Sea Freight

Sea Freight Durban — FCL & LCL Through Durban Port

Full and part container loads through Durban port with the major carriers. Import and export, door-to-door, customs clearance included — and every quote itemised to the actual landed cost, the same working day.

Container ship arriving at Durban port — FCL and LCL sea freight

FCL and LCL sea freight through Durban port.

Durban is Africa’s busiest container port and the gateway for most of South Africa’s seaborne imports. We book space with the major lines, handle the customs entry, and deliver to your door — whether you’re moving a full container from Shanghai or a few pallets consolidated out of Rotterdam.

Sea freight services

FCL (Full Container Load) — 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high-cube, dry and reefer. Port-to-port or door-to-door.
LCL (Less than Container Load) — consolidated groupage for smaller shipments. Pay for the space you use, not a whole box.
Import and export — inbound to Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) and Richards Bay; outbound to any major port worldwide.
Breakbulk and out-of-gauge — machinery and cargo that won’t fit a standard container. See project cargo.
Customs clearance included — SAD 500 entry lodged via SARS EDI, ideally pre-cleared before the vessel berths. See customs clearance.
Marine insurance — arranged on request, quoted upfront

Carriers we work with

Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM
Hapag-Lloyd, ONE (Ocean Network Express), Evergreen
COSCO, PIL, and NVOCC consolidators for LCL groupage

Shipping from China to Durban

China–Durban is our busiest lane. Typical sea transit from Shanghai, Ningbo or Shenzhen to Durban is 25–35 days depending on routing and transhipment. We quote the whole thing in one number — ocean freight, port handling, customs duty, VAT, our clearing fee and delivery to your premises — so you know your true landed cost before you commit to the supplier. First-time importers welcome; we’ll walk you through what documents to ask your supplier for.

Common questions about sea freight in Durban

Roughly 25–35 days port to port depending on the origin port and whether the service is direct or via transhipment. Add clearance time at Durban — 24–48 hours for a clean entry — and delivery. We give you a realistic door-to-door estimate with every quote.

As a rule of thumb, once your cargo goes past about 12–15 cubic metres a full 20ft container is usually cheaper and safer than LCL. Below that, LCL groupage makes sense. Send us your volume and weight and we’ll price both.

Ours is itemised: ocean freight, terminal and port handling, customs duty, VAT, our clearing fee, cartage to your door and any surcharges — with the actual landed cost figure at the bottom. No “TBC” line items, no surprises when the container arrives.

Yes — that’s the point. We’re both a freight forwarder and a SARS-accredited clearing agent, so your sea freight and your customs entry are handled by the same people, on one invoice.

Got cargo to move?

Send us your shipment details — we’ll come back same-day with a real quote.

Get a Quote Call +27 31 332 5052

Fully Accredited

Established 2019

Durban, KZN

Family-Run