Importing from Shantou to the UK

Cost-effective deliveries from Shantou and across the Globe

When you want to move cargo from Shantou city, you may want to consider shipping your goods through the biggest port in eastern Guangdong.

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Importing from Shantou to the UK

The Port of Shantou is a natural river seaport opening up to the South China sea and it handles roughly 40 million tons of cargo per year. If this is your first time importing from China, you may be overwhelmed by the seeming complexity of the process and the terminology. To help you get ready and understand the major steps in the process, we have put together this guide on importing from Shantou to the UK

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Getting Ready (EORI Number, VAT number and Import License)

Customs offices in both China and the UK will require you to have an EORI number to submit export and import declarations respectively. If you have imported into the UK before, you probably have an EU EORI number. The UK has since shifted to GB EORI numbers for imports heading to England, Scotland and Wales, and you will need to
get a new number
.
If the final destination of your goods will be Northern Ireland, you can keep operating with an EU number or get one specifically for NI.

Additionally, getting VAT registered is a good idea, as VAT registered businesses can claim a refund of any VAT paid during the import process. If you don’t have an EORI number and register for VAT, you will automatically get an EORI number with your VAT certificate.

Finally, if you are importing restricted goods such as medicine, you may need to acquire an import license here in the UK and an export licence in China. The latter will not be necessary if your contact in China offers to handle the export process for you i.e gives you an FoB quote (more on that later).

REQUIREMENTS

Import Requirements

Understanding your FOB quote

Understanding your FoB quote

FoB officially stands for Free on Board and defines the point at which the seller transfers the liability and ownership of the goods to you. FoB also defines who handles the costs of each step of the transport process.

A quote reading ‘FoB Shantou’ means that the seller/consignor will arrange for transport to the port of Shantou and pay for the cost of loading. The seller transfers the ownership and liability of the goods to you once they are loaded onto a ship at Shantou Port.

You(the consignee) pay for freight, insurance, unloading and inland transportation from the UK arrival port to the final destination.

To avoid surprises, never assume that an FoB quote means that the seller pays for local transport. There are four different types of FoB quotes, in some cases, you pay the local transport costs, and in other cases, the seller pays the local carrier. Here are the four different meanings that ‘FoB Shantou’ can carry:

FOB [place of origin], Freight Collect

In this case, you assume ownership of the goods the moment the local carrier in China collects the goods from the seller’s location and signs the Bill of Lading. The responsibility of paying the carrier falls on you. You also take responsibility for filing claims if the goods are damaged or lost.

FOB [place of origin], Freight Prepaid

Similar to the first quote, you assume ownership the moment the carrier picks up the goods. In this case, however, the seller pays the carrier. In case the goods are lost or damaged, the responsibility of filing claims falls on the seller.

FOB [place of destination], Freight Collect

When your seller gives you this quote, it means that he retains ownership of the goods while they are in the carrier’s hands. You own the goods once the carrier delivers them to you.

FOB [place of destination], Freight Prepaid

In this case, the seller retains ownership of the cargo as the carrier delivers it to you. You assume responsibility and risk for the goods once you receive them from the seller. The seller pays the carrier and assumes the responsibility for losses and damages.

Choosing your Shipping Method

Choosing your Shipping Method

Freight from China to the UK comes in four options; FCL sea freight, LCL sea freight, air freight and express.

Most importers prefer sea freight as it is the most affordable and has no weight restrictions (FCL). If you are importing a lot of cargo from Shantou to the UK, a Full Container Load shipment (FCL) is the best option, even if your goods don’t actually fill the container. You will pay a flat rate and your goods will ship to Felixstowe or Southhapton in about 25 days.

For goods that cannot fill a container, then your shipment will share container space with other goods. You will pay on a cubic meter basis and your goods will arrive at Grangemouth, Immingham, Tees or Liverpool.

If your goods are less than 100kg then express shipping is the fastest and most affordable option. For small items exceeding the 100kg mark, air freight is the cheaper option.

You may choose a single method to transport your goods or divide them up into different consignments to transport via different methods. The latter is often the case during peak season when importers cannot afford to have all their inventory delayed at sea. An expert freight forwarder will advise you on the best option for your cargo and schedule.

We are friendly, easy to work with, honest and we do not charge the earth.

Here at Barrington Freight, we pride ourselves on being the best partners you can have when shipping from Shantou to the UK. We have a team of experts to help you pick the best quotes when negotiating with your contact in China. You can trust us to transport your goods securely from Shantou or any other Chinese port to the UK. We also have an excellent pallet forwarding service for when your goods arrive. Contact us for a quote.

Sophie Benge
Sophie Benge
2024-02-06
Joshua at Barrington Freight is friendly and patient. Their service hassle-free and affordable compared to other freight forwarders.
Alex Burton
Alex Burton
2024-02-04
Fantastic service from Barrington Freight. It was our first time exporting goods from the UK and it was very reassuring to have them manage the shipment. The process was made easy and hassle free and Simon was always quick to respond to any queries. I would highly recommend.
Mat Wilkinson
Mat Wilkinson
2024-01-22
these guys are excellent. Incredibly helpful, flexible and friendly- i cant recommend them highly enough- genuinely a brilliant team.
Top Tips
Top Tips
2023-11-14
The guys at Barrington are brilliant! I've used them for my shipments for around 12 years now and they never let you down. Always happy to help with anything!
David Darrock
David Darrock
2023-11-10
Barrington Freight are extremely helpful and professional, promptly answering any questions or queries. Communication from them has been great and they have taken the difficulty out of importing freight.
Scott Glazebrook
Scott Glazebrook
2023-11-01
Our business is the supply of high end luxury furniture and as such we rely on Barrington Freight to provide a 5* delivery service which they have done time and time again. Reliable, friendly and efficient sums up this great approachable freight forwarding business.
Krishan Dhillon
Krishan Dhillon
2023-11-01
10/10, dealt with everything start to finish. Customer service was friendly and helpful
Sharmane Barrett
Sharmane Barrett
2023-10-20
We had a last minute request and Lee was fantastic in helping us to arrange transportation and facilitate delivery from Europe, very quickly with no hiccups. I would highly recommend.
Simon Edgecombe
Simon Edgecombe
2023-10-16
HAVING USED MANY SHIPPERS TO IMPORT OUR GOODS FROM THE USA (NONE OUTSTANDING) I DECIDED THIS TIME TO HAVE A SEARCH AROUND TO SEE IF I COULD FIND A BETTER OPTION. I FOUND BARRINGTON FREIGHT AFTER EMAILING MANY OTHERS, SOME OF THEM (UPS,DHL,FEDEX) SIMPLY TOOK SO LONG TO CONTACT ME, THAT IT BECAME STUPID, SIMON AT BARRINGTON CAME BACK TO ME VIRTUALLY STRAIGHT AWAY WITH A VERY GOOD PRICE, ALSO GOOD SHIPPING TIMES. NOW A SERVICE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE RESULTS, AND THEY WERE AS GOOD AS THEIR WORD. HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND THEM AND SIMON AT BARRINGTON FREIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON WE GO TO NEXT TIME, WELL DONE!!