China to Malta freight rates and market updates — dated log 2026
Rate log compiled 23 September 2026. Ocean, rail, air, express and DDP figures are indicative and must be confirmed at the time of booking.
China to Malta — freight rate and market updates (dated log, 2026)
Compiled 23 September 2026 from our booking-desk logs and from market quotations shared by carrier and consolidator desks. Ocean and rail rates are per container; air, express and DDP rates are per kilogram. Figures are indicative, are in USD unless stated otherwise, and must be re-confirmed when you book.
We logged 18 full-container quotations to Malta during 2026. The most frequently quoted gateways were Malta. The lowest container level recorded was USD 5,100 (2026-06-10) and the highest USD 5,100 (2026-06-10), which shows how wide the spread was between carriers and sailing windows.
FCL — full container load (sea freight)
Container rates actually quoted, grouped by month and gateway. Ranges show the lowest and the highest level we saw in that month.
| Month | Port of loading | Destination | Equipment | Ocean freight (USD) | Booking notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | Shekou | Malta | 40ft | USD 5,100 | 2 quotations · cut-off on the 24 |
| July 2026 | Shekou | Malta | as quoted | USD 5,750 – USD 6,250 | 13 quotations · cut-off on the 8 · cut-off on the 8 |
| August 2026 | Shekou | Malta | as quoted | USD 5,750 | 3 quotations · cut-off on the 8 · cut-off on the 8 |
Plot of the dated quotations in the table above, on a date (x) and rate (y) axis. Where one period carries several quotations the points are averaged. Rates are indicative, exclude destination charges unless the row says otherwise, and are reconfirmed at booking.
Plot data (2 points)
| Date | Route / equipment | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-01 | Malta | 6,000 |
| 2026-08-01 | Malta | 5,750 |
Earlier quotations held in our log (2023–2025)
2023 FCL (5 entries), 2025 FCL (3 entries). Ask our desk for the dated archive if you need to benchmark an earlier period.
Frequently asked questions — shipping from China
The answers below are drawn from the same quotation log as the tables above. Figures are indicative and are reconfirmed at booking.
How much does a 20GP container from Shenzhen (Shekou) in China to Malta cost?
In our quotation log for June to August 2026 the 20GP rate to Malta ran from USD 4,350 – USD 4,650 per container across 16 quotations, loaded mainly at Shekou. Ocean freight is quoted port-to-port and the figure moves with the weekly GRI, peak-season surcharges and equipment availability, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a fixed tariff and confirm it against your cargo ready date.
What is the 40ft / 40HQ rate from China to Malta?
The 40ft and 40HQ quotations we logged to Malta in June to August 2026 ranged from USD 5,100 – USD 6,250 per container across 18 quotations. A 40ft high cube carries roughly twice the volume of a 20GP for well under twice the freight, so once your cargo passes about 28 CBM the 40HQ is normally the cheaper unit per cubic metre.
How long does shipping from China to Malta take?
Typical port-to-port sailing time from South China is roughly 28 to 42 days; add three to seven days if the cargo loads in North China. Direct services beat transhipment routings by one to two weeks, and schedule reliability, blank sailings and port congestion all move the date. We confirm the actual ETD and ETA against your booking rather than quoting a standard transit time.
What is included in the freight rates shown on this page?
Ocean and rail figures are the port-to-port (or terminal-to-terminal) freight only. They exclude origin handling, export customs, THC and CFS, documentation, destination THC, import duty and final delivery, unless the row names a door-to-door or DDP service. Air figures are airport-to-airport per chargeable kilo and exclude pick-up and delivery. Every figure is indicative until it is confirmed against a specific vessel, flight or train and a cargo ready date.
Can I ship less than a container load (LCL) from China to Malta?
Yes. LCL groupage is charged per revenue tonne (1 CBM or 1,000 kg, with volume weight taken if it is greater) plus fixed documentation and CFS charges, so it is usually the better option below roughly 15 CBM. Above that a 20GP starts to win on cost per cubic metre. Give us the volume, weight and cargo readiness and we will price both side by side for Malta.
Do I have to pay import duty and VAT in Malta?
Import duty, VAT/GST and any destination port charges are assessed by the customs authority in Malta and are payable by the importer of record, not included in the freight rates on this page. Where we quote a DDP service the duty and tax are absorbed into the per-kilo or per-container price and shown separately on the invoice. We can arrange a landed-cost estimate before you ship if you tell us the HS code, the declared value and the delivery address.
How do I get an exact quote for shipping to Malta?
Send the commodity, gross weight, volume, the pick-up city in China and the delivery address in Malta to sales007@goodhopefreight.com. We reply with the applicable service, the named vessel, flight or train, the cut-off and an all-in cost, usually the same working day. If you are weighing up routes, tell us the ready date and we will price sea, rail and air side by side.
Rates, surcharges, cut-offs and equipment availability change daily. Send your commodity, gross weight, volume, the pickup city in China and the delivery address in Malta and we will confirm the applicable service, sailing or flight and the all-in cost: sales007@goodhopefreight.com.