Current rates, transit times, and the weight brackets where the price steps down.
Sea Freight from China to Somalia is published at USD 368.1 per cubic metre, with 25-45 days door to door. Figures are indicative freight only; duty and tax through the national customs service follow the commodity and are quoted against your actual goods.
Indicative published rates for planning, not a quotation. Actual cost depends on the product and its HS code, chargeable weight, declared value, duty and tax at destination, and the exchange rate on the day.
| Service | Mode | Rate | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Value Sea DDP w/o Tax | 🚢 Sea Freight | USD 368.1/CBM ≈ USD 2.21/KG | View Details → |
| Sea DDP w/Tax | 🚢 Sea Freight | USD 593.8/CBM ≈ USD 3.56/KG | View Details → |
Freight is not billed on the number on your bathroom scale. It is billed on chargeable weight: the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000. Denser cargo pays on its weight; light bulky cargo pays on the space it occupies. Whichever is higher is the one you pay — never the lower.
Enter your tracking number below
Powered by 17TRACK — supports 2,000+ carriers worldwide
Detailed per-weight pricing for every active route from China to Somalia. Each tier reflects the published rate at that exact weight — useful for accurate budgeting at common shipment sizes.
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD/CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 368.11 |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 326.44 |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 307.92 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 298.66 |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 305.61 |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 328.76 |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 319.50 |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 287.09 |
| Volume | Approx. weight | Rate (USD/CBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CBM | ≈ 167 KG | USD 593.80 |
| 2 CBM | ≈ 333 KG | USD 552.14 |
| 3 CBM | ≈ 500 KG | USD 533.62 |
| 5 CBM | ≈ 833 KG | USD 524.36 |
| 8 CBM | ≈ 1,333 KG | USD 531.30 |
| 12 CBM | ≈ 2,000 KG | USD 554.45 |
| 20 CBM | ≈ 3,333 KG | USD 545.19 |
| 30 CBM | ≈ 5,000 KG | USD 512.79 |
Verified reviews from importers who have shipped with us to Somalia.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Somalia through this team. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. Transit was close to the estimate and the destination delivery appointment was handled well. Overall a reliable experience for repeat imports.
This was a DDP shipment to Somalia for mixed cartons. The route worked well for general cargo. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
We tested this lane to Somalia with a mid-volume order. The route worked well for general cargo. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Would use the same line again for general cargo. Ufuatiliaji ulikuwa mzuri mpaka mzigo kufika.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Somalia. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Would use the same line again for general cargo. Huduma ilikuwa nzuri na mizigo ilifika salama.
We tested this lane to Somalia with a mid-volume order. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Somalia through this team. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost.
Booked another door-to-door shipment to Somalia through this team. The route worked well for general cargo. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Would use the same line again for general cargo.
This was a DDP shipment to Somalia for mixed cartons. The route worked well for general cargo. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Somalia. The route worked well for general cargo. The landed price stayed aligned with the quote, which helped our budgeting. A practical option when we need predictable landed cost. Huduma ilikuwa nzuri na mizigo ilifika salama.
We tested this lane to Somalia with a mid-volume order. The route worked well for general cargo. The booking process was straightforward and the team confirmed documents early. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before. Ufuatiliaji ulikuwa mzuri mpaka mzigo kufika.
We used this route for a regular replenishment to Somalia. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. Cartons arrived clean and labels were still readable on delivery. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before.
This was a DDP shipment to Somalia for mixed cartons. Clearance at destination was smoother than our last shipment. Tracking updates were not excessive, but they came when something important changed. Better coordination than the forwarder we used before. Ufuatiliaji ulikuwa mzuri mpaka mzigo kufika.
Historical freight rates from China to Somalia. Data sourced from live carrier price feeds.
Reference data for the China → Somalia lane, worth checking before you book:
| Main sea gateways | the main commercial seaport |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | the national customs service |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | No practical de-minimis on most routes |
| Import tax & duty regime | Import VAT plus duty 5–35%; pre-shipment inspection common |
| Local currency | USD (freight priced in USD) |
| Typical port/airport dwell time | 7–21 days (congestion common) |
| Peak / busy season | Oct–Dec |
| Conformity & certification | Pre-shipment conformity certificate often mandatory |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
| Method | Transit Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air Freight DDP | 5–10 business days | From China warehouse to Somalia door |
| Sea Freight LCL | 30–50 calendar days | Shared container to Somalia port + delivery |
| Express Courier | 3–7 business days | DHL/FedEx/UPS door-to-door, high cost for this weight |
At 100 KG you've crossed into commercial freight — heavy enough to earn competitive per-kilo rates, yet still in the window where air can out-perform ocean once you price in inventory time. Typical cargo on this band into Somalia is electronics, apparel and general-goods replenishment.
A freight rate is a scope, not just a number. Two quotes for the same lane can differ by a third and still describe the same shipment, because one of them stops at the port and the other reaches the door. Here is where the line falls on the figures published above.
When you compare us against another quote, compare the scope first. Ask what the number stops at, whether duty is inside it or beside it, and who pays the destination terminal. The rate that looks cheapest on an email is frequently the one with the most left out of it.
On the current feed, China-to-Somalia rates open at USD 368.11/CBM via Sea DDP w/o Tax. For a 100 KG load that works out to a freight total of approximately USD 368. RateHive can manage the customs entry and import-tax step, while the duty itself follows the Import VAT plus duty 5–35%; pre-shipment inspection common set by the national customs service.
Entries into Somalia are assessed by the national customs service, and the regime that applies is: Import VAT plus duty 5–35%; pre-shipment inspection common. On de-minimis, the position is No practical de-minimis on most routes. RateHive offers managed clearance and tax processing — a coordination service, not Incoterms DDP — to handle these formalities for you.
Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H in centimetres divided by 6000. One cubic metre therefore equals 167 kg. If a consignment weighs 300 kg but measures out to only 200 kg volumetric, it is charged on the 300 kg — the higher of the two always wins. Sea LCL and sea DDP channels are published per cubic metre rather than per kilogram, with a one cubic metre minimum. Where a page knows only a weight, it converts at 167 kg per CBM to show an indicative volume — 100 kg shows as about 1 CBM. Send real dimensions for a firm figure.
Ocean cargo into Somalia generally moves through the main commercial seaport; air clears via the primary international airport. We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward leg to your delivery address, with clearance handled as a managed service.
Space into Somalia gets tight around Oct–Dec, layered on top of the China-side crunch at Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Booking a week or two ahead in those windows locks in both capacity and price.
Yes. Air moves on an air waybill (AWB) that's live within 24 hours of departure; ocean tracks by bill of lading through the carrier portal. We flag the milestones that matter — departure, gateway arrival, clearance by the national customs service, and final delivery.
For 100 KG into Somalia, air usually wins on total landed cost even at a higher per-kilo rate, because a 30–45 day ocean transit (plus 7–21 days (congestion common) dwell) ties up inventory. Air also opens volume pricing past 100 KG.
the national customs service will generally want: a commercial invoice carrying HS codes and value; a packing list with weights and dimensions; the bill of lading or air waybill; a certificate of origin where it can cut duty; and any commodity-specific certification (Pre-shipment conformity certificate often mandatory). RateHive can prepare and lodge these as part of managed clearance.