South Korea is the ninth-largest exporter in the world. It primarily exports electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, nuclear reactors, vehicles, and plastics. China, the USA, and Vietnam are the biggest importers of South Korean products, but Canada and EU countries also play a significant role in the total value of imports. Explore your options for shipping from South Korea to Canada.
Shipping from South Korea to Canada
Goods imported from South Korea to Canada are mainly:
- Cars
- Motor vehicles
- Machinery
- Mechanical appliances
- Telephones
- Hot – Rolled Iron
Shippers from Canada have two options for transporting goods from South Korea to Canada: sea or air freight. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Importing by sea transport is cheaper than air transport but takes much more time. On the other hand, not every cargo can be shipped by air. Restrictions include products that may pose a danger, such as flammable products or fire extinguishers.
Sea shipping from South Korea to Canada
Sea transportation is the most popular method of international shipping. It makes it possible to ship large quantities over long distances. The downside is that it costs time.
How long does it take to ship from South Korea to Canada?
Transit time from South Korea to Canada takes 20 to 30 days, depending on the departure and destination ports.
Ports in South Korea
South Korea has one of the busiest seaports in the world:
- Busan Port is the biggest seaport in South Korea. More than 80,000 ships visit the port carrying 200,000,000 tons of cargo.
- The Port of Incheon is the second biggest port, which handles 150,000,000 tons of freight (a big logistic center in Northeast Asia).
- The Port of Donghae and Port of Masan also play an important role in international shipping.
Ports in Canada
Canada is home to some big ports:
- The Port of Vancouver is North America’s 3rd most significant port.
- The Port of Montreal has an enormous economic influence on Quebec and Montreal’s development.
- The Port of Prince Rupert has a storage capacity of around 200,000 tons.
Air shipping from South Korea to Canada
Air freight is the second option for importing goods from South Korea to Canada. It takes much less time than sea shipping, but the costs are high.
How long does air shipping from South Korea to Canada take?
The average time for importing from South Korea to Canada by air freight is 3 to 6 days.
Airports in South Korea
- Incheon International Airport is the 2nd largest cargo airport in the world. Since its opening in 2001, Incheon Airport is constantly evolving and operates more tons of cargo year by year.
- The second most important airport in South Korea is Gimhae International Airport, located only 15 km from Busan, making it a good logistics center.
Airports in Canada
- The biggest airport in Canada is Toronto Pearson Airport. In 2020, its cargo traffic reached 303,000 tons. Unsurprisingly, Canada’s biggest cargo airport is also the biggest airport for passenger traffic.
- The second biggest airport is Vancouver International Airport. It is possibly due to Vancouver’s importance as a gateway to trade with Asian countries.
Documents needed for importing from South Korea to Canada
We recommend that you prepare the necessary documents in advance to avoid delays in shipment or other unexpected circumstances.
There are four documents that you must enclose while importing goods to Canada:
- Canada Customs Invoice or a Commercial Invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Manifest or Cargo Control Document
- Shipper’s Export Declaration
How much does shipping from South Korea to Canada cost?
To sum up, you can ship from South Korea to Canada by air or sea. The differences are time, cost, and capacity.
Estimating freight costs can take time and effort. Therefore, we encourage you to use the free valuation service and compare offers from multiple reliable forwarders. You can do this easily with ShipHub. Just send the form like shown below and choose the best quote for you.
