Sea Freight from China to Puerto Cortes
China → Puerto Cortes · via SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea · clearance by Administración Aduanera de Honduras
For buyers shipping into Puerto Cortes, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Puerto Cortes is the deepest port in Central America; cargo enters through SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by Administración Aduanera de Honduras, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 4–10 days.
Import duty and tax position for Puerto Cortes
Administración Aduanera de Honduras assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Puerto Cortes consignees. Current regime: ISV 15%; Central American common tariff 0–15%, with a de-minimis position of 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.
How this lane actually runs
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 Puerto Cortes | SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea |
| Inland leg to Puerto Cortes | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4–10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Health registration for food and cosmetics; conformity for regulated goods.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Honduras lane.
- Confirm the consignee in Puerto Cortes can act as importer of record — Administración Aduanera de Honduras will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Puerto Cortes 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 Puerto Cortes.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Puerto Cortes?
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 Puerto Cortes.
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.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Puerto Cortes?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 26–34 calendar days by sea versus 4–7 business days by air to the Honduras gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Which port or airport does cargo for Puerto Cortes clear through?
Cargo for Puerto Cortes is routed via SAP air / Puerto Cortes sea. Sea gateways for Honduras are Puerto Cortés, Henecán (San Lorenzo); air gateways are SAP (San Pedro Sula), TGU (Tegucigalpa). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
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.
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.
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- 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
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.
For a wider view of how importing into Honduras actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Honduras 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 Puerto Cortes. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Sea Freight from China: How to import from China to your country via Ocean Shipping — SINO Shipping. 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 →