Shipping from China to Pakistan: Air vs Sea, Cost and Delivery Time

What are the shipping options from China to Pakistan?

Most sea cargo arrives at Karachi Port or Port Qasim. Air cargo arrives at Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad.

How long does shipping from China to Pakistan really take?

Quoted times usually count from the day the goods leave the supplier. Add these to get a realistic date:

• Supplier production: 0–3 days for stock items, 7–30 days for custom or large orders.
• Pickup and consolidation in China: 1–3 days.
• Transit: 2–4 days by air, 12–25 days by sea.
• Customs clearance in Pakistan: 1–3 days by air, 3–7 days by sea if documents are in order.
• Local delivery: 1–3 days to any major city.

Our standard door-to-door air service delivers in 7–15 days, which covers everything after the supplier hands over the goods.

How is air freight cost calculated?

Air freight charges the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is calculated as:

Length (cm) × Width (cm) × Height (cm) ÷ 6000 = volumetric kg

A box of 60 × 40 × 40 cm has a volumetric weight of 16 kg. If it only weighs 8 kg, you pay for 16 kg. This is why light, bulky products such as plastic organisers or foam items are expensive to fly and better suited to sea.

Rates fall as weight rises. A 20 kg shipment pays a much higher per-kg rate than a 300 kg shipment. Consolidating several small orders into one shipment is one of the easiest ways to cut your freight cost.

How is sea freight cost calculated?

Sea LCL is priced per cubic metre (CBM), with a minimum charge of about 1 CBM. Calculate CBM as:

Length (m) × Width (m) × Height (m) × number of cartons

Besides the ocean freight, expect fixed charges that do not shrink for small shipments: documentation, port handling, terminal fees, and delivery order fees at Karachi. Because of these fixed costs, sea LCL below about 1 CBM is often not cheaper than air.

FCL pricing is per container. A 20ft container holds roughly 28 CBM usable, a 40ft about 58 CBM. If your goods fill more than half a container, FCL is usually cheaper per unit than LCL.

Which is cheaper, air or sea?

Per kilogram, sea is many times cheaper. Per shipment, it depends on size. A simple rule for Pakistan:

• Under 100 kg: Air. Sea fixed fees make it uneconomical.
• 100–500 kg, high value per kg: Air. The freight is a small share of the goods' value and you get stock a month sooner.
• 100–500 kg, low value per kg: Sea LCL. Freight would otherwise be a large share of your cost.
• Over 500 kg or 3 CBM: Sea, almost always.

What documents are needed for shipping?

• Commercial invoice with the real price, currency and Incoterm.
• Packing list with carton count, weights and dimensions.
• Bill of Lading (sea) or Air Waybill (air).
• Certificate of Origin (Form P) if claiming CPFTA duty reduction.
• Product certifications where required, for example for medical devices or items with lithium batteries.

With a door-to-door service, the forwarder prepares all of these. You only receive the goods.

What items are restricted or hard to ship?

• Lithium batteries (power banks, some electronics) need special air handling and often go by sea or dedicated battery lines.
• Liquids, powders and aerosols such as cosmetics face air restrictions.
• Branded or counterfeit goods are seized by customs.
• Used machinery, medical devices, chemicals need permits or certification in Pakistan.

Tell your forwarder exactly what the product is. Misdeclaring a battery item as a plain electronic is the most common cause of a shipment being held.