Sea Freight from China to Saint-Paul
China → Saint-Paul · via RUN air / Port Reunion sea · clearance by Douane française (EU customs territory)
We move sea freight cargo from South China into Saint-Paul through RUN air / Port Reunion sea. Saint-Paul is western coastal commercial area, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
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.
What the routing looks like in practice
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.
| Sea gateways used | Port Réunion (Le Port) |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 24–34 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Saint-Paul | RUN air / Port Reunion sea |
| Inland leg to Saint-Paul | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Saint-Paul
Imports into Reunion are cleared by Douane française (EU customs territory). The headline position is: 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 threshold is 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.
Before you book: Saint-Paul checklist
- 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 (EUR 150 for duty; VAT applies from the first euro) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Saint-Paul.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Confirm the consignee in Saint-Paul can act as importer of record — Douane française (EU customs territory) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Saint-Paul take?
China to the Reunion gateway is 24–34 calendar days. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Douane française (EU customs territory) and a same-day inland leg to Saint-Paul.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Saint-Paul?
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 Saint-Paul.
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.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Saint-Paul?
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.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Saint-Paul?
Yes. Delivery to a Saint-Paul 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.
What certification do I need for Reunion?
For regulated goods, plan for: CE marking under EU rules; French labeling requirements. 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 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.
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Doors & Windows Building Materials & Construction Products
- Corrugated Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Glass Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Kitchenware Furniture & Home Products
- Home Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
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 Saint-Paul. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Sea Freight from China: How to import from China to your country via Ocean Shipping — SINO Shipping. 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 →