Home / Logistics Knowledge / FCL Shipping from China: The Step-by-Step Process
Shipping a full container load (FCL) from China looks complicated the first time, but it follows a predictable sequence. This guide walks through each step so you know what to prepare and when.
An FCL shipment means you book and pay for an entire container. Your goods travel sealed from origin to destination with no other shipper's cargo inside. That makes FCL faster to handle and less exposed to damage than shared (LCL) freight, at the cost of paying for the whole box.
Share your cargo details with a freight forwarder: commodity, weight, volume in cubic metres, packed size, origin city, and destination port or door address. You receive a quote and, once confirmed, a booking confirmation (often called a Shipping Order or S/O) with a container type and the vessel's cut-off dates.
Under most terms the factory or your forwarder arranges a truck (drayage) to move the cargo to the port container yard. You can stuff the container at the factory if you have a safe, level area and equipment, or at the carrier's warehouse. The shipment becomes the carrier's responsibility once the full container is delivered and sealed at the port.
Before loading, the export declaration is filed with China Customs. Your forwarder or a licensed customs broker submits the commercial documents and, where required, an export licence. For the US and EU, advance manifest data (AMS, ENS) is sent before departure. Clearance is normally routine for general cargo.
The container is weighed and loaded. You must provide the Verified Gross Mass (VGM); without it the carrier cannot load the box, see our guide on container weight limits. The container is sealed with a unique seal number recorded on the documents, then loaded aboard the vessel at the estimated time of departure (ETD).
The container sails to the destination port. Transit time depends on the lane: to the US West Coast about 14 to 18 days, US East Coast 28 to 35 days with a transfer, Europe about 30 to 40 days, and nearby Asia lanes under a week. Track the shipment by bill of lading number.
On arrival, the container is discharged and held until import clearance is completed. You or your broker file the entry with the destination customs using the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, and often a certificate of origin. Duties and taxes are assessed and paid before cargo is released.
Once released, present the delivery order and collect the container. A truck moves it to your warehouse, where it is unstuffed. After unloading, the empty container is returned to the carrier's depot within the free time window. Watch demurrage and detention clocks from discharge.
FCL is usually the better value above roughly 10 to 15 cubic metres, and it handles fragile or high-value cargo better. Below that volume, sharing a container (LCL) can be cheaper. Compare both at your actual volume before booking.
Total door-to-door time is typically 4 to 7 weeks: 1 to 2 weeks of booking and origin handling, plus ocean transit of 2 to 5 weeks depending on the lane, plus destination clearance and delivery.
Core documents are the bill of lading, commercial invoice, and packing list. Depending on the product and country you may also need a certificate of origin, import licence, or product compliance papers.
Cost is made of ocean freight plus origin and destination local charges. A port-to-port rate excludes trucking, duties, and insurance. Volume, weight, season, and surcharges all move the price, so always compare a full quote.
For most countries you will use a licensed broker or your forwarder's broker to file the import entry and pay duties. A broker is not strictly mandatory everywhere, but it is the practical norm.
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