Your Complete Guide to Sea Freight Transit Times (North America, South America, Europe, Middle East)
Apr 17, 2026
Understanding How Long Your Shipment Really Takes
When planning your international orders, transit time is critical. Below we break down port-to-port & door-to-door shipping times from China to your region, explain the full shipping process, and clarify the difference between port and door delivery.
◆◆ Key Sea Freight Transit Times (From China)
◆◆ Basic Shipping Process
• Booking & Loading: Reserve container space, stuff cargo, export declaration (1–3 days)
• Port & Sea Transit: Terminal handling, ocean carriage (core transit time)
• Destination & Delivery: Unloading, import customs, pick-up or door delivery (3–7 days)
◆◆ Port-to-Port vs. Door-to-Door
• Port-to-Port (PTP): From origin port to destination port only
◦ No inland trucking; consignee handles customs & pick-up
• Door-to-Door (DTD): From shipper warehouse to consignee address
◦ Includes pick-up, customs (both sides), sea freight, last-mile delivery
◆◆ Estimated Transit Times (From China)
• North America
◦ West Coast (LAX/LGB): PTP 14–18 days | DTD 20–30 days
◦ East Coast (NYC): PTP 25–35 days | DTD 35–45 days
• South America
◦ West: PTP 25–30 days | DTD 35–45 days
◦ East: PTP 30–35 days | DTD 42–55 days
• Europe
◦ North Europe (Rotterdam/Hamburg): PTP 28–35 days | DTD 35–50 days
◦ Mediterranean (Barcelona/Genoa): PTP 25–32 days | DTD 32–45 days
• Middle East (Dubai/Jebel Ali)
◦ PTP 18–25 days | DTD 25–35 days
◆◆ Tips
• Allow 7–10 extra days during peak seasons
• DTD takes longer but is fully hassle-free
