If you buy from China or other countries abroad, you cannot avoid international shipping. It can be challenging, especially in terms of pricing. We have broken down shipping costs from China to the US.
What are the shipping costs from China to the US?
Many factors influence shipping costs from China to the United States. Below are some of them.
Shipping mode
There are many shipping methods, and each is priced differently. When shipping from China to the US, the available options are sea freight and air freight.
- Sea freight is typically the most cost-effective method for large shipments. The downside is that it has a longer transit time, often taking several weeks.
- Air freight is faster than sea freight, as you can ship by air in days. However, it is the most expensive shipping mode and is ideal for smaller, high-value shipments.
Shipment weight and volume
Shipping costs depend on the weight and volume of your shipment. Generally, the bigger and heavier the shipment, the higher the shipping costs.
Customs duties and taxes
Goods sourced from China to the US are subject to customs duties and taxes. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) determines these values based on the goods’ HS code.
Shipping time
Express services are expected to be more expensive, but sometimes they are necessary, such as for time-sensitive loads.
Shipping rates and surcharges
Shipping rates are one thing, but there are also many surcharges, such as:
- fuel surcharges
- peak season surcharges
- security surcharges
- port fees
- etc.
If you factor them all in, the overall shipping is, of course, higher.
Current events that shape the shipping industry
Current events also influence shipping costs and transit times. Some of them are:
- A U.S. appeals court temporarily kept President Trump’s 10% global tariff in force on May 12, prolonging trade-policy uncertainty that can distort booking patterns, inventory timing and carrier capacity planning.
- Because the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively disrupted, the UAE’s east-coast ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan have become the Gulf’s main trade lifeline, forcing rerouting and creating heavy congestion at alternative gateways.
- Iraq and Pakistan have struck deals with Iran to move oil and LNG through the Gulf while Washington and Beijing both say Hormuz should not be subject to tolls, showing how access to a critical chokepoint is becoming a geopolitical bargaining tool that raises risk and insurance costs for shipping.
- Ukraine’s May 3 strike on Russia’s Primorsk port and tankers near Novorossiysk has added fresh risk to Baltic and Black Sea energy shipping, increasing the chance of rerouting, delays and firmer tanker freight and insurance rates.
You should stay up to date with current events to proceed accordingly with your sourcing business and minimize losses.
Shipping costs from China to the US – updated May 2026
Here are the trends of shipping costs from China to the US and other directions:
- 3.6% on the China – West Coast of the US route
- -1.6% on the China – Europe route
- 0.7% on the China – East Coast of the US route
- 2.5% on the China – Southeast route
- 0.3% on the China – South America route
| Type | Route | Container or kg | Transit time (days) | Shipping cost |
| FCL Sea | Tianjin – Gdańsk | 40’DV | 40-50 | USD 2,400 – 2,800 |
| LCL Sea | Nanping – Hamburg | 1960 kg | 45-55 | USD 1,000 – 1,200 |
| LCL Sea | Fuzhou – Gdańsk | 245 kg | 45-55 | USD 150 – 190 |
| Air | Foshan – Warsaw | 100 kg | 3-4 | USD 1,100 – 1,300 |
| FCL Rail | Wuhan – Małaszewicze | 40’HC | 20-25 | USD 9,500 – 9,900 |
| LCL Rail | Qingdao – Toruń | 1,600 kg | 15-20 | USD 1,100 – 1,300 |
Don’t miss out and ship now before they rise again.
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