🚢 Sea Freight

Sea Freight from China to Mundra

China → Mundra · via AMD air / Mundra sea · clearance by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)

Cargo handling on the China–Mundra lane.

We move sea freight cargo from South China into Mundra through AMD air / Mundra sea. Mundra is India's largest private port, serving the northern industrial corridor, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.

Clearance itself is handled by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 3–8 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

India is the largest South Asian lane but the least DDP-friendly. Duty and IGST must be paid against the consignee's own IEC and GSTIN, so a true door-to-door DDP where the forwarder acts as importer is rarely possible — in practice the structure is DAP with duty prepaid on the buyer's behalf. Clarify this before quoting, because it changes who can recover the IGST input credit.

Sea gateways used	Nhava Sheva (JNPA, Mumbai), Mundra, Chennai
Sea transit, China to gateway	7–14 calendar days
Gateway serving Mundra	AMD air / Mundra sea
Inland leg to Mundra	+1 day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	3–8 days
Peak season to plan around	Aug–Nov

What you will pay on arrival in India

Imports into India are cleared by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The headline position is: Basic customs duty 0–20% plus IGST 5–28% plus a social welfare surcharge of 10% of the duty. The de-minimis threshold is No commercial de-minimis; gift relief up to INR 5,000 only.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC). Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for India: BIS registration for electronics is enforced strictly and cannot be fixed after arrival. Toys, steel and several electronics categories need quality-control-order compliance. Confirm the consignee's IEC and GSTIN before the goods leave China.

Container terminal operations used on the China to Mundra (India) freight lane — Handling on the AMD air / Mundra sea routing serving Mundra.

Before you book: Mundra checklist

Get the conformity paperwork moving early: BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC).
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 (No commercial de-minimis; gift relief up to INR 5,000 only) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
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 Mundra.
Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Mundra take?

China to the India gateway is 7–14 calendar days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and a +1 day inland leg to Mundra.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Mundra?

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) applies: Basic customs duty 0–20% plus IGST 5–28% plus a social welfare surcharge of 10% of the duty. The de-minimis position is No commercial de-minimis; gift relief up to INR 5,000 only. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Mundra.

What certification do I need for India?

For regulated goods, plan for: BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC). 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.

When is the busiest time on the China–India lane?

Space and rates tighten around Aug–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.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Mundra?

We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimetres 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.

Which port or airport does cargo for Mundra clear through?

Cargo for Mundra is routed via AMD air / Mundra sea. Sea gateways for India are Nhava Sheva (JNPA, Mumbai), Mundra, Chennai; air gateways are DEL (Delhi), BOM (Mumbai), MAA (Chennai). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

Other delivery cities in India

All India freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for India 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 Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 8 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 139 industry guides →

Get a rate for Mundra

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.

Request a quote → See the India route page →

Customs clearance in India

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

India clearance requirements →