Shanghai → Los Angeles Sea Freight

The Shanghai → Los Angeles lane is the busiest trans-Pacific trade route in the world. We book directly with Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, and ONE for 14–18 day port-to-port transit, with DDP options that include US Section 301 duty handling.

Origin

Shanghai (SHA)

Destination

Los Angeles / Long Beach (LAX/LGB)

Transit

14–18 days port-to-port

Frequency

4–5 sailings / week

Why This Route

Why Ship Shanghai (SHA) → Los Angeles / Long Beach (LAX/LGB) With Us

Shanghai → LA is the world's heaviest container lane. Capacity is rarely the issue; congestion at LA/LB is.

4–5 Sailings Per Week

Pick the right vessel for your cutoff and never miss your customer's restock date

Tier-1 Carrier Contracts

Booked space with Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, and ONE, so no slot risk in peak season

FCL + LCL Flexibility

20'GP, 40'GP, 40'HQ for FCL, or LCL from 1 CBM consolidated with weekly sailings

US Section 301 Handling

Our customs broker handles Section 301 tariff classification and duty payment, included in DDP

Shanghai → Los Angeles Sea Freight — End-to-End Process

Yangtze River Delta pickup, port-handling at Yangshan, vessel transit, LA/LB drayage and inland delivery.

Origin Trucking

Pickup from your factory + drayage to Yangshan/Waigaoqiao port

Export Clearance

Full documentation + CIQ inspection

Vessel Loading

Booked on direct trans-Pacific sailings

Transit

14–18 days port-to-port

LA Customs

Duty + Section 301 + processing fee, handled by our LA broker

Last-Mile

Truck to FBA warehouse, 3PL, or final consignee

Pricing Factors for Shanghai → Los Angeles Sea Freight

LA sea rates respond to vessel space and chassis availability post-discharge. We price these factors:

Container size (20' vs 40' vs 40HQ)

FCL vs LCL (per CBM)

Service type (CY/CY vs CFS/CFS vs door delivery)

Section 301 duty rate (varies by HS code)

Peak season PSS + GRI

Request Binding Quote →

LA / Long Beach Port Complex Insider Knowledge

The San Pedro Bay port complex (LA + Long Beach) is the world's largest container gateway. Knowing how it operates saves days.

Terminal Selection

LA and Long Beach combined have 13 container terminals. The right choice depends on your carrier: Maersk uses APMT, MSC uses Pier 400, COSCO uses Pier J. We track terminal congestion daily.

Trans-Loading vs Direct FBA

For East Coast FBA destinations, trans-loading at LA + cross-country rail is typically faster than waiting for an East Coast all-water vessel. We model both options on every quote.

Section 321 De Minimis Strategy

US Customs allows duty-free entry for shipments under USD 800/recipient per day. For e-commerce sellers with high-volume DTC, we structure shipments to maximize this allowance.