FCL shipping from China to Kenya starts with a decision many importers leave to their supplier: which Chinese port the container sails from. We ship full container loads from Shanghai, Qingdao, Nansha and Tianjin, and the right choice depends on where your goods are made, how many suppliers you are combining, and how the sailing connects to Mombasa. Getting it right saves inland trucking cost and avoids days of avoidable delay.

Let the Supplier’s Location Choose the Port

Your factory’s location usually decides the port. Trucking a container hundreds of kilometres to a faraway port adds cost, time and risk of damage, while loading at a nearby port keeps inland haulage short. The exception is when you’re combining goods from several suppliers into one container, in which case the best port is the one that suits most of them.

The Four Ports in Brief

Shanghai serves the Yangtze River Delta, a dense manufacturing region covering Shanghai and neighbouring provinces, and is one of the world’s busiest container ports.
Qingdao serves Shandong and northern China, a region commonly associated with machinery, chemicals, tyres and agricultural products.
Nansha (Guangzhou) serves the Pearl River Delta, home to much of China’s electronics, furniture, lighting and household goods production.
Tianjin is the gateway for Beijing, Hebei and north China, commonly associated with heavy industry, steel products and machinery.

Production clusters overlap, so confirm your own supplier’s nearest port with us rather than assuming.

Transit Time: Plan on Ranges, Not Promises

Transit depends on the carrier, whether the service is direct or involves transhipment, and the season. As an example of a published schedule, a carrier’s Far East to Kenya service announced in 2023 quoted roughly 20 days from Nansha, 24 from Shanghai and 27 from Qingdao to Mombasa, while forwarders commonly quote about three to six weeks overall for planning. Treat these as indicators only. Ask us for current routing and cut-off dates for your cargo, and add buffer for port congestion in peak season.

Choosing the Container

Containers come mainly as 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high-cube, offering very roughly 30, 60 and 70 cubic metres of usable space. Which one is best depends on whether your cargo runs out of volume or weight first: light, bulky goods fill the volume, while dense goods such as tiles, steel products or liquids hit weight limits before the box is full. Overloading is not an option, since verified gross mass must be declared and road weight limits apply in Kenya; see our axle load guide.

Before Loading: Get These Right

The Advance Cargo Declaration reference must be obtained and endorsed on the Bill of Lading before loading, or the container can be refused. Regulated products need a Certificate of Conformity from pre-export inspection, wooden crates need ISPM 15 treatment, and you need the Certificate of Origin and export declaration document. Ask for photos of the stuffing and the seal number before the container leaves the factory.

Arrival in Mombasa

Containers arriving at Mombasa need a nominated container freight station and prompt clearance, because storage charges start running quickly. See our guides to clearing at Mombasa Port and ICD Nairobi versus Mombasa to plan where your cargo will be cleared.

What We Need to Quote an FCL Shipment

What the product is, and its HS code if you know it
Where your supplier is (city and province), since this decides the port or airport
Cargo size: number of cartons, total cubic metres (CBM) and gross weight in kg
Packaging type (cartons, pallets, wooden crates) and whether goods are fragile or heavy
The Incoterm on your supplier’s quotation (EXW or FOB) and the supplier’s contact
Your target arrival date, and any permits or certificates your product needs

Planning a full container from China? Request an FCL quote from Clearon Logistics and tell us your supplier’s location, and we’ll confirm port and sailing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which port should I choose for FCL from China? The one nearest your supplier, unless you are consolidating several suppliers, in which case choose the port that suits most of them.

How long does FCL take from China to Mombasa? Commonly three to six weeks overall depending on carrier, routing and season. Ask for current options rather than relying on averages.

What container size should I use? Choose based on whether your cargo fills the volume or reaches the weight limit first, and stay within legal weight limits in China and Kenya.

What must be done before the container is loaded? Obtain the ACD reference, complete inspection and certificates, use compliant packaging, and prepare the Certificate of Origin and export declaration document.