{"id":5489,"date":"2019-12-02T07:02:05","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T07:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"../https@chinafreight.com/@p=5489"},"modified":"2020-12-26T08:15:04","modified_gmt":"2020-12-26T08:15:04","slug":"solutions-for-shipping-from-china-to-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"china-mexico.html","title":{"rendered":"How to find a reliable freight forwarder for Shipping from China to Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
Even if this is your first time shipping or you already have experience in importing goods from China to Mexico, sometimes this process can be hard. In this article we come to you with solutions that will help you understand how to save money, time, and avoid trouble in this complex process. To make it easier for the reader, we divided this guide into 3 parts:<\/p>\n
Part 1. How to find a reliable freight forwarder?<\/p>\n
Part 2. How many modes of transportation are there from China to Mexico?<\/p>\n
Part 3. How to save money?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A freight forwarder, forwarding agent or cargo agent is an experienced person from the international trade and transport community that coordinate and ship goods from one place to another via a single or multiple carriers (air, sea, rail or highway).<\/p>\n
Finding a reliable partner to do business with, among the thousands of companies available in the market at this moment, can be a hard task, but having a freight forwarder would make a great difference when you don\u2019t have enough time and energy, experience or you just want to avoid all the troubles this process might bring you sometime such as document preparation or cross-see transportation process problems. They will use their industry expertise to reduce costs and help you find solutions to any transportation problems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you are an occasional carrier who knows little about international transport, we also recommend you to find a cargo agent who will be able to help you in this complex process. They have years of expertise and experience in this field, and you will be able to save more time and money than if you ship by yourself.<\/p>\n
If you want to save time and money while making an international delivery from China to Mexico by air, sea or land, consider using a freight forwarding agent. A freight forwarder will make sure that your cargo will arrive on time and in the right conditions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When importing from China, regardless of the mode of transportation, it is always best to choose a freight forwarder from China. The Chinese freight forwarder is the ideal choice for overseas transporters because it has the advantages of language and geography, and you will also need a warehouse for storage and preparation. An experienced Chinese freight forwarder will have these abilities: fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, it will have a thorough knowledge of the Chinese business culture, experience in managing Chinese suppliers, category and sourcing process experience, quality control experience, audit experience, and logistics experience. Local forwarders (from Mexico) will often have to contact another agent in China to handle the picking, preparation, storage, and customs clearance.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Time, money and the success of your shipment from China to Mexico is what matters. In general, freight forwarders are reliable and experienced agents who can help you ship your goods to the final destination without any troubles, but to be sure they provide what you need, you can ask the freight forwarder or yourself to assess whether he is qualified for your transportation or not:<\/p>\n
1) Does the freight forwarder have a business license from the Chinese government? \u2013 Having a business license makes everything legal and transparent for you.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2) Does the freight forwarder have an official website, and has a good ranking on Google? \u2013 On their website, you can find the necessary information about their services and costs. Not to mention that in these modern days, Google reviews are a must-have for any company that respects itself and cares for its customers.<\/p>\n
3) Does the company have a good insurance plan? \u2013 Having a good insurance plan is very important because it will compensate for your merchandise if any damage occurs in shipment or warehousing.<\/p>\n
4) Do they have a complete cargo tracking system to update your cargo progress in real-time? – Finding a cargo shipping partner that offers cargo tracking is crucial because you can see in real-time where your shipping is and how much it takes to arrive at the final destination.<\/p>\n
5) You can also ask them to provide the most recent shipment record or bill of lading – A bill of lading contains all relevant details about the type, amount, condition, and destination of the goods.<\/p>\n
6) During the consultation, were the responses prompt, with professional advice and explanations? – If you are convinced by their services, but you still have some doubts about the process, is best to try the freight forwarder with a shipment of small goods. This way, if anything goes wrong, you won\u2019t lose a big amount of money.<\/p>\n
Before talking about the modes of transportation is good to know what standards and regulations apply in Mexico, and also which are restricted and prohibited goods.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Customs law in Mexico is very strict regarding proper submission and preparation of customs documentation, and sometimes errors in paperwork can result in fines and even confiscation of merchandise as contraband.When you are shipping goods to Mexico you have to be aware of the following documents: single administrative document (DUA), commercial invoice (three copies, written, in preference in Spanish), a phytosanitary certificate for fruits, vegetables and seeds, a sanitary certificate for meats, form EUR1 to benefit with a preferential rate (applied to European Union exports), certificate of radioactive contamination (especially for dairy products), free trade certificate for cosmetics, issued by the Ministry of Health of Mexico<\/a>, and documents related to the transportation and packaging lists.<\/p>\n For textile-apparel and footwear imports, you have to be registered in the Padr\u00f3n for textile-apparel and footwear products.<\/p>\n For importing steel products, notice of importation must be provided to the Mexican Government at least five days before the shipment and have to include: invoice, complete supplier information, and other documents.<\/p>\n Goods that would harm the community health, public safety, Mexican workers, children, or domestic plant and animal life are considered restricted and prohibited.<\/p>\n Prohibited means the goods are forbidden by law to enter Mexica. Here are some examples of prohibited goods: dangerous toys, cars that don’t protect their occupants in a crash, bush meat, or illegal substances like absinthe and Rohypnol, narcotics and some of the habit-forming drugs, live fish, images representing children in a degrading or ridiculous way, used clothes, firearms and ammunition, explosives, toxic and hazardous products. Mexico\u2019s top 10 imported items in 2018 were: electrical machinery and equipment, machinery including computers, mineral fuels including oil, vehicles, plastics and plastic items, medical apparatus, iron and steel, articles of iron or steel, organic chemicals, aluminum.<\/p>\n There are various options for transporting goods in Mexico. The mode of transportation is an important aspect and has to be evaluated when you\u2019re planning the shipment (costs, shipment urgency, the value of the goods, and the size and weight of the package). Each option of transport has advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n When you are planning your shipment, you have to prioritize your needs, understand the process, and compare costs. By choosing the right mode of transportation, you can significantly optimize your cargo flow.<\/p>\n After selecting your freight forwarder, the collaboration between the two parts will begin. An experienced China-Mexico freight expert will have excellent communication skills understanding all your requirements, including time, budget, and mode of transportation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Studies have shown that 95% of product samples and a small amount of high-value goods are sent by courier.<\/p>\n If you have an urgent and quick delivery, express shipping is the best option because express delivery is a relatively easy way to transport goods. <\/p>\n Sea shipping is suitable in general for loads over 500 kilograms or when the size of the products occupies more than two cubic meters. However, it is also the most complicated mode of transportation, and it takes a long time.<\/p>\n From China to Mexico, sea shipping time is estimated at around 23 to 25 days from port to port.<\/p>\n In China, there are several ports such as Shanghai port, Ningbo port, Shenzhen port, Tianjin port, Qingdao port, Xiamen port, and Hong Kong port, from which your shipping can leave to Mexico.<\/p>\n If your freight forwarder is located in these cities, you will have the advantage that he will be more familiar with the loading and unloading rules of each port, making it easier to handle your goods, saving you time.<\/p>\n The top ports for importing in Mexico are Port of Ensenada, Port of Altamira, Port of Veracruz, Port of Lazaro C\u00e1rdenas, Port of Manzanillo (Mexico\u2019s largest port).<\/p>\n Sometimes sea freight shipping is the only option but is the best choice for bulk goods transportation. When importing from China, you can choose Full Container Load (FCL) or Less than Container Load (LCL), if your overall cargo volume doesn\u2019t meet one full container requirement.<\/p>\n When it comes to size, there are three types of containers 20 ft., 40 ft. and a 40 ft. high cube container. The 20 ft. containers are designed to carry more weight such as minerals, metals, machinery, sugar, paper, cement, etc., while the 40 ft. containers are designed to carry voluminous cargo rather than heavy cargo, for example, furniture, steel pipes, paper scrap, cotton, tobacco, etc.<\/p>\n You should use LCL if you don’t have enough goods to fill a 20′ or a 40′ container (FCL). This enables importers to ship smaller amounts of cargo, which doesn\u2019t have the right volume to make Full Container Load a viable option. This means your cargo is combined with other shipping cargos for the same destination. When combining several shipments in one container, your freight forwarder needs to do more work. LCL freight is calculated in cubic meters (CBM) and charged based on the volume.<\/p>\n Full Container Load refers to when the quantity of your goods is large enough that they can be put in at least one container. In this case, the freight is calculated on an FCL basis. FCL shipment will be loaded and sealed at origin by your supplier, then shipped to your final destination.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although 90% of goods are shipped by sea, when importers and exporters need to move high-value goods to Mexico quickly and reliably such as seasonal goods, clothing, electronics, and\/or products that cannot be near water, they use air freight. In a matter of days, air freight can bring your cargo from a factory floor in China, to your destination. Air transport reduces the shipping time between China and Mexico to 2 to 5 days.<\/p>\n The most important airports in Mexico are Benito Ju\u00e1rez International Airport, Mexico City International Airport, Guadalajara International Airport, Monterrey International Airport, Quer\u00e9taro Intercontinental Airport, and Toluca International Airport.<\/p>\n There are two classes of Airfreight, economy and express or fast air transportation.<\/p>\n 1) Economic air freight: This service applies for general cargo (no dangerous goods, oversized or temperature-controlled goods). For this category, the price is relatively low compared with the express air freight. If it is not an urgent shipping, and this service meets your requirements, then it is probably the best choice. Shipping from China to Mexico will be delivered in 5 to 8 days.<\/p>\n 2) Fast air transportation: With this service, you can transport cargo of all shapes, sizes, and types, including dangerous and oversized goods in a short time. Compared to economic air freight, this service has the advantage of time. If you have an urgent delivery or you just want to deliver goods that are not suitable for economic air freight, then this is the best option. Shipping from China to Mexico will be delivered in 1 to 3 days for door to door delivery.<\/p>\n To save money, you have to understand the terms FOB, EXW, CIF, and DAP because, in the same transport model, transport cost is a crucial factor. <\/p>\n Many websites like Alibaba use the quotations FOB, EXW, CIF, and DAP. In general, these quotations include information about where your cargo is being shipped to and from, the transport mode and equipment being used, shipment details such as dimensions, weight and a description of the goods.<\/p>\n\n
\nRestricted means that special licenses or permits are required from a federal agency before the goods are allowed to enter Mexica such as certain fruits and vegetables, animal products, animal byproducts, and some animals.<\/p>\nExpress delivery\u00a0from China to Mexico<\/a>:<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
\nFor a shipment to be delivered in Mexico, with FedEx <\/a>or DHL, it takes from 3 to 6 working days, and the prices and rates are higher than other forms of transportation. Also, the cost of express shipping may increase during the holidays, but it can drop dramatically in the off-season.
\nFreight forwarders can find an express company that gives you a reasonable price, and he can also get a discount price that you won\u2019t find on their official website.<\/p>\nSea shipping from China to Mexico<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Air shipping from China to Mexico<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Part 3. How to save money?<\/h2>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/h4>\n
Understanding the Terms: FOB, EXW, CIF, and DAP<\/h4>\n