Base rate + BAF
The ocean base freight plus Bunker Adjustment (BAF) — fuel-driven and revised quarterly by carriers.
Last reviewed
Sea freight · China → France
Sea freight from China to France — FCL and LCL into Le Havre, Marseille-Fos, and Dunkirk.
Weekly sailings from Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Ningbo to Le Havre, Marseille-Fos, and Dunkirk. DELTA declarations coordinated, import TVA self-assessed on the French VAT return, and DDP options available.
26–38dPort-to-port range
FCL + LCLone quote, compared
DDPavailable by lane
24hquote turnaround
26–38d
Sea port-to-port range
3
French sea gateways
20%
TVA, self-assessed
3
Gateways quoted
Pricing factors
What moves a China → France 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.
Low-sulphur & ECA
North European and Mediterranean Emission Control Area surcharges apply. We include them at quote time rather than as a post-sailing adjustment.
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.
TVA self-assessment
Since 2022 import TVA is self-assessed on the French VAT return rather than paid at the border. A French VAT registration is required for the mechanism to work — we confirm your position before shipping.
North vs south routing
Le Havre serves Paris and the north; Marseille-Fos serves Lyon, Provence, and the south via a shorter Suez routing. Shipping into the wrong half of the country adds a costly domestic trucking leg.
On this corridor
Beyond the ocean leg — the French-side work we handle.
DDP to France
Import duty, TVA, DELTA declaration, and customs clearance included. Your cargo arrives cleared — no surprise invoices on arrival.
DELTA coordination
We coordinate the DELTA declaration through a broker and prepare the full document set, including the TARIC classification and French VAT registration check.
EU-wide clearance
Once goods are in free circulation in France they move within the EU without further customs formality. We arrange onward trucking to any EU destination.
Warehousing & distribution
Devanning, transload, and onward trucking from Le Havre, Fos, or Dunkirk to your warehouse, DC, or retail address across France and the Benelux.
days
Documents & compliance
What French customs needs — filed through DELTA.
France applies the EU Union Customs Code and common tariff, with declarations filed through DELTA. The significant local difference is import VAT: since 2022 it is self-assessed on the French VAT return rather than paid to customs at the border, which improves cash flow but requires a French VAT registration to work.
| 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 |
| EU EORI number | Importer — mandatory | Before first import |
| French VAT registration | Importer, for TVA self-assessment | Before first import |
| DELTA declaration | Broker — Prodoer coordinates | At import |
| TARIC classification | Broker — Prodoer | Before entry |
| EU common tariff duty | Importer | At entry |
| Import TVA 20% | Importer, on VAT return | On return |
| ICS2 advance cargo data | Carrier | Pre-arrival |
| CE marking | Importer, product dependent | Before sale |
How it works
From booking to French delivery, in four moves.
01 — Set up
EORI and TVA position
We confirm your EU EORI and whether you hold a French VAT registration, since that decides how import TVA is handled.
02 — Book
Port and documents
Le Havre, Fos, or Dunkirk chosen against the delivery region, with FCL priced against LCL on measured volume.
03 — Sail
Track the ocean leg
Vessel milestones, transshipment, and ETA changes stay in one thread.
04 — Deliver
DELTA entry & clear
Declaration, duty, TVA treatment, then final-mile trucking to the receiving window.
FAQ
China → France sea freight FAQ
Transit days, container cost, Le Havre vs Fos, self-assessed TVA, EU-wide delivery, and FCL vs LCL. Don't see yours? An agent answers it in minutes.
How long does sea freight take from China to France?
Port to port, FCL runs about 28–38 days into Le Havre or Dunkirk and 26–33 days into Marseille-Fos, which is closer via Suez. Add 5–8 days for LCL consolidation, origin pickup, and French customs plus last-mile to get the full door-to-door picture.
Should I ship into Le Havre or Marseille-Fos?
Geography decides it. Le Havre serves Paris, Normandy, and the north and has the widest sailing choice. Marseille-Fos is the Mediterranean gateway, has a shorter sailing via Suez, and is clearly better for Lyon, Provence, and southern France. Shipping into the wrong end of the country can add a domestic trucking leg that costs more than the ocean difference saved.
How does French import VAT work now?
Since 2022 import TVA is self-assessed on the French VAT return rather than paid to customs at the border. For an importer holding a French VAT registration this is a genuine cash-flow improvement, because the money is accounted for rather than advanced. The prerequisite is the registration itself — the mechanism assumes you have one, so importers without a French VAT number should settle that before shipping.
Is French customs different from German customs?
The rules are the same, the plumbing is not. Both apply the EU Union Customs Code and the same common tariff, so your duty rate does not change between them. What differs is the national declaration system — DELTA in France, ATLAS in Germany — and the local VAT mechanism, where France's self-assessment differs from the German approach of paying or deferring at import.
Can I clear goods in France and deliver elsewhere in the EU?
Yes, and it is a common arrangement. Once goods are released into free circulation in France they move within the EU without further customs formality. Whether it is the right choice depends on where your VAT registration sits and where the goods are actually consumed — get that wrong and you create a VAT reporting problem in place of a customs one. Tell us the final destination and we will flag it.
What is the difference between FCL and LCL on this lane?
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.
China → France sea freight
Get an all-in China → France sea-freight quote in 24 hours.
Tell us the cargo, origin port, and French destination. One agent replies with compared FCL and LCL rates, the exact sailing, and the DELTA and TVA position.
Get an all-in China → France sea-freight quote in 24 hours.
Tell us the cargo, origin port, and French destination. One agent replies with compared FCL and LCL rates, the exact sailing, and the DELTA and TVA position.