Sea Freight from China to Choloma
China → Choloma · via SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea · clearance by Administración Aduanera de Honduras
We move sea freight cargo from South China into Choloma through SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea. Choloma is maquila and apparel manufacturing city, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
On the destination side, Administración Aduanera de Honduras handles clearance; budget 4–10 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
Routing and transit on this lane
Puerto Cortés is the deepest and best-equipped port in Central America and clears a large share of the region's Atlantic-side volume. San Pedro Sula is the commercial center and the natural distribution base, with Tegucigalpa served by road. Asian cargo normally transships at Panama, Cartagena or Kingston.
| Sea gateways used | Puerto Cortés, Henecán (San Lorenzo) |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 26–34 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Choloma | SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea |
| Inland leg to Choloma | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4–10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Choloma
Imports into Honduras are cleared by Administración Aduanera de Honduras. The headline position is: ISV 15%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis threshold is USD 100 for courier consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Honduras: Transshipment dependency means feeder timing drives the schedule. Free-zone regimes for the apparel sector have separate duty treatment.
Pre-shipment checklist for Choloma
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Check the de-minimis position (USD 100 for courier consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Put the Choloma delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- 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 Choloma.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Choloma take?
China to the Honduras gateway is 26–34 calendar days. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with Administración Aduanera de Honduras and a same-day inland leg to Choloma.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Choloma?
Administración Aduanera de Honduras applies: ISV 15%; Central American common tariff 0–15%. The de-minimis position is USD 100 for courier consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Choloma.
What documents does Administración Aduanera de Honduras 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 (Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
When is the busiest time on the China–Honduras lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
What certification do I need for Honduras?
For regulated goods, plan for: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods. 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.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Choloma?
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.
Other delivery cities in Honduras
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Honduras 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 Administración Aduanera de Honduras or your broker before you ship.
- Administración Aduanera de Honduras
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
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.
- Glass Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Kitchenware Furniture & Home Products
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
Checking the Honduras duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Administración Aduanera de Honduras 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 Honduras, the Honduras 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 Choloma. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
LCL vs FCL | Difference Between Full Container Load & Less than Container Load | Which is better ? — 10 Min For Supply Chain. 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 Honduras
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Honduras clearance requirements →