Home Shipping from China to El Salvador LCL sea freight from China to El Salvador — 2026 reference rates

LCL sea freight from China to El Salvador — 2026 reference rates

El Salvador takes consolidated cargo through Acajutla on the Pacific and delivers up-country to San Salvador. Five origins serve the lane; rates swing widely — from USD 13 to USD 95 per CBM — because some services bundle the inland leg and others add a CISF origin fee.

Shanghai's low headline rates (USD 13–26) carry a CISF of USD 60 per shipment, while Ningbo quotes no CISF at all. Compare all-in, not headline.

How to read these rates: figures are indicative reference levels for port-to-port LCL ocean freight, updated for October 2026. They exclude origin haulage, warehouse and customs charges, destination port charges and any surcharges. Space, cut-off times and rates must be re-confirmed at booking.

LCL rates from China to El Salvador — San Salvador and Acajutla

Chongqing to San Salvador — USD per CBM, volume range 0~5 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Direct consolidation; carrier HPL; cut-off/ETD Closed Wed / ETD Fri; transit time about 38 days.
Chongqing to San Salvador — USD per CBM, volume range 5~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Direct consolidation; carrier HPL; cut-off/ETD Closed Wed / ETD Fri; transit time about 38 days.
Tianjin to Acajutla — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via San Salvador; carrier HPL; cut-off/ETD Closed Wed / ETD Fri; transit time about 41 days.
Ningbo to Acajutla — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via San Salvador; carrier MSK & Hapag-Lloyd; cut-off/ETD Closed Wed / ETD Sun; transit time about 35 days.
Ningbo to San Salvador — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via San Salvador; carrier MSK & Hapag-Lloyd; cut-off/ETD Closed Wed / ETD Sun; transit time about 35 days.
Shanghai to San Salvador — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Direct consolidation; carrier MSK / HPL; cut-off/ETD Closed Thu / ETD Tue; transit time about 40 days.
Shanghai to Acajutla — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via San Salvador; carrier MSK / HPL; cut-off/ETD —; transit time about 40 days.
Dongguan to Acajutla — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Direct consolidation; carrier Hapag-Lloyd (Hamburg Süd); cut-off/ETD Closed Sat / ETD Sun; transit time about 33 days.
Dongguan to San Salvador — USD per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Acajutla; carrier Hapag-Lloyd (Hamburg Süd); cut-off/ETD Closed Sat / ETD Sun; transit time about 33 days.

Shanghai's figures exclude the USD 60 CISF — add it per shipment before comparing. Ningbo's USD 79–90 band is genuinely all-in at origin and the fastest at 35 days.

Where both volume and weight rates are quoted, the invoice uses whichever basis is larger after the 1 CBM = 1,000 kg conversion.

Decoding the rate spread

Shanghai quotes USD 13–26 but recovers margin through the CISF; Dongguan quotes USD 95 flat and bundles the fastest transit (33 days); Ningbo sits in the middle with honest volume/weight pricing and no surcharge. For a mid-sized shipment Ningbo usually lands cheapest all-in; for urgent cargo Dongguan wins.

Acajutla versus San Salvador

San Salvador is inland, yet several services price it at or below Acajutla because the destination agent's up-country trucking is cheaper than port handling. Tianjin's Acajutla rate (48) tranships at San Salvador — the reverse of the usual pattern — so read the transit-port column carefully before booking.

FAQ — LCL shipping from China to El Salvador