How Sea Freight Works: Complete Guide for Importers

You found a supplier on Alibaba, negotiated a price, and now you need to get your first container from Shenzhen to Lagos, Mombasa, or Dar es Salaam. The freight quote your supplier sent looks simple—$3,200 for a 20ft container—but you have no idea what happens between the factory gate and your warehouse. This guide walks you through every stage of sea freight, from booking to delivery, with real numbers, actual documents, and the traps that cost first-time importers thousands.

1. The Three Main Sea Freight Options: FCL, LCL, and Breakbulk

Before you book anything, you need to decide how your goods will travel. The wrong choice doubles your cost or delays your shipment by weeks.

FCL (Full Container Load)

You rent an entire container—20ft or 40ft. This is best for shipments over 15 cubic meters (CBM) for a 20ft container or over 30 CBM for a 40ft. Cost per unit is lowest, and your goods stay sealed from factory to destination. Typical cost from Shanghai to Lagos: $2,800–$4,500 for a 20ft container, depending on season and shipping line.

LCL (Less than Container Load)

Your goods share a container with other importers. Minimum charge is usually 1 CBM or 1,000 kg (whichever is higher). Good for small shipments under 15 CBM, but slower (consolidation adds 3–7 days) and higher risk of damage or loss. Cost: $50–$120 per CBM from China to East Africa.

Breakbulk

For oversized items like machinery, vehicles, or steel. These are loaded individually, not in containers. Rare for consumer goods. Expect 30–50% higher freight cost but no container rental fee.

FCL: Best for 15+ CBM. Cheapest per unit. Goods sealed from factory.
LCL: Best for under 15 CBM. Pay per CBM or ton. Slower, higher risk.
Breakbulk: For oversized cargo. Rare. Expect 30–50% premium.
Rule of thumb: If your shipment is over 10 CBM, always get an FCL quote first.

2. The Sea Freight Booking Process: Step by Step

Once you decide FCL or LCL, here is the exact sequence from booking to sailing. Missing one step can delay your shipment by a week or cost you storage fees.

Get a freight quote from a freight forwarder (not the supplier). Use platforms like Freightos, Flexport, or a local forwarder in your country. Ask for: ocean freight, documentation fee (usually $30–$60), terminal handling charge ($100–$250), and customs clearance cost.
Book the space. Provide: shipping date window, container type (20ft/40ft), commodity description, and port of loading. The forwarder sends a booking confirmation within 24 hours.
Arrange factory pickup. The forwarder sends a truck to the supplier's factory. Cost: $150–$400 depending on distance from port. Make sure your goods are packed on pallets and shrink-wrapped.
Receive the container number and sailing schedule. After the container is loaded at the port, you get a Bill of Lading (B/L) draft. Verify: consignee name, port of discharge, number of packages, and gross weight.
Pay the freight. Most forwarders require payment before the B/L is released. Payment methods: T/T bank transfer (3–5 days), Wise (1–2 days), or credit card (instant but 2–3% fee).
Receive the original Bill of Lading. This is your ownership document. Keep it safe—you need the original (or telex release) to clear customs at destination.

Real warning: Never release payment to your supplier before you have the B/L in hand. If the supplier controls the B/L, they control your goods. Always use a freight forwarder you trust.

3. Key Documents You Must Have for Sea Freight

Without the right paperwork, your container sits at the port and racks up demurrage charges ($50–$150 per day). Here are the five documents you cannot skip.

Bill of Lading (B/L): The title of ownership. Three types: Original (physical copy needed for customs), Telex Release (electronic, faster), and Sea Waybill (no ownership transfer, for trusted parties).
Commercial Invoice: Issued by your supplier. Must match B/L exactly. Include: HS code, unit price, total value, incoterm (FOB, CIF, etc.).
Packing List: Detailed breakdown of each carton: dimensions, weight, contents. Customs uses this to verify your shipment.
Certificate of Origin: Proves goods were made in China. Required for preferential tariff rates under AfCFTA or other trade agreements. Cost: $20–$50 from China Chamber of Commerce.
Inspection Certificate (optional but recommended): From SGS, QIMA, or Bureau Veritas. Confirms quantity, quality, and packaging before shipment. Cost: $200–$400 per inspection. Saves you from receiving damaged or wrong goods.

Pro tip: Ask your forwarder for a 'document checklist' specific to your destination country. Kenya requires a Pre-Arrival Declaration (PAD) 48 hours before arrival. Nigeria requires a Form M and SONCAP certificate for many products. Your forwarder should handle this—but verify.

4. Sea Freight Costs: What You Actually Pay

The freight quote is just the beginning. Expect total door-to-door costs to be 1.5–2x the ocean freight line item. Here is a realistic breakdown for a 20ft container from Shanghai to Mombasa (Kenya).

Ocean freight: $2,500–$3,500 (varies by season and shipping line).
Documentation fee: $40–$60 (charged by forwarder).
Terminal handling charge (THC) at origin: $150–$250.
THC at destination: $200–$350.
Customs clearance fee (destination): $150–$400 (depends on agent).
Port storage/demurrage: $50–$150 per day after free days (usually 3–7 free days).
Inland transport from port to your warehouse: $200–$800 depending on distance.
Inspection fee (if required): $200–$400.
Total estimated: $3,500–$5,800 for a 20ft container door-to-door.

Warning: Many forwarders quote a low ocean freight to win your business, then add 'unexpected' fees at destination. Ask upfront: 'Can you send me a full door-to-door quotation including all charges at origin and destination?' If they hesitate, find another forwarder.

5. Transit Times: Realistic Timelines from China to Africa

Shipping lines publish 'estimated time of arrival' (ETA) but actual transit times vary. Here are typical ranges for major routes.

Shanghai to Mombasa (Kenya): 22–28 days direct. Via transshipment (e.g., via Singapore): 28–35 days.
Shanghai to Lagos (Nigeria): 25–35 days direct. Via Tincan Island port: often 30–40 days due to congestion.
Shanghai to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania): 25–30 days direct.
Shanghai to Durban (South Africa): 20–25 days direct.
Ningbo to Tema (Ghana): 28–35 days direct.

Add 3–7 days for customs clearance at destination (longer in Nigeria or Kenya if documentation is incomplete). Add 2–5 days for inland transport. Total door-to-door: 30–50 days from factory to warehouse. Plan your inventory accordingly—do not run out of stock while waiting.

6. Choosing a Freight Forwarder: What to Look For

Your freight forwarder is more important than your supplier. A bad forwarder can lose your container, charge hidden fees, or delay customs clearance by weeks. Here is how to vet one.

Check their license: Ask for a valid FIATA or CIFA membership. Verify online.
Read reviews: Search for '[forwarder name] + scam' or '[forwarder name] + review' on Google and Reddit.
Ask for references: A reputable forwarder will give you contact details of 2–3 clients in your country. Call them.
Get quotes from 3–5 forwarders: Use platforms like Freightos, Flexport, or local forwarders in your city. Compare line by line.
Test their communication: Send a question at 6 PM on Friday. If they reply within 24 hours, good. If they take 3 days, move on.
Avoid forwarders who ask for 100% payment upfront: Standard is 50% deposit, 50% on B/L release.

7. Incoterms: Who Pays for What in Sea Freight

Incoterms define the point where risk and cost transfer from seller to buyer. For sea freight from China to Africa, the most common are FOB and CIF. Here is the difference.

FOB (Free on Board): Seller delivers goods to the port and loads them on the vessel. Buyer pays ocean freight, insurance, and everything after. Best for experienced importers—you control shipping costs.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): Seller pays ocean freight and insurance to the destination port. Buyer pays customs clearance, port charges, and inland transport. Easier for first-timers but seller marks up freight by 10–30%.
EXW (Ex Works): Seller makes goods available at their factory. Buyer arranges all transport, export customs, and everything. Only use if you have a reliable forwarder in China.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): Seller pays everything including customs duties and delivery to your door. Rare for sea freight from China to Africa. Seller charges a premium of 20–40%.

Recommendation for first-time importers: Start with CIF for your first shipment. It is simpler. Once you understand the process, switch to FOB to save 10–20% on freight costs.

Common Mistakes Importers Make with Sea Freight

These mistakes cost real money. Avoid them.

Mistake 1: Using the supplier's recommended forwarder without checking. The supplier gets a kickback (5–10% commission), and you pay higher freight. Always get independent quotes.
Mistake 2: Not verifying the Bill of Lading details. A wrong consignee name or port of discharge means your container is held at customs for weeks. Double-check every letter.
Mistake 3: Ignoring demurrage and detention free days. Most ports give 3–7 free days. After that, you pay $50–$150 per day. Plan your customs clearance timeline carefully.
Mistake 4: Shipping without cargo insurance. Ocean freight insurance costs 0.1–0.3% of cargo value. Without it, a container lost overboard (rare but real) means you lose everything.
Mistake 5: Not confirming the HS code before shipping. Wrong HS code leads to incorrect duties, penalties, or seizure. Use the tariff book for your destination country or ask a customs broker.
Mistake 6: Assuming the transit time includes customs clearance. It does not. Add 5–10 days for clearance at busy ports like Lagos or Mombasa.

Conclusion: Your Next Steps

Sea freight is not complicated once you understand the sequence: book, pack, document, ship, clear, deliver. The three things you must do right now: (1) Get three door-to-door quotes from different forwarders—compare line by line. (2) Confirm your HS code with a customs broker in your country. (3) Buy cargo insurance—it is cheap and non-negotiable. Your first container is a learning experience. Expect delays, pay attention to documents, and build relationships with a reliable forwarder. After two or three shipments, the process becomes routine—and your margins improve every time.