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Shipping from China to Medellin

China → Medellin · via MDE air / Cartagena sea · clearance by DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales

Freight forwarding from China to Medellin, Colombia — container and air cargo handling
Cargo handling on the China–Medellin lane.

We move freight cargo from South China into Medellin through MDE air / Cartagena sea. Medellin is textile and manufacturing center, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.

On the destination side, DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales handles clearance; budget 4–10 days of dwell before the cargo is released.

What you will pay on arrival in Colombia

Imports into Colombia are cleared by DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales. The headline position is: IVA 19%; duty 0–20%, with a 10–40% tariff applied to some textile and footwear imports. The de-minimis threshold is USD 200 for courier consignments.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Colombia: Textile and footwear tariffs are set to discourage undervaluation — customs valuation challenges are common. INVIMA registration must be held by the consignee before arrival for regulated goods.

Routing and transit on this lane

Cartagena on the Caribbean coast is the fastest and best-connected gateway, and it is the natural choice for Bogotá and Medellín despite the inland trucking. Buenaventura on the Pacific is closer to Cali but has a heavier congestion history. Textile and footwear imports carry protective tariffs designed to slow low-priced Asian goods, so classify these carefully.

Air gateways usedBOG (Bogotá), MDE (Medellín), CLO (Cali)
Air transit, China to gateway4–6 business days
Sea gateways usedCartagena, Buenaventura, Barranquilla
Sea transit, China to gateway26–34 calendar days
Gateway serving MedellinMDE air / Cartagena sea
Inland leg to Medellin+1 day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell4–10 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov
Air cargo build-up used on the China to Medellin (Colombia) freight lane
Handling on the MDE air / Cartagena sea routing serving Medellin.

Before you book: Medellin checklist

  • Get the conformity paperwork moving early: INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals.
  • Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
  • Put the Medellin delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
  • Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — 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.
  • Budget for the inland leg: +1 day beyond gateway clearance to reach Medellin.

Air, sea or overland into Medellin?

ModeTransit to gatewayBest suited to
✈️ Air Freight4–6 business daystime-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight26–34 calendar daysvolume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Colombia gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Medellin and 4–10 days of clearance.

Mode guides for Medellin

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Medellin take?

China to the Colombia gateway is 4–6 business days by air, 26–34 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales and a +1 day inland leg to Medellin.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Medellin?

DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales applies: IVA 19%; duty 0–20%, with a 10–40% tariff applied to some textile and footwear imports. The de-minimis position is USD 200 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Medellin.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Medellin?

Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via BOG (Bogotá), MDE (Medellín), CLO (Cali). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.

What documents does DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales 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 (INVIMA registration for food, cosmetics and medical devices; conformity certificates for regulated electricals). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Medellin?

We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.

Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Medellin?

Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 26–34 calendar days by sea versus 4–6 business days by air to the Colombia gateway, before clearance and the +1 day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.

Other delivery cities in Colombia

All Colombia freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Colombia 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 DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales 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 Colombia duty position yourself

Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales 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.

For a wider view of how importing into Colombia actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Colombia customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Medellin. 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 Medellin

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.

kg
ctn
Carton sizeoptional
× × cm
m³
ctr
Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.
Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.
Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.
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?*
Tick both and we quote both.
When should it move?optional
Photographs of the goodsoptional
    Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

    See the Colombia route page →

    Customs clearance in Colombia

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

    Colombia clearance requirements →

    Priced routes to Colombia