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Logistics Knowledge Base

Practical, free guides for overseas importers — how to import from China, Incoterms 2020, customs clearance, dangerous goods and battery shipping, container shipping, courier services, ports, documents, and freight charges. All written by GoodHope Freight's freight specialists.

Legend: Published = live article Translating = being translated from our Chinese knowledge base Planned = new MVP educational article (to be written)

New here? Start with how to import from China

Most first-time importers get stuck on the same questions: which Incoterm to use, how customs works, and whether FCL or LCL is cheaper. Our getting-started cluster answers them in plain language.

Browse getting-started guides

How to Import from China

End-to-end guidance for first-time and growing importers buying from Chinese suppliers.

How to Import from China: The Complete Guide Published
How to Choose a Freight Forwarder (10 Questions to Ask) Published
How to Pay Chinese Suppliers Safely Published
How to Find Reliable Suppliers in China Published
Incoterms 2020 Explained: EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP & Which to Use Published
FOB vs EXW: Which Incoterm Should You Choose Published
CIF vs FOB: Who Controls Your Shipment Published
How to Book an FCL Container Shipment Published
How to Read and Compare an FCL Freight Quote Published

Dangerous Goods, Batteries & Chemicals

Batteries, chemicals and magnetic goods are regulated as dangerous goods. These guides explain UN numbers, watt-hour rules, and the documents carriers require.

Battery UN Numbers: How Lithium & Other Batteries Are Classified Published
Is My Product a Dangerous Good? Documents to Confirm Published
How to Calculate Battery Watt-Hours for Shipping Published
Shipping Chemicals by Air: The Process Published
Documents Required for Chemical Air Freight Published
Magnetic Cargo: Classification & Air Shipping Rules Published
Sea Transport Certification for Non-DG and DG Cargo Published
Air Transport Certification: UN38.3 and Magnetic Tests Published

Customs, Duties & Trade Compliance

Tariffs, anti-dumping, CE marking, export controls, brand/IP checks, and country-specific customs rules.

CE Marking: What It Is and Which Products Need It for the EU Published
2026 U.S. Additional Tariffs on Chinese Goods: Detailed List Published
U.S. Anti-Dumping Products: Rates & Covered Items Published
China Export Controls on Dual-Use Items (What Your Supplier Must Do) Published
Check Brand & IP Before Shipping (U.S. & China Customs Records) Published
Brazil Customs: Import Rules & Requirements Published
Saudi Arabia Customs: Latest Import Regulations Published
Japan Import Regulations & Market Notes Published
Philippines Import Regulations & Market Notes Published
Eswatini Import Regulations & Market Notes Published
Express Import Clearance for Personal Goods Published
Personal Import Duty-Free Allowances Published
Importing to the USA: Customs, Duty & Bond Guide Published
Importing to the EU: VAT, Customs & CE Marking Published
Importing to the UK: Post-Brexit Duty & VAT Published
Importing to Australia: GST & Biosecurity Published
How Customs Clearance Works (Step by Step) Published
HS Codes: How to Classify Your Goods Correctly Published
What Is a Customs Bond and Do You Need One? Published
De Minimis Thresholds by Country Published
Restricted & Prohibited Import Goods Published
DDP Shipping: Meaning, Pros & Cons Published
FCL Customs Clearance for Importers Published
Export Declaration in China: Codes and Requirements Published
How Chinese Shippers Fill the Export Customs Declaration Published

Documents & Paperwork

The paperwork that travels with a Chinese export: declaration documents, the commercial invoice, and the packing list.

Export Declaration Documents: The Complete Checklist Published
Commercial Invoice: Purpose, Fields and Common Errors Published
Packing List: Contents, Fields and Examination Risk Published
Dual-Use Queries: The Customs Challenge and Assessment Process Published
China's Dual-Use Export Control List: All 189 Codes Published

Tariff & Trade Lookup Tools

Official websites to look up the duty rate for any HS code, by country.

U.S. Tariff Lookup (Official HTS Query Site) Published
World Tariff Lookup Sites by Country Published

Containers & Equipment

Container sizes, cube math, and equipment handling.

Empty Container Return & Drop-off Process Published
20ft, 40ft, 40HC Container Size & Weight Published
FCL vs LCL: How to Choose the Right Container Load Published
FCL Container Types and Sizes: 20ft, 40ft, 40HC, Reefer, Open-Top, Flat-Rack Published
How to Load and Stuff an FCL Container Safely Published
Laden and Empty Containers: Free Time and Charges Published

Sea Freight: FCL, LCL, Containers & Booking

The complete FCL (full container load) cluster — from container types and loading to booking, charges, documents, insurance, routing, and customs.

FCL Shipping from China: The Step-by-Step Process Published
FCL Container Types and Sizes: 20ft, 40ft, 40HC, Reefer, Open-Top, Flat-Rack Published
How to Load and Stuff an FCL Container Safely Published
FCL Bill of Lading: Original BL, Telex Release, and Sea Waybill Published
FCL Shipping Charges Breakdown: THC, BAF, CAF and Local Fees Published
Demurrage, Detention, and Free Time Explained Published
How to Book an FCL Container Shipment Published
How to Read and Compare an FCL Freight Quote Published
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) and Container Weight Limits Published
FCL Marine Cargo Insurance: Do You Need It? Published
FCL Transit Time and Routing: Direct vs Transshipment Published
FCL Customs Clearance for Importers Published
Common FCL Shipping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Published
FCL Drayage and Inland Trucking: Factory to Port Published
LCL Original Bill of Lading and the House B/L Published
LCL Telex Release: How the Two-Tier Release Works Published
Who Pays LCL Local Charges at Origin? EXW vs FOB Published
ETD in Shipping: Estimated Time of Departure Explained Published

Air Freight Basics

How air freight is weighed, charged, and dimension-limited.

Air Chargeable Weight: How Volumetric Weight Is Calculated Published
Air Cargo Height Limit & Packaging Rules Published
Air Cargo Length Limit (Max Piece Dimensions) Published
Air Waybill (AWB): Fields, Numbering and Collection Published

Express, Rail & Road Freight

Consignment notes and labels for the modes outside sea and air cargo: international express, rail block trains, and cross-border trucking.

International Express Shipping Label: Fields and Rules Published
Rail Consignment Note: CIM, SMGS and Block Trains Published
Road Consignment Note: CMR, TIR and Cross-Border Trucking Published

Ports, Airports & Codes

Reference tables for routing. (Already published in English — linked, not re-translated from the Chinese set.)

Glossary & Safety

Freight terms explained, and how to avoid common loss or routing problems.

Freight Forwarding Glossary (Plain-English Terms) Published
How to Prevent Cargo Loss in International Shipping Published
Shipping to Mexico via the United States (In-Transit) Published

Charges & Fees

Detention, demurrage, and fuel surcharges explained (already published in English).

Tools & Quick References

Practical tools and reference tables (formerly under the Tools menu).

Ready to Ship from China?

Planning a shipment or just comparing options? Contact our freight experts to get a tailored rate within 24 hours.

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