According to Chinese customs statistics, the trade volume between China and Panama in 2021 is US$11.344 billion, of which China’s export volume is US$10.180 billion and import volume is US$1.164 billion, a year-on-year increase of 22.4%, 15.7% and 147.87% respectively. At present, China is Panama’s largest trading partner, the largest supplier of the Colon Free Trade Zone, and the second largest user of the Panama Canal.
Efficient shipping from China to Panama is crucial for businesses engaged in international trade between these two nations.
Among some of the commercial products exported, it is worth mentioning: oil, natural gas, vehicles (cars), large vehicles (buses, trucks), household appliances, beverages, pharmaceuticals, aluminum, electrical equipment, plastic gear products, advanced electronics Product parts, epoxy compounds, adhesives, foam tapes, lathes, agricultural equipment, medical equipment, heavy machinery, food processing equipment, solar signs, LED products and more.
These finished products and raw materials are transported around the world through different sea and air freight services. There are many China freight forwarding companies that provide container shipping services and air cargo transportation. However, it is important to work with a freight forwarder that can better adapt to your needs. Good communication and reliability are crucial.
Sea Freight from China to Panama
If you are looking for a cost-effective way to ship goods from China to Panama, then you should probably choose Sea Freight. Maritime transportation refers to the mode of transportation of goods by sea, mostly using container ships, sometimes bulk carriers or ro-ro ships, oil tankers, etc. Ocean shipping is slower, so we need to allow 20 days. Containers from China arrive in Panama – 30 days. However, in addition to its affordability, sea freight has obvious advantages over other modes of transportation, especially for bulk cargo or large equipment over long distances.
FCL (Full Container Load): Shipping a container filled specifically for one customer from China to Panama. Generally speaking, we provide FCL shipping services to Panama, including 20-foot containers and 40-foot containers (20GP, 40GP and 40HQ). Full container shipping is more cost effective.
LCL (Less Than Container Load): Sharing a container with other customers who are shipping goods to the same destination at the same time. Of course, due to the extra work (consolidation, unpacking, warehousing, paperwork, etc.), the final cost per unit is higher than the full box, and the shipping time is longer. LCL is a great option for small businesses. If your shipment doesn’t fit an entire container, we can always offer LCL (less than one container shipping) service from China to Panama.
FCL and LCL shipping are common and if you are shipping large, heavy project cargo from China to Panama, we recommend using a flat rack or open top container solution.
Major ports in Panama
Balboa
Port of Balboa, the Pacific-side port of the Panama Canal, one of the busiest ports in Latin America
Balboa’s location makes it Latin America’s top trans-shipping terminal with an annual capacity of 4 million TEU
Cristobal
Port of Cristobal is located at the entrance of Panama Canal to the Atlantic side.
Strategic location: connects with the most important maritime routes of Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean.
Colon
Colon Free Zone & Colon Container Terminal
Lying near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal.
Port with the highest container traffic in Latin America
Manzanillo
Manzanillo International Terminal-Panama, different from the Manzanillo of Mexico.
One of the best ports in Latin America
Cost Of Shipping 20ft & 40ft Container From China To Panama
- The average price to ship a container from China to Panama is from $3150 to $5850 US Dollars.
- The shipping price to ship a full container from China to Panama ranges depending on the size of the container (20ft or 40ft), and the schedule route, please contact our quotation team to receive a detailed rate to ship your container from China to the major container ports in Panama.
How much does it cost to ship a 20ft container from China to Panama, the average price to ship a 20ft container from China to Panama is from $3050 to $4250. The shipping timeline to ship a 20 foot container from China to Panama ranges depending on the route.
How much does it cost to ship a 40ft container from China to Panama, the average price to ship a 40ft container from China to Panama is from $4050 to $5850. The shipping timeline to ship a 40 foot container from China to Panama ranges depending on the route.
How Much Does Container Shipping rates From China To Panama in 2024
These are the average prices to ship a container from China Panama with the cheapest rates for loading and shipping containers from the major ports in China to Panama for 20ft and 40ft containers (FCL) with all types of cargo such as: commercial cargo, vehicles, or personal effects for international shipments from China to Panama.
| Container shipping service from China to Panama | Type of container | Ocean freight rates from China to Panama: |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Shanghai China to Panama. | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4150 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Shenzhen China to Panama. | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Ningbo-Zhoushan China to Panama. | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Hong Kong China to Panama. | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Guangzhou China to Panama. | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Qingdao China to Panama | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Tianjin China to Panama | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4150 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Dalian China to Panama | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Xiamen China to Panama | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
| How much does it cost to ship a container from Yingkou China to Panama | 20 foot container FCL 40 foot container FCL | average price from: $3150 20FT average price from: $4850 40FT |
How long does it take to get to Panama by sea from China
The average transit time, sailing, and vessel schedule to ship your container from China to Panama from the major ports in China.
| Continent of origin | Country of origin | Port of origin | Port of destination | Transit time (days) | 20DV FCL 40HQ FCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | China | Port of Shanghai | Colon Container Terminal | 35 | $4150 |
| Asia | China | Port of Shenzhen | Manzanillo International Terminal | 40 | $4850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan | Balboa Port | 38 | $4850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Hong Kong | PSA Panama Internacional Terminal | 39 | $4850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Guangzhou | Colon Container Terminal | 40 | $4850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Qingdao | Manzanillo International Terminal | 42 | $4850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Tianjin | Balboa Port | 42 | $5850 |
| Asia | China | Port of Dalian | PSA Panama Internacional Terminal | 27 | $3150 |
| Asia | China | Port of Xiamen | Colon Container Terminal | 25 | $4150 |
| Asia | China | Port of Yingkou | Manzanillo International Terminal | 25 | $4250 |
Top 10 best shipping routes to ship containers from China to Panama
At Linkshare company we offer many options of routes to ship containers to Panama from China. The following are the 10 most popular busiest shipping routes to the major container port in Panama used by exporters and importers from China.
| Origin port in China | Destination port in Panama |
|---|---|
| Port of Shanghai | Colon Container Terminal |
| Port of Shenzhen | Manzanillo International Terminal |
| Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan | Balboa Port |
| Port of Hong Kong | PSA Panama Internacional Terminal |
| Port of Guangzhou | Colon Container Terminal |
| Port of Qingdao | Manzanillo International Terminal |
| Port of Tianjin | Balboa Port |
| Port of Dalian | PSA Panama Internacional Terminal |
| Port of Xiamen | Colon Container Terminal |
| Port of Yingkou | Manzanillo International Terminal |
Air Freight from China to Panama
We have developed a vast network of carriers that specialize in air cargo transportation, offering daily and weekly departures from China’s main airports to any air destination in the globe.
Our air freight service from China to Panama provides safe and reliable solutions for all your air transportation needs including time sensitive and high value commodities. Our shipping options include airport-to-airport, door-to-door, airport-to-door and door-to-airport services, among others.
When shipping by air, our team of experts offers the most cost-effective solutions and the fastest routes available. We take care of your shipments from beginning to end, overseeing every stage in the logistics chain, from the moment your cargo is picked up until it gets delivered to its destination.
Depending on the shipping route chosen, the average transit time for air cargo from China to Panama is usually 5 to 10 days. This could vary in times when there is a high volume of cargo moving due to a higher demand in the market.
China main loading ports (POL) and Panama main ports of discharge (POD) for sea freight & air freight
| SEAFREIGHT | AIRFREIGHT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main POL | Main POD | Main POL | Main POD |
| Shanghai | Manzanillo | Shenzhen (SZX) | Panama City (PTY) |
| Shenzhen | Balboa | Shanghai (PVG) | |
| Ningbo | Colon | Beijing (PEK) | |
| Qingdao | Rodman | Qingdao (TAO) | |
| Guangzhou | Panama City | Ningbo (NBG) | |
| Tianjin | Xiamen (XMN) | ||
| Dalian | Guangzhou (CAN) | ||
| Xiamen | Hong-Kong (HKG) | ||
| Hong-Kong | Zhengzhou (CGO) | ||
| Macao | Xi’An (XIY) |
Air Freight Cost From China To Panama
Air freight shipping costs depend on the departure city, destination airport, and the weight and volume of the shipment. Prices per kilogram typically range from USD 5 -10 per kg depending on the specific air cargo carrier and route.
How to ship from China to Panama
Step 1: Contact a freight forwarder; a China based one is better.
You may reach out to a freight forwarder either from China or in Panama. While a Panamanian forwarder is most likely to rely on a Chinese local shipping agent. So China based forwarder is recommended, as the majority of complexities and uncertainties of international cargo shipping lie in origin, not in destination.
More on “Why you should work with a local China freight forwarder”
Step 2: Get a shipping quote from China
Step 3: Connect forwarder with supplier
Step 4: Get cargo insurance (optional)
Step 5: Arrange customs clearance
Or you can use us for the easiest one-stop door to door shipping solution from China to Panama.
What documents are required to import in Panama from China
The requirements to import into Panama from China are to present the commercial invoice translated into English and the detailed packing list, which must indicate the details of the quantity, the type of product and the shipment location, and then provide the following documents to Customs in Panama:
Imports from China must have the following documentation:
- Bill of lading manifest, which is used for the import, release, and tax purposes.
- Tax Identification Number in Panama
- Location of the tariff subheading, and commodity
- Registration as a importer in Panama
- Panama Customs Value Declaration
- Debt free in Panama
- Moving Inventory to Panama from China (simple copy)
- Have a trade or company patent in Panama that must indicate that you are dedicated to importing from China.
- Phytosanitary Export Certificate from China (simple copy)
- Demonstrate economic solvency in Panama
- Establish the terms of the Incoterms agreement for importation.
- Find a good customs broker in Panama
- Shipping company’s original bill of lading, sea waybill or airwaybill
- Packing list
- Commercial invoice
- Combined Certificate of Value and Origin from China(CCVO)
- Power of attorney that authorizes your customs broker to to do the import customs clearance for you in the Panama.