🚢 Sea Freight

China to Mexico Sea Freight

Door-to-door transit 25-45 calendar days. Duty and final delivery are inside the published rate.

Sea freight — China to Mexico

Sea Freight from China to Mexico runs 25-45 calendar days door to door, clearing through the destination customs authority. Rates shown are indicative freight estimates; duty, tax and customs handling depend on the commodity and are quoted separately. Send weight, dimensions and product details for a firm figure.

Transit time: 25-45 calendar days
Destination: Mexico
Customs authority: the destination customs authority
Duty-free threshold: USD 50 for courier consignments

Indicative published channel rate for planning, not a quotation. What you actually pay depends on the product and its HS code, chargeable weight, declared value, duty and tax at destination and the exchange rate on the day — it can come in above or below this.

Contents

Current Freight Rates

Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.

Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and seven more — see which costs sit with us and which sit with you

The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Mexico is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.

Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.

Responsibility for each shipment stage under each Incoterms rule
Term	1 Loading on truck	2 Export customs declaration	3 Carriage to port of export	4 Unloading at port of export	5 Loading on vessel / aircraft	6 Main carriage	7 Cargo insurance	8 Unloading at port of import	9 Loading on truck at import	10 Carriage to destination	11 Import customs clearance	12 Import duties & taxes
EXW Ex Works	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck	Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export	Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Buyer Buyer — Main carriage	Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FCA Free Carrier	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export	Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Buyer Buyer — Main carriage	Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FAS Free Alongside Ship	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Buyer Buyer — Main carriage	Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FOB Free On Board	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Buyer Buyer — Main carriage	Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CFR Cost and Freight	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Seller Seller — Cargo insurance	Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CPT Carriage Paid To	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import	Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import	Seller Seller — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Seller Seller — Cargo insurance	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import	Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import	Seller Seller — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import	Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import	Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DAP Delivered At Place	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import	Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import	Seller Seller — Carriage to destination	Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance	Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DDP Delivered Duty Paid	Seller Seller — Loading on truck	Seller Seller — Export customs declaration	Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export	Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft	Seller Seller — Main carriage	Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance	Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import	Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import	Seller Seller — Carriage to destination	Seller Seller — Import customs clearance	Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes

EXW Ex Works

Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.

FCA Free Carrier

Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.

FAS Free Alongside Ship

Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.

FOB Free On Board

Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.

CFR Cost and Freight

Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.

CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight

As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).

CPT Carriage Paid To

Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.

CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid

As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.

DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)

Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.

DAP Delivered At Place

Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.

DDP Delivered Duty Paid

Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.

Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.

Service Details

Shanghai → Manzanillo Container Shipping

Shanghai to Manzanillo container shipping, priced per box rather than per CBM. This is the lane to book when the cargo fills a container or when it should not share one: machinery, stone, steel, building materials and project pieces all move better as FCL because nothing else is loaded around them.

Port-to-port means exactly that: the rate ends at the Manzanillo terminal gate. Typical dwell at destination runs 4–10 days before the box is available for collection, and that window sits outside the transit figure above. Origin haulage, export declaration, destination clearance, duty and delivery beyond the terminal are all quoted separately, so ask for a door figure if that is what you are comparing against.

Rate by Container Type

40HQ — USD 6,200 per container

Rates on this lane are per kilogram of chargeable weight, which is the greater of actual gross weight and L×W×H ÷ 6000. One cubic metre of cargo is treated as about 166.7 kg, so anything lighter than that per cubic metre is billed on the space it occupies rather than on the scale reading. Knowing which side of that line your cargo falls on changes the quote more than any negotiation will.

The consignments that move regularly on this service into Mexico are dominated by hotel furniture (HS 94), where clearance turns on timber due diligence (EUTR / EUDR) and UK upholstery fire regulations, pallet (HS 44 / 48) and bearings (HS 73 / 82 / 83). We publish a handling brief for each, because the difference between a clean clearance and a two-week hold is almost always documentation prepared before the cargo leaves the factory rather than anything that happens in transit.

Ocean cargo on this lane discharges at Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas and Veracruz. Which one your container routes through is decided by the sailing we book rather than by you, and it moves the inland leg far more than it moves the ocean rate, so if your consignee sits closer to one of them say so at booking and we will bias the routing that way.

Delivery does not stop at the gateway. We run inland to Tijuana, Mexico City, Altamira, Monterrey and Merida among others, and each of those has its own destination guide covering the port or airport it clears through, the realistic inland transit to add on top of the figures above, and the local clearance quirks worth knowing before you ship: see all Mexico destinations we cover, 13 in total.

Track your shipment

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Track your container to Mexico

Ocean cargo is tracked by container number, not by a parcel barcode. Enter yours below: we check it is a valid number, identify the line that owns it, and take you straight to that line's tracking page for this ocean service.

Container number

A container number is four letters and seven digits, for example MSKU6090510. The last digit is a check digit, so a typo can be caught here rather than by an empty result on the carrier's site. We validate it in your browser — the number is not sent to us or to anyone else.

Additional Information

Scope, Exclusions and What to Check Before Booking

This is a port-to-port FCL rate for Shanghai to Manzanillo. It covers ocean freight for one container and stops at the Manzanillo terminal gate. Everything either side of that — trucking to Shanghai, customs at both ends, duty and tax for Mexico, inland delivery — is quoted on request rather than bundled, which keeps the freight number comparable between carriers.

Priced per box in USD for 40HQ, not per KG or per CBM — utilization is yours to optimize
Heavy and out-of-gauge cargo is core traffic here: machinery, steel, stone, building materials, project pieces
Cut-off and free time attach to the specific sailing; demurrage begins the day free time expires
Reefer, dangerous goods and out-of-gauge are priced case by case rather than from the card
Clearance at destination is handled by Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT; the consignee must be registered to import
Destination conformity for Mexico: NOM standards compliance for regulated goods; the consignee must be listed on the Padrón de Importadores

The most expensive mistake on a Shanghai to Manzanillo booking is not the freight rate, it is free time. Demurrage and detention start counting at the Manzanillo terminal whether or not your consignee is ready, and on a bad week they can exceed the ocean freight itself. Confirm how many free days the booking carries before you fix a collection date.

Before you book, confirm two things with your consignee: that they are registered to import into Mexico, and that whoever is named as importer of record accepts the duty liability. Those are dull questions and they are also the two that most often surface only after the cargo has already sailed.

Where these numbers come from

Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.

Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.

For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.

If this is your first shipment into Mexico, the Mexico Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.

China to Mexico — Shipping Reference Data

Main sea gateways	Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz
Destination customs authority	Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT
De-minimis / duty-free threshold	USD 50 for courier consignments
Import tax & duty regime	IVA 16%; duty 0–35%, with additional temporary tariffs of up to 35% applied to textiles, footwear, steel and several other Chinese-origin categories
Local currency	MXN
Typical clearance / dwell time	4–10 days
Peak / busy season	Aug–Nov
Conformity & certification	NOM standards compliance for regulated goods; the consignee must be listed on the Padrón de Importadores

Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.

Free 3D Loading Tools for This Sea Route

This page covers a Sea freight service from China to Mexico. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.

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3D Container Loading Planner

Sea freight to Mexico prices by CBM or container — plan your 20GP/40GP/40HQ loading in 3D, compare utilization, and see exactly how many cartons fit before you commit to a booking.

Open Container Planner →

Mexico Sea Freight Checklist

Check pallet vs floor-loading: floor loading typically fits 8-12% more cartons per container.
Ask whether the quote includes destination port charges in Mexico or only ocean freight.
Reserve loading space 5-7 days before the sailing cut-off for this route during peak season.
Verify the receiver's customs import capability in Mexico for DDP terms before booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Sea FCL Port-to-Port (Spot) from China to Mexico take?

Sea freight on this route runs about 25–45 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 4–10 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.

What duties and taxes apply when importing into Mexico?

Clearance is handled by Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT. The regime is: IVA 16%; duty 0–35%, with additional temporary tariffs of up to 35% applied to textiles, footwear, steel and several other Chinese-origin categories, with a de-minimis position of USD 50 for courier consignments. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.

What does DDP shipping to Mexico include on this route?

DDP means we quote the freight, the customs entry with Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT and last-mile delivery in Mexico together, so you settle once. The duty and tax portion depends on your product's HS code, declared value and the exchange rate at entry, so it is confirmed against your actual goods — the figures on this page are indicative and can move either way.

Which ports or airports does this route use into Mexico?

Sea cargo to Mexico clears through Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz; air freight clears via MEX (Mexico City), NLU (Felipe Ángeles), GDL (Guadalajara). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.

What certification is needed to import into Mexico?

For regulated goods, plan for: NOM standards compliance for regulated goods; the consignee must be listed on the Padrón de Importadores. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT, so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.

What documents are required for customs clearance in Mexico?

Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) and SAT typically requires a commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading/air waybill, a certificate of origin (may lower duty), and any product certification (NOM standards compliance for regulated goods; the consignee must be listed on the Padrón de Importadores). We file these under DDP.

Inland Delivery Coverage — Mexico

We deliver beyond the arrival gateway. Each city below has its own destination guide covering the gateway it clears through, typical inland transit time and the local customs picture.

Note — these are reference guides, not quotes. The city pages describe routing, gateways and clearance for each destination. They do not carry rate tables. For pricing to any city listed here, use the rate table on this page or ask us for a quote.

Altamira TAM air / Altamira sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
Lazaro Cardenas LZC air / Lazaro Cardenas sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Veracruz VER air / Veracruz sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
Mexico City MEX air / Manzanillo sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
Guadalajara GDL air / Manzanillo sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Monterrey MTY air / Altamira sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
Puebla MEX air / Veracruz sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Queretaro QRO air / Manzanillo sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
Tijuana TIJ air / Ensenada sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Merida MID air / Progreso sea inland +3 days Guide only — no rates
Leon BJX air / Manzanillo sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
Manzanillo GDL air / Manzanillo sea inland same day Guide only — no rates

All Mexico destination guides →

Shipping Mexico cargo by industry

This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.

All 60 industry guides →

Get a quote — Mexico

Send the cargo details below and we price your actual shipment. Weight, dimensions and what the goods are is everything we need to come back with a firm number.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

What are you shipping?*

Destination*

Weight*

Cartons*

ctn

Carton sizeoptional

× × cm

Total volumeopt

m³

Containeropt

How manyopt

ctr

Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.

Yes No

Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.

Yes No

Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.

Yes No

Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*

Sea freight Air freight

Tick both and we quote both.

When should it move?optional

Not before Not after

Your name

Email*

Phone / WhatsApp

Photographs of the goodsoptional

Add images PNG or JPG · up to 5 · 10 MB each

Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

Customs clearance in Mexico

Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.

Mexico clearance requirements →

Destination guide

Gateways, inland legs and clearance context for Mexico — background rather than pricing.

Mexico destination guide →

China to Mexico Sea Freight

Current Freight Rates

EXW Ex Works

FCA Free Carrier

FAS Free Alongside Ship

FOB Free On Board

CFR Cost and Freight

CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight

CPT Carriage Paid To

CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid

DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)

DAP Delivered At Place

DDP Delivered Duty Paid

Service Details

Shanghai → Manzanillo Container Shipping

Rate by Container Type

Track your shipment

Track your container to Mexico

Additional Information

Scope, Exclusions and What to Check Before Booking

Where these numbers come from

China to Mexico — Shipping Reference Data

Free 3D Loading Tools for This Sea Route

3D Container Loading Planner

Mexico Sea Freight Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

Inland Delivery Coverage — Mexico

Shipping Mexico cargo by industry

Get a quote — Mexico

Got it — your enquiry is in.

Customs clearance in Mexico

Destination guide

Got it — your enquiry is in.