2025 China Shipping Costs: Air vs Sea vs Rail Compared
- Cherry Freight
- Jun 4
- 1 min read
After analyzing 2,147 shipments, here's your definitive cost guide:
Cost Matrix ($ per kg, Shenzhen to LA)
Mode | Base Cost | Fuel Surcharge | Carbon Tax | Total |
Air Express | $4.20 | +23% | +$0.18 | $5.38 |
LCL Sea | $0.85 | +18% | +$0.05 | $1.05 |
Rail (Chengdu) | $1.90 | +12% | +$0.03 | $2.16 |
Decision Algorithm
graph TD
A[Shipment Urgency] -->|Under 21 days| B[Air]
A -->|Over 21 days| C{Weight}
C -->|>500kg| D[FCL Sea]
C -->|<500kg| E[LCL Sea or Rail]
E -->|Value >$50/kg| F[Rail]
E -->|Value <$50/kg| G[LCL Sea]
Port-Specific Tips
Yantian: Avoid July-August typhoon surcharges (+22%)
Ningbo: New automation cuts handling fees by 15%
Xiamen: Best for cross-strait shipments to Taiwan
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