As trade between China and Ireland grows, with billions of euros exchanged in trade each year, especially in the field of machinery and equipment, high-tech goods, and consumer items, the number of imports becomes larger. Calculating the time that it takes for goods shipping from China to Ireland is a vital part of any business that relies on this trade. Understanding the differences between sea freight and air freight will help your business get a handle on the best option for your needs.
Factors Influencing Shipping Time
There are a few different factors that will influence the overall shopping time between China and Ireland. This includes:
Air vs Sea
Your choice of shipping method will have an impact on delivery time. Air freight arrives at a much faster pace than by sea, but express services can cut down the time even further.
Customs and Clearance Delays
Customs clearance in both China and Ireland can add time to the shipping duration. Delays can occur due to inspections, clearance processes, and even further delays experienced if your shipment is not properly documented and labelled.
Weather and seasonal changes
Extreme weather conditions will delay shipment by both air and sea routes. If there is extreme weather along the route it can affect loading and unloading of goods and lead to delays or changes to longer routes.
Average Shipping Times
Below is a comparison of the average shipping times by both air and sea, to give you a clearer idea of exactly how long it will take to receive your goods from China depending on the mode of delivery you have chosen. In general, sea freight takes anywhere between 30-40 days for both Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL). For air freight, you can expect an average of 5-10 days, although there are some express shipping options for urgent shipments that can arrive in 3-5 days in some cases. Road freight cannot be discounted as an option in the final, European leg of the journey, although journey times are always difficult to calculate due to different routes and conditions.
Air Freight Durations
Air freight services are suitable for those companies with high requirements for fast transportation time or high value goods and those of a sensitive nature. On average a direct air freight shipment between a major Chinese airport and airports in Ireland will take between 4 and 7 days. If the shipment is required to go through other transit airports along the way, this may add a further one or two days to the journey. As mentioned above, there can sometimes be delays to air freight services due to extreme weather conditions, but generally it is the fastest way to ship goods internationally.
Sea Freight Durations
Sea freight services are the most common mode of transportation when shipping goods from China to Ireland. It is suitable for bulk commodities and heavy equipment amongst other items. There are two primary methods of sea freight (LCL – where goods are loaded into shared containers with other goods, and FCL – where an entire, full container is loaded with your goods alone). On average, sea freight from major Chinese ports such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, takes between 25-35 days to arrive in Irish ports, such as Dublin or Cork.
Tips for Faster Shipping
If you are wary of shipping times and want to cut down the journey time to as little as you can for your budget, type of goods, and chosen mode of transportation, how can you reduce the shipping time?
Choose a direct route
Choose a route that avoids transit points. This is especially effective for goods travelling by air.
Express shipping
Look into expedited shipping options, where you are offered direct, higher frequency routes or dedicated flights to speed up delivery.
Be prepared for customs
Always ensure your necessary documents, invoices, and all other customs clearance documentation is accurate to speed up the customs processing time.
Book well in advance
The longer you have to plan ahead, the better prepared you can be for the shipment. Try to avoid peak shipping periods and holidays if possible.
Choose the best freight forwarding service
Emerald Freight has a wealth of experience in delivering affordable, effective transport routes when shipping goods from China to Ireland. We’ll look at the goods you with to import, their type and classification, the budget you have to work with, and the schedule that you require the goods to arrive in. From there, we can provide the best solution for your needs, helping your goods arrive by sea or air to meet your needs. Connect with us today and we’ll be happy to have a discussion on the most effective and secure way you can import goods to Ireland from China, passing all customs and regulations smoothly.
FAQs
Below are some of the common frequently asked questions about shipping from China to Ireland.
On average it takes between 25 -35 days to ship containers from China to Ireland, though there is currently a situation where many shipping lines are choosing to avoid the Suez Canal due to attacks on vessels, adding a further 6-8 days to the journey time.
The fastest direct flight between China and Ireland takes around 11 hours. For cargo flights, it can take anywhere between 4 and 7 days on average, due to loading and unloading, customs clearance processes, and any transit stops.
To clear customers processes quickly and smoothly, ensure that all relevant documents are included, including a commercial invoice, a bill of lading, and a certificate of origin.
We provide you access to a tracking function that allows you to see where your shipment currently is along the chosen route.
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