Ocean & Air Freight Shipping from Canada to Australia

Trade between Canada and Australia is flourishing, with Canada exporting $1.6 billion worth of goods to Australia in 2022. Top exports include medications, potassic fertilizations, machinery, and sawn wood. 

If you want to export goods from Canada to Australia, here’s everything you need to know about ocean and air freight shipping. 

What Are the Options for Shipping Freight From Canada to Australia?

You can ship your goods from Canada to Australia by ocean or air freight. We discuss them both below.

Ocean Freight From Canada to Australia

Ocean freight is the most economical shipping option from Canada to Australia. It provides two modes of container shipment, less than container load (LCL) and full container load (FCL). 

In LCL, your goods are consolidated with shipments belonging to other sellers and shipped together in one container. This makes LCL a very cheap shipping option, provided you’re shipping small goods or in small quantities. However, LCL has long transit times to give way for consolidation and deconsolidation. 

In FCL, on the other hand, you have the space of an entire unit all to yourself. Hence, you have more liberty to ship large or heavy cargo or otherwise ship your goods in isolation to prevent damage. Full container load is more expensive because of this but has faster transit times than LCL. 

Air Freight from Canada to Australia

Air freight is the faster shipping option to get goods from Canada to Australia. It is also more secure due to airport regulations. However, air freight is often expensive and has strict limitations as to what you can ship and the size and weight of shipments.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From Canada to Australia?

The cost to ship cargo from Canada to Australia is dependent on several factors, including: 

• Your choice of ocean or air shipping




• Your preference for door-to-door, port-to-port, port-to-door, or door-to-port shipment




• Your consignment’s weight, volume, and size




• Weight and size limits

Use our online freight costs calculator to get an estimate of your shipping costs. The table below provides the current cost for shipping a standard 20-foot container from Canada to Australia:

How long does it take to ship cargo from Canada to Australia?

The time it takes to ship goods from Canada to Australia is largely dependent on the international shipping mode selected. However, the following factors also play a role:

• The season (peak or low) during which you ship




• Whether the shipment route is direct




• The popularity of the trade lane




• Geopolitical instability




• Incidents that might occur at ports

How long does it take to ship cargo by sea from Canada to Australia?

Ocean freight from Canada to Australia can take between 15 to 50 days.

How long does it take to ship cargo by air from Canada to Australia?

Air freight from Canada to Australia will take roughly 2 to 8 days to complete. 

For the most accurate estimate, we recommend using our transit time calculator.

Customs Clearance in Canada and Australia

When your goods arrive at the destination port or airport in Australia, they must go through customs clearance. This process shouldn’t take too much time as long as you have the right documents ready. These include: 

• A commercial invoice
• A packing list
• A certificate of origin
• A letter of credit or other payment terms (depending on the contract between the parties involved)
• A bill of lading for ocean freight or an Airway Bill for air freight

We have a full documents list you can use to learn more about these customs clearance requirements.

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

The choice of whether to ship with ocean or air freight depends on your needs and priorities. We help you decide with our pointers below.

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is best if you’re looking for an economical way to get your goods from Canada to Australia but aren’t worried about long transit times. Depending on whether you choose LCL or FCL freight shipping, you have more considerations you need to make. 

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

You should choose LCL freight shipping if your cargo is: 

• Small or few in quantity 




• Not delicate and is suitable for consolidation with other shipments** 

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

However, FCL is more apt for your shipment if you are: 

• Shipping large, heavy, oversized, or overweight items 




• Shipping in bulk 




• Shipping delicate, fragile goods that require isolated shipping or special handling** 

Air Freight

Air freight is your best bet if you are looking to get your goods to Australia fast. It offers more secure and faster transit times but can be expensive and limiting. Air freight is only suitable for small cargo that is not restricted by airline authorities.

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo ports of origin in Canada

Port of Saint John

The Port of Saint John is the largest in East Canada. It specializes in a broad range of cargo, from liquid and dry cargo to bulk and breakbulk. The port is large enough to accommodate 28 million metric tons of cargo.** 

Port of Halifax

The Port of Halifax is highly efficient, with self-imposed deadlines for faster cargo movement. It can handle two mega vessels simultaneously and has extended container berths.

Port of Prince Rupert

The Port of Prince Rupert is an alternative to the Port of Vancouver. It specializes in shipping Canada’s natural resources, including wheat and barley, due to its location near mines, forests, and fields.

Cargo ports of arrival in Australia

Port of Brisbane

The Port of Brisbane is the largest seaport in Queensland, Australia, and the third busiest port in the country. It is a fast-growing seaport, handling over 28 million tons of cargo annually.

Port of Sydney

The Port of Sydney, also called the Port of Botany, is the second-biggest container port in Australia. It expanded regarding the volume of goods it can handle over the years.

Port of Fremantle

The Port of Fremantle is the busiest in Western Australia, handling over 35 million tons of cargo annually. It operates 24/7, enabling it to support the Australian economy consistently.

Air Freight from Canada to Australia: An airport guide

Airports of origin in Canada

Montreal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau

The Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is located in Dorval, Quebec, Canada. It is one of the country’s top airports for cargo operations, handling a total of 81,400 metric tons of cargo per year.

Calgary International

The Calgary International Airport is located in Alberta, Canada. It spans 20.82 square kilometers and has dedicated terminals for cargo operations. In 2020, it handles 79,500 metric tons of cargo, making it one of Canada’s top five cargo airports.

Hamilton International

The John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the country’s largest airports for air cargo distribution, handling 121,800 metric tons of cargo each year.

Airports of arrival in Australia

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport

Also called the Sydney Airport, the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is the 20th best airport in the world. It’s one of Australia’s most important airports for cargo operations, handling 45% of the national cargo traffic.

Perth Airport

Perth Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Australia in terms of passenger traffic but has the largest air cargo export by value. It has exported around 66 thousand metric tons of goods.

Melbourne Airport

The Melbourne Airport handles 30% of Australia's international air freight market. It is hailed as the country’s second-largest importer by cargo value.