Americas

Shipping from China to Santos

China → Santos · via GRU air / Santos sea · clearance by Receita Federal do Brasil

Cargo handling on the China–Santos lane.

We move freight cargo from South China into Santos through GRU air / Santos sea. Santos is the largest port in Latin America, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.

Clearance itself is handled by Receita Federal do Brasil, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 7–15 days.

How this lane actually runs

Brazil is the most complex tax jurisdiction in the Americas. Federal duty is only the starting point — IPI, PIS/COFINS and state-level ICMS compound on top, and ICMS differs by state, so the same goods cost different amounts landed in São Paulo and Manaus. The Manaus Free Trade Zone is a genuine alternative structure for electronics assembly inputs.

Air gateways used	GRU (São Paulo), VCP (Campinas), GIG (Rio de Janeiro)
Air transit, China to gateway	4–7 business days
Sea gateways used	Santos, Paranaguá, Itajaí
Sea transit, China to gateway	30–40 calendar days
Gateway serving Santos	GRU air / Santos sea
Inland leg to Santos	Same day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	7–15 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

Duty, tax and clearance into Santos

Imports into Brazil are cleared by Receita Federal do Brasil. The headline position is: Import duty 10–35% plus IPI, PIS/COFINS and state ICMS — the compounded effective rate frequently exceeds 60%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 50 for consignments between individuals only.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: ANATEL homologation for telecom and radio devices; INMETRO certification for a wide range of consumer goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Brazil: ANATEL homologation is mandatory for anything that transmits, and takes months to obtain — start before production. INMETRO certification covers many consumer categories. Import licensing applies to a substantial list of goods and must be granted before shipment.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Santos (Brazil) freight lane — Handling on the GRU air / Santos sea routing serving Santos.

Air, sea or overland into Santos?

Mode	Transit to gateway	Best suited to
✈️ Air Freight	4–7 business days	time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight	30–40 calendar days	volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Brazil gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Santos and 7–15 days of clearance.

What to sort out before the cargo leaves China

Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Brazil duty rate against it yourself.
Check the de-minimis position (USD 50 for consignments between individuals only) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Santos.

Mode guides for Santos

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Santos take?

China to the Brazil gateway is 4–7 business days by air, 30–40 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with Receita Federal do Brasil and a same-day inland leg to Santos.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Santos?

Receita Federal do Brasil applies: Import duty 10–35% plus IPI, PIS/COFINS and state ICMS — the compounded effective rate frequently exceeds 60%. The de-minimis position is USD 50 for consignments between individuals only. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Santos.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Santos?

Yes. Delivery to a Santos address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Receita Federal do Brasil, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Santos?

Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via GRU (São Paulo), VCP (Campinas), GIG (Rio de Janeiro). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.

Which port or airport does cargo for Santos clear through?

Cargo for Santos is routed via GRU air / Santos sea. Sea gateways for Brazil are Santos, Paranaguá, Itajaí; air gateways are GRU (São Paulo), VCP (Campinas), GIG (Rio de Janeiro). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

What documents does Receita Federal do Brasil require?

A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (ANATEL homologation for telecom and radio devices; INMETRO certification for a wide range of consumer goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

Other delivery cities in Brazil

All Brazil freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Brazil change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Receita Federal do Brasil or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.

Shipping by industry

This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.

All 60 industry guides →

Checking the Brazil duty position yourself

Treat the landed-cost numbers here as a planning baseline. Receita Federal do Brasil sets the rate that actually gets charged, assessed against your HS classification at the moment of clearance, so their own guidance is worth reading before a large order.

If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.

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.

On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.

If this is your first shipment into Brazil, the Brazil 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.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Santos. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

Marine Insurance Explained - Understand the Cargo Insurance You're Getting — ABTS®. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Get a rate for Santos

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a rate card: the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we price it properly.

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.

See the Brazil route page →

Customs clearance in Brazil

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

Brazil clearance requirements →

Shipping from China to Santos

How this lane actually runs

Duty, tax and clearance into Santos

Air, sea or overland into Santos?

What to sort out before the cargo leaves China

Mode guides for Santos

Frequently asked questions

Other delivery cities in Brazil

References & official sources

Shipping by industry

Checking the Brazil duty position yourself

Watch: the process behind this route

Get a rate for Santos

Got it — your enquiry is in.

Freight Rates to Brazil

Customs clearance in Brazil

Priced routes to Brazil

Got it — your enquiry is in.

Best Shipping Options