Sea Freight from China to Australia: LCL, FCL and What It Really Costs
Sea Freight from China to Australia
LCL, FCL, and what those acronyms actually mean for your landed cost.
Sea freight is how most Australian businesses bring in volume from China. It’s slower than air, but at scale the cost difference is significant — and for heavy or bulky goods, it’s often the only sensible option.
The problem is the jargon. LCL, FCL, CBM, THC, demurrage. Here’s what actually matters.
LCL vs FCL: The Core Choice
Your goods share a container with other importers’ cargo. You pay for the space you use, measured in cubic metres (CBM).
Best for: smaller orders, first-time importers, testing a product before committing to volume
You book an entire container — typically 20ft or 40ft. Your goods travel alone, sealed from origin to destination.
Best for: larger volume, regular importing, goods you don’t want co-loaded with anyone else’s
How Sea Freight Is Priced
Unlike air freight — where volumetric weight dominates — LCL sea freight is priced primarily on cubic metres (CBM), sometimes with a weight-based comparison applied. This is why bulky, lightweight goods that get punished on air freight often make much more sense by sea.
What’s Included in Our Sea Freight Service
✅ Intake at our China warehouse — your supplier ships to us, we receive and check your goods
✅ Export documentation and clearance — handled at origin
✅ Ocean freight — LCL or FCL, depending on your volume
✅ Australian customs clearance — we handle the paperwork so you don’t have to learn it
✅ Final delivery to your door — including tail-lift delivery in South East Queensland if you need it
The Journey, Step by Step
Costs Importers Often Forget
| Cost | What It Is |
|---|---|
| Import duty | Varies by product category and country of origin. Some goods attract zero duty under trade agreements. |
| GST | Applies to the value of goods plus freight and insurance. Generally claimable if you’re GST-registered. |
| Terminal handling | Port charges at origin and destination. |
| Quarantine inspection | Some goods — particularly timber, food, and anything with organic packaging — require biosecurity inspection. |
| Final delivery | Getting the goods from the port to your door. Tail-lift may be needed if you have no loading dock. |
Before You Ask for a Quote
✅ Total CBM, or carton dimensions and quantity so we can calculate it
✅ Total gross weight of the shipment
✅ What the goods are — product type affects duty rates and quarantine requirements
✅ Confirmation your supplier can ship to our China warehouse
✅ Your Australian delivery address, and whether there’s a loading dock or forklift on site
“Most first-time importers start with LCL. It lets you learn the process, test the product, and build supplier confidence before you commit to a full container.”
From a Queensland Wholesale Buyer
“We did two LCL shipments to prove the product moved, then went straight to full containers. Having the same people handle clearance both times made it painless.”
Shipping from China by Sea?
Send us your CBM or carton dimensions and we’ll quote it door to door — clearance included.
LCL and FCL. From $2/kg AUD. First-time importers welcome.
Get a Quote77 Freight Transport — Underwood QLD 4119 | Serving Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay to Gympie