Ocean Freight from China to U.S. Amazon FBA

How China-to-U.S. FBA ocean freight works, step by step

Most Amazon sellers sourcing from China move replenishment inventory by sea because it is the lowest cost per cubic meter for bulk stock. A typical Linktrans ocean shipment starts with pickup from your factory or supplier warehouse in South China (Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou) or East China (Shanghai, Ningbo, Yiwu). Cartons are received at our consolidation warehouse, measured, weighed and checked against your FBA shipment plan before they are loaded.

We then prepare the China export declaration, book space on a scheduled sailing and load your cartons into a shared (LCL) or dedicated (FCL) container. After arrival at the U.S. port, the cargo goes through U.S. Customs clearance, is devanned at a bonded or partner facility, and is delivered by truck or courier to the Amazon fulfillment centers listed on your inbound plan, with the delivery appointment booked on your behalf.

• Pickup in China and receiving at our consolidation warehouse
• Carton check: dimensions, gross weight, FBA labels and carton count
• China export declaration and container loading
• Ocean transit to a U.S. West Coast or East Coast gateway
• U.S. Customs clearance and devanning
• Truck or courier delivery and Amazon appointment booking

LCL or FCL: which container option fits your shipment?

LCL (less than container load) means your cartons share a container with other sellers' freight. You pay only for the space you use, which makes LCL the usual choice for shipments from roughly 1 to 15 CBM. It is flexible, lets you replenish in smaller batches, and avoids paying for empty container space.

FCL (full container load) gives you a dedicated 20ft or 40ft container. Once volume approaches the capacity of a container, FCL usually becomes more economical per CBM and reduces handling, since the container is sealed at origin. Our team can compare both options for your actual volume before you book.

U.S. West Coast vs. East Coast gateways

The port where your container arrives has a bigger impact on transit time than the sailing itself. West Coast gateways such as Los Angeles and Long Beach have the shortest ocean leg from China and serve the large cluster of Amazon fulfillment centers in Southern California's Inland Empire. Central and East Coast destinations are reached either by inland rail and truck from the West Coast or by a longer sailing to East Coast ports.

The transit table at the top of this page gives reference times by region and service level. Actual time depends on the sailing schedule, customs inspection and Amazon appointment availability, so we always quote with the current schedule.

How chargeable volume and pricing are calculated

Ocean truck services are priced per chargeable cubic meter (CBM). Chargeable volume is the greater of the actual carton volume and the gross weight divided by 363, so very heavy, dense cargo is billed fairly against the space it uses. Unit rates are in U.S. dollars and published in our weekly rate table, and the online booking tool shows the full shipment total before you confirm.

Domestic pickup in China, if you need it, is quoted separately and charged once per shipment. Import duties and taxes are not included in freight quotes.

Duties, taxes and customs clearance

U.S. import duties are assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection based on the HTS code, declared value and country of origin of your goods. Online ocean bookings are quoted on a DDU basis: duties and taxes are paid at actual cost as assessed by customs, and we never promise duty-free entry or an estimated rate in advance. We handle the clearance paperwork and keep you informed if customs requests additional documents.

Preparing cartons so Amazon accepts them

Most delays at fulfillment centers come from carton preparation, not from the ocean leg. Following Amazon's inbound requirements before your goods leave the factory avoids relabeling fees and refused deliveries.

• Keep single cartons at or under 50 lb (22.7 kg) unless they are clearly marked as team-lift
• Keep each carton side at or under 25 inches unless the item itself is oversize
• Apply FBA box labels on two sides of every carton, flat and fully visible
• Palletized freight should use 40 × 48 inch pallets no taller than 72 inches