The short version
- Sea freight is the usual choice for volume: LCL groupage (priced per cubic metre, CBM) for small lots, FCL once you fill a good part of a 20 ft (33 m³) or 40 ft (67 m³) container. Air and express suit light, urgent or high-value lines.
- ONE's published schedules show about 29 to 40 days port to port to West African ports, and about 17 to 27 days to East Africa and 18 to 22 to Durban. Add consolidation, waiting and clearing time.
- Many West and Central African countries require a cargo tracking note (ECTN, BESC, BSC, FERI) per sea shipment. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa are not on Maersk's list.
- In October 2026, Hapag-Lloyd's Asia to West Africa sailings slid one week and Abidjan had berth delays of 3 to 4 days. Freight rates move weekly: always get dated written quotes.
What are the four ways to ship from China to Africa?
| Option | Best for | How it is priced | Speed | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCL (full container, 20 ft or 40 ft) | Large orders, one supplier or one buyer, or several traders splitting a box | Per container, plus origin and destination charges | Sea port to port: see the table below | Paying for empty space if the box is half full; free days and demurrage at the destination port |
| LCL / groupage (shared container) | Roughly 1 to 15 m³, mixed small orders, first shipments | Per CBM, or per tonne if the cargo is heavy | Sea time plus the wait for the agent to fill and load the container, and unloading at destination | Agent fees on top of the CBM rate; a problem with another buyer's goods can delay the box |
| Air cargo | Light, urgent, high-value goods, samples, electronics | Per kilo of the greater of actual and volumetric weight | Days rather than weeks; ask the airline or forwarder for the flight plan and a dated transit estimate | Cost on bulky goods; batteries and liquids have carrier rules |
| Express courier (DHL and similar) | Parcels, samples, small urgent orders | Per kilo, with volumetric weight of length x width x height (cm) divided by 5,000 at DHL Express | Fastest, door to door, tracked | Highest cost per kilo; duty and VAT collected on delivery; DHL Express Worldwide takes parcels up to 70 kg |
Most importers combine them: sea for the bulk, air for the fastest sellers. See shipping from China for the basics and what a freight forwarder does. Container sizes come from Maersk: a 20 ft dry container is 33 m³ with a 28,200 kg maximum payload, a 40 ft is 67 m³ (28,800 kg) and a 40 ft high cube is 76 m³ (28,620 kg).
How long does sea freight from China to African ports take?
The table gives days from the last Chinese port of call to the African port as published in ONE's schedules (updated May 13, 2026), plus Grimaldi for Durban. ONE counts days from its last Hong Kong SAR or Guangdong port. Ranges reflect different services. Real schedules slip, and none of these numbers include loading wait, port delays or customs clearance.
| African port | Days, port to port | Source and basis |
|---|---|---|
| Lagos Apapa (Nigeria) | 32 to 35 | ONE, two services (schedules updated May 13, 2026) |
| Lagos Tin Can (Nigeria) | 34 | ONE, one service found |
| Tema (Ghana) | 32 to 38 | ONE, two services |
| Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) | 29 | ONE, one service found |
| Dakar (Senegal) | About 40, with transshipment | ONE lists Tangier at 34 days and a transshipment leg to Dakar of 6 days (34 + 6). One service found, not direct, so confirm the routing. |
| Lomé (Togo) | 40 | ONE, one service found |
| Cotonou (Benin) | 39 | ONE, one service found |
| Douala (Cameroon) | Not confirmed | We found no current direct Far East schedule. Ask your forwarder for the actual routing and any transshipment. |
| Pointe-Noire (Congo) | Not confirmed | We could not confirm a transit time from a carrier schedule we could open. Ask your forwarder. |
| Mombasa (Kenya) | About 18 | ONE, East Africa service |
| Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) | 17 to 27 | ONE, two services |
| Durban (South Africa) | 18 to 22 | Grimaldi, 18 days from China, departures every 15 days (November 2025); ONE, 22 |
Sources: ONE schedules for Hong Kong SAR, Nansha and Shekou (updated May 13, 2026) and Breakbulk News on Grimaldi. Rotations of other carriers (ZIM, PIL) on the Flexport Atlas schedule database, which we do not link, show longer times from Shanghai, up to about 47 days to Lomé, but we could not check them against the carriers' own pages. Rotations change and many carriers blank sailings, so treat all of these as ranges. Air cargo times depend on routing; ask for the flight plan, not just a promise.
How do groupage agents in Guangzhou and Yiwu work?
A groupage (consolidation) agent runs a warehouse in Guangzhou, Yiwu or another hub. The usual flow:
- Suppliers deliver cartons to the agent's warehouse, with your marks and the supplier's packing list. The agent receives, counts, weighs and measures them, and often sends photos.
- The agent groups cartons by destination port with other customers' goods and fills a container. You are told the cut-off date for the next sailing.
- You are billed per CBM. One CBM is 1 m x 1 m x 1 m. For LCL, freight is worked out on volume or on weight at 1,000 kg per CBM, and the higher of the two is charged (Marine Insight). A heavy, compact load is therefore charged by weight.
- The agent files the export declaration and books the consolidated container under its own name, and you receive a house bill of lading.
- At destination the container is unpacked at a container freight station, and your cargo is cleared by you, your clearing agent or the agent's local partner.
Ask for an all-in quote that lists: CBM rate and currency, warehouse receiving and storage days included, labelling or repacking, export declaration, local pickup from your supplier, port and terminal charges at destination, and any minimum charge. The rate itself changes weekly and by lane. We do not quote one here because we found no dated, independent source for China to Africa groupage rates in October 2026.
Risks to manage
- Payment: pay a registered company, not a person's account, and keep the receipt. See how to verify a supplier before paying.
- Shared box: ask how the agent handles a problem with another customer's cargo, which can hold the whole container.
- Missing or damaged cartons: insist on warehouse photos and a signed receipt of the carton count, and insure the goods.
- Storage fees: a late supplier means your cartons wait in the warehouse; ask how many free days you get.
- Bill of lading: confirm you receive the house bill, and ask for the container number and vessel so you can track the box.
What should you check in a door-to-door offer with customs clearance included?
Many agents sell a price "door to door, customs cleared" (in French-speaking Africa, dédouanement compris). It is convenient, but it can hide costs or risks. Before you accept, get written answers to:
- Importer of record: whose name is the declaration filed under? In many countries you need a registered importer account. Ask who holds it and what liability you carry.
- Duty and VAT: are they paid at cost with official receipts, or included as a flat fee per CBM or per kilo? A flat fee that ignores your HS code can be wrong, and you may pay the difference if Customs values goods higher. See what is an HS code.
- Valuation: will the declaration match your commercial invoice? Under-declaring to lower duty exposes you to fines and seizure.
- What is excluded: terminal charges, demurrage, scanning, inspection fees, storage, local delivery to your town, and the cargo tracking note.
- Controlled goods: products that need approvals (for Nigeria, SONCAP or NAFDAC; see the Nigeria import guide) are not covered by a simple clearing fee.
- Insurance and liability: what is covered if cartons go missing, and who pays if the port stores the container for weeks.
Compare the total to your own estimate from the Africa import duty calculator. A "clearance included" price far below the duty you calculated is a warning sign.
Worked example: 120 cartons, LCL, air or a container?
This is an illustration with made-up cartons, not a quote. Each carton measures 60 x 40 x 40 cm and weighs 18 kg, and there are 120 cartons.
| Item | How it is worked out | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Volume per carton | 0.60 x 0.40 x 0.40 m | 0.096 m³ |
| Total volume (LCL) | 120 x 0.096 | 11.52 CBM |
| Total weight | 120 x 18 kg | 2,160 kg (2.16 tonnes) |
| LCL chargeable amount | Higher of 11.52 CBM and 2.16 tonnes | 11.52 CBM (volume wins) |
| Share of a 20 ft container | 11.52 / 33 m³ | About 34.9% |
| Volumetric weight per carton (air) | (60 x 40 x 40) / 5,000 (DHL formula) | 19.2 kg, against 18 kg actual |
| Air chargeable weight, total | 120 x 19.2 kg | 2,304 kg |
Three things follow. First, volume decides the price by sea here, so repacking to cut dead space saves money. Second, by air you pay on 2,304 kg, not 2,160 kg. Third, to choose between LCL and a 20 ft container, ask for both quotes. If the LCL rate per CBM is r and the 20 ft price is Q, then FCL is cheaper once your volume goes above Q divided by r CBM, and it also gives you a sealed box to yourself. Use real quotes dated the same day, since both change weekly.
Which Incoterms suit African importers?
The ICC publishes 11 Incoterms rules (the 2020 edition), which set who pays for freight, insurance and risk at each point. They matter because they decide who books the ship and who holds the paperwork. See Incoterms explained. For small African importers, the common choices are:
- FOB (sea only): the supplier delivers goods onto the ship at a named Chinese port and clears them for export. You or your forwarder book the freight and insurance. This gives you control of the shipping choice and is the most common basis for sea orders.
- FCA: similar, for any mode, with the handover at a named place such as the supplier's yard or the agent's warehouse. Useful for groupage and for air.
- CIF (sea only; the ICC reserves it for maritime trade): the supplier pays freight and insurance to your port, but your risk starts at loading. Check the insurance cover and who your claim goes to.
- EXW: you handle everything from the factory door, including Chinese export clearance. Not advised for a first shipment.
- DAP and DDP: the seller delivers to your door (DDP also clears import). A foreign supplier rarely can be importer of record in an African country, so a DDP price often hides a local partner. Check the questions in the door-to-door section.
Whatever the term, write it in the contract with the named place, for example "FOB Nansha, Incoterms 2020".
Which shipping documents do you need?
| Document | What it does |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | States buyer, seller, goods, price and Incoterm. Customs uses it to set the value, so it must match what you paid. |
| Packing list | Cartons, weights, dimensions and contents per carton. The agent and Customs use it to check the cargo. |
| Bill of lading (B/L) | The carrier's receipt and the document of title to the cargo. Groupage gives you a house B/L from the consolidator. You often need the original or a release to collect the cargo. |
| Certificate of origin | Asked for in some destinations or for some products, for example when a country needs to confirm China as origin. Check with your clearing agent whether yours does. |
| Cargo tracking note (ECTN, BESC, BSC, FERI) | An electronic note for each sea shipment, required by many West and Central African countries. See below. |
| Import licence, standards or conformity certificates | Needed for regulated goods, such as SONCAP for many goods in Nigeria. Food, drugs and medicines have their own regulators. |
ECTN, BESC and other tracking notes: verify which one your country needs
Maersk lists 23 countries where an ECTN or equivalent certificate is required: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Togo. The names vary (CTN, BESC, BSC, FERI and others), and the note must be obtained and paid for before the cargo arrives. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa are not on that list.
- Ghana: the Ghana Shippers' Authority had made the Smart Port Note (an ECTN) mandatory from February 1, 2026, then postponed it on January 20, 2026 "until further notice" (News Ghana). Check the current position.
- Cameroon: a communiqué signed on June 15, 2026 by the National Shippers' Council (CNCC) suspended the BESC for goods in transit through Cameroon, until further notice. The notice concerns transit goods and does not mention imports for Cameroon itself, so ask the council or your agent which rule applies to you.
- Maersk does not say how each name maps to each country, who issues it or how long it takes. Confirm with your country's shippers' council or your clearing agent, and do it before the vessel sails.
What is disrupting shipping to Africa in October 2026?
Red Sea and Suez. Container carriers are returning to the Suez route in stages. BIMCO reports Red Sea and Suez box ship transits at more than 50% of earlier levels, and Linerlytica expects a full-scale return by the first quarter of 2027 (Seatrade Maritime, October 14, 2026). Ask your forwarder whether the service you book uses Suez and how it may affect schedules and rates, especially for East Africa or for goods bought in other regions.
West Africa port delays. Hapag-Lloyd's week 43 update (October 19, 2026) says:
| Port | Condition reported |
|---|---|
| Abidjan | Yard heavily congested; window vessels delayed 3 to 4 days; recovery plan to run until end of October |
| Tema | Window vessels delayed 2 to 3 days; reefer yard utilisation 93% or more |
| Lagos Tin Can (TICT) | Berth delays of 24 to 48 hours from yard congestion |
| Lagos Apapa (APP) | Delays up to 12 hours from heavy rain and congestion |
| Dakar | No delay for window vessels; up to 72 hours for others; yard utilisation 82% or more |
| Cotonou (code BJCOO) | No delay for window vessels with documents ready |
On the ocean leg, all Asia to West Africa (AWA) vessels slid by one week, and the westbound leg was blanked in China's Golden Week (week 40). Several Hapag-Lloyd voyages also omit calls at West African ports (including Lagos Tin Can on one), with long waiting times and schedule recovery given as reasons. Our news story has the practical view: add 1 to 2 weeks for festive orders. Ask your forwarder for the free days at destination and the daily demurrage rate.
How do goods reach landlocked countries?
Cargo for landlocked countries travels in transit from a coastal port. Pick the corridor with your clearing agent, since border rules and charges change.
| Destination | Main corridors | Facts (Ecofin, The Star) |
|---|---|---|
| Burkina Faso | Lomé, Abidjan, Tema | Burkina Faso is the largest share of Lomé's transit volume; Abidjan's Burkina-bound flows rose 16.6% in 2025 to 2.40 million tonnes; Tema captures roughly 30% of Burkinabé imports (World Bank, via Ecofin). Abidjan has the only working rail link to Ouagadougou. |
| Mali | Abidjan, Dakar | Abidjan's Mali-bound transit rose 76.4% in 2025 to 1.47 million tonnes. |
| Niger | Lomé, Dakar, or a route through Nigeria | Cotonou's Niger-bound flows collapsed after July 2023, and the Malanville-Gaya bridge has been shut since. Nigeria reopened the Tsamiya-Kamba corridor on February 9, 2026. Dakar to Niamey is over 2,200 km. |
| Chad and Central African Republic | Douala | Cameroon's BESC has been suspended for transit goods since a notice signed on June 15, 2026 (see above). Confirm the current rules. |
| Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, eastern DR Congo | Mombasa (Northern Corridor, about 1,700 km); Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor, about 1,300 km) | The Northern Corridor carries over 35.84 million tonnes a year; Mombasa to Malaba averages 76 to 80 hours against a regional target of 36 to 48 hours (April 2026). South Sudan says it wants to use Dar es Salaam and Tanga more. |
Ask for a through quote that names the transit declaration, the bond or guarantee, the trucking and any border charges. Landlocked importers usually pay duty at the final border or inland customs office, so check where.
Step by step: your first shipment
- Measure and weigh. Get carton sizes, weights, total CBM and the HS code from your supplier before asking for quotes.
- Pick a mode. Under a few CBM or with a deadline, think air or express. Mid-size mixed orders, think LCL. Large single orders, think FCL.
- Ask three forwarders or agents for dated written quotes with the same details, the Incoterm and the arrival port, and compare total cost, not just the CBM rate.
- Agree the Incoterm and the paperwork with your supplier, including who files export clearance and who orders the cargo tracking note.
- Insure the cargo and pay a registered company against an invoice.
- Track the vessel using the container number and tell your clearing agent the expected arrival, so documents and the note are ready before the ship docks.
- Clear and collect within the free days to avoid demurrage. Check duty with the Africa import duty calculator.
Not sure which mode fits your order? Send us your product and quantity: we reach out to Chinese factories in Mandarin for you, and requesting a quote is free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to ship from China to Africa?
For most goods it is sea freight: groupage (LCL) for small volumes and a full container (FCL) once you fill a good part of it. A 20 ft container holds about 33 m³ and a 40 ft about 67 m³ (Maersk). Air costs more per kilo and is usually kept for light, urgent or high-value lines. Rates change weekly, so ask for written quotes on the same day.
How long does sea freight from China to West Africa take?
ONE's published schedules show about 29 to 40 days port to port to Abidjan, Tema, Lagos, Lomé and Cotonou, depending on the Chinese departure port and the service. Add days for consolidation if you ship LCL, for port waiting and for customs clearance. In October 2026, Abidjan had delays of 3 to 4 days for window vessels and Hapag-Lloyd's Asia to West Africa sailings slid one week.
Is a door-to-door offer with customs clearance included safe?
It can be, but check what it covers. Ask who is the importer of record, whether duty and VAT are paid at cost against receipts or as a flat fee, which port, terminal and delivery charges are in the price, and what happens if Customs values the goods higher. Get everything in writing.
Do I need an ECTN or BESC cargo tracking note?
Many West and Central African countries require one for each sea shipment, including Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (Maersk lists 23 countries). Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa are not on that list, and Ghana's Smart Port Note was postponed in January 2026. The name, issuer and deadline differ by country, so confirm with your clearing agent before the ship sails.
How do goods reach landlocked countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso or Uganda?
By transit corridors from a coastal port: Abidjan, Lomé, Tema and Dakar for the Sahel, and Mombasa or Dar es Salaam for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and eastern DR Congo. Your cargo moves under a transit declaration and, in some countries, a tracking note. Border rules change, so ask your agent which route is open and what the transit charges are.
Transit times and port conditions checked October 21, 2026 against the sources cited. Carrier schedules, rates and rules change often, and several figures above come from one carrier service. The worked example is an illustration, not a quote. General information, not legal, tax or customs advice: confirm with a licensed clearing agent before you ship. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any carrier, agent or agency named.