Reliable ocean and air freight from China to UK. FCL, LCL, and DDP services. Door-to-door delivery available.
Most commercial cargo moves from China to the UK by sea freight (FCL or LCL), by air freight, or on a DDP door-to-door service. The right option depends on your shipment size, how urgent it is, and who is responsible for UK customs clearance.
Last reviewed: 11 September 2026
Choose the best option based on your cargo volume and timeline.
Full container load. Suited to larger-volume shipments. Transit time varies by origin port, destination gateway and service. Explore our sea freight services →
Shared container load. Suited to smaller-volume shipments. Weekly consolidation service available. Transit time varies by routing and destination.
Delivery to major airport gateways. Typically faster than sea options. Best for urgent and high-value shipments. Final delivery time depends on destination location. Explore our air freight services →
For eligible DDP shipments, we can arrange UK customs clearance, VAT handling and final delivery depending on destination, cargo type and service requirements. Explore our DDP shipping services →
The five options below are compared on the five factors that usually decide the answer: shipment size, urgency, delivery scope, who handles customs clearance, and how many suppliers are involved. Transit times, costs and eligibility all depend on the specific shipment, so confirm them in your quotation.
| Option | Shipment size | Urgency | Delivery scope | Customs responsibility | Supplier count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea freight — FCL | Larger volumes that fill a container | Not time-critical | Port-to-port, or door-to-door if arranged | Usually the importer, unless DDP is arranged | One supplier, or several consolidated before loading |
| Sea freight — LCL | Smaller volumes sharing container space | Flexible — consolidation adds handling time | Port-to-port, or door-to-door if arranged | Usually the importer, unless DDP is arranged | Well suited to several suppliers consolidated into one shipment |
| Air freight | Lower volume, higher value, or urgent cargo | Time-critical | Airport-to-airport, or door-to-door if arranged | Usually the importer, unless DDP is arranged | Less common for multi-supplier consolidation |
| DDP door-to-door | Any eligible volume — sea or air underneath | Depends on the transport mode chosen | Door-to-door | Coordinated by us for eligible shipments | Several suppliers can be consolidated in China first |
Looking specifically at what each leg costs and how UK destination charges are structured? See our China to UK shipping cost guide.
We ship from all major Chinese ports.
We deliver to all major UK ports with nationwide distribution.
UK's largest container port. Serves East England and Midlands.
Southern gateway with access to London and Southeast England.
Deep-sea port near London. Modern facilities.
Northern gateway. Serves North England and Scotland.
Port-to-port estimated transit time, in days. These are typical estimates, not a commitment; actual transit usually varies with routing, carrier schedule, port congestion and customs clearance. Door delivery adds additional time depending on the final destination and clearance at arrival.
| Route | Sea FCL | Sea LCL | Air Freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Felixstowe | 28-32 days | 28-32 days | 3-4 days |
| Shenzhen → Felixstowe | 30-35 days | 30-35 days | 4-5 days |
| Shanghai → Southampton | 32-36 days | 32-36 days | 4-5 days |
| Shanghai → Liverpool | 25-30 days | 27-34 days | 4-5 days |
Duty and VAT rates depend on your commodity code and are set out in the UK Trade Tariff. Confirm the current rate for your product before you order — the rate that applies is the one published for your code at the time of import. Nothing on this page is tax or legal advice.
Standard rate: 20%
Reduced rate: 5% (children's car seats, energy-saving materials)
Zero rate: 0% (most food, books, children's clothing)
Varies by HS code and country of origin. Applied to CIF value.
Under the UK's low-value consignment rules, the £135 threshold is applied to the total value of a consignment imported from outside the UK, not to individual items, and to the goods value rather than any separately shown transport and insurance. For non-excise goods at or below £135, no Customs Duty is charged; above £135, normal duty and import VAT rules apply on importation. Where such goods are sold directly to UK consumers (not through an online marketplace), UK VAT is charged at the point of sale instead of at the border, while sales to a UK VAT-registered business are accounted for under reverse charge or postponed VAT accounting. Excise goods, and non-commercial goods such as gifts, are excluded from this treatment. Applicable rules should be confirmed for each shipment.
Lithium batteries and battery-containing equipment, liquids and pastes, powders, and branded or parallel-import goods. Acceptance, classification and carrier availability differ by category and are confirmed per shipment at booking.
An EORI number is required for whoever deals with UK customs — the trader or an agent acting on their behalf. Under a DDP arrangement, the seller's side or its UK customs agent holds the GB EORI for the import declaration; the UK consignee is not automatically required to hold one (HMRC allows goods to move via an indirect representative where no EORI is held). Consignments routed via Northern Ireland may involve an XI EORI instead. Each arrangement is confirmed at booking.
UN 3480 lithium-ion batteries shipped alone go under PI965 — cargo aircraft only (forbidden on passenger aircraft) and at a state of charge not exceeding 30%. From 1 January 2026 the same 30% limit is mandatory for UN 3481 batteries packed with equipment under PI966 (Section I cells and batteries, and Section II above 2.7 Wh; Section II up to 2.7 Wh remains recommended only), and anything above 30% needs written approval from both the State of Origin and the State of the Operator under Special Provision A331. For UN 3481 batteries contained in equipment (PI967), a reduced state of charge is an IATA recommendation, not a legal requirement. Cell and battery types must pass UN 38.3 testing, with the Test Summary available on request; an SDS is not a uniform IATA transport document, though individual channels and carriers may ask for one. Sea freight follows the IMDG regime instead. See our lithium battery shipping guide for the full air-transport rules.
Great Britain is outside the EU IOSS scheme and applies its own £135 low-value rules. Northern Ireland, under the Windsor Framework, follows EU VAT rules for goods, so an EU IOSS registration can cover eligible low-value consignments into Northern Ireland — but never into Great Britain. The UK VAT & Import Duties section above covers the GB side.
These are distinct roles under different regimes. For cosmetic products placed on the Great Britain market, the UK cosmetics rules require a Responsible Person established in the UK plus SCPN notification through OPSS (Northern Ireland uses the EU CPNP portal instead). For medical devices placed on the GB market by manufacturers established outside the UK, the UK MDR 2002 requires appointing a "UK Responsible Person" registered with the MHRA; this obligation applies to the applicable overseas-manufacturer cases, not to all medical device manufacturers. For other regulated goods, a UK-established authorised representative may be essential or voluntary depending on the product regulation. All of these roles belong to the brand owner or a dedicated representative service; they are not included in our logistics quotes, and any certification, registration or clearance-agent arrangement is confirmed per shipment with the responsible parties.
Shenzhen HQ with pickup from any Chinese factory.
Experienced with post-Brexit UK customs and VAT requirements.
Combine multiple orders into one shipment. Explore warehousing & consolidation →
Real-time visibility from factory to UK door.
Customs, tax and product compliance requirements vary by cargo, importer, destination and current regulations. Requirements should be confirmed for each shipment.
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