Demurrage and detention charges have become a significant cost factor. Demurrage is charged when cargo stays in the terminal beyond the free period. Detention is charged when containers stay outside the terminal beyond the free period. Free periods vary by carrier and route — typically 3-7 days for demurrage and 5-10 days for detention. Always confirm these terms in your booking. Track your container return dates religiously.
Cross-border e-commerce logistics from China has three tiers. Tier 1: express (DHL/FedEx/UPS) — 3-7 days, highest cost, best for high-value or urgent items. Tier 2: air freight — 7-15 days, moderate cost, best for mid-value items. Tier 3: sea freight — 25-45 days, lowest cost, best for high-volume items. The fastest-growing segment is tier 2.5: 'sea-express' services that combine sea freight with express final-mile delivery, offering 12-18 day delivery at near-sea freight prices.
Sea freight from China to major global destinations typically takes 25-35 days for the US West Coast, 35-45 days for the US East Coast, 30-40 days for Northern Europe, and 20-30 days for the Middle East. These are transit times only and don't include loading, unloading, or customs clearance. Always add 7-14 days to the transit time when quoting delivery dates to your customers. Buffer time is not waste — it's risk management.