Shipping from China
to Ghana.

Choose how your cargo travels

Full container (FCL). A 20ft or 40ft container for your goods only. The best value from roughly 15 cubic metres upward, and the safest option for high-value stock, because the box is sealed at origin and opened only for customs examination in Ghana.

Shared container (LCL). Pay only for the space you use. Your cartons are consolidated with other shippers at origin, often in Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Yiwu, and separated again after clearance in Ghana. Good for first orders and mixed suppliers. Compare the two in FCL vs LCL shipping.

Air cargo. For samples, spare parts, phones and accessories, and urgent stock. Charged by actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher, and cleared at Accra airport. See air freight to Ghana and clearing at Accra airport.

For more on containers, reefers and sailings into Tema, read our sea freight to Ghana page.

How to ship from Alibaba and 1688 to Ghana

Most goods from China to Ghana are now bought online. The shipping works the same way whichever platform you use, but there are a few points to get right.

• Agree the Incoterm. Ask for an EXW or FOB price and let us handle the freight. CIF or "door to door" offers from suppliers often leave large local charges for you to pay at Tema. See Incoterms for Ghana importers.
• Give the supplier our origin warehouse address. Suppliers on 1688 usually sell only inside China, so they need a domestic delivery address. Your goods are received there, checked against your order, and loaded with your other purchases.
• Ask for a proper invoice and packing list. Customs in Ghana values goods from the invoice, the description and the HS code. A screenshot of an order page is not enough.
• Mark every carton. Your name or shipping mark on each carton stops LCL goods going astray when the container is unpacked.

How a China shipment works with us

1. Send your supplier details, the commercial invoice or proforma, and the cargo size.
2. We quote freight, clearance and delivery together, so there are no gaps between handovers.
3. We book the space, collect from the supplier or receive at the origin warehouse, and confirm the bill of lading or air waybill.
4. You can follow the shipment on our tracking page while it sails.
5. Before arrival we classify the goods, check the HS codes and prepare the declaration in ICUMS, so clearance starts the day the vessel discharges.
6. We clear the goods through our clearing agent service in Tema and deliver to your warehouse or shop, or hold them in storage in Tema until you need them.

What makes up the cost

Your landed cost has four parts: the freight itself, origin charges in China, Ghana import duty and taxes, and local charges at Tema (terminal handling, shipping line fees and haulage). Duty is usually the largest. Use the import duty calculator to estimate it from your invoice value, and read Ghana import duty explained to see how the levies stack up.

Freight from China moves with fuel prices, season and space on the ships, and rates often rise before Chinese New Year when factories rush to ship. LCL is priced per cubic metre, so the size of your cartons matters more than their weight. Two things inflate costs more than any other: wrong or incomplete documents, and containers left at the port past their free days. We work to prevent both. For the full breakdown, see container shipping cost to Ghana.

Documents you need

• Commercial invoice and packing list from the supplier
• Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air)
• Your TIN or Ghana Card number as the importer
• Permits for regulated goods, for example FDA for food, cosmetics and medicines, or GSA for certain products

See the full import documents checklist, or start with how to import goods into Ghana if this is your first order.

Common delays and how to avoid them

• Low or vague invoices. Customs compares your declared value with its own data. An invoice that undervalues the goods, or describes them only as "accessories" or "parts", leads to queries and uplifts. Declare true values and clear descriptions.
• Missing permits. Food, cosmetics, medicines and some electrical goods need approval before release. Tell us what you are buying before the supplier ships.
• Batteries and restricted goods. Power banks, lithium batteries, liquids and branded goods have special rules, especially by air. Check with us before you order.
• Late documents. Ask your supplier to send the final invoice and packing list as soon as the goods load, not when the ship arrives.
• Peak season. Space tightens before Chinese New Year and in the run-up to Christmas. Book early and allow extra time.

Start your China shipment

Send us what you are buying, the supplier's city, rough carton sizes and where in Ghana the goods need to go. We reply with a door-to-door quote covering freight, clearance and delivery. Use the quote form or contact us directly.

If you already have goods on the water with another forwarder, send us the bill of lading and invoice and we can take over the clearance and delivery from arrival at Tema.

Questions