Freight Forwarder from China to India

All Trade Lanes

From our headquarters at Qingdao Port, Great Hensen provides freight forwarding from all major Chinese ports to every Indian gateway: Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Chennai, Mundra, Kolkata, and Pipavav. China is India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding USD 118 billion in 2025. We handle FCL, LCL, dangerous goods (IMDG classes 2-9), OOG cargo, and project cargo on this lane. Our DG freight capability and experience with chemical dangerous goods shipments mean complex cargo moves on India routes without compliance issues.

Port options: departure and arrival Ports

China-India ocean freight uses multiple port pairs. Your choice of load port and discharge port determines transit time and total logistics cost.

Chinese Departure Ports

• Shanghai: Highest sailing frequency to India. Most carriers operate weekly services from Waigaoqiao and Yangshan terminals.
• Qingdao: Our headquarters port. Direct service to Nhava Sheva and Chennai via MSK, COSCO, and HPL.
• Tianjin: Serves northern China manufacturing. Slightly longer transit by 2-3 days compared to Shanghai and Qingdao.

Indian Destination Ports

• Nhava Sheva / JNPT (Mumbai): India's largest container port, handling roughly 5.6 million TEU annually. The primary gateway for western and northern India, including the Delhi NCR industrial corridor. 14-20 days from Shanghai or Qingdao.
• Chennai: The main gateway for southern India. Serves Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh manufacturing clusters. 15-20 days from Shanghai.
• Mundra: India's largest private port, operated by Adani Ports. Strong for Gujarat and Rajasthan cargo. 14-18 days from Shanghai or Qingdao. High reefer container capacity for temperature-sensitive cargo.
• Kolkata / Haldia: Eastern India gateway. 18-22 days from Shanghai. Serves West Bengal, Bihar, and the eastern industrial zone.
• Pipavav: Alternative Gujarat port. 15-19 days from Shanghai. Useful for automotive and machinery cargo.

Shipping methods and transit times

Sea Freight (FCL and LCL)

Ocean freight is the dominant mode for China-India trade. Transit times by destination:

• Shanghai/Qingdao to Nhava Sheva: 14-20 days
• Shanghai/Qingdao to Chennai: 15-20 days
• Shanghai/Qingdao to Mundra: 14-18 days
• Shanghai to Kolkata: 18-22 days

FCL (Full Container Load): 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft high-cube containers. Best for shipments over 15 CBM. Flat racks and open tops available for OOG cargo on this route. LCL (Less than Container Load): Weekly consolidated containers to Nhava Sheva and Chennai. Suitable for shipments under 15 CBM where a full container is not cost-effective.

Air Freight

Air freight from China to India serves high-value, time-sensitive, and urgent replenishment cargo:

• PVG (Shanghai) to BOM (Mumbai): 3-5 days door-to-door
• CAN (Guangzhou) to DEL (Delhi): 3-5 days door-to-door
• PVG/CAN to MAA (Chennai): 3-5 days door-to-door

Air freight typically costs USD 2.80-4.20 per kg depending on volume, destination, and seasonality. Priority service available for shipments under 100 kg via express consolidation.

DDP Door-to-Door

Our DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) service covers the full chain: factory pickup in China, ocean or air freight, Indian customs clearance with IGST payment, and final delivery to the consignee's door in India. The Indian importer does not need to handle customs brokerage or tax payment. DDP is particularly useful for first-time importers and e-commerce sellers entering the Indian market.

Customs and documentation: India import requirements

Indian Customs clearance has several specific requirements that differ from other markets. Great Hensen manages all documentation and compliance for each shipment.

• IEC (Import Export Code): Every Indian importer must hold a valid IEC issued by DGFT. We verify the IEC status before booking.
• IGST (Integrated GST): Applied on all imports at rates from 5% to 28% depending on HS code classification. IGST is payable at the time of customs clearance.
• BIS Certification: The Bureau of Indian Standards requires mandatory certification for more than 400 product categories, including electronics and IT equipment, machinery and industrial equipment, steel and steel products, and toys. Shipments of BIS-regulated goods without valid BIS registration will be rejected by Indian Customs.
• ISPM 15 Fumigation: All wood packaging (pallets, crates, dunnage) must be heat-treated or fumigated per ISPM 15 and bear the IPPC mark. Indian Customs inspects wood packaging at discharge.
• Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate: Required for used machinery, certain chemicals, and specific industrial equipment. We coordinate CCIC inspection at origin in China.
• Bill of Entry: Filed electronically with ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI system) for every import consignment. Classification under the correct Customs Tariff heading is essential for accurate duty calculation.

Cargo types we handle

• Standard FCL/LCL: 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft HC containers for general cargo. Regular consolidated services to all major Indian ports.
• Dangerous Goods: IMDG classes 2-9 including chemicals (class 3, 6, 8), lithium batteries (class 9, UN3480/UN3481), and industrial gases. We handle the DG Packaging Certificate (危包证), MSDS, and Maritime DG Declaration for India-bound DG shipments. Learn more about our DG freight service.
• OOG and Heavy-Lift / Breakbulk: Flat rack containers, open top containers, and breakbulk vessels for oversized industrial machinery. lashing plans and securing schemes tailored to each piece. See our heavy-lift and project cargo page for examples.
• Project Cargo: Full factory equipment shipments, production line moves, and infrastructure project logistics. India's growing manufacturing and infrastructure sectors make this a high-demand service. Read a case study on heavy equipment export.

Carriers and Schedule

Six major carriers provide comprehensive coverage on China-India routes. Great Hensen holds contract rates with each:

• MSK (Maersk): Weekly departures from Shanghai and Qingdao to Nhava Sheva and Mundra. Strong reefer capacity.
• MSC: High sailing frequency, particularly Shanghai to Nhava Sheva. Good availability during peak season.
• COSCO: Competitive transit times to Chennai and Kolkata. Direct China-India services.
• HPL (Hapag-Lloyd): Reliable schedule integrity on Shanghai-Mundra and Shanghai-Nhava Sheva loops.
• CMA CGM: Strong coverage on Shanghai-Chennai and Nhava Sheva routes. DG acceptance on most services.
• HMM, OOCL: Available on specific port pairs; we recommend these when they provide a cost or schedule advantage for your shipment.

All carriers above operate weekly sailings on the main China-India corridor. During non-peak periods, space is generally available on 7-10 days' notice. Peak season (August through October for Diwali imports) requires 2-3 weeks' advance booking.

India Port operations and Route notes

Nhava Sheva (JNPT) processes roughly 5.6 million TEU annually across its five container terminals -- APMT, NSICT, NSIGT, GTI (DP World), and BMCT (PSA). Customs clearance for China-origin imports runs through the ICEGATE electronic data interchange system. A key operational detail: every Chinese consignment into India requires the Bill of Entry filed in ICEGATE before the vessel berths, and the importer's IEC code must be linked to the respective port's customs station. Nhava Sheva's three main customs stations (Nhava Sheva I/JNCH, Nhava Sheva II, Nhava Sheva III) handle different commodity groups -- industrial machinery typically clears through Nhava Sheva II, while DG chemicals route through Nhava Sheva I. Mumbai's average customs clearance time for FCL shipments with complete documentation is 2-4 working days, but LCL consignments at the CFS stage can take 5-7 days depending on CFS backlogs and examination rates.

China-India cargo on this lane divides into three main categories. Industrial machinery and electronics components account for the largest share by value, driven by India's manufacturing expansion under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and electronics assembly growth. DG chemicals -- particularly industrial solvents (IMDG class 3), adhesives and resins (class 3), and chemical intermediates (class 6 and class 8) -- form the second major category, reflecting India's chemical processing sector demand. Consumer goods, auto parts, and building materials make up the third category, with consistent year-round volume. For DG shipments, Nhava Sheva enforces IMDG segregation in its designated DG yards and requires the Maritime DG Declaration filed 48 hours before vessel arrival, with the DG Packaging Certificate (危包证) copy submitted at the time of Bill of Entry filing. See also UAE for Middle East transshipment to India's west coast, a common routing for shipments where direct Nhava Sheva services are fully booked during peak season.

Why Great Hensen for China-India freight

Three specific capabilities set us apart on the China-India trade lane:

1. 14-20 day transit: The China-India ocean route is one of the fastest long-haul sea lanes in global trade. Our carrier relationships and direct sailing selections keep transit times at the low end of the range.
2. BIS compliance management: We pre-screen all shipments against the BIS mandatory certification list before booking. For BIS-regulated products, we verify the importer's BIS registration number before cargo leaves China. This prevents customs rejection at the Indian port.
3. Project cargo capability: Industrial machinery and factory equipment account for a significant share of China-India trade. Our flat rack, open top, and breakbulk experience on this lane includes lashing plans approved by all major carriers serving Indian ports.

Departure from Qingdao Port

All India-bound cargo is loaded and dispatched from our Qingdao headquarters. Qingdao Port processes 22M+ TEU per year, making it China's 5th largest container port and the dominant export hub for Shandong province, a manufacturing region producing heavy machinery, chemicals, electronics, and automotive components. For India-bound shipments, weekly departures from Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal offer competitive transit times with confirmed space on MSK, COSCO, HPL, and CMA CGM vessels.

Qingdao's proximity to Shandong's industrial clusters means Indian buyers sourcing from plants in Zibo, Weifang, or Linyi avoid the 600-800 km inland trucking leg to Shanghai, containers are loaded directly at Qingdao, cutting 2-3 days of inland transit and reducing the total door-to-port cost by an estimated 15-20% compared to Shanghai routing for the same cargo.

Frequently Asked Questions