Sea Freight (Ocean Freight)
Shipping goods by cargo vessel in containers, the lowest-cost way to move heavy or bulky orders from China to overseas ports.
TL;DR: Sea freight means moving goods by ship, usually in shipping containers. It is slower than air but far cheaper per kilogram, which makes it the standard choice for heavy goods such as tile and stone.
A typical sea shipment follows a predictable flow. First, the shipper or forwarder books space with a carrier and receives a shipping order (SO). When the goods are ready, the cargo is loaded into a container at the factory for FCL, or trucked to a CFS for LCL. The container then goes to the terminal before the cut-off time.
Next comes export customs clearance, after which the container is loaded onto the vessel. The ship sails to the port of discharge, sometimes with transshipment at a hub port on the way. On arrival, the buyer or their customs broker handles import customs clearance, pays duties and local charges, and arranges delivery to the site or warehouse.
Who arranges and pays for each step depends on the Incoterm, such as EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP. Transit time from South China ports like Nansha, Shenzhen Yantian or Hong Kong varies widely by destination, so plan for the full door-to-door time, not just the sailing days.
Glass mosaic is dense, so sea freight is usually the only practical option for project quantities. Compare with Air Freight and China–Europe Rail Freight.