Asia Pacific

Shipping from China to Subic Bay

China → Subic Bay · via MNL air / Subic Bay sea · clearance by Bureau of Customs (BOC)

Cargo handling on the China–Subic Bay lane.

Subic Bay is the former naval base now handling project and industrial cargo, and it is served through MNL air / Subic Bay sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — allow +1 day for the inland leg on top of clearance.

Clearance itself is handled by Bureau of Customs (BOC), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 4–9 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

Manila port congestion is the defining risk on this lane — dwell can double during the Q4 retail build-up. Cebu and Davao are viable direct calls for Visayas and Mindanao consignees and often clear faster than Manila, so it is worth quoting the regional port rather than trucking from MICT.

Air gateways used	MNL (Manila), CEB (Cebu), CRK (Clark)
Air transit, China to gateway	3–5 business days
Sea gateways used	Manila (MICT and South Harbor), Cebu, Davao
Sea transit, China to gateway	5–10 calendar days
Gateway serving Subic Bay	MNL air / Subic Bay sea
Inland leg to Subic Bay	+1 day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	4–9 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

Import duty and tax position for Subic Bay

Bureau of Customs (BOC) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Subic Bay consignees. Current regime: VAT 12%; duty 0–30%, with ACFTA preference available on a Form E, with a de-minimis position of PHP 10,000.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BPS Import Commodity Clearance for regulated products; FDA licence for food, cosmetics and devices; NTC for radio equipment. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Philippines: Consolidated 'balikbayan'-style mixed cargo attracts extra scrutiny. Used clothing is prohibited. Alert Orders and physical examination are common, so allow buffer days on any deadline-driven shipment.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Subic Bay (Philippines) freight lane — Handling on the MNL air / Subic Bay sea routing serving Subic Bay.

Air, sea or overland into Subic Bay?

Mode	Transit to gateway	Best suited to
✈️ Air Freight	3–5 business days	time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight	5–10 calendar days	volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Philippines gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Subic Bay and 4–9 days of clearance.

Pre-shipment checklist for Subic Bay

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.
Confirm the consignee in Subic Bay can act as importer of record — Bureau of Customs (BOC) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Check the de-minimis position (PHP 10,000) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
Budget for the inland leg: +1 day beyond gateway clearance to reach Subic Bay.

Mode guides for Subic Bay

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Subic Bay take?

China to the Philippines gateway is 3–5 business days by air, 5–10 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4–9 days of clearance with Bureau of Customs (BOC) and a +1 day inland leg to Subic Bay.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Subic Bay?

Bureau of Customs (BOC) applies: VAT 12%; duty 0–30%, with ACFTA preference available on a Form E. The de-minimis position is PHP 10,000. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Subic Bay.

Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Subic Bay?

Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 5–10 calendar days by sea versus 3–5 business days by air to the Philippines gateway, before clearance and the +1 day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Subic Bay?

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.

When is the busiest time on the China–Philippines 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 Philippines?

For regulated goods, plan for: BPS Import Commodity Clearance for regulated products; FDA licence for food, cosmetics and devices; NTC for radio equipment. 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.

Other delivery cities in Philippines

All Philippines freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Philippines 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 Bureau of Customs (BOC) 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 Subic Bay

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 Philippines route page →

Customs clearance in Philippines

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

Philippines clearance requirements →