Africa is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Starting a business in this continent can be highly profitable and yield great returns. If you want to source products from China, your company will generate even more revenue.
To help you get a clear picture, we’ve created a simple guide on shipping from China to Africa.
7 Simple Steps To Start Shipping From China To Africa
Africa is importing a huge quantity of products from China. Approximately 282 billion dollars of products were imported in 2023. So you have to follow these steps to start an import process from China to Africa.
1. Register As An Importer
You should register in the RLA (registration, licensing, and accreditation). It is an online registration part of the New Customs Act Program in South Africa. You can visit the website www.sarsefiling.co.za for the registration process. If you are residing in Nigeria, then you should enlist your company in the record of FIRS (Federal Inland Revenue Services).
You also need to open a bank account for your company. You will get a tax identification number after submission of all your tax-paying details. If you don’t have a valid license, you can start the business on behalf of other regular importers. You have to contact the concerned chamber of commerce for further procedures.
2. Market Analysis & Product Selection
Africa is one of the underdeveloped regions in the world, where even basic facilities are lacking. You should always do thorough research before importing anything. There are plenty of options to import for a growing region. In Africa, health facilities are not up to the mark, so you can import mobile health centers to provide basic facilities to the citizens.
You can also import alternate energy-producing plants to provide constant electricity to the region. Water treatment plants are also required in bulk in African countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, etc. You can assess the needs of the common public and then plan to import.
3. Select a Reliable Supplier
The selection of a reliable and economical manufacturer is the main goal of an importer for long-term success. You should Visit China or contact some brokerage agencies to connect with the targeted suppliers. Chinese suppliers also exhibit some grand expos in African countries, where you can connect with your desired suppliers.
You will find thousands of suppliers by giving proper prompts in Google search. Some websites like Alibaba, Global Sources, and Made-In-China, are also popular among importers to search the products at competitive rates. Moreover, some big wholesale markets like YIWU are also places to find the perfect sellers for your products.
4. Finalize Your Incoterms
Incoterms is a legal agreement between the supplier and the buyer about the shipping. For African regions, the following are the incoterms that are popular to import goods from China to Africa.
- FCA (Free Carrier)
In this agreement, a specific point of delivery is mentioned. It could be either the destination place of the buyer in Africa, or it can be the port of origin in China. The supplier is the responsible person to deliver the goods at the point of delivery mentioned in the agreement.
- FOB (Free on Board)
By following this incoterm, your supplier will be the responsible person until your products are loaded onto the vessel. You being a buyer are the responsible person for shipping charges, insurance, and all other transportation risks involved.
- EXW (Ex-Works)
When your products are ready, you will be informed and then your work will start. You have to transport goods from the factory outlet to the port of origin in China and then ship to Africa. You will be responsible for all the steps involved in the shipping process. Although the cost is lower than other incoterms, however, you will need to work hard to get your products to your desired place.
5. Contact a Freight Forwarder
Freight forwarders are the backbone of the process of shipping from China to Africa. They are responsible for carrying your goods from the factory outlets to the warehouse at the port of origin. Then they assist in every step including the customs clearance from the Chinese Authorities and finally loading and transit to the final destination in Africa.
We at Bansar have a competent team to assist you in each step of shipping including the documentation, Customs clearance from the Chinese authorities, insurance, and safe transit of your goods. We have been providing services to several clients in Africa. You can trust us for state-of-the-art shipping services.
6. Customs Clearance From China
Chinese customs clearance is an easy task for the importers. In most of the incoterms, your supplier is responsible for clearing the products from Chinese customs agents. He or she should submit an export declaration form to the authorities, that includes the complete information regarding products.
It also includes the agreement between the supplier and the buyer, and the tax information of the manufacturing company.
7. Customs Clearance In Africa
Below is the list of documents required for the customs declaration process. The details about customs duties and taxes in different regions of Africa are also given.
Required Import Documents
The following is the list of documents required to clear your goods from the customs authorities.
- Lading Bill
It is a kind of ownership stamp that you get after the loading of your items onto the vessel. Normally, 12 copies of this bill are produced, 3 of which are handed over to the buyer and 9 are used by the shipping authorities for their official work.
- Commercial Invoice
This is the invoice that is the responsibility of the supplier to show at the time of clearance from the country of origin. It is also required by the customs department of the importing country. It tells about the cost of the goods, the agreement between the buyer and the supplier, and other necessary information.
- Product List
This document includes product details like the quantity, its HS category, expiry dates in case of consumer items, and other important information. This list helps the customs to calculate the duties and taxes accordingly.
- Certificate of Origin
It is the responsibility of the Chamber of Commerce of the origin country to provide this document. It is important to convey information regarding the manufacturing country that helps the authorities define the taxes according to the specific country.
- Certificate of Conformity
For some products, it is important to test the quality standards. Therefore, East African countries like Kenya have authorized some agents (INTERTEK, SGC) for the inspection process.
- Bill of Entry
It is a legal document that must be filled and signed by the importers, or carriers. This bill is kept by the authorities. It is used during inspections to match the physical presence with the details in the document.
Customs Duties And Taxes
Africa is mainly divided into four regions and the import tariffs are different for each one. Let’s have a look at each of them:
- Import duties are so much higher from the North African countries ranging from 20% to 70% and even 200% for some products like dairy items. Tunisia and Morocco impose high customs duties on beef, sheep, and goat meat. They also need Halal certifications.
- South African customs impose 15% VAT on the CIF (cost insurance freight) value of products. The applied duties there are according to the HS category of the products.
- For West Africa, the import duty or customs tariff ranges from 0-35%. For finished products, it is 20% of the CIF value.
- East Africa Community (EAC) has set some rules for East African countries regarding these taxes. They normally impose 16% VAT on imported items and the duty on raw materials is zero percent.
The import duty on final products is 10%, and 35% on sensitive products. Besides this, import declaration fees (IDF) of up to 3.5% are applied.
After submitting documents and taxes you can move your goods to your designated place.
4 Modes of Importing From China To Africa
There are different methods of transportation to import your goods to Africa. We have discussed the pros and cons of each of them to help you choose the best one for your imports.
Sea Freight
It is the most convenient and widely used method of shipping from China to Africa. If your imports are in bulk, then this mode is the most suitable and economical. Various routes connect China to Africa. They include the Indian Ocean route, the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, and a direct route to Tanzania.
You can bring your products either in the form of FCL (fully container load) 40-feet container, 20-feet container, or LCL (less than a container load). FCL is the most economical option if you have enough quantity to import.
In case, you don’t have enough quantity to import, then LCL would be suitable for you to share your products with others.
Special Sea Shipping Methods
If you want to import products of bigger sizes like heavy machinery, boilers, construction materials, commodities, and controlled-temperature products, then some special transportation methods are adopted.
- OOG (Out of Gauge): Out of Gauge containers are usually bigger and specially designed for heavy machinery imports, that can not fit in normal-size containers.
- Reefer Container: These are specially designed containers to move temperature-sensitive products to Africa. These containers have a system to stabilize the temperature to a set point.
- RoRo Vessels: These are the vessels in which you can load the products on wheels. You can drive the cars or toe them with other vehicles to load onto these ships.
- Dry-Bulk: If you have a commodity or minerals to ship, you can place them on the deck of the ship.
Major Chinese Ports
- Port of Shanghai
- Tianjin Port
- Port of Ningbo
- Port of Shenzhen
- Port of Qingdao
- Guangzhou Port
Major African Ports
- Port of Durban (South Africa)
- Port of Cape Town (South Africa)
- Richards Bay Port (South Africa)
- Port of Saldanha Bay (South Africa)
- Port of Casablanca (North Africa)
- Sokhna Port (North Africa)
- Port of Safaga (North Africa)
- Port of Mombasa (East Africa)
- Port of Dar Es Salam (East Africa)
- Beira Port (East Africa)
- Lekki Port (West Africa)
- Port of Tema (West Africa)
- Port of Lome (West Africa)
- Abidjan Port (West Africa)
Air Freight
Air freight is the most convenient and safe option for small-level traders. If you want to import small quantities in Africa, you should opt for air freight. It provides you with a feeling of protection and requires less time compared to sea freight. Although it is a costly method, you can import your products with so much ease.
Two types of cargo carry your products from China to Africa. One is general cargo, which is used to carry normal products. The other is the special cargo, which is used to carry temperature-sensitive products like seafood, pharmaceuticals, etc. You should know about the volumetric weight method to avoid any loss in the case of air freight.
Major Airports In China
- Beijing Capital International Airport
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
- Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
Major Airports In Africa
- East London Airport (South Africa)
- Port Elizabeth International Airport (South Africa)
- King Shaka International Airport (South Africa)
- Cape Town International Airport (South Africa)
- Mattan As Sarra Airport (North Africa)
- Shendi Airport (North Africa)
- Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (North Africa)
- Agadir Al-Massira International Airport (North Africa)
- Kisumu International Airport (East Africa)
- Moi International Airport (East Africa)
- Pemba Airport (East Africa)
- Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (East Africa)
- Moshi Airport (East Africa)
- Murtala Muhammed International Airport (West Africa)
- Diffa Airfield (West Africa)
- Dodji Airport (West Africa)
- Ibadan Airport (West Africa)
- Kotoka International Airport
Door to Door Shipping
If you are new to importing and don’t know the depth of this process, then this transportation method is the most suitable option. In this mode, the delivery and all the taxes are paid in advance. You will get your products at your doorstep in Africa without any hassle. It is widely used for small to medium-quantity products.
Types of DDP
- Sea Freight DDP
- Express Freight DDP
- Air Freight DDP
Express Freight
It is the fastest way to import products through express freight. You will get your products in 1-3 days. There are so many international courier companies that offer these services. Muller & Phipps, TNT, FedEx, DHL, and EMS are world-leading companies that offer express freight from China to Africa.
This express freight is calculated by volumetric weight. Multiply width, length, and height, then divide by 6000, and you will get the result.
Charges of Shipping From China To Africa
The African region is divided into 4 zones that are South, North, East, and West. The shipping costs depend on petroleum prices, peak season, port congestion, and some other international factors. It may vary with the time. The following are the prices of different shipping modes in different regions.
Shipping Rates From China To South Africa
| Shipping Mode | From | To | Cost |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
Ningbo Port | Port of Durban | $4000-$4300 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
Ningbo Port | Port of Durban | $5500-$6000 |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
Shanghai Port | Cape Town Port | $4000-$4350 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
Shanghai Port | Cape Town Port | $6000-$6300 |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
Qingdao Port | Cape Town Port | $4000-$4300 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
Qingdao Port | Cape Town Port | $6000-$6300 |
| Air Freight | China | South Africa | $5-$7 per kg |
| DDP | China | South Africa | $10-$13 per kg |
| Express Freight | China | South Africa | $15-$20 per kg |
Shipping Cost From China To North Africa
| Shipping Mode | From | To | Cost |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
China | Algeria | $4200-$4500 |
| Sea Freight 40-Feet Container | China | Algeria | $6500-$7000 |
| Air Freight | China | Algeria | $5-$8 per kg |
| Express Freight | China | Algeria | $8-$12 per kg |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
China | Sudan | $4200-$4600 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
China | Sudan | $6000-$6500 |
| Air Freight | China | Sudan | $8-$10 per kg |
| Express Freight | China | Sudan | $35-$50 per kg |
Shipping Prices From China To East Africa
| Shipping Mode | From | To | Cost |
| Sea Freight
LCL |
China | Kenya | $90-$100 per cubic meter |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
China | Kenya | $2600-$3000 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
China | Kenya | $3600-$3900 |
| Air Freight | China | Kenya | $5-$7 per kg |
| Express Freight | China | Kenya | $5-$10 per kg |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
China | Tanzania | $3000-$3500 |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
China | Tanzania | $1800-$2000 |
Shipping Charges From China To West Africa
| Shipping Mode | From | To | Cost |
| Sea Freight
20-Feet Container |
China | Senegal | $4000-$4300 |
| Sea Freight
40-Feet Container |
China | Senegal | $4700-$5000 |
| Air Freight | China | Senegal | $7-$9 per kg |
Transit Time To Ship From China To Africa
The transit time varies a lot from China to different African regions. We have summarized it in a table form. It can be changed depending on the current weather conditions, security reasons, accidents, etc.
| Shipping Mode | From | To | Transit Time |
| Sea Freight | China | Durban (South Africa) | 25-27 days |
| Sea Freight | China (Qingdao) | Cape Town (South Africa) | 48-50 days |
| Air freight | China | South Africa | 4-6 days |
| Express Freight | China | South Africa | 1-3 days |
| Sea Freight | China | Algeria (North Africa) | 24-28 days |
| Air freight | China | Algeria (North Africa) | 4-7 days |
| Sea Freight | China | Tanzania (East Africa) | 25-40 days |
| Sea Freight | China | Kenya (East Africa) | 18-25 days |
| Air Freight | China | Kenya (East Africa) | 4-6 days |
| Sea Freight | China | Sudan (West Africa) | 35-40 days |
| Air Freight | China | Sudan (West Africa) | 4-7 days |
Common African Imports From China
The following items are imported routinely from China to African countries.
- Seafood, meat
- Pharmaceutical products
- Soap, chemicals
- Beauty Products
- Electronic products, Electrical items
- Rubbers
- Furniture
- Heavy Machinery
- Iron and steel
- Commodities
- Tools
- Ceramic Products
- Toys
- Cars
- Man-made filaments
- Clock and watches
- Aircraft and their accessories
- Printed Books
Prohibited Products To Import From China To Africa
Some items need special permissions or are strictly prohibited for import.
- Weapons
- Controlled Substances
- Copyright infringement
- Prison made goods
- Harmful printed matter
- Disease carrying animals
- Food items with harmful additives
Final Note
We believe now you have a complete idea of how to do shipping from China to Africa. However, if you still have any questions, we are here to assist you.
Additionally, you can use our shipping services to import your products to any corner of Africa. Connect with our experts and tell us your shipping details to receive your instant quote.
More resources:
Shipping From China To Kenya – Source: BANSAR
Shipping From China To South Africa – Source: BANSAR
Largest South Africa Ports – Source: BANSAR
Certificate of Origin – Source: Wikipedia
FOB Shipping From China – Source: BANSAR
5 Common Incoterms in Shipping – Source: BANSAR
