Ocean freight
Sea freight from China to Hyderabad
LCL from a single CBM, or a full container if the volume justifies it. Weekly consolidation out of Guangzhou and Yiwu, cleared at ICD Sanathnagar, delivered to your shutter.
Choosing a mode
LCL or a full container
The switch point is usually somewhere between 12 and 15 CBM. Below it, LCL is cheaper because you pay only for the space you use. Above it, a 20ft container costs less per CBM than buying that space by the metre — and it moves faster, because it is not opened and sorted at a CFS on arrival.
Take LCL when
- Your consignment is roughly 1 to 12 CBM
- You are buying from several suppliers and consolidating
- You are testing a product and do not want to commit to container volumes
Take FCL when
- You are above about 15 CBM, or you will be within a month
- Your cargo is fragile and you want it untouched between the factory and your godown
- Timing matters — FCL skips deconsolidation and typically lands a few days earlier
If you are near the line, put both into the landed cost calculator. It will show you the doorstep figure for each rather than the freight alone, which is the only comparison that means anything.
Usable volume, not nominal. Pallets, packing and irregular cartons cost you the difference.
Routes
Ports we ship from and realistic timings
| Origin port | Serves | Port to port | Door to door |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nansha, Guangzhou | Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan | 14–18 days | 22–27 days |
| Shekou / Yantian, Shenzhen | Shenzhen, Huizhou | 14–18 days | 22–27 days |
| Ningbo | Yiwu, Ningbo, Taizhou | 16–20 days | 24–28 days |
| Shanghai | Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang | 16–20 days | 24–28 days |
| Qingdao | Shandong, North China | 18–22 days | 26–30 days |
Door-to-door includes rail movement to ICD Sanathnagar, customs clearance and delivery within Hyderabad. Peak season, Chinese New Year and port congestion move these figures; we quote against the current schedule, not this table.
What you pay for
Every line in a sea freight bill
Competitor quotes usually show the first line and leave the rest to arrival day. Here is the complete set.
| Charge | Basis | Who levies it |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean freight | Per CBM (LCL) or per box (FCL) | Shipping line / consolidator |
| Origin handling | Per consignment | China terminal |
| Bill of lading fee | Per document | Carrier |
| Destination handling | Per CBM or per box | Indian terminal |
| CFS deconsolidation | Per consignment (LCL only) | Container freight station |
| Customs clearance & documentation | Per bill of entry | Customs broker |
| Basic customs duty + surcharge | % of assessable value | Customs |
| IGST | % of assessable value + duty | Customs — creditable |
| Inland transport | Per trip | Transporter |
| Demurrage / detention | Per day after free days | Terminal / line |
Cleared in Hyderabad
Your container does not go to Delhi first
Agents based up north clear at Tughlakabad or Nhava Sheva and move your cargo down afterwards. That is an extra handling stage, extra days and nobody local when customs raises a query. We file the bill of entry at ICD Sanathnagar, in this city.
Questions
About sea freight
How long does sea freight from China to Hyderabad take?
Port to port is typically 14 to 20 days. Add rail movement inland to ICD Sanathnagar, clearance and delivery and the realistic door-to-door figure is 22 to 28 days for LCL. FCL is usually a few days quicker because it skips deconsolidation at the CFS.
What is the minimum I can ship by sea?
One CBM on LCL. Below that, air or courier is normally cheaper once you account for the LCL minimum charge, port fees and CFS handling, which do not shrink with your cargo.
How is sea freight charged — by weight or by volume?
LCL is charged per CBM, or per 1000 kg, whichever is greater. Dense cargo like tiles or hardware can therefore be charged on weight. FCL is a flat rate for the box regardless of how full it is.
Which Chinese ports do you ship from?
Mainly Nansha, Shekou and Yantian for South China cargo and Ningbo and Shanghai for East China. The port follows your supplier, not the other way around.
What are demurrage and detention, and will I pay them?
Free days are allowed at the CFS or terminal after arrival. Beyond them, demurrage is charged by the terminal and detention by the shipping line. They accrue when clearance stalls — usually because a document or certification was missing. We file before arrival to avoid it, and we tell you upfront if your product needs a certification that will take time.
Is my cargo insured?
Marine cover is available and we quote it as a separate line at roughly 1.125 percent of goods value. It is not automatic. For anything fragile or high value, take it — a claim without cover is simply a loss.
Get started
Get a sea freight quote
Send us your volume in CBM, or the carton dimensions and count, and where you are buying from. We come back with a doorstep figure.