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🚢 Sea Freight

Sea Freight from China to Medan

China → Medan · via KNO air / Belawan sea · clearance by Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai)

Sea Freight from China to Medan, Indonesia — cargo handling at the departure terminal
Cargo handling on the China–Medan lane.

Medan is North Sumatra hub for plantation and consumer goods, and it is served through KNO air / Belawan sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.

Clearance itself is handled by Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 4–10 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

Indonesia is the most paperwork-heavy market in ASEAN. The USD 3 de-minimis means practically every shipment is dutiable, and Permendag import restrictions cover exactly the categories most China buyers ship — textiles, footwear, electronics, toys and cosmetics. Plan the license position before booking, not after arrival.

Sea gateways usedTanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Belawan (Medan)
Sea transit, China to gateway6–11 calendar days
Gateway serving MedanKNO air / Belawan sea
Inland leg to MedanSame day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell4–10 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov

Duty, tax and clearance into Medan

Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Medan consignees. Current regime: VAT 11%; duty 0–150%, with a 7.5% flat rate applied to many consumer parcels, plus income-tax prepayment (PPh) of 0.5–10%, with a de-minimis position of USD 3 FOB — one of the lowest thresholds in the world.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: SNI mandatory standard for a long list of products; import license (API-U/API-P) held by the consignee; Permendag restricted-goods rules for textiles, footwear, electronics and toys. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Indonesia: Goods on the lartas restricted list need a license issued before the vessel arrives; retro-fixing after arrival is expensive. Used goods are broadly banned. Cosmetics and food need BPOM registration held locally.

Container terminal operations used on the China to Medan (Indonesia) freight lane
Handling on the KNO air / Belawan sea routing serving Medan.

Before you book: Medan checklist

  • Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Indonesia lane.
  • Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
  • Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
  • Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
  • Check the de-minimis position (USD 3 FOB — one of the lowest thresholds in the world) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
  • Put the Medan delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Medan take?

China to the Indonesia gateway is 6–11 calendar days. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) and a same-day inland leg to Medan.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Medan?

Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) applies: VAT 11%; duty 0–150%, with a 7.5% flat rate applied to many consumer parcels, plus income-tax prepayment (PPh) of 0.5–10%. The de-minimis position is USD 3 FOB — one of the lowest thresholds in the world. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Medan.

What documents does Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) 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 (SNI mandatory standard for a long list of products; import license (API-U/API-P) held by the consignee; Permendag restricted-goods rules for textiles, footwear, electronics and toys). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

When is the busiest time on the China–Indonesia 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.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Medan?

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.

Which port or airport does cargo for Medan clear through?

Cargo for Medan is routed via KNO air / Belawan sea. Sea gateways for Indonesia are Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Belawan (Medan); air gateways are CGK (Jakarta), SUB (Surabaya), DPS (Denpasar). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

Other delivery cities in Indonesia

All Indonesia freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Indonesia 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 Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) 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 Indonesia duty position yourself

Every duty and tax figure quoted on this page is our working estimate for planning, not a ruling. The binding rate for your consignment is whatever Indonesian Directorate General of Customs and Excise applies against your declared HS code on the day of entry, and their published guidance is the source to check before you commit stock.

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 Indonesia, the Indonesia 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 Medan. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

How to Ship Internationally via Ocean Freight | Step-by-Step Process, Documents & Cost Explained — 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.

Get a rate for Medan

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 Indonesia route page →

    Customs clearance in Indonesia

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

    Indonesia clearance requirements →

    Priced routes to Indonesia