Compressors Shipping from China
Ocean freight for compressors — container selection and loading plan, packing specification, HS classification and import clearance at destination. Quoted EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP or delivered duty-paid.
- Full container, LCL and breakbulk — priced per box, not per kilo
- Loading plan agreed before booking, not improvised at the warehouse
- Classification settled before the vessel sails
Compressors shipping from China is straightforward once the cargo is understood: this is freight that rotating equipment that must not turn during transit, and the routing follows from that.
That shapes the quote directly. Light for its value and its bulk, so it prices on volume rather than mass on nearly every service. The freight is a small line against the value of the machine, which is the argument for spending on the packing instead of shaving the rate.
Worth knowing about compressors specifically. Bearing damage from unrestrained rotation. Nothing is visible externally and the failure occurs during the first hours of commissioning.
The paperwork that most often decides whether a consignment clears on time is CE marking to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC with a signed declaration of conformity. Expect HS chapter 84, with the precise heading depending on grade and construction — confirm it for your specific goods rather than assuming.
Freight reference — Compressors
| Typical HS chapter | 84 |
|---|---|
| Cargo behaviour | Rotating equipment that must not turn during transit |
| How it prices | Weight plus packing overhead |
| Usual service | Air or sole-use Sea FCL |
| Main compliance step | CE marking to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC with a signed declaration of conformity |
| Trade terms available | EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP or delivered duty-paid |
HS chapters are indicative. The binding classification depends on your exact specification — confirm the heading before relying on a duty estimate.
Packing and protection
Rotor locks fitted, oil drained or secured to specification, suction and discharge blanked. A rotor turning without lubrication at sea destroys itself silently.
Loading the container
Stowage: Load away from the doors, blocked so nothing can shift into it, and never under anything heavier. If it shares a consol, ask what it is sharing with.
Choosing the service
Service choice: Air where the installation date is fixed or the machine is a bottleneck. Ocean FCL where you control the whole box; ocean groupage only with the packing built for it.
Where it usually goes wrong
Bearing damage from unrestrained rotation. Nothing is visible externally and the failure occurs during the first hours of commissioning.
Live rates on lanes that carry this cargo
Published per-kilo and per-CBM rates from China, updated from carrier feeds. Rates are lane-based rather than commodity-based, so these apply to compressors as much as to any other general cargo on the same route.
Clearing compressors at destination
The freight is the easy half. What decides whether this cargo lands on time is the HS heading it is entered under, the certification the destination applies to it, and whether the consignee is registered to import it. We file the entry in 160 markets and settle duty and tax as part of the movement, so the classification we quote is the classification that gets used.
Clearance requirements by market →Frequently asked questions
How is freight priced for compressors?
Light for its value and its bulk, so it prices on volume rather than mass on nearly every service. The freight is a small line against the value of the machine, which is the argument for spending on the packing instead of shaving the rate.
How should compressors be packed for export?
Rotor locks fitted, oil drained or secured to specification, suction and discharge blanked. A rotor turning without lubrication at sea destroys itself silently.
Air or sea for compressors?
Air where the installation date is fixed or the machine is a bottleneck. Ocean FCL where you control the whole box; ocean groupage only with the packing built for it.
What customs paperwork does compressors need?
The step that most often holds a shipment is CE marking to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC with a signed declaration of conformity. Classification normally falls in HS chapter 84, but the exact heading depends on your specification — send the product details and we will confirm the code and the duty position for the destination before you commit.
What goes wrong most often with compressors shipments?
Bearing damage from unrestrained rotation. Nothing is visible externally and the failure occurs during the first hours of commissioning.
Is there anything specific to compressors we should know?
Ship with the spindle, axes and any hydraulic system locked and drained per the maker's transport instructions. Machines damaged in transit are almost always ones moved in running configuration.
Can you quote compressors on FOB or CIF rather than duty-paid?
Yes. We quote EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP and delivered duty-paid on this cargo. The term decides how much of the journey is already inside the price — the trade-terms table on any of our rate pages sets out exactly who carries which cost at each stage.