Shipping Cost From China to France
Quick Answer
Landed cost to France is more than freight. Import VAT runs at 20% and customs duty is set by the commodity code, both applied by Direction generale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI), the French Customs and Excise authority.
Key Takeaways
- Chargeable weight or volume, whichever is greater
- Mode and transit speed
- Seasonal demand and carrier capacity
- Bunker, currency and peak-season adjustments
- Commodity classification, which sets the duty rate
What Makes Up Landed Cost to France
Landed cost to France is more than freight. Import VAT runs at 20% and customs duty is set by the commodity code, both applied by Direction generale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI), the French Customs and Excise authority. Duty and tax therefore sit on top of the freight leg rather than inside it. A complete comparison has to include the international freight leg, origin and destination handling, customs clearance, customs duty, import VAT, and the final inland delivery.
Cost Components for France
| Component | What determines it |
|---|---|
| International freight | Sea, air or rail, set by mode, volume and season |
| Origin handling | Collection, export documentation and terminal handling in China |
| Destination handling | Terminal handling and clearance at destination |
| Customs duty | Set by the commodity code under EU Common Customs Tariff applied through... |
| Import VAT | 20% on the customs value plus duty |
| Inland delivery | Final leg from port or airport to the delivery address |
Comparing France Freight Quotes Properly
The most common error in freight buying is comparing a port-to-port price against a door-to-door price. They are different scopes. Establish whether customs clearance, duty, VAT and final delivery are included before comparing numbers.
What Moves the Price to France
- Chargeable weight or volume, whichever is greater
- Mode and transit speed
- Seasonal demand and carrier capacity
- Bunker, currency and peak-season adjustments
- Commodity classification, which sets the duty rate
Cost Factors Specific to France
Le Havre is France's largest container port and the principal Atlantic gateway, with strong road, rail and Seine barge connections into the Paris basin. Marseille-Fos is the Mediterranean gateway and sits directly on the main Asia-Mediterranean lane, which often shortens the ocean leg for Asia-origin cargo. Dunkerque serves the northern industrial region and the Benelux border. The decision between Le Havre and Marseille-Fos is an inland-distance question, not a port-size question.
On this lane the routing decision above is usually the largest controllable cost variable, because it determines both the ocean leg and the length of the final delivery leg. The following are specific to France and should be in the budget from the outset:
- French standard VAT is 20%, with reduced rates of 10%, 5.5% and 2.1%
- France offers both an Atlantic gateway (Le Havre) and a Mediterranean one (Marseille-Fos)
- ISPM 15 treatment and marking for all wood packaging
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on mode, volume, weight, dimensions, origin and destination handling, the service pattern and the season. Requesting a quote against actual cargo details is the only reliable way to price a specific shipment.
Because the scope differs. A port-to-port price excludes inland collection, customs clearance, duty, VAT and final delivery, while a door-to-door DDP price includes all of them. Always compare on the same scope.
On freight cost per unit, almost always. For high-value cargo the total landed cost gap narrows because air reduces inventory carrying cost and capital tied up in transit.
Customs duty according to the commodity code, import VAT at 20%, terminal handling, and any inland delivery leg. Duty and VAT are determined by classification and value, not by the forwarder.
Consolidate to improve container utilisation, book outside peak season where timing allows, ensure classification is correct to avoid both overpayment and post-clearance exposure, and compare quotes on identical scope.
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