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🚢 Sea Freight

Sea Freight from China to Surabaya

China → Surabaya · via SUB air / Tanjung Perak sea · clearance by Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai)

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

Freight from China into Surabaya clears through SUB air / Tanjung Perak sea. Surabaya is East Java's commercial capital and second port, and 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.

What the routing looks like in practice

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 SurabayaSUB air / Tanjung Perak sea
Inland leg to SurabayaSame day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell4–10 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov

Import duty and tax position for Surabaya

Imports into Indonesia are cleared by Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai). The headline position is: 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 threshold is 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 Surabaya (Indonesia) freight lane
Handling on the SUB air / Tanjung Perak sea routing serving Surabaya.

Before you book: Surabaya checklist

  • Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Indonesia lane.
  • Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
  • Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
  • Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
  • Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
  • Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Surabaya.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Surabaya 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 Surabaya.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Surabaya?

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 Surabaya.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Surabaya?

Yes. Delivery to a Surabaya address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai), and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

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.

Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Surabaya?

Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 6–11 calendar days by sea versus 3–5 business days by air to the Indonesia 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.

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.

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 Surabaya. 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 Surabaya

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