Freight Forwarder from China to the United Kingdom

Great Hensen operates from our headquarters at Qingdao Port (22M+ TEU annually, top 5 port in China), with weekly direct sailings to Felixstowe in 28-35 days -- serving UK importers from Shandong's industrial base without the added cost of trucking to Shanghai. Shipping from China to the UK changed on 1 January 2021. Goods that previously moved freely now require full customs declarations, UKCA conformity documentation, and a GB EORI number. Great Hensen handles all of this. We ship FCL, LCL, air freight, dangerous goods (IMDG classes 2-9), and out-of-gauge project cargo from Qingdao, Shanghai, and Tianjin to Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway, and Liverpool. Weekly sailings, weekly air consolidations, and DDP door-to-door service with UK VAT and duties included.

Port options: departure and arrival

Departure ports (China): Qingdao (our headquarters port), Shanghai (largest container port in the world), and Tianjin (serving Beijing and northern China manufacturing). All three offer weekly direct and transshipment services to the UK.

Arrival ports (UK):

• Felixstowe -- Primary UK container port. Handles roughly 48% of UK container traffic. Direct rail connections to Midlands distribution centres including DIRFT (Daventry) and East Midlands Gateway. 28-35 days from Qingdao or Shanghai.
• Southampton -- Second-largest UK container port. Strong for southern England distribution. 28-35 days from major Chinese ports.
• London Gateway -- Deep-water port on the Thames Estuary opened in 2013. Direct access to the M25 and the London consumer market of 9 million people. 30-36 days from Chinese load ports.
• Liverpool -- Serves the Northwest and Scotland. Liverpool2 deep-water terminal opened in 2016 handles the largest container vessels. 35-40 days from China, longer than southern ports but ideal for northern UK distribution.

Shipping methods and transit times

Sea Freight (FCL and LCL)

FCL (Full Container Load): 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft high-cube containers. Best for shipments above 15 CBM. Transit from Qingdao or Shanghai to Felixstowe or Southampton is 28-35 days port-to-port. Note: some carriers route via the Cape of Good Hope, which adds 7-14 days. We track each vessel and advise the actual transit when you book.

LCL (Less than Container Load): For shipments under 15 CBM. Weekly consolidated containers depart from Qingdao and Shanghai. Transit is 35-42 days including consolidation and deconsolidation time at both ends. Cost-effective for smaller volumes.

Air Freight

Air freight from PVG (Shanghai Pudong) to LHR (London Heathrow): 4-6 days airport-to-airport, with direct flights taking approximately 11-12 hours in the air. CAN (Guangzhou Baiyun) to LHR: 5-7 days, typically via Middle Eastern or European hub connections. Manchester Airport (MAN) is also served via PVG with connections. Best for high-value goods, urgent shipments, and cargo under 500 kg where the absolute cost difference is manageable.

DDP Door-to-Door

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means Great Hensen handles the entire movement: origin trucking, export customs in China, ocean or air freight, UK import customs clearance, duty and VAT payment, and final delivery to your UK address. You receive one invoice and your goods arrive at your door. This is the most common service for UK importers without their own customs broker.

Customs and documentation: post-brexit requirements

Since 1 January 2021, all goods from China to the UK require full customs formalities. The key requirements are:

• GB EORI Number: Every UK importer must hold a GB EORI number (starts with "GB"). Issued by HMRC, free of charge, takes 3-5 working days. Without one, your goods cannot clear UK customs. EU EORI numbers are no longer valid in the UK.
• Customs Declaration: Filed through the UK CDS (Customs Declaration Service), which replaced CHIEF in 2023. We file this on your behalf using your EORI number.
• UKCA Marking: UKCA has replaced CE marking for most products sold in Great Britain. From January 2026, the UKCA mark must be physically affixed to the product itself, not just packaging. Products requiring Notified Body assessment under CE now require a UKAS-accredited Approved Body under UKCA.
• VAT at 20%: UK VAT at 20% is payable on most imported goods (value over 135 GBP). For DDP shipments, we advance the VAT and include it in your invoice. For CIF/FOB shipments, VAT is paid by the importer at the point of customs entry.

Cargo types we handle

• Standard FCL/LCL: General cargo in 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft HC containers. Consumer goods, industrial equipment, automotive parts, textiles, furniture.
• Dangerous Goods: IMDG classes 2-9. Our DG freight service includes DG Packaging Certificate (危包证), MSDS preparation, Maritime DG Declaration, and advance UK port notification. Felixstowe and Southampton accept all standard DG classes.
• OOG and Heavy-Lift / Breakbulk: Flat rack and open-top containers for cargo exceeding standard container dimensions. Also handles breakbulk shipments such as steel structures, industrial boilers, and heavy machinery. See our heavy-lift and project cargo service for lashing plans and securing schemes.
• Project Cargo: Full-project logistics for factory equipment, production lines, and construction materials. Our factory relocation case study documents a complete production line move from China to the UK.

Departure from Qingdao Port

Headquartered in Qingdao, we coordinate all UK shipments directly from the Qingdao Port complex. Qingdao has dedicated container terminals (Qianwan Container Terminal phases 1-4, with 20m+ water depth) and is China's largest port for refrigerated cargo and a top-3 port for DG handling. Loading at Qingdao means cargo moves from factory to vessel with fewer intermediate trucking legs compared to Shanghai or Tianjin for Shandong, Henan, and northern Jiangsu manufacturers. For UK-bound shipments, weekly sailings from Qingdao to Felixstowe are served by MSK, COSCO, HPL, and CMA CGM with 28-35 day transit via Suez -- Shandong's exporters of machinery, chemicals, and consumer goods reach the UK market directly without the cost and delay of feeder connections via Shanghai.

Carriers and sailing schedules

All major container lines serve the China-UK route. Great Hensen holds contract rates with MSK, HPL, MSC, COSCO, HMM, OOCL, EMC, YML, and CMA CGM. Weekly sailings from Qingdao and Shanghai to Felixstowe and Southampton are standard. CMA CGM and MSC also serve Liverpool directly. During Q3 peak season (August-October for Christmas imports), we secure space through forward booking agreements. Contact us for the next available sailing and current rate.

UKCA marking replaced CE marking for most goods placed on the Great Britain market starting January 2025. Products that previously required EU Notified Body assessment now need a UK Approved Body certificate. From January 2026, the UKCA mark must be affixed to the product itself, not just its packaging or accompanying documents. Northern Ireland operates under the Windsor Framework with separate rules -- goods destined for NI may require both UKCA and CE marking. We verify the applicable conformity regime for each shipment's commodity and destination before booking.

GVMS (Goods Vehicle Movement Service) is the UK's digital customs platform for all roll-on/roll-off freight and container traffic through major ports. Every shipment requires a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) before the container is picked up at the port of entry. Our UK customs broker pre-lodges the entry in CDS and generates the GMR as part of standard clearance. Felixstowe, which handles roughly 48% of UK container volume, is prone to congestion during Q3-Q4 peak season -- we monitor terminal dwell times and can divert to Southampton or London Gateway when Felixstowe yard utilization exceeds 80%.

See also our Germany freight forwarding service. For importers who placed goods under EU customs union transit before Brexit, Hamburg and Bremerhaven remain alternative North European gateways with onward cross-channel connections to UK ports via Rotterdam or Dunkirk.

Post-Brexit customs clearance and DDP

UK customs clearance is the single largest friction point for China-UK shipments since Brexit. Great Hensen's DDP service removes this entirely: we act as the declarant on your UK customs entry, calculate and pay duties and VAT, and deliver cleared goods to your door. For importers who prefer to use their own customs broker, we provide all shipping documents (B/L, commercial invoice, packing list, MSDS if applicable) in advance so your broker can pre-lodge the entry. China-Europe rail via the Middle Corridor or Northern Corridor is also available as an alternative (22-25 days to European hubs, plus cross-channel or ferry to the UK), useful when ocean transit times are extended.

Frequently Asked Questions