A standard 40ft container from Shanghai to Khalifa Bin Salman costs approximately US$2,200 (range $1,936–$2,530) with a total sea transit of 22 days and typical door-to-door lead time of 29–33 days including port handling and customs clearance. Bahrain applies 5% customs duty and 10% VAT on imported goods.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 40ft container (low–high) | $1,936 – $2,530 |
| 20ft container (low–high) | $1,258 – $1,644 |
| Origin ports | Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin |
| Destination ports | Khalifa Bin Salman |
| Major carriers | MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd |
| Customs duty | 5% |
| VAT | 10% |
| FTA benefit | Standard MFN rates apply |
Indicative General Cargo rates; refreshed monthly by Tradloc's trade desk.
| Departure port | 40ft (USD) | 20ft (USD) | Sea transit (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | $2,200 | $1,430 | 22 |
| Ningbo | $2,068 | $1,344 | 22 |
| Shenzhen | $2,244 | $1,459 | 22 |
| Qingdao | $2,156 | $1,401 | 22 |
| Tianjin | $2,310 | $1,502 | 22 |
Rates differ by loading port because of terminal handling and inland positioning costs in China.
Indicative 40ft container freight into Bahrain across the lanes importers request most often. The China lane is highlighted, so you can see instantly whether switching origin would materially change your ocean freight line item. Figures are the mid-point of each lane's assessed range and exclude duty, VAT and destination clearance.
China is the highest-volume container origin into the Gulf, dominated by manufactured goods, building materials, steel products and commodity chemicals moving out of the Yangtze and Pearl River delta ports.
Direct weekly services from Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen; multiple carrier options and the deepest equipment availability of any origin on this list.
Bahrain clears through Khalifa Bin Salman Port and also serves as a lower-cost entry option for cargo trucked onward to Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.
Run the freight estimator for China → Bahrain.