Shipping from China to Le Port
China → Le Port · via RUN air / Port Reunion sea · clearance by Douane française (EU customs territory)
For buyers shipping into Le Port, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Le Port is the container port district; cargo enters through RUN air / Port Reunion sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Douane française (EU customs territory). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 3–8 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
How this lane actually runs
Réunion is part of the EU customs territory, so EU tariff and CE marking rules apply — but the octroi de mer dock due, which does not exist in mainland France, can add far more to landed cost than the customs duty itself. Its rate depends on whether an equivalent product is made locally, so classification research genuinely pays here.
| Air gateways used | RUN (Saint-Denis Roland Garros) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Port Réunion (Le Port) |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 24–34 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Le Port | RUN air / Port Reunion sea |
| Inland leg to Le Port | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Import duty and tax position for Le Port
Douane française (EU customs territory) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Le Port consignees. Current regime: Reduced VAT of 8.5% plus octroi de mer — a local dock due of 6.5–60% that is unique to the French overseas departments, with a de-minimis position of EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: CE marking under EU rules; French labeling requirements. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Reunion: Octroi de mer is the dominant cost element and varies by product and local production status. EU rules otherwise apply in full, including CE marking and French labeling.
Air, sea or overland into Le Port?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 5–8 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 24–34 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Reunion gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Le Port and 3–8 days of clearance.
Before you book: Le Port checklist
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: CE marking under EU rules; French labeling requirements.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Le Port.
- Put the Le Port delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Confirm the consignee in Le Port can act as importer of record — Douane française (EU customs territory) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Mode guides for Le Port
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Le Port take?
China to the Reunion gateway is 5–8 business days by air, 24–34 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Douane française (EU customs territory) and a same-day inland leg to Le Port.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Le Port?
Douane française (EU customs territory) applies: Reduced VAT of 8.5% plus octroi de mer — a local dock due of 6.5–60% that is unique to the French overseas departments. The de-minimis position is EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Le Port.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Le Port?
Yes. Delivery to a Le Port address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Douane française (EU customs territory), 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–Reunion 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 documents does Douane française (EU customs territory) 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 (CE marking under EU rules; French labeling requirements). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Le Port?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 24–34 calendar days by sea versus 5–8 business days by air to the Reunion 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.
Other delivery cities in Reunion
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Reunion 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 Douane française (EU customs territory) or your broker before you ship.
- Douane française
- Octroi de mer — French overseas dock dues
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- 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.
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
Checking the Reunion duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Douane française (EU customs territory) 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.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
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.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Le Port. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
LCL vs FCL | Difference Between Full Container Load & Less than Container Load | Which is better ? — 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.
Customs clearance in Reunion
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Reunion clearance requirements →