Air Freight from China to Point Lisas
China → Point Lisas · via POS air / Point Lisas sea · clearance by Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago
Point Lisas is the industrial estate and second container port, and it is served through POS air / Point Lisas 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 Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 4–10 days.
What you will pay on arrival in Trinidad and Tobago
Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Point Lisas consignees. Current regime: VAT 12.5%; CARICOM common external tariff 0–20%, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: TTBS conformity for regulated goods; import license for controlled categories. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Trinidad and Tobago: Foreign-exchange access can delay settlement. CARICOM tariff treatment differs from the rates applied in Latin American neighbors. Import licenses apply to controlled goods.
How this lane actually runs
Trinidad is the industrial anchor of the southern Caribbean and a distribution point for the eastern islands. Asian cargo generally transships at Kingston, Caucedo or Cartagena. Foreign-exchange availability has been a recurring constraint for importers, which affects how quickly duty and supplier payments settle.
| Air gateways used | POS (Port of Spain) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Gateway serving Point Lisas | POS air / Point Lisas sea |
| Inland leg to Point Lisas | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4–10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Point Lisas
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: TTBS conformity for regulated goods; import license for controlled categories.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Trinidad and Tobago duty rate against it yourself.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Put the Point Lisas delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Point Lisas take?
China to the Trinidad and Tobago gateway is 5–8 business days. On top of that, allow 4–10 days of clearance with Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago and a same-day inland leg to Point Lisas.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Point Lisas?
Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago applies: VAT 12.5%; CARICOM common external tariff 0–20%. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Point Lisas.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Point Lisas?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via POS (Port of Spain). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What certification do I need for Trinidad and Tobago?
For regulated goods, plan for: TTBS conformity for regulated goods; import license for controlled categories. 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.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Point Lisas?
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.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Point Lisas?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 28–36 calendar days by sea versus 5–8 business days by air to the Trinidad and Tobago 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 Trinidad and Tobago
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Trinidad and Tobago 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 Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago or your broker before you ship.
- Customs and Excise Division
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
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.
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Cartons Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Flexible Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
Checking the Trinidad and Tobago duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Customs and Excise Division, Trinidad and Tobago 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.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
For a wider view of how importing into Trinidad and Tobago actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Trinidad and Tobago customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Point Lisas. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Air freight and volumetric weight. What is dimensional, chargeable or volumetric weight? — Train Learn Grow. 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 Trinidad and Tobago
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Trinidad and Tobago clearance requirements →