Sea Freight from Shanghai to ICD Tughlakabad
From booking to delivery order, we run the Shanghai–Tughlakabad lane end to end: pickup, documentation, sailing and customs on the India side.
Trade Lane Overview
Shanghai → Tughlakabad at a Glance
Shanghai is the world's largest container port, offering the widest carrier choice and most frequent India sailings of any Chinese gateway. ICD Tughlakabad in New Delhi is North India's largest dry port, where containers arrive by dedicated rail and clear customs in the capital. Apextar operates this pairing week in, week out — typical cargo includes electronics, machinery, garments and general merchandise.
Door-to-port, Shanghai and Tughlakabad sit around 4,242 km apart by sea. Carriers serving this lane usually schedule 21–27 days port-to-port, though direct versus transhipment strings change that window.
Apextar runs this lane as a scheduled service rather than a one-off booking: consistent space allocation from Shanghai, consolidated LCL slots for smaller shipments, and a single Indian customs team handling clearance at Tughlakabad.
Indicative port-to-port transit on this lane is around 21–27 days over roughly 4,242 km, depending on carrier, routing and season. Since Tughlakabad is an inland container depot, boxes discharge at Nhava Sheva or Mundra and move by rail under bond, clearing customs at ICD Tughlakabad itself.
Origin
Shanghai, Shanghai — China
Destination
ICD Tughlakabad, Delhi — India
Inland container depot · gateway via Nhava Sheva or Mundra
Transit
21–27 days
Distance
4,242 km
Typical Cargo
Electronics, machinery, garments and general merchandise
Why This Lane
Why Ship Shanghai → Tughlakabad With Apextar
Regular sailings from Shanghai keep space available without booking months ahead.
FCL and consolidated LCL both run on this lane, so small and large shipments are equally straightforward.
Clearing at ICD Tughlakabad itself, instead of the gateway port, cuts last-mile trucking for consignees in Delhi.
One Apextar team handles pickup, freight and Indian customs, so there's a single point of accountability end to end.
Door to Door
What Apextar Handles on This Lane
Origin Pickup & Export
Factory collection around Shanghai, export documentation and Chinese customs formalities before loading.
Ocean Freight
FCL and LCL bookings with vetted carriers sailing to Nhava Sheva or Mundra, at standard or premium speed.
Indian Customs Clearance
In-house brokerage at Tughlakabad — classification, duty coordination and release without a separate agent.
Delivery in Delhi
Last-mile trucking from Tughlakabad to your warehouse, with tracking from booking to proof of delivery.
Paperwork
Documents You'll Need
What we collect and file for the Shanghai → Tughlakabad shipment.
Commercial Invoice & Packing List
Itemised value, HS codes and package-level weights and measures for the Shanghai shipment, used for both Chinese export clearance and Indian customs assessment.
Bill of Lading
Issued once the container is loaded at the Shanghai terminal — a negotiable original B/L or an express/telex release, depending on how you want title to transfer.
Certificate of Origin
Confirms Chinese origin for duty calculation and, where applicable, preferential tariff treatment on arrival in India.
Importer's IEC & GST Registration
Your Import Export Code and GST details, required before Apextar's brokerage team can file the Bill of Entry at Tughlakabad.
Bill of Entry
Filed by our customs house agents at Tughlakabad to assess duty and secure release, after the container rails in under bond from Nhava Sheva or Mundra.
BIS / Compliance Certificates
Many electronics and appliance categories need BIS registration or a compliance declaration before Indian customs will release the cargo — we flag this during booking.
Customs & Compliance
Clearing Cargo at Tughlakabad
Apextar's in-house customs house agents file the Bill of Entry, coordinate duty payment and manage examinations at Tughlakabad, so you're not chasing a separate broker. Because Tughlakabad is an inland container depot, the container first discharges at Nhava Sheva or Mundra and moves under an electronic bond to ICD Tughlakabad, where it clears customs — a step our documentation team tracks so the bond is closed without delay.
Timing It Right
Seasonal Considerations
Chinese New Year (typically late January to mid-February) is the one predictable disruption on this lane: factories around Shanghai close for one to two weeks and carriers cut sailings, so cargo booked in the fortnight either side of the holiday should be planned early. On the Indian side, the June–September southwest monsoon can slow port operations and inland trucking from Tughlakabad, so it's worth building in a few extra days during those months. Demand also climbs from August to October as importers stock up for the Indian festive season, which can push rates up and tighten equipment availability.
Good to Know
Shanghai to Tughlakabad — FAQs
How long does shipping from Shanghai to Tughlakabad take?
Around 21–27 days end to end on typical schedules, though carrier, routing and season all shift this. Cargo discharges at Nhava Sheva or Mundra and rails under customs bond to ICD Tughlakabad, where clearance and handover take place.
Do you handle both FCL and LCL on this route?
Yes — we book full containers (20', 40', 40'HC and special equipment) and consolidate smaller LCL shipments from the Shanghai area on regular schedules.
Who clears customs when my cargo reaches Tughlakabad?
Apextar's in-house brokerage team files and clears your consignment in Delhi, handling duty assessment, examinations and the delivery order so you don't need a separate agent.
How do I get a rate for Shanghai to Tughlakabad?
Send us the cargo details — commodity, volume or container count, and readiness date — via our quote form, and we'll respond with current rates and sailing options for the Shanghai–Tughlakabad lane.
Is cargo insurance included?
Marine insurance isn't automatically included but is easy to add — for a shipment on the Shanghai–Tughlakabad lane we can quote all-risk cover alongside your freight rate.
What affects the freight rate on this lane?
Container type and quantity, cargo weight or volume for LCL, the season (Chinese New Year and the pre-Diwali months run tighter), and whether you need standard or premium transit all move the rate — we quote current pricing per shipment rather than a fixed tariff.
Can you handle Shanghai's typical export cargo?
Yes — Shanghai's typical export mix, electronics, machinery, garments and general merchandise, is cargo we move routinely on this lane. Anything needing special documentation, equipment or handling is flagged during booking so there are no surprises at Tughlakabad.
Keep Exploring
Related China → India Routes
Ready to Ship Shanghai → Tughlakabad?
Share your cargo details and our team will come back with current rates and sailing options for this lane.