How long does shipping from China to Singapore take?

1Transit times by mode

Every figure below is hub to door: from the day your cargo leaves our hub in China (Foshan for sea, Shenzhen for air) to the day it is delivered to your Singapore address, with the import permit and customs clearance already done. We never quote port-to-port or airport-to-airport times on this site, because you cannot plan a restock around a date your goods reach a warehouse you cannot get into.

2When the clock starts

The transit window starts at departure, not at the day you place your order. Two things sit in front of it. First, your supplier has to deliver to the hub: that is domestic Chinese logistics and depends on where the factory is. Second, the cut-off. Cargo that reaches the hub before 5:00pm on a working day, Saturday included, leaves on the next working day. Arrive after that and it leaves the working day after. Air cargo goes to our Shenzhen warehouse, which keeps the same hours.

If you are consolidating from several suppliers, the clock starts when the last carton arrives, because we ship your order as one consignment. For sea, the Foshan hub holds the earlier cartons free for 5 days while the rest come in; after that storage is S$20 per CBM per day. The practical advice is to time your suppliers so the last delivery lands within a few days of the first.

3What actually causes delays

• Chinese New Year. Factories and domestic couriers close for a week or more, and the weeks before and after are congested. We publish the cut-offs each year under Updates.
• Typhoon season in the South China Sea, roughly July to October, can hold vessels in port for a day or two. Air is unaffected except during the storm itself.
• Customs inspection. Singapore Customs and other agencies inspect a share of shipments, some at random. If yours is selected we handle the paperwork and tell you the same day. Inspection charges are passed on at cost.
• Missing documents. A commercial invoice and packing list are needed before the permit can be lodged. Upload them as soon as you accept your confirmed quote and this never becomes a delay.
• Restricted goods without prior notice. Batteries, liquids, powders, food and cosmetics can ship in many cases, but only with the right paperwork arranged first. See restricted goods.

4Sea or air, when the deadline is the question

If you need the goods in Singapore within a week, air is the only choice that fits, and it is priced on chargeable weight from S$6.50 per kg with a 10 kg minimum. If you can wait two weeks, sea LCL at S$82 per CBM is almost always the better trade for anything bulkier than a few cartons. The pillar guide compares the two in detail, and the CBM calculator gives you both indicative figures from your carton dimensions. For air on its own, the chargeable weight calculator shows which weight you are billed on.