Shipping from China to Cape Verde
China โ Cape Verde ยท clearance by Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde
We move freight cargo from South China into Cape Verde through RAI air / Praia sea. Cape Verde is served through Praia, Mindelo (Porto Grande), which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
The clearing authority is Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 4โ10 days, and it lengthens in SepโNov.
What the routing looks like in practice
Cape Verde is an archipelago, so cargo lands at Praia or Mindelo and then moves between islands by coastal vessel โ a leg that is easy to underestimate. Asian cargo transships through Las Palmas, Lisbon or Algeciras. Tourism drives the demand pattern, with the build-up ahead of the European winter season.
| Air gateways used | RAI (Praia), SID (Sal) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 6โ9 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Praia, Mindelo (Porto Grande) |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 26โ36 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Cape Verde | RAI air / Praia sea |
| Inland leg to Cape Verde | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4โ10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Delivery cities in Cape Verde
Principal delivery points: Praia, Mindelo, Espargos, Assomada. Pick a city for the gateway it uses and the inland leg beyond clearance.
What you will pay on arrival in Cape Verde
Imports into Cape Verde are cleared by Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde. The headline position is: VAT 15%; duty 0โ50% depending on commodity. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Conformity requirements for regulated goods; health registration for food. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Cape Verde: Inter-island distribution is a separate cost and schedule element. Transshipment through European or Canary Island hubs is the norm. Confirm which island is the actual delivery point.
Air, sea or overland into Cape Verde?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 6โ9 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 26โ36 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Cape Verde gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Cape Verde and 4โ10 days of clearance.
Pre-shipment checklist for Cape Verde
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (LรWรH รท 6000) โ the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Cape Verde duty rate against it yourself.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Cape Verde.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Cape Verde take?
China to the Cape Verde gateway is 6โ9 business days by air, 26โ36 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4โ10 days of clearance with Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde and a same-day inland leg to Cape Verde.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Cape Verde?
Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde applies: VAT 15%; duty 0โ50% depending on commodity. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Cape Verde.
What certification do I need for Cape Verde?
For regulated goods, plan for: Conformity requirements for regulated goods; health registration for food. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
What documents does Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde 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 (Conformity requirements for regulated goods; health registration for food). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Cape Verde?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via RAI (Praia), SID (Sal). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Cape Verde?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Cape Verde change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde or your broker before you ship.
- Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- WCO โ Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO โ IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 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 โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
Checking the Cape Verde duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Direcรงรฃo Geral das Alfรขndegas de Cabo Verde 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.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name โ 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.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Cape Verde. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. 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.
Customs clearance in Cape Verde
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Cape Verde clearance requirements →