Shipping cost from China to Ghana
To ship from China to Ghana in 2026, expect $11–$14.5/kg air express (2–5 days) or $210–$290/CBM sea LCL (38–52 days). Main port: Port of Tema (Greater Accra).
Live calculator below, plus the full per-method table, port + forwarder context, and a link to the duty + VAT applied by Ghana Revenue Authority — Customs Division on arrival.
How much does it cost to ship from China to Ghana?
+ customs duty + VAT applied at arrival (see the customs page for your country).
Estimate based on indicative China → Africa rates (June 2026 reference). Real quotes vary by season, container availability, weight density and forwarder relationship. Confirm with your freight forwarder before booking.
Freight rates by method — China → Ghana
| Method | Range | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Air express (DHL/FedEx/UPS) | $11–$15 /kg | 2–5 d |
| Air standard / consolidator | $7–$10 /kg | 7–12 d |
| Sea LCL (less than container) | $210–$290 /CBM | 38–52 d |
| Sea FCL — 20ft container | $2,900–$4,400 /container | 38–52 d |
| Sea FCL — 40ft container | $4,800–$7,200 /container | 38–52 d |
Ports and infrastructure: Ghana
Main seaport: Port of Tema (Greater Accra), Port of Takoradi (Western Region).
Air-cargo gateway: Kotoka International Airport, Accra (ACC).
Typical imported goods: textiles and printed fabrics, electronics, construction steel and rebar, motorcycles, machinery.
Customs authority: Ghana Revenue Authority — Customs Division. See the customs page →
What the China → Ghana lane looks like
Lane type. This is a well-covered direct coastal lane to a single dominant container port, with a secondary western port handling bulk and resource cargo.
What that means in practice. Because almost all boxed imports funnel through one main terminal, sailing schedules are predictable and LCL consolidation is easy to find, but that single chokepoint also concentrates any congestion delay.
What affects your shipping cost
- Cargo density. Air freight charges the higher of actual vs volumetric weight. For bulky/light goods (foam, clothing), volumetric dominates. For dense goods (metal), actual weight does.
- Season. Q4 (October–December, before Christmas and Lunar New Year) is peak season — prices can rise 20–40%. Q1–Q2 is low season.
- Arrival port fees. Handling, storage, clearance — easily US$200–500 on arrival even for a small LCL shipment. Always request a "door-to-door all-in" quote.
- Currency and FX. Freight is billed in USD. Conversion at time of payment to your forwarder in Cedi — watch the USD/GHS rate.
Which Chinese ports usually serve Ghana?
Five Chinese hubs dominate exports to Ghana: Shenzhen / Yantian (Pearl River Delta, the largest for electronics), Shanghai / Yangshan (Yangtze, broad high-tonnage), Ningbo-Zhoushan (Zhejiang, near Yiwu), Guangzhou / Nansha (south China), and Qingdao (north China, machinery and steel).
Choice depends on where your supplier is located (each hub drains ~500 km of hinterland), departure schedule to Port of Tema (Greater Accra), and container availability. Ask your forwarder the weekly sailing frequency from each port — that determines whether you wait 3 or 14 days to load.
Printed-fabric and textile shipments are a staple of this lane, so forwarders here are practiced at the documentation those goods require — useful if that is what you import.
Choosing a forwarder for Ghana
Because almost everything funnels through one dominant terminal, pick a forwarder with a strong relationship at that single port — its local standing there matters more than a broad multi-port network you will never use.
A good China → Ghana forwarder does three things: (1) has an office or correspondent BOTH in China AND in Ghana, (2) can consolidate multiple suppliers into a single shipment, (3) knows Ghana Revenue Authority — Customs Division and can handle clearance at Port of Tema (Greater Accra) without an additional middleman.
Always request a "door-to-door" quote that includes: pickup at the Chinese supplier, export fees, sea or air freight, arrival port fees, customs clearance, and delivery to your warehouse. On this lane specifically, validate the forwarder with a small test batch (1 CBM or 50 kg) before trusting them with a full shipment.