Ocean freight from China to Canada

FCL (full container load) gives you a whole 20 or 40 ft container, sealed at origin and opened at your dock. LCL (less than container load) means you pay for the space you use and your cartons share a container with other shippers' goods. LCL suits smaller volumes but adds handling at both ends: consolidation in China, deconsolidation in Canada. In between, it is worth pricing both.

On the west coast, Vancouver or Prince Rupert; on the east coast, Montréal or Halifax. Cargo from Asia commonly lands on the west coast and continues inland by rail to Ontario and Quebec, but the routing depends on the shipping line's service and on where your goods are going. Our partner recommends a routing with the quote.

For containers loaded outside the U.S., the CBSA requires the cargo data at least 24 hours before the container is loaded on the vessel at the foreign port. The carrier sends it, and a freight forwarder sends house bills for consolidated cargo. Vague descriptions like "general merchandise" are not accepted for your goods, and the CBSA can issue a "do not load" notice, so give your forwarder a precise description early.

Both are daily charges for keeping a container too long. Demurrage usually applies when a full container stays at the terminal past its free time; detention when you keep the container outside the terminal before returning it empty. Each shipping line sets its own free time and rules. The usual cause is a release or a delivery appointment that is not ready when the vessel arrives.

Under FOB, your supplier loads the goods on board the vessel at the Chinese port and handles export clearance; you choose the forwarder for the ocean leg and everything after. Under EXW, you take over at the supplier's door, including export clearance in China, which is harder to manage from Canada. Under CIF or CFR the supplier books the ocean freight, so you control less of the cost and timing on arrival. These terms are the ICC's Incoterms rules.

You can clear it yourself, but the release request is sent electronically, and some goods, such as food or health products, also need another department's approval. Most importers use a licensed broker. Either way, you stay responsible for the declaration and the duties. Here is what doing it yourself involves.

No. Section 301 tariffs are U.S. duties on goods entering the United States. Goods from China entering Canada pay the Canadian duty rate for their HS code, plus GST. Some Chinese goods also carry Canadian surtaxes, notably steel and aluminum, including goods made with steel melted and poured in China, and some face anti-dumping or countervailing duties, so check the exact product before you order.