Sea · 40ft container
$5,726–7,965- Route
- Shanghai to Durban
- Load
- 15,000 kg
- Transit
- 26–52 days
Freightos · Oct 14, 2026
Insights / Trade corridors / China → South Africa
China 
South Africa
Electrical equipment, Machinery and Vehicles and parts lead the goods shipped from Shanghai to Durban, with sea transit of 26–52 days on today's estimate.
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- Freight · 40ft container$5,726–7,965Shanghai to Durban, 15,000 kgFreightos · Oct 14, 2026
- USD – ZAR16.476▲ 2.2%Frankfurter · Oct 14, 2026
- Imports from China, 2024$21.76bnReported by South AfricaUN Comtrade
- Top product groupElectrical equipmentHS 85UN Comtrade
What's traded
The largest product groups South Africa reported importing from China in 2024, by HS chapter.
| # | Product group | HS | Value, 2024 | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical equipment | 85 | $5,693m | 26.2% |
| 2 | Machinery | 84 | $4,220m | 19.4% |
| 3 | Vehicles and parts | 87 | $1,362m | 6.3% |
| 4 | Iron and steel | 72 | $847m | 3.9% |
| 5 | Plastics | 39 | $708m | 3.3% |
| 6 | Organic chemicals | 29 | $619m | 2.8% |
| 7 | Footwear | 64 | $564m | 2.6% |
| 8 | Iron and steel articles | 73 | $544m | 2.5% |
Shipping this route
Market estimates for one shipment from Shanghai to Durban, by how you ship.
Estimates by Freightos (freightos.com). Prices in US dollars.
Duties and paperwork
Check the official tariff for goods from China into South Africa. A sample duty is shown only where a live UK, US or EU figure exists.
Providers on this route
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Coming up
- 15 Oct – 4 Nov2026
Tomorrow Guangzhou, China - 2–5Dec 2026
In 49 days Shanghai, China - 2–4Mar 2027
In 5 months Cape Town, South Africa
How corridor data works
- Every figure shows its source and the date it was fetched: Freightos, Frankfurter, UN Comtrade and official tariff services.
- Refreshed daily. Where a source returns nothing for a route, the figure is left out rather than guessed.
- Request firm quotes from verified providers before you book or sign.
Indicative figures from public sources, not a quote, an offer or a customs ruling. Trade values are reported by the importing country and can differ from the exporter's figures.