Every shipping & customs
question, answered.
RoRo vs container, transit times, customs compliance (SBKTS, GCC, KEBS, SONCAP), EV battery shipping under UN3480, marine insurance, document checklists — everything you need to import a vehicle from our China stock to your country.
Estimate ocean freightin 10 seconds.
Rough indicative figures based on 2026 spot rates. Final port-specific quote within 24h.
Indicative spot rates + 2026 standard duty/VAT. Excludes carrier BAF, port congestion fees, excise (engine-size), and luxury tax. Final landed cost may vary ±15%. See PDF cheat sheet for full per-market duty table.
Full cost — nothing hidden.BYD Atto 3 to Dubai.
A real-world cost stack for a 2024 BYD Atto 3 from Shanghai to Jebel Ali. Substitute your unit + destination — every line stays.
| FOB Shanghai | |
| Used vehicle FOB price | USD 22,000 |
| Battery SoH certificate (BYD app) | included |
| 50+ point pre-shipment inspection | USD 80 |
| Freight + insurance | |
| Ocean freight (40HQ split, 1 of 2 cars) | USD 1,100 |
| Container loading + lashing | USD 60 |
| Lithium Battery Declaration (UN3480) | USD 35 |
| 110% CIF marine insurance (0.55%) | USD 127 |
| China-side documents | |
| Export customs declaration | USD 35 |
| Certificate of Origin (CCPIT) | USD 25 |
| Original B/L courier (DHL Shanghai → Dubai) | USD 55 |
| Subtotal CIF Dubai | USD 23,517 |
| UAE destination side | |
| UAE customs duty (5% on CIF) | USD 1,176 |
| UAE VAT (5% on CIF + duty) | USD 1,235 |
| GCC Certificate of Conformity | USD 180 |
| Port handling + clearance (typical broker) | USD 280 |
| Total landed Dubai | USD 26,388 |
Indicative for 2026. UAE-specific items (RTA registration, Salik tag, insurance) are buyer-side after landing.
RoRo, 20HQ, 40HQ —when each wins.
RoRo
| Cars | Running vehicles only |
|---|---|
| Best | Used cars, single-car shipments |
| Cost | Cheapest per car |
| Transit | Fastest direct lanes |
| Risk | Open deck → weather, dust, minor theft risk |
| Ev | Limited (only some carriers accept EV) |
| Lanes | Q-Line, Eukor, NYK, K-Line, Hoegh |
- Cheapest mode for sedans + SUVs
- Fastest direct schedules
- Driven on/off — no loading damage
- Open vessel — exposure
- Must be running (engine starts)
- Limited EV acceptance
Container 20HQ
| Cars | 1 vehicle (up to ~5.5m) |
|---|---|
| Best | High-value single car, non-running, EV |
| Cost | ~USD 600–900 more than RoRo |
| Transit | Slightly longer (container schedules) |
| Risk | Sealed → weather-protected, theft-proof |
| Ev | Full DG-compliant lithium battery accepted |
| Lanes | COSCO, MSC, Evergreen, ONE, Maersk |
- Weather + theft protection
- Accepts non-running, EV, accessories
- Tamper-proof seal
- More expensive than RoRo
- Loading/lashing labour costs
Container 40HQ
| Cars | 2 vehicles + accessories |
|---|---|
| Best | Two cars same destination (split = cheapest) |
| Cost | ~USD 900–1,400 per car (after split) |
| Transit | Same as 20HQ |
| Risk | Sealed, lashed in-frame |
| Ev | Full DG-compliant |
| Lanes | All container carriers |
- Best $/car for 2-car orders
- Same protection as 20HQ
- Can pack spares + parts in same container
- Need 2 cars to fully economise
- Lashing skill-sensitive
Days from China portto your port.
Estimated transit days only (vessel time). Add 5–10 days for China-side customs + 3–7 days for destination clearance.
| Destination port | RoRo Shanghai | RoRo Tianjin | Container Shanghai | Container Nansha | Land (Khorgos) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇷🇺 Vladivostok | 7–10 d | 5–7 d | 10–14 d | — | — |
| 🇷🇺 Novorossiysk (Suez) | 45–55 d | — | 40–50 d | 42–52 d | — |
| 🇦🇪 Jebel Ali (Dubai) | 28–32 d | — | 22–28 d | 20–25 d | — |
| 🇸🇦 Dammam | 30–35 d | — | 26–32 d | 24–28 d | — |
| 🇰🇪 Mombasa | 34–38 d | — | 28–35 d | 26–32 d | — |
| 🇳🇬 Lagos / Apapa | 45–52 d | — | 38–48 d | 36–45 d | — |
| 🇿🇦 Durban | 38–42 d | — | 32–38 d | 30–36 d | — |
| 🇪🇬 Alexandria | 40–46 d | — | 34–42 d | 32–40 d | — |
| 🇩🇿 Algiers | 42–48 d | — | 36–44 d | 34–42 d | — |
| 🇰🇿 Almaty / Aktau | — | — | 40–48 d | — | 7–14 d |
| 🇪🇹 Djibouti → Addis | 32–38 d | — | 28–34 d | 26–32 d | — |
Khorgos overland route is truck transit; only practical for Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Uzbekistan landlocked destinations.
Eight Chinese ports.One logistics team.
Three company-owned yards (Shanghai · Guangzhou · Tianjin) plus five partner ports for specialised lanes — we pick whichever loads cheapest and fastest for your destination.
Per-marketconformity certificates.
Almost every destination requires a local conformity certificate before customs clearance. We file these China-side so you do not need a separate inspection company.
SBKTS (Type Approval Certificate) + VIN inspection at FSUE NAMI accredited lab. EAC mark for parts. Used cars over 3 years pay increased duty.
Same as Russia (EAEU customs union). SBKTS certificate from Almaty-accredited lab. Khorgos overland accepts pre-certified vehicles.
Gulf Standardization Org. (GSO) Certificate of Conformity. New EV imports also require ESMA energy-efficiency label.
SABER platform registration + SASO IECEE Product Certificate of Conformity. Mandatory since 2021. Used cars >5 years restricted.
Pre-Export Verification of Conformity. Inspector visits Chinese yard, issues CoC. Right-hand drive only (KEBS Code KS 1515).
Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme. Issued through SGS or Cotecna pre-shipment. Used cars must be ≤15 years.
Letter of Authority from National Regulator. Used cars need ITAC import permit + duty 25% +14% VAT. Right-hand drive only.
General Organisation for Export & Import Control inspection. Used cars >3 years prohibited. New EV exempt from luxury tax.
Algerian Certificate of Conformity (Decree 20-329). Used cars ≤3 years only. Right-hand drive prohibited.
Pre-shipment Verification by EIA. Customs duty calculated CIF + 35% + VAT. Khorgos land route unavailable; via Djibouti.
Right-hand drive only. ZRA pre-clearance recommended. Age limit 8 years for used cars.
Tanzania Bureau of Standards Pre-shipment. Right-hand drive only. Used cars >10 years pay 30% extra duty.
Don’t see your country? We have filed conformity certificates in 38 markets. Ask us for the specific requirements before deposit.
Chinese EVs ship underUN3480 dangerous goods.
Lithium-ion battery vehicles are classified as UN3480 / UN3481 under the IMDG Code. Most container carriers require:
- State of Charge 30–60% — not full, not empty. We charge to ~50% before lashing.
- Lithium Battery Declaration — we file with carrier 7 days before vessel.
- Battery health screenshot — SoH from BYD / Zeekr / NIO / XPeng official app, shared on B/L.
- Container preferred over RoRo — only Hoegh, NYK and select carriers accept EV on RoRo decks.
- Charging port adapter included — GB/T 2015 plug typed; we ship Type 2 or CCS2 adapter per destination market.
Most Chinese EVs (BYD Blade, CATL LFP, NCM ternary) ship under this classification. Pure EV with installed battery pack.
Used for spare battery + standalone shipments. Less common in dealer wholesale flow.
Ten documentsin your hand.
Every shipment ships with this standard pack. Anything market-specific (SBKTS / GCC / KEBS / SONCAP / GOEIC) is added on top.
Commercial Invoice
Vehicle make, model, VIN, year, declared FOB value in USD. Stamped by exporter.
Packing List
Container number, vehicle position inside container, weight, dimensions. For RoRo: deck position.
Bill of Lading (B/L)
Original 3-copy set. We courier original to consignee via DHL once vessel sails. Telex release on request only.
Certificate of Origin
Form A (developing-country preferential) or non-preferential CO from CCPIT. Required for duty reduction in many markets.
Pre-Shipment Inspection Cert
50+ point inspection report with photos + walk-around video. Customs accepts our certificate in 30+ countries.
Lithium Battery Declaration
UN3480 declaration for EV shipments. Filed with carrier 7 days before vessel.
Conformity Certificate
SBKTS (RU/KZ) · GCC CoC (UAE) · KEBS PVoC (KE) · SONCAP (NG) · GOEIC (EG) · NRCS LoA (ZA), etc.
Marine Insurance Policy
110% CIF cover by Ping An / PICC. We send PDF policy with the B/L.
Export Customs Declaration
China-side export declaration filed through Shanghai Customs. EU XML standard format provided on request.
VIN photo + dispatch report
High-res VIN plate photo + dispatch report with vessel name, voyage, ETD/ETA, B/L number.
Who pays for what —in one diagram.
We default to CIF (Cost + Insurance + Freight) to your destination port. Other Incoterms available on request.
Risk transfers at China port rail.
- China port loading Seller
- Ocean freight Buyer
- Marine insurance Buyer
- Destination duty Buyer
- Onward delivery Buyer
Seller pays freight but no insurance.
- China port loading Seller
- Ocean freight Seller
- Marine insurance Buyer
- Destination duty Buyer
- Onward delivery Buyer
Most common. Our default quote.
- China port loading Seller
- Ocean freight Seller
- Marine insurance Seller (110%)
- Destination duty Buyer
- Onward delivery Buyer
Seller handles everything. +8–12% premium.
- China port loading Seller
- Ocean freight Seller
- Marine insurance Seller
- Destination duty Seller
- Onward delivery Seller
110% CIF cover. Automatic on every shipment.
Insured value = (Cost + Insurance + Freight) × 110%. The 10% buffer covers anticipated profit + import duty if you have a total loss. Premium is 0.4–0.7% of insured value, depending on destination, mode, vessel age, and prior claim record.
What’s covered
- Total loss at sea (vessel sinking, fire, collision)
- Theft of vehicle or accessories from container/deck
- Damage from heavy weather, water ingress, sea-water salt
- General average contribution (rare but real)
- Port handling damage (forklift, crane, dock)
- Strikes, riots, civil commotion (with SRCC clause)
What you do at destination
- Inspect vehiclebefore signing Equipment Interchange Receipt at port
- Photograph any damage with date stamp + claim form
- Notify carrier within 3 days, marine insurer within 7
- We coordinate claim from China side and chase the insurer
- Settlement typically 30–60 days post-claim
From deposit to deliveryin ~30 days.
Pick vehicle
Choose from our China inventory; receive itemised CIF quote (FOB Shanghai + freight + 110% insurance + inspection).
30% deposit
Pay via T/T USD, bank wire (TRC20 / ERC20), Wise, or L/C through Bank of China.
Pre-shipment inspection
50+ point checklist; OBD scan; paint thickness; battery SoH (EV); 50+ photos + walk-around video.
Balance payment
70% balance after inspection approval. We reserve loading slot.
Booking
RoRo carrier (Hoegh/NYK/Eukor) or container (COSCO/MSC/Evergreen) reserved. Cut-off date confirmed.
China export customs
Export declaration filed with Shanghai Customs. CIQ inspection at port-of-loading.
Vessel departs
You receive vessel name + voyage no + B/L number. Vesseltracker.com link shared.
In-transit
5–55 days depending on lane (see Transit Times above).
Destination clearance
Customs cleared with B/L, CO, conformity cert. We coordinate with destination broker if needed.
Follow-up
Our team checks in to confirm vehicle collected and no customs hiccup.
Vessel trackingin real time.
Once your vessel sails we share the carrier B/L number + vessel name + voyage number. Plug those into any of these public trackers:
Don’t have a B/L number yet?
If you’ve placed an order but haven’t received your B/L: it’s normal — B/L is issued 3–5 days after the vessel sails. Email our team for ETD confirmation.
Email tracking teamTen ways to lose money.All preventable.
Pay full balance against scanned B/L
Original B/L is what releases cargo. Scan-released cargo is a fraud vector.
Skip pre-shipment inspection
Saves USD 80 today, costs USD 5,000 when paint defects surface at port.
Buy a car older than destination age limit
Egypt 3yr, Algeria 3yr, Kenya 8yr. Check BEFORE deposit.
No customs broker pre-arranged
Container demurrage runs USD 150/day from day 8 onwards.
Wrong shipping mode for EV
Most RoRo carriers reject lithium EVs. Default to container.
Under-declare FOB value
Mismatch with insurance value voids policy + triggers customs audit.
Forget Lithium Battery Declaration
Carriers reject EV booking at last minute. We file 7 days ahead.
No SoH battery screenshot before deposit
Used Chinese EV can be 75–85% SoH. Demand BYD/Zeekr/NIO app screenshot.
Wrong-drive vehicle
Kenya/SA/UK = RHD only. Algeria/Egypt = LHD only. Confirm before shipping.
Single-car 40HQ container
Wastes USD 1,000+. Either consolidate or use 20HQ.
Common questions,honest answers.
01What is the difference between RoRo and Container shipping?
02Which mode is cheapest for one used car?
03How long does shipping from China take?
04Do you ship Chinese EVs internationally?
05What customs documents do I need at destination?
06Can I track my shipment?
07What is 110% CIF marine insurance?
08What happens if the vehicle is damaged on the ship?
25 acronyms in plain English.
From B/L to UN3480 — the language customs agents and freight forwarders actually use.
Final freight number.
In 24 hours.
Send origin port + destination + vehicle make/model. We reply with carrier slot, cut-off date, transit time, total CIF.