Shipping from China to Indonesia

Shipping From China To Indonesia | Sea, Air & Rail Freight

Trade between China and Indonesia is a multi-billion-dollar business. If you want to benefit from this, you need to know the whole process involved in importing cargo to Indonesia.

Therefore, given below is the complete guide for shipping from China to Indonesia. We have enlisted every aspect like trade laws, steps, customs duties, paperwork, optimized trade routes, and prohibited items.

How To Get Started?

Getting a deep knowledge before starting the import process in a specific country is important. You should know about the rules and regulations of the customs of both countries (Indonesia and China). It is important to know about the shipping documents as well. Import and export policies should also be studied in depth.

Modes of transportation are also vital in the import process. You have to be aware of the prohibited product policies of both countries. In our case, these countries are China and Indonesia. So before starting your import journey, you must get deep into the market to avoid loss.

7-Steps For Shipping From China To Indonesia

Here is the simple step-wise process for shipping goods from China to Indonesia.

1. Knowing The Indonesian Trade Laws 

Indonesia is one of the biggest Muslim countries. So, it is important to know the local trade laws before starting the import process. Indonesia is concerned about halal, especially in the case of meat and food items. You must comply with the import laws for a smooth process. 

This country has imposed some new duties and restrictions on imported products to save their local market. It is necessary to get in touch with the customs authorities to get the latest updates about duties and taxes. 

2. Product Selection

Another important point in the import process is the wrong selection of a product. This can lead to wasting all your money and effort. Before selecting the product for your Indonesian customers, you have to do a manual survey of the local market. You must be aware of the future trends, price variations, durability, and competition in the market. 

It should be selected based on the scientific data. You must know the demand and supply gap of a particular product. Get complete data about the duties, taxes, and shipping costs of your targeted product. In this way, you will be able to calculate the final cost at your destination.

3. Supplier Selection From Chinese Marketplaces

You can find suppliers in so many ways. You can visit the Yiwu wholesale market, the biggest platform for suppliers in China. It will provide you with vast opportunities to hunt your desired supplier. Some online platforms allow you to find suitable suppliers, like Ali Baba, Made-in-China, and global sources. 

On these online platforms, you can find targeted suppliers for your products. These platforms have previous data about these suppliers. Some suppliers get verified badges from these platforms. A freight forwarder like Bansar also helps you to choose reliable suppliers. Plus, some sourcing companies also offer paid services to source suppliers for you.

4. Choose a Shipping Method

The shipping method or transportation mode from China depends on so many factors. These include your ordered quantity, type of merchandise, cost, transit time, and other important factors. If you are importing some sensitive products in small quantities, then air freight is the best option.

In cases where you want to avoid the added pressure of taxes and customs duties in Indonesia, opting for DDP freight can be a beneficial choice. In this mode, you will get your products at your doorstep. You must study deeply, all the modes and then choose wisely. If you plan for bulk quantities, choosing sea freight is the most reliable option. 

5. Estimation of Import Taxes & Duties 

It is important to delve deep into tax matters and customs duties regarding your import products. Indonesia has recently imposed some heavy taxes on imported products to avoid damage to their local market. You can use the customs calculator for the calculation of the expected cost of the products. 

6. Freight Forwarder Responsibilities

Freight forwarder selection should be done carefully because of its huge responsibilities. It carries your products from the supplier’s site in China to the required destination in Indonesia. It should have all the facilities to accommodate your products successfully. 

A good freight forwarder should be able to handle all your legal issues. He or she should have advanced transportation facilities to move your products safely. For temperature-sensitive products, maintaining lower temperatures is important while transporting your items.

7. Customs Clearance From China

Customs clearance from Chinese ports is the responsibility of the supplier/manufacturer. Sometimes suppliers prepare documents themselves. In most cases, they hire customs brokers who will take all the responsibility for customs clearance and document submission. 

Commercial invoices, exporters’ tax status, product information, and other important documents are submitted to the authorities. You should always seek the services of professionals for a quick declaration from Chinese soil. 

Modes of Shipping From China To Indonesia

Below are the methods through which you can ship your product to Indonesia from China.

1. Sea Freight

It is the most common mode of shipping between China and Indonesia. Sea freight is also the most economical option compared to air freight. You can easily ship all kinds of products including heavy loads such as automobiles, petroleum, and other chemicals. 

Sea freight is the most suitable option if you have a product weight of more than 200 kg. You can import the products either through FCL (full container load), or LCL (less than a container load). Container sizes are 20 feet and 40 feet. However, if you don’t have enough quantity to fill the container, then LCL is a good choice.

Top Seaports In China & Indonesia

Chinese Ports

• Shenzhen Port
• Ningbo port
• Shanghai Port
• Tianjin port
• Guangzhou Port
• Qingdao Port

Indonesian Ports

• Java Port
• Sumatra Port
• Kalimantan Port
• Sulawesi Port

2. Air Freight

Air freight is a fast mode of importing your goods. Although it is a costly way of transportation to Indonesia from China, it is the most reliable option. If you need your product in time, and its quantity is less, then air freight is the most suitable option. In air freight, you can also import sensitive products more easily and conveniently.

General air cargo and special cargo are two modes of air freight. General cargo is used for normal products, and for sensitive products, special cargo is used. It is best for pharmaceutical products, chemicals, and food items. Usually, Indonesians import computer hardware, laptops, mobile phones, and luxury cars through air freight. 

Top Airports In China & Indonesia

Chinese Airports

• Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
• Hong Kong International Airport
• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
• Beijing Capital International Airport
• Shanghai Shuangliu International Airport
• Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
• Hangzhou International Airport

Indonesian Airports

• Juanda International International Airport
• Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport
• Ahmad Yani International Airport
• Kertajati Airport
• Husein Sastranegara International Airport
• Kalimarau Airport
• Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport

3. Rail Freight

Rail is suitable for medium traders. You can use it for shipping products from China to Indonesia if you don’t want to delay the shipments. Although this method is not commonly used by traders between these two countries. However, in international shipping rail freight has great importance. 

4. Express Freight

This is the fastest mode of shipping from China to Indonesia. You can import your products through express freight in no time. Some local clients always prefer this method for their sensitive and fragile products. This service is offered by the International Courier companies. 

Federal Express, UPS, Qatar Airways Cargo, Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, etc provide express freight services. This is also the most costly way of bringing your products from China. In this mode of shipping, you will get your products at your doorstep within 1-2 working days. 

5. DDP Freight

Some people confuse DDP with express freight. Express freight is one kind of DDP, in which you get your product at your doorstep in Indonesia. In the DDP mode of shipping, you have to pay all your duties and taxes in advance. Finally, you get your products at your destination without any hassle. 

You can get it through sea freight, air freight, and any other possible mode of transportation. In this mode, freight forwarders and suppliers charge a bit higher, however, you will be free from any kind of headache. 

How Much Does It Cost To Ship To Indonesia?

Costs vary a lot for different shipping modes. Sea freight is the most economical option, but it takes a lot of time. In the following table, we have compared the costs of different shipping modes used for trade between Indonesia and China.

Sea Freight Cost

Air Freight Cost

Express Shipping Cost

Transit Times From China to Indonesia

The transit time depends on many factors in the case of sea freight. Your shipments can be delayed due to weather conditions, peak season, port congestion, customs delays, etc.

The following table shows how much time port-to-port shipping takes from China to Indonesia.

Customs Clearance Documents For Indonesia

You must be a registered importer in Indonesia to get an import license. In case you are not a legal importer, you can use the import license of any concerned company. Some documents are required to clear your items timely.

• Bill of Lading: It is a receipt given by the shipping company when they receive your products. It is proof of ownership at the destination port. In air freight, an airway bill is issued by the air freight company. 12 copies of the bill are issued, 3 of those are commercially used, and the rest are under airline use. 
• Packing List: This list displays the number of products, names of products, and all the necessary information regarding them. 
• Commercial Invoice: It is given by the supplier, stating the cost of the products, their batch numbers, and all other technical information about the consignment. 
• Certificate of Origin: This certificate is issued by the Chamber of Commerce of the exporting country. If you are importing it from China, then a Chinese supplier or Customs broker is the responsible person for producing a certificate of origin. 
• Insurance documents: Your products must be insured during the shipping route. You have to show the insurance documents at the destination port. 

Understanding Import Tax & Customs Duties

Indonesia recently increased duties on textile products by 100-200% to save the local textile manufacturers. You should avoid those products with high VAT and duties to minimize the final cost. Indonesia imposes approximately 10% VAT on the imported goods. Customs duties depend on the HS code of the product. 

Duties and taxes also may vary due to incoterms. In FOB mode, the buyer is the responsible person after it leaves the port of the exporting country. However, in CIF, the supplier takes the responsibility. In both cases, the final cost will be different for the same products. 

Major Indonesian Imports From China

Indonesia is not an industrial hub, its imports are huge. Especially, China sends thousands of products to Indonesian cities. We have tried to list some important products. 

• Electronic items
• Computer hardware
• Plastic products from toys to complex machines. 
• Organic chemicals
• Mineral oils
• Iron, and its related products
• Agriculture products
• Heavy Machinery
• Vehicles/Automobile

You can also explore items/products that are in use but not imported in bulk quantities. There is a huge market, you will have to find some exciting ideas by working on online platforms like Ali Baba.

Prohibited Items To Ship To Indonesia

You should also be aware of the prohibited products. Before going for shipping from China to Indonesia, knowledge is important to avoid any possible loss and delays.

• Any hazardous material
• Acids
• Batteries
• Flammable liquid/sprays
• Alcoholic products
• Poisons
• Bleach
• Animal skin
• Any stuff against muslims and Islam is prohibited for import, including artwork
• Sensitive books that include contradictory material
• Seeds
• Textile and related products
• Telecommunication equipments
• Tobacco, and its related products. 
• Ozone-damaging products/Substances
• Narcotics 
• Personal import of laptops and cell phones is prohibited

To Conclude

As a reliable shipping company, Bansar is your trusted partner for transporting cargo from Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, or any city or location. We deliver to Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, or any destination of Indonesia you choose. 

So, if you’re ready to get started, simply fill out the form with your shipping details and we’ll take care of the rest.