Shipping Goods from UK to China

Hi Guys,

Have you or your friends taken household items to china through freight forwarders?

What size containers?

How must was the total cost including customs duties and all transport?

Any info. welcome.  Thanks!

I would suggest your local freight forwarder in the UK. They will be able to help you out in this matter. In general, I would only move what you need to take. Leave everything else behind. TV, electronics, appliances all will be on a different electrical system, and if you get them working with adapters, they will wear out much faster.

Bedding and furniture is easy to obtain in China. It is a different style than in the West. But the price is all over the place. If you bring furniture, you will need to rent an unfurnished apartment. Not an easy thing to do.

Arrange a 20 foot GP shipped FOB, and use your Chinese local contacts to help arrange pickup for you. Shipment will take around four weeks with one week in customs. Do not ship food, plants, paint, flammable liquids, seeds, or animals. Prices wil vary. We are dealing with 40'GP  to the UK on the order of 3000 to 4000 euros plus. Figure half that from the UK to China. However, you need to discuss that with your UK freight forwarder. 40'GP is far more than you will need unless you want to move four bedrooms, of gear.

Look in the telephone book. They are there and they will be able to help you a lot!

China WILL be a culture shock. You Brits seem to handle it better than us Yanks, but still it will be a shock to your system. Do not move everything unless you have first scoped out China a spell and are absolutely convinced that you do want to live in China for a while. Be advised.

Make absolutely sure that you have an apartment or storage destination ready before you ship your belongings. Best of luck.