Freight Forwarder from China to Pakistan

From our headquarters at Qingdao Port, Great Hensen runs weekly FCL and LCL departures from Qingdao, Shanghai, and Tianjin to Karachi Port and Port Qasim. China and Pakistan share one of the deepest trade relationships in Asia, anchored by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). We handle standard containers, DG cargo (IMDG classes 2-9), heavy-lift project cargo, and DDP door-to-door shipments with Pakistan customs clearance included.

Ports and transit: China to Pakistan

Chinese Departure Ports

• Qingdao: Primary load port. Direct weekly services to Karachi via MSK, COSCO, and HPL. Transit 18-20 days.
• Shanghai: Highest frequency departures. 19-22 days to Karachi on direct services.
• Tianjin: Available for northern China cargo. 20-23 days to Karachi with transshipment via Shanghai or Singapore.

Pakistan Destination Ports

• Karachi Port (KICT): Karachi International Container Terminal. Handles approximately 60% of Pakistan's containerized cargo. DG cargo accepted with standard IMDG documentation.
• Port Qasim: Located 35 km southeast of Karachi. Depth 13.0 meters. Preferred terminal for project cargo, industrial machinery, and OOG shipments due to larger yard space and dedicated heavy-lift berth.

Air Freight Ports

• Karachi (KHI) - Jinnah International Airport: Pakistan's primary air cargo gateway. Direct freighter services from PVG and CAN. Transit 3-5 days door-to-door.
• Lahore (LHE) - Allama Iqbal International Airport: Secondary air cargo option for Punjab region. Transit 4-6 days, typically via KHI or DXB.

Shipping methods: FCL, LCL, air, and DDP

• FCL (Full Container Load): 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft high-cube containers. Sea transit 18-22 days to Karachi. Best for shipments over 15 CBM. Weekly departures from all three load ports.
• LCL (Less than Container Load): Consolidated container service for shipments under 15 CBM. Weekly departures to Karachi. Add 3-5 days for consolidation and deconsolidation at destination CFS.
• Air Freight: PVG/CAN to KHI in 3-5 days door-to-door. Suitable for time-sensitive cargo and shipments under 500 kg. IATA DGR compliance available for DG cargo.
• DDP Door-to-Door: Full-service option covering China export clearance, freight, Pakistan customs clearance, and last-mile delivery. Learn more about DDP shipping.

Customs clearance and documentation

Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) manages import clearance at all ports. Key requirements for shipments from China:

• Certificate of Origin (Form F): Required to claim preferential rates under the China-Pakistan FTA Phase II, which eliminates tariffs on over 300 product lines. Form F must be issued by CCPIT or CIQ before shipment.
• Import License: Certain restricted goods require an import license from Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce. We verify HS code classification during booking to confirm requirements.
• ISPM 15 Fumigation: All wood packaging must be heat-treated or fumigated and marked with the IPPC stamp. Non-compliant wood packaging is rejected at Karachi and subject to re-export at shipper's cost.
• Bill of Lading: We recommend telex release for faster handling: Karachi customs processes electronically released B/Ls faster than original documents sent by courier.

Pakistan import duty rates vary by HS code, typically 3% to 35%, with additional regulatory duty and 17% GST on most imports. We provide HS code review before booking to identify duty exposure and applicable FTA concessions.

Cargo types: China to Pakistan

• Standard FCL/LCL: General cargo, textiles, machinery, electronics, auto parts, construction materials. Weekly departures with all major carriers.
• Dangerous Goods (IMDG 2-9): DG cargo to Karachi and Port Qasim. Both ports accept all standard IMDG classes with proper documentation: DG Packaging Certificate (危包证), MSDS, and Maritime DG Declaration. DG freight service details.
• OOG and Heavy-Lift Project Cargo: Flat racks and open-top containers for oversized machinery and industrial equipment. Port Qasim is the recommended discharge port. Heavy-lift project cargo service.

Karachi: pakistan's main commercial Port

Karachi handles over 60% of Pakistan's international trade by volume, processing approximately 2.2 million TEU annually across its container terminals. It is the primary entry point for Chinese industrial exports and CPEC-related construction materials.

For DG cargo, Karachi Port accepts IMDG classes 2-9 with dedicated DG storage yards per IMDG segregation requirements. Advance notification is required 48 hours before vessel arrival. Port Qasim is the preferred terminal for project cargo and heavy machinery, with deeper draft (13.0 m) and larger staging areas than KICT.

Carriers: China to Pakistan

Great Hensen maintains contract rates with MSK, HPL, MSC, COSCO, HMM, OOCL, EMC, YML, and CMA CGM on the China-Pakistan route, all with weekly departures. COSCO and MSK offer the shortest transit times (18 days Qingdao to Karachi direct). Our consolidated freight volume secures competitive rates year-round, including the August-October pre-Ramadan peak when Pakistan import volumes typically rise 15-20%.

Pakistan Port operations and Route profile

Karachi Port and Port Qasim together handle approximately 3.4 million TEU annually, with KICT (Karachi International Container Terminal) processing about 60% of Pakistan's containerized imports. Pakistan Customs electronic clearance runs through the WeBOC (Web-Based One Customs) system, which replaced the older PACCS platform. All import declarations must be filed in WeBOC before vessel arrival, linked to the importer's National Tax Number (NTN) and Sales Tax Registration Number (STRN). A key operational difference from other South Asian ports: Karachi Customs applies a Goods Declaration (GD) filing window of 10 days before vessel arrival, and late-filed GDs incur demurrage penalties at the terminal. Import duties range from 3% to 35% depending on HS code classification, plus 17% General Sales Tax (GST) and applicable regulatory duties. The China-Pakistan FTA Phase II, which entered into force in 2020, provides zero-tariff access on over 300 product lines -- but only for shipments carrying a valid Certificate of Origin (Form F) issued by CCPIT or CIQ before shipment. Without Form F, standard MFN rates apply.

The China-Pakistan cargo mix reflects CPEC-driven industrialization and Pakistan's manufacturing base. Textile machinery and spare parts form the largest category by value, serving Pakistan's textile export sector which accounts for approximately 60% of the country's total exports. Industrial raw materials -- including chemical intermediates, plastic resins, and steel coils -- make up the second category, feeding Pakistan's downstream processing industries. Construction equipment and heavy machinery form the third category, driven by CPEC infrastructure projects including power plants, highways, and the Gwadar Port development. For OOG and project cargo shipments, Port Qasim is the preferred discharge port due to its dedicated heavy-lift berth with a 13.0-meter draft and larger staging yards than KICT. See also India for South Asia multimodal options, where the China-India-South Asia trade lane network offers alternative routing for Pakistan-destined cargo during Karachi port congestion periods.

Departure from Qingdao Port

All Pakistan-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 Pakistan-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 to Karachi sailings average 18-20 days, making this one of the fastest Pakistan lanes from China's east coast. Shandong's industrial machinery and chemical manufacturers, key suppliers to CPEC projects, benefit from same-day trucking to the Qingdao terminal versus 2-3 days to Shanghai, reducing both lead time and inland logistics cost for Pakistan-bound cargo.

Frequently Asked Questions