Base rate + BAF
The ocean base freight plus Bunker Adjustment (BAF) — fuel-driven and revised quarterly by carriers.
Last reviewed
Sea freight · China → Canada
Sea freight from China to Canada — FCL and LCL into Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Montreal.
Weekly sailings from Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Ningbo to Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Montreal. CARM registration checked before booking, all-in pricing with final-mile delivery, and the west-coast-vs-east-coast tradeoff priced against your delivery address.
13–38dPort-to-port range
FCL + LCLone quote, compared
CARMchecked before booking
24hquote turnaround
13–18d
Vancouver / Prince Rupert FCL
30–38d
Montreal via Panama
5%
GST on most imports
3
Gateways quoted
Pricing factors
What moves a China → Canada ocean freight rate.
Ocean rates are published base plus surcharges, then reshaped by season and capacity. We quote all-in so the number you see is what you pay.
GRI & seasonality
Carriers file General Rate Increases around peak season (pre-Lunar New Year, summer, pre-Christmas). Booking ahead of a GRI window is the single biggest cost lever.
West vs east coast
Vancouver and Prince Rupert give a short Pacific crossing but add a transcontinental rail leg for Ontario or Quebec delivery. Montreal doubles the sailing time but lands the container far closer to central Canada. We price both against the delivery address.
FCL vs LCL economics
Above ~12–15 CBM, a full container (FCL) usually beats consolidated (LCL) on both cost and transit. We price both in every quote.
CARM prerequisites
CBSA now requires importers to be registered on the CARM portal and post their own financial security before cargo can be released. We check your status before booking, not after arrival.
Prince Rupert rail advantage
Prince Rupert is purpose-built for rail transfer inland with typically low dwell. For Toronto-bound cargo it can beat Vancouver on total transit once the rail leg is included.
On this corridor
Beyond the ocean leg — the Canadian-side work we handle.
DDP to Canada
Import duty, GST, CBSA entry, and customs clearance included. Your cargo arrives cleared — no surprise invoices on arrival.
CARM registration check
Before booking we verify your CARM registration and financial security posting, since discovering the gap at the border is expensive.
Inland rail & trucking
Transcontinental rail from Vancouver or Prince Rupert to Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. Final-mile trucking to your warehouse, DC, or retail address.
Warehousing & distribution
Devanning, transload, and onward delivery from the port to your receiving window — including appointment delivery to distribution centres.
days
Documents & compliance
What CBSA needs — and the CARM registration that has to come first.
CBSA's Assessment and Revenue Management system changed how importers of record are set up. You now need to be registered on the CARM Client Portal with your own financial security in place — a forwarder cannot simply lend you theirs. We confirm your position before booking, because discovering it at the border is expensive.
| Document | Filed by | When |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoice | Shipper | With B/L |
| Packing List | Shipper | With B/L |
| Bill of Lading (B/L) | Carrier / Prodoer | At sailing |
| CARM portal registration | Importer — mandatory | Before first import |
| Financial security posting | Importer, via CARM | Before release |
| Business Number (import account) | Importer | Before first import |
| eManifest / ACI | Carrier | Pre-arrival |
| HS classification | Broker — Prodoer coordinates | Before entry |
| Duty per Canadian Tariff | Importer | At entry |
| GST 5% | Importer | At entry |
| ISPM 15 timber packaging | Shipper | At packing |
How it works
From booking to Canadian delivery, in four moves.
01 — Register
Confirm the CARM position
Before anything is booked we check that you are registered, have security posted, and hold a Business Number with an import account.
02 — Classify
HS code and duty
Classification drives duty and GST. We confirm it and flag any permit or labelling requirement for the commodity.
03 — Ship
Book the right gateway
Vancouver, Prince Rupert, or Montreal, chosen against the delivery address and the cost of the inland leg.
04 — Clear
Entry and final mile
Broker entry, duty and GST, then rail or trucking to your warehouse, 3PL, or retail address.
FAQ
China → Canada sea freight FAQ
Transit days, Vancouver vs Montreal, CARM registration, duty and GST, FCL vs LCL. Don't see yours? An agent answers it in minutes.
How long does sea freight take from China to Canada?
Port to port, FCL runs about 13–18 days to Vancouver and 13–17 days to Prince Rupert, or 30–38 days to Montreal via Panama. Add 5–8 days for LCL consolidation, origin pickup, and Canadian customs plus last-mile. A Vancouver arrival bound for Toronto still needs several days of rail.
Should I ship to Vancouver or Montreal for a Toronto delivery?
Both work and the answer is a cost comparison rather than a rule. Vancouver gives a much shorter ocean leg but adds a transcontinental rail or trucking leg. Montreal roughly doubles the sailing time but lands the container far closer to Ontario. Prince Rupert is worth quoting too, since it is built around rail transfer and often has lower dwell. We price all three against your address.
What is CARM and do I need to register before importing?
CARM is CBSA's Assessment and Revenue Management system, and yes — importers of record must be registered on the CARM Client Portal and post their own financial security before goods can be released. This replaced the older arrangement where importers could effectively rely on a broker's bond. It is the single most common reason a first Canadian shipment stalls, so we verify your registration status before booking.
What taxes and duties apply on Canadian imports?
Duty is set by your classification under the Canadian Customs Tariff, and GST of 5 percent applies to most imports. Depending on the province and the goods, provincial sales tax may apply as well. Under DDP we settle duty and GST and quote one landed number; otherwise they are payable by you as importer of record at entry.
Should I choose FCL or LCL?
Roughly: below ~12–15 CBM, LCL (consolidated) is usually cheaper; above that, a full container (FCL) wins on both cost and transit and avoids consolidation handling. We price both in every quote so you see the break-even for your specific cargo and lane.
Can you handle Canadian customs clearance?
We prepare and coordinate the full document set — commercial invoice, packing list, classification, and importer details — and work with a licensed Canadian broker for the entry. What we cannot do is act as your importer of record or post your CARM security; those sit with your business by design. We tell you clearly which parts are ours and which are yours.
Canada lane quote
Get an all-in China → Canada sea-freight quote in 24 hours.
Tell us the cargo, origin port, and Canadian destination. One agent replies with compared FCL and LCL rates, the exact sailing, and the CARM and GST position.
Get an all-in China → Canada sea-freight quote in 24 hours.
Tell us the cargo, origin port, and Canadian destination. One agent replies with compared FCL and LCL rates, the exact sailing, and the CARM and GST position.