“Hello, how much to ship from China?”

We receive this message often, and we always answer it. But asking for a freight price without the details is like sitting down in a restaurant and asking for the bill before you have ordered. Any figure that comes back is a guess wearing a suit. The more precise your information, the closer the quote will be to what you finally pay, and the fewer surprises wait for you at the port.

Here is what we need from you, and why each item changes the number.

1. What you are shipping

Describe the goods plainly: “ladies’ shoes, synthetic upper”, not “general goods”. The description decides whether the goods are restricted or need a permit, whether they need a KEBS Certificate of Conformity, how they must be handled, and roughly what duty they will attract. Food, chemicals, batteries, medicines and anything flammable need special care, so mention them at the start. A lithium battery is not a detail you want us to discover at the airport.

2. How much, and how it is packed

Give the number of cartons or pieces, the size of each carton (length, width and height in cm) and the weight of each (in KG). Your supplier’s packing list usually has all of this.

These figures decide the price:

• Air freight is charged per KG on the chargeable weight, which is the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is higher. A big light carton can cost as much as a small heavy one.
• LCL sea freight, where you share a container, is charged per CBM.
• A full container (FCL) is priced per container. We quote FCL only once we have your commercial invoice and packing list, because the goods, weight and value affect the routing, the clearing and the total cost.

If you are unsure which mode suits your cargo, read air or sea from China to Kenya: per KG or per CBM.

3. Where from and where to

Tell us the pickup city and address, for example a supplier in Guangzhou or Yiwu, or a warehouse in Dubai or Istanbul, and whether the supplier will deliver to our partner’s receiving warehouse. At the Kenyan end, say whether you want the goods at the port, cleared and collected, or delivered to your door in Mombasa, Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam or elsewhere. “Port to port” and “door to door” sound alike. On an invoice they are very different animals.

4. The value and the delivery terms

Share the invoice value and the Incoterm you agreed with the supplier, such as EXW or FOB. The value is needed to estimate duty and taxes, and the Incoterm tells us where our job starts. See our guide to shipping terms.

5. When the goods will be ready

Freight rates move with the season, fuel prices and space on ships and planes, rather like matatu fares on a rainy Friday evening. A quote is valid for a limited period, stated on the quote. Ask close to your ready date for the most accurate figure. If your shipment is months away, we can give you today’s rate as a guide, but expect it to change.

6. Anything special

Fragile goods, high value goods, temperature sensitive goods, oversized pieces, or a delivery site that a truck cannot easily reach. Tell us now, not on delivery day, when the truck is already reversing into a lane built for handcarts.

A checklist you can copy

• Description of goods (and HS code if you know it)
• Number of cartons or pieces
• Size of each carton in cm, and weight in KG
• Pickup city and address, or supplier contact
• Delivery: port, cleared at port, or door (with address)
• Invoice value and Incoterm
• Ready date
• Special handling needs
• For a full container: the commercial invoice and packing list

Send it to us

Paste the checklist into a message and send it over. We will come back with a clear quote, and we will tell you what the clearing and taxes are likely to be at this end. Use our quote form, call +254 722 375 423 or +254 741 444 444, WhatsApp @sidoman254 or @Sidoman_, or email info@sidoman.com.

Our services: sea freight, air freight, road freight and clearing and forwarding.

So yes, ask us how much to ship from China. Just send the menu order with it.