Service | Best for | Typical lead-time* | Main terminals served |
---|---|---|---|
Full Container Load (FCL) | High-value or bulky goods—electronics, machinery | LA → Yantian 19–26 d; Rotterdam → Yantian 30–40 d | Yantian, Shekou |
Less-than-Container Load (LCL) | ≤ 15 m³—SME spare parts, fashion, specialty foods | Asia hubs depart 2-3× wk | Same as FCL |
Air freight (alternative) | Samples, perishables, e-commerce top-ups | EU/US hubs → SZX 5–9 d | Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX) |
*Port-to-port unless noted; customs and last-mile add time.
Lane highlights
Container shipping rates to Shenzhen
Origin Port | Mode | Est. Transit Time | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles, US | FCL | 19 – 26 days | Direct Trans-Pacific loops |
Rotterdam, NL | FCL | 30 – 40 days | Asia-Europe services |
Singapore | LCL | 5 – 7 days | Weekly barge feed |
Frankfurt → SZX | Air | 5 – 9 days | Door-to-door |
Terminal | 2024 Volume / Note | Specialism |
---|---|---|
Yantian | 9.66 m TEU (Jan–Aug 2024) | Long-haul deep-sea, reefers |
Shekou | Part of the 30 m TEU cluster | Intra-Asia feeders, break-bulk |
Chiwan & Mawan | West-port flexibility | Project cargo, automobiles |
Yes—below ~15 m³, LCL almost always beats paying for a full 20 ft container.
Major ports may close 24–48 h; building a 3-day buffer or routing via alternate terminals mitigates risk. Reuters
Standard free-time is 5–7 days; yard fees accrue daily thereafter.
Importers often choose CIF Yantian; exporters wanting more control book FOB origin port.