Home Shipping from China to Madagascar LCL sea freight from China to Madagascar (Toamasina & Antananarivo) — 2026 reference rates

LCL sea freight from China to Madagascar (Toamasina & Antananarivo) — 2026 reference rates

Madagascar's main seaport is Toamasina on the east coast; Antananarivo, the capital, sits in the central highlands and is reached by road from there. Most of our lanes tranship at Port Louis in Mauritius, which adds a week or so to the transit.

The exception is Shantou, which sails direct to Toamasina in 25 days at USD 130 per CBM — the best combination on the page. Guangzhou is the fastest to Antananarivo at 29 days but costs USD 240 per CBM, roughly double.

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 Madagascar

Shantou to Toamasina — USD 130 per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; direct consolidation; carrier HK-MSC; cut-off/ETD Closed Thu / ETD Tue; transit time about 25 days.
Shantou to Antananarivo — USD 129 per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Port Louis; carrier SAFMARINE; cut-off/ETD Closed Tue / ETD Sun; transit time about 35 days.
Ningbo to Toamasina — USD 163 per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; transhipment via Port Louis; carrier CMA CGM; cut-off/ETD Closed Thu / ETD Mon; transit time about 35 days.
Shanghai to Toamasina — USD 170 volume / 180 per tonne per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; direct consolidation; carrier CMA CGM; cut-off/ETD Closed Mon / ETD Fri; transit time about 50 days.
Guangzhou to Toamasina — USD 240 per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1 CBM; direct consolidation; carrier SAFMARINE; cut-off/ETD Closed Tue / ETD Sun; transit time about 23 days.
Guangzhou to Antananarivo — USD 240 per CBM, volume range 0~15 CBM; minimum 1.5 CBM; direct consolidation; carrier SAFMARINE; cut-off/ETD Closed Tue / ETD Sun; transit time about 29 days.

Shantou is the best all-round origin. USD 130 per CBM directly to Toamasina in 25 days, and USD 129 to Antananarivo via Port Louis in 35 days. Nothing else on the page comes close on the combination of price and transit.

Guangzhou is fast but expensive. Reaching Toamasina in 23 days is the quickest sailing we hold for Madagascar, but at USD 240 per CBM it costs roughly 85 per cent more than Shantou. Use it only when the schedule genuinely matters.

Shanghai transits directly but slowly. The Shanghai lane sails direct yet takes 50 days, which is longer than the Port Louis routes — a consequence of sailing patterns rather than distance.

Toamasina or Antananarivo?

Toamasina is the port and handles the bulk of Madagascar's trade. Antananarivo is 215 km inland across the highlands; the road can be slow in the rainy season (roughly December to March), so allow extra days if your consignee is in the capital. Interesting quirk in our records: Shantou reaches Antananarivo at USD 129 per CBM, one dollar cheaper than it reaches Toamasina, because of the way the carrier prices the through service.

Preparing for the Port Louis connection

A Mauritius transhipment means an extra container move and a longer exposure to humidity. If your goods are moisture-sensitive — textiles, paper, foodstuffs — include desiccant and use sealed inner liners. Madagascar customs also requires a detailed valuation, so make sure the commercial invoice matches the packing list line by line.

FAQ — LCL shipping from China to Madagascar