Sea container, air cargo shipping from China to Panama

Panama is a transcontinental country in Central America and South America, borders Costa Rica and Colombia, owns the Panama Canal, gateway that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The 5th round of China-Panama Free Trade Agreement negotiation was held in Beijing on Apr 29, 2019. It’s the consensus reached by China and Panama that to launch the construction of China-Panama Free Trade Agreement is of great significance, which will benefit trade in goods, trade in services, investment, etc. 

Explore a complete guide to shipping from China to Panama, including shipping method, timing, costs, best way to ship, and what to expect from a professional freight forwarder for your cargo from China to Panama.

From China to Panama, the most commonly used modes of transportations are sea and air freight. There are many international freight forwarding companies that offer container shipping and air cargo transport services. It’s vital to work with a freight forwarder who understands your needs and always carries out the best tailored shipping solution from China to Panama.

Sea Freight from China to Panama

If you are looking for a cost-efficient way to ship your goods from China to Panama, then you should probably opt for sea freight. Sea freight is the mode of transport in which goods are shipped by sea, mostly with container ships, sometimes with bulk cargo ships or RO-RO ships, tankers, etc. Shipping by sea is slow, and we’ll have to allow for 20-30 days for a container from China to arrive in Panama. However the advantages are significant, besides its affordable price, sea freight is superior to other forms of shipping especially for goods in bulk or equipment of large size, over long distance.

FCL (Full container load): shipping a container filled with goods exclusively for one client from China to Panama. Generally, we offer FCL shipping service to Panama with 20ft container and 40ft container (20GP, 40GP and 40HQ). FCL is more cost efficient.
LCL (Less than container load): Sharing a container with other clients who have cargo to the same destination, at the same time. Naturally, due to extra work (consolidation, de-consolidation, warehousing, paperwork, etc.), the final cost on each unit is higher than FCL, and shipping takes longer. LCL is a good choice for small business to start with. If your cargo can’t fill an entire container, our consolidation (LCL shipping) service from China to Panama is always available.
FCL and LCL shipments are common, if you are shipping large, heavy project cargo from China to Panama, we’d recommend flat rack or open top container solution.
Reefer containers: for cold-chain transportation
Breakbulk: for large and bulk shipment
RO-RO: for vehicles and wheeled cargo

Our sea freight forwarding services from China to Panama covers all the major Chinese ports: Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc.
We offer port to port, door to port and door to door shipping services from China to Panama, depending on your specific requirements. With our door-to-door service, considering the final destination, we’ll transport your cargo via the most convenient port in Panama, such as Balboa, Cristobal, Colon, Manzanillo, etc.

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

Looking to ship containers or other sea shipments from China to Panama? We got the one-stop shipping solution for you.
Contact us, and get a shipping cost from China to Panama.

Air Freight from China to Panama

Air freight provides a quick solution to shipping your goods from China to Panama when time is of essence. Maybe you are running out of time for a project’s deadline, maybe the cargo to be shipped is perishable, can’t withstand the one-month transit time across the ocean from China to reach Panama. Air cargo shipping is the perfect solution when all other modes of transportation can’t meet your timing requirement. Sometimes people prefer air shipping for high-value products, because it ensures higher level of safety compared to sea shipping. 

We have developed strong relationships with major air carriers and established a vast network of air cargo transportation, offering daily and weekly cargo flights from China’s main airports to Panama. 
When shipping by air with us, we provide the best shipping solution and the fastest route which meets your needs and guarantees a relatively cost-efficient way. Flying your cargo with us gives you peace of mind as we take care of your air shipments from pick-up till delivery to the destination, overseeing every link of the logistics chain.
Our air shipping options include airport-to-airport, door-to-airport and door-to-door services from China to Panama.

Due to some limitations and restrictions, not everything can be air shipped, and some projects may not be worth air shipping. 
Consult our team for advice before you proceed. Get a solution and freight quote for your China-Panama air shipment. 

Airports in Panama

Panama City (IATA CODE: PTY)
Panama City Tocumen International Airport is the major international airport serving the Panama's capital - Panama City

How long does it take to ship from China to Panama?

Shipping from China to Panama takes 20-30 days by sea, and 5-7 days by air. Actual transit time may vary depending on the service and route chosen, weather, terminal congestion, etc. 

China-Panama sea freight transit time

The transit time of shipping a container from China to Panama ranges from 20 to 30 days, port to port. 
Container shipping transit time by sea from China to Balboa and Cristobal

POL (port of loading)	POD (port of discharge)	Transit time
Shanghai	Balboa	24 days
Shanghai	Cristobal	26 days
Shenzhen	Balboa	27 days
Shenzhen	Cristobal	29 days
Qingdao	Balboa	28 days
Qingdao	Cristobal	30 days

FYI: The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice on carrier.
Shanghai in East China, Shenzhen South China, and Qingdao North China, data from these 3 ports is enough to demonstrate the sea shipping time from China to Panama.
Above transit time is for full container load shipping, port to port only, for LCL shipping time estimate, pls add 7-10 days.

China-Panama air shipping transit time

Generally an air shipment from China to Panama takes 5-7 days. Between Chinese cities and Panama cities, there are no direct flight services. 
If you are seeking the fastest way of shipping from China to Panama, contact us and get the best service route and fastest speed with the least lead time. Get an air shipping quote from us.

Best way to ship from China to Panama

To find out the best way to ship from China to Panama, you’d better rely on an experienced freight forwarder for their knowledge and insight. Every shipment is different, and the market is fast changing. Whatever the situation is, one standard never changes: fast and safe delivery of shipment at the minimum shipping cost possible.
1.    The type of goods and its value
2.    How quickly you need your goods
3.    The load of your goods (size, weight, quantity) or simply share the packing list
4.    Supplier address (origin seaport/airport), delivery address(destination seaport/airport)
5.    Your budget
6.    Goods ready time
As a freight forwarder, we’ll take the above factors into consideration to decide the best shipping solution tailored to your needs. 
Get in touch with us by filling in the form, and start a stress-free cargo shipping experience from China to Panama. Request a quote from us.

How much does shipping from China to Panama cost?

Shipping a 40ft container from China to Panama used to cost $1000-2000, shipping rates went up 7-8 times after the pandemic. Similar case with air freight

First of all, each shipment is different, and clients may have various requirements under some specific circumstances. Secondly, the shipping market is fast changing, sea and air freight rates fluctuate frequently, affected by seasonal and strategic adjustment by carriers, as well as by the relationship between supply and demand. The year-on-year difference could be drastic, and price for last week may not be valid for this week. Besides, client’s timing requirement also influences the shipping cost. General rule of thumb, the quicker you wish to receive the shipment, the more you’ll have to pay for shipping. 
Knowing the shipping cost is essential to business if you are importing goods from China to Panama. Shipping cost is an indispensable, and sometimes could be a large part of the final landed cost of imported goods. 

It’s impossible to provide a general estimate of shipping cost from China to Panama. Contact us now to obtain a tailored shipping solution and the latest shipping cost from China to Panama.

Freight forwarder shipping from China to Panama

Dealing with shipment from China to Panama yourself could be a tough job, time & energy consuming, so why not leave it to a professional freight forwarder?

Using an experienced freight forwarder to handle your shipments from China to Panama allows you focus more on your main business, to bring the best out of you. Everybody’s got his specialty and expertise. With the help of a professional freight forwarding team, your shipment will be well planned and carried out smoothly, avoiding delay and potential extra charges, and freight management made easier than ever.

As one of the top China based freight forwarders serving Panama, we have the knowledge, expertise and experience to provide the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. Leave it to the expert, and you are freed from all the troubles and complexity of shipping and logistics. 

Door to door shipping solution from China to Panama

Moreover, we have representatives in Panama and have been working with freight forwarders from Panama as well. By combining our freight forwarding services with their networks, we provide door to door shipping solution from China to Panama.

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.

Why us when importing and shipping from China to Panama

We are China based freight forwarder specialized and experienced in international logistics for China-Panama import & export business. Through years of effort on China-Latin America trade lane, we have developed service agreements with the best sea and air shipping carriers. This allows us to offer various shipping solutions, routes and schedules from China to Panama at fair rates with space guarantee especially in peak seasons. 
1.    Quick Response, high efficiency
2.    Communication
3.    Professionalism, agility, accuracy
4.    Our logistics expertise, local and global connections
5.    Cost-saving
6.    Dedicated, focused
7.    Higher attention & tailored shipping solution
More on Why us when importing and shipping from China to Panama

As one of the leading China based freight forwarder serving Panama, we have the logistics expertise, local knowledge and global network to fulfill a fast and safe delivery of shipment from China to Panama. Whatever you are shipping, standard sea container, air cargo, refrigerated or oversized cargo, we got your covered. 

If you are interested in shipping from China to Panama (Balboa, Cristobal, Colon, Panama City, Manzanillo, etc.) whether by sea or air, reach out to the best freight forwarder to ensure the best-in-class shipping experience. 
Contact us, get a shipping solution and quote for your China-Panama shipment.