products will be free from defects and errors.

By this, the imported package will meet the standard of the client, although this comes with an additional cost.

c) Inspection before Shipping

Once all the products have been manufactured, the inspection is done to ensure the packaging of defect free products.

This will ensure only the products meeting the required standards are loaded into the cargo plane or ship.

The beauty of this system is that the importer takes the responsibility to source for the supplier.

The sourcing agent will only ensure that the factory in question is in existence and any produced product leaving the manufacturer is of the required standard.

3. Hiring a Sourcing Agent or Specialized Sourcing Company

When a competent sourcing agent is chosen, sourcing the right product remotely will be the best way.

China sourcing agent

They will only need the product specifications.

After which, they will ensure the type of the product they source for you is to the expectations.

It also proves to be the most reliable way to source for products in China without having to travel there.

This method prevents the possibility of the supplier cheating on the buyer.

It is the most recommended method, though it comes with an additional sourcing cost.

Chapter 3: Sea Freight from China to France

China is about 8042 km away from France.

The sea routes make this distance more as they are defined by the water bodies.

These sea routes are dependent on the sea port locations both in China and in France.

Sea shipping, therefore takes longer time to reach its destination compared to the air freight.

This makes it a bit cheaper and can carry very bulky commodities.

Maersk Line

Different sea ports are available both in China and France, which allows the importer to pick the commodity at the convenient location.

3.1. Main Sea Ports in China

China is an industrialized state with many busy sea ports.

Main seaports in China

The busiest sea ports may include:

• Ningbo
• Zhuhai
• Tianjin
• Yantai Haikou
• Nantong
• Nanjing
• Tianjin
• Guangzhou
• Shenzhen
• Dalian
• Xiamen
• Yingkou
• Fang Chenggang
• Weihai
• Qingdao
• Taizhou (North of Wenzhou)
• Wenzhou
• Rizhao
• Zhoushan
• Shanghai
• Changle
• Quanzhou
• Shantou
• Jieyang
• Beihai
• Lianyungang
• Sanya
• Yingkou
• Jinzhou
• Taizhou (South of Wenzhou)
• Qinhuangdao
• Basuo
• Zhenjiang
• Jiangyin

 3.2. Main Sea Ports in France

France has several seaports, but the bus main ones include:

Main sea ports in France

· Port of Le Havre

In terms of average tonnage, this is the second best port in France and is managed by the state agency called Grand Port Maritime du Havre.

This also stands to be the largest container port in France being the major cruise port.

With its largest operation capacity, it is known to deal with a large number of goods.

It’s three sets of terminals deals with containers with more than 4 miles of docks. Its terminal at the north stretches to around 237 acres.

· Port of Lyon

Also known as port Édouard-Herriot and has an area of about 520 acres and is on River Rhone.

Its yearly handling capacity is more than 12 million goods which includes 3 million tonnes of hydrocarbons.

It has two container terminals with a passenger port.

This port links trade between North of Europe, East of France and Mediterranean.

· Port of Marseille

Also known as the Marseille Fos Port as the France’s main maritime port.

It has provision for both the passenger and the goods handling.

Yearly, it handles more than 88 million tonnes in its two main sites.

The two main sites are in Fos-sur-Mer which is about 31 miles northwest of Marseille and in northern Marseille from La Joliette to l’Estaque.

Marseille is the largest port in France, also the second largest European ports being also the second Mediterranean ports.

· Port of Paris

This port handles both passengers and goods.

It is the first inland container port in France.

This is a river port system in France and counted as number two in Europe.

It handles a lot of containers annually up to a tune of over 130,000 TEUs annually.

It has great traffic in the Paris region and can manage more navigable routes of more than 300 miles.

3.3. Shipping Companies from China to France

Do you want to ship your cargo from China to France, well you consider some of these shipping companies.

Port of Marseille

You should consider any of the following companies:

i. Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC)

ii. CMA CGM Group

iii. Maersk Line

iv. China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO)

v. Hapag Lloyd

vi. Hamburg Süd Group

vii. Zim

viii. Evergreen Marine

In a nutshell, these are some of the most common shipping companies.

However, your options are not limited to only these companies.

3.4. Sea Freight Cost from China to France

When planning to ship from China to France, it is important to know all the factors affecting the shipment.

COSCO shipping to France

These factors will affect directly the cost of shipping. Some of these factors may include:

· Nature of the port Used

Depending on the capacity every port handles in a day, economies of scale will come into play.

This means that the ports with very high handling capacity will have low shipping charges while that port with low handling capacity with have high handling charges.

A port such as Shanghai will be cheaper due to its high handling capacity of over 32 million containers a year.

Another important fact which controls the shipping price is whether the two ports have direct links.

Or feeder vessels will be used to incur additional costs due to additional connections.

Shanghai to Marseille – Photo courtesy: PORTS.COM

Distances linking the departure and the destination ports play critical role in the sense that the longer the distance, the higher the charges and vice versa.

This can be attributed due to the additional logistics incurred such as fuel used for longer distances the ship traverse in the ocean.

· Weight or Measure

Depending on the weight or the space occupied by the shipment, the cost will be calculated accordingly.

An example is where 1 cubic meter is equivalent to 1000 kg.

The additional cost will be incurred if there is a variance with the standard measure.

For example, if the shipment is 4 cubic meters and 4500 kg, the weight will be considered bigger.

Hence this will affect the standard shipping rate.

· Importing from Inland

To avoid unnecessary extra costs, it is important to ensure that the sourcing of the commodities is not far from the departure port.

In case it is very far, the road transport charges will have to be incurred.

This will automatically add to the overall shipping charges.

Full Container Loads Shipping Fluctuation Rates

Shipping charges do fluctuate from time to time.

When budgeting, it is important to work with a renowned freight forwarder such as JMS to help predict/estimate the probable fluctuation.

If this is not estimated correctly, the delays during clearance may be experienced.

To avoid falling sea freight rates, these fluctuations are normally fixed by the shipping lines.

The rates are artificially increased using general rate increases (GRIs).

· Season

Fluctuation of demand of some commodities will vastly dictate the shipping cost.

Normally, seasons affect the shipping rate.

Some commodities such as fruits, flowers and grains will be transported during some seasons.

This makes shipment rates higher and during the low season, the freight rates will be lower.

The understanding of low and high seasons is very essential.

· Fines and Fees Charged

The ship may delay to finally arrive at the final destination owing to reasons such as overcrowding.

As a result, other fines will be attracted which automatically increase the charges.

Charges such as security charges will be incurred if the consignment stays for so long at the destination port.

To avoid extra costs, it is advised to clear with the port authority the fastest time possible.

Chapter 4: Air Freight from China to France

Air freight has been proved to be the fastest means of cargo delivery.

This makes it to be more expensive than the sea ocean freight.

Although it is a faster shipping method, it is also hit by other limitations such as difficulty to transport extra bulky consignments.

Air freight comes with additional advantages which gives the importers easy time since most of the processes are taken care of.

Such benefits may include:

• Documentations for exports
• Oversize air freight forwarding
• Domestic air freight forwarding
• Packaging and crating
• Real-time shipment tracking and tracing

Other specialized export services such as export compliance, liaising with banks for banking compliance.

The cost effectiveness of the airfreight plays a critical role in deciding which method to use.

Most agencies will use the shortest route to ensure the customer gets the consignment within the shortest time possible.

Since freight broker handles most of the logistical issues.

The importer is guaranteed of the consignment safety due to insurance for any probable risk and well structure tracking systems used.

Also, before using air freight, it is important to know the airports available in China and in France.

The locations of all these ports are needed to help plan for the cost of the shipment.

4.1. Major Airports in China

Most industrialized countries such as China have several airports situated in different towns to ensure easy movement of goods to the nearest airport.

Main airports in China

The major airports in China may include:

i. Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport

ii. Harbin Taiping International Airport

iii. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

iv. Qingdao Liuting International Airport

v. Taiyuan Wusu International Airport

vi. Kunming Changshui International Airport

vii. Beijing Capital International Airport

viii. Shanghai Pudong International Airport

ix. XishuangbannaGasa Airport

x. Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

xi. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

xii. Wuhan Tianhe International Airport

xiii. Diwopu International Airport

xiv. Hong Kong International Airport

xv. Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport

xvi. Changsha Huanghua International Airport

xvii. Haikou Meilan International Airport

xviii. Ürümqi Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport

xix. Tianjin Binhai International Airport

xx. Phoenix International Airport

xxi. Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport

xxii. Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport

xxiii. Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport,

xxiv. Xian Xianyang International Airport

4.2. Main Airports in France

France has a number of international airports with high handling capacity owing to the fact that France is known for tourist attraction.

Trade also forms part of the reason the airports have expanded since the demand for imported products is also very high.

Airports in France – Photo courtesy: Europe Airports

Some of the main busiest airports include:

· Paris Charles de Gaulle

It can handle around 69 Million passengers in a year and is the biggest airport in France.

This is the main hub of France airline and is situated a distance of 25 km northeast of the French capital.

It connects many international cities and connects with almost all French regions.

· Paris Orly Airport

It can handle around 32 Million passengers yearly and is located 13 km away south from the city center.

On domestic traffic, this is the busiest airport, but takes second position in terms of the international traffic.

· Bordeaux Mérignac Airport

This airport can handle approximately 6 Million passengers and is located 12 km west of Bordeaux.

It stands to be the sixth busiest airport in France.

From this airport; one can reach the city center via local transportation means.

· Beauvais Tillé Airport

It handles approximately 4 million passengers and is situated 85 km northwest of Paris.

It’s also referred to as Paris Beauvais airport.

Used majorly by low cost airlines and charter such as Ryanair.

· Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport

This airport handles around 9 million passengers and located in the third biggest city called Lyon.

It serves well the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which is 20 km southeast of the Lyon city center.

The table below shows the top 40 airports existing in France with their town/city locations.

Position	Airport  Name	Town/City of Location
1	Paris Charles de Gaulle	Paris
2	Paris Orly	Paris
3	Nice	Nice
4	Lyon Saint Exupéry	Lyon
5	Marseille	Marseille
6	Toulouse Blagnac	Toulouse
7	Bâle Mulhouse	Mulhouse
8	Bordeaux Mérignac	Bordeaux
9	Nantes	Nantes
10	Beauvais	Beauvais
11	Pointe-à-Pitre	Pointe-à-Pitre
12	Réunion Roland Garros	Réunion
13	Fort-de-France	Fort-de-France
14	Lille Lesquin	Lille
15	Montpellier Méditerranée	Montpellier
16	Ajaccio	Ajaccio
17	Tahiti Faa’a	Tahiti
18	Strasbourg Entzheim	Strasbourg
19	Bastia	Bastia
20	Biarritz	Biarritz
21	Brest	Brest
22	Pau	Pau
23	Toulon	Toulon
24	FigariSud Corse	Porto-Vecchio
25	Rennes	Rennes
26	Nouméa La Tontouta	Nouméa
27	Cayenne	Cayenne
28	Nouméa Magenta	Nouméa
29	Clermont-Ferrand	Clermont-Ferrand
30	Carcassonne	Carcassonne
31	Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées	Tarbes / Lourdes
32	Perpignan	Perpignan
33	Mayotte	Mayotte
34	Calvi	Calvi
35	Grenoble Isere	Grenoble
36	Limoges	Limoges
37	Bergerac	Bergerac
38	Bora Bora	Bora Bora
39	Metz Nancy Lorraine	Metz
40	Béziers	Beziers

 

 4.3. Cheapest air Freight to France

China has a good bilateral relationship with France enjoys the services of so many airlines.

Air France Cargo

Most affordable airlines available with their routes from France to China and Vice versa include;

· Air China

It has routes such as:

i. Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing

ii. Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu

iii. Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu via Beijing

iv. Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong

v. Flights from Zurich to Beijing

vi. Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Frankfurt

vii. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing

viii. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing via Munich

ix. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing via Chengdu

x. Flights from Munich to Beijing

xi. Flights from Munich to Beijing via Frankfurt

· Air France

Its main routes include:

i. Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing

ii. Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing via Amsterdam

iii. Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu via Amsterdam

iv. Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan

v. Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan via Guangzhou

vi. Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong

vii. Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong via Amsterdam

viii. Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Paris CDG

ix. Flights from Munich to Beijing via Paris CDG.

· Lufthansa

The main routes include:

i. Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing via Frankfurt

ii. Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu via Frankfurt

iii. Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong via Frankfurt

iv. Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Munich

v. Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Frankfurt

vi. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing

vii. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing via Munich

viii. Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing via Chengdu

ix. Flights from Munich to Beijing

x. Flights from Munich to Beijing via Frankfurt

· KLM

KLM routes include:

• Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing
• Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing via Amsterdam
• Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu via Amsterdam
• Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan
• Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong
• Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong via Amsterdam
• Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Amsterdam
• Flights from Frankfurt to Beijing via Amsterdam
• Flights from Munich to Beijing via Amsterdam

· China Eastern Airlines

It flies many routes such as:

• Flights from Paris CDG to Beijing
• Flights from Paris CDG to Chengdu via Kunming
• Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan via Shanghai Pudong
• Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan via Kunming
• Flights from Paris CDG to Wuhan via Beijing
• Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong
• Flights from Paris CDG to Shanghai Pudong via Amsterdam
• Flights from Zurich to Beijing via Paris CDG.

Other airlines include:

• Aeroflot Russian Airlines
• Ural airlines
• Finnair
• Azerbaijan Airlines
• Swiss
• Australian Airline
• Turkmenistan Airlines
• Ukraine International Airline
• Etihad
• Asian Airlines
• Qatar Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines

And by the way, do you know there is an option of shipping from China to France via rail?

Well, here is everything you’ve been longing to know.

Chapter 5: Rail Freight from China to France

Connecting between China to France is also possible using different types of train operators.

Already, there is a direct railway line linking China and France.

Watch this video to learn more:

Of course, there are other alternatives too.

 

 Train route

Using train operators such as:

· SNCF will go from Strasbourg to Basel SBB

· Swiss Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS) will go from Basel SBB to Zürich HB

· TGV moves from Forbach (F) to Mannheim Hbf, the same train moves from Strasbourg to MünchenHbf,

· Deutsche Bahn; Train moves from Forbach (F) to Mannheim Hbf , the same train moves from Mannheim Hbf to Frankfurt(M) FlughafenFernbf.

At times, train travel can also be combined with flight.

Such routes may include; taking a train to Zurich then fly to Beijing 16 hours.

Then, taking a train to Frankfurt then fly to Beijing 17 hours 21 minutes.

You can learn more about using train from China here: Rail Freight from China.

Chapter 6: Shipping Options from China to France

One can package the shipment in different ways during the transit period.

Depending on the container type and the size of the container, you can choose LCL, OOG or even Ro-Ro shipping.

Deciding on the right shipment methods helps in avoiding excess cost incurred during shipping.

Basically, there are two main types of international shipping namely ocean/sea and air freight shipment.

These shipment methods vary immensely owing the speed at which the consignment is delivered.

Hence, the air freight is more expensive as it takes the shortest time.

Depending on the quantity and the conditions of the goods to be shipped, the following modes of shipment can be used.

a) Less Container Load (LCL)

This shipment type is used when the importer has very less goods to import.

Therefore, the goods are packaged together with other packages heading to the same destination till the container gets full.

The cost of shipping will be shared among all those whose good are in the container, but will depend on the volume occupied.

This is the cheapest mode when one considers importing very small quantities though it takes a longer duration to reach its destination.

The long time is as a result of consolidation of all small quantities to ensure the container is full.

As well, it also takes time to clear individual package in the container.

b) Full Container Load (FCL)

Here the container is full of commodities belonging to one individual and all the tracking is done as a single entity.

This is safer than LCL since there is no mixing of different packages.

For this, once the container departs, tracking can easily be done using the container/booking number.

This shipment is always charged at the flat rate.

It is opposed to the LCL where the charges are levied on individual package within the container.

The 3 commonly used containers include 20 feet, 40 feet and 40 feet high cube container.

All these must have the maximum weight being 28 tonnes.

c) Out of Gauge (OOG)

For the consignments exceeding the dimensions of the container, out of gauge mode is used.

The company surcharges the lost slots for the protruding parts of the consignment.

OOG Shipping

This is due to the fact that the protruding parts limit loading more containers into the vessel.

There exists no set limit for the out of gauge cargo and hence the capacity of the container does not depend on the width, height or weight to be used.

The requirements for a client with out of range cargo are: weight of the cargo, dimensions of the cargo and any other vital specification as may be required.

All these are important to help the cargo planning officer attach the right vessel to carry such a cargo.

d) Roll-on/ Roll-off Method of Shipping (Ro Ro)

This is used to chip the automobiles or any other wheeled machines.

Such wheeled machines may include vehicles, tractors, folk lifts, trailers etc.

For these wheeled machines to be carried, they must be in good working conditions.

This is to allow easy movement into the container at the departure ports and out of the container at the destination port.

Ro Ro Shipping

The container used in Ro-Ro is always closed.

This is what makes this system different from other systems where the container may be opened.

Also, no any other personal belongings are allowed into the consignment apart from the spares related to the wheeled machine under importation.

e) Reefer Container

For good which require controlled environment or highly perishable, reefer containers are always used.

This is simply a refrigerated container that is used in the transportation of the products which are temperature sensitive.

Such products may include; fruits, flowers, dairy commodities, meat and even pharmaceutical products.

This container gives the best fitting range of the required temperatures.

Reefer Shipping

The design of the reefer container is such that there are bottom air delivery units which distributes the chilled air to the T-shaped desks via the floor.

The desks can produce uniform airflow across the entire shipment with lots of consistency.

The airflow ensures good exchange for all the goods in the container.

f) Door to Door Shipping

There are several steps involved during door to door shipping.

This is simply sourcing of the commodity from the supplier in China till the delivery of the same commodity in France.

Door to door shipping – Photo courtesy: FedEx

It is important to be well versed with the steps involved so as to plan adequately.

The following steps are key:

• Goods are sourced from the manufacturer/Supplier warehouse
• Goods are taken to the destination port
• Goods are loaded to the vessel for the Sea Journey
• Ship arrives at the destination port
• Clearance is done and the courier service delivers the goods to the door-step of the customer.

With all these steps, one can easily calculate the shipment duration not forgetting to include the extra week for the paperwork during processing.

Chapter 7: How JMS Help you Ship from China to France

Are you looking for a freight forwarder you can trust when shipping from China to France.

JMS is here to help you in all your shipping needs.

At JMS, we provide a range of services to make importing from China hustle free.

Whether you want LCL, FCL, OOG or Ro-Ro, we handle every bit for you.

From loading supervision, cargo inspection to booking space in ship.

Furthermore, we can choose ocean freight, truck shipping, rail freight or air freight.

It will depend on your unique shipping needs.

You don’t have to worry about customs clearance. JMS handles everything for you.

At every stage, JMS strives to reduce shipping costs.

We have partnered with many shipping companies such as China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO or COSCO Group), alongside others airlines.

With JMS, you’re guaranteed of shipping space.

JMS strives to offer the best deals in the market.

You don’t have to worry about container use or warehousing.

At JMS, we offer 20 to 30 days free warehousing.

Besides, once the container reaches the port of destination, you can use our containers for 28 days at no cost.

Isn’t this amazing?

Well, talk to us today, and we’ll make shipping from China to France a simple and straightforward process.

Conclusion

As you can see, understanding basic processes is key when shipping from China to France.

Simply get your goods in China and hire a freight forwarder to handle everything for you.

The freight forwarder will handle all customs clearance, choose shipping method and ensure goods reach the destination safely.

And I am sure, this guide has everything you need when shipping from China to France.

You can talk to us today, and we’ll help you facilitate the shipping process.

At JMS, we are happy when you succeed.