What is the minimum quantity for ocean freight from India?

There is no fixed minimum. LCL is priced per cubic metre with a one CBM minimum, so even a single pallet can move by sea. Below about two CBM, air freight is often cheaper once destination handling charges are counted, and we will say so when we quote.

Do you ship from Delhi even though Delhi has no port?

Yes. Delhi NCR cargo moves in containers by rail from ICD Tughlakabad or ICD Dadri to Mundra or Nhava Sheva. Customs clearance happens at the ICD, so the container is already cleared when it reaches the port. Rail transit is two to four days.

What is the difference between a shipping line and an NVOCC?

A shipping line owns the vessels. An NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier) buys space from lines and issues its own bill of lading. We book with both, depending on which gives the better rate and sailing for the route, and the bill of lading you receive names the carrier.

Can QShip handle DDP to Amazon FBA warehouses in the USA?

Yes. We act through a US customs broker, pay the duty on your behalf, and deliver to the FBA warehouse with the appointment booked through Carrier Central. Amazon does not act as importer of record, so DDP with a named importer is the only workable term.

What happens if my container is held for customs examination?

Examinations happen at random and on risk flags. We attend the examination, provide any documents asked for, and keep you informed. Port storage and container detention start counting after the free days, so we push for release quickly. Most examinations clear within one to three working days.

How do I track an ocean shipment?

Every shipment receives a ten-digit QShip tracking number, and each box or pallet receives a box number under it. Enter either on this site to see the current status and the history from gate-in to delivery. Vessel position is also visible through the carrier's own tracking using the bill of lading number.

Sea freight, export and import

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is the movement of cargo by container ship between ports. QShip books space from Nhava Sheva, Mundra and Chennai to North America, Europe and the Middle East, either as a full container (FCL) or as a share of one (LCL), and handles customs and delivery at both ends.

Get a Quote +91-1141061711

Which ocean freight option do you need?

FCL ShippingA full 20 or 40 foot container booked for your cargo alone, sealed at origin and opened at destination.Read more
LCL ShippingPay for the container space you use. Your cargo is consolidated with other shippers at a CFS and sails on the same vessel.Read more

Should you ship FCL or LCL?

FCL means the whole container is yours. LCL means your cargo shares a container with other shippers and is consolidated at a container freight station (CFS) before sailing. The right choice depends on volume, fragility and how much time you can give the consolidation step.

FCL compared with LCL
	FCL (full container)	LCL (shared container)
Best for	Above roughly 15 CBM, or fragile and high-value goods	Below roughly 15 CBM, regular small replenishments
Priced by	Per container (20 ft or 40 ft)	Per CBM or per 1,000 kg, whichever is greater
Handling	Sealed at your factory, opened at destination	Loaded and unloaded at a CFS at both ends
Extra time	None beyond the sailing	Three to five days at origin and destination for consolidation
Risk	Lowest, nobody else touches the cargo	Higher, other shippers' cargo shares the box

Which Indian ports does QShip ship from?

Most export cargo from Delhi NCR moves by rail to Mundra or Nhava Sheva (JNPT) through the inland container depots at Tughlakabad and Dadri. Cargo from the south sails from Chennai or Krishnapatnam, and cargo from the east from Kolkata or Haldia. We pick the gateway by sailing frequency and rail cut-off, not by habit.

Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Maharashtra: widest choice of direct services to Europe and the US East Coast
Mundra, Gujarat: fastest rail link from Delhi ICDs and strong Gulf and Mediterranean coverage
Chennai, Tamil Nadu: south Indian gateway with good Far East and transshipment options
Kolkata and Haldia, West Bengal: eastern gateway, feeder services via Colombo and Singapore

How long does ocean freight from India take?

Port-to-port sailing time is only part of the answer. Add rail transit from the ICD, the port cut-off, customs at both ends and final delivery. The ranges below are for the sailing itself, on services we book regularly.

Typical port-to-port sailing times from Nhava Sheva and Mundra
Destination	Direct or transshipment	Sailing time
Jebel Ali, UAE	Direct	6 to 9 days
Rotterdam or Hamburg	Direct	22 to 28 days
Felixstowe or London Gateway	Direct or via Colombo	24 to 30 days
New York or Savannah	Direct or via Mediterranean hub	28 to 36 days
Los Angeles or Long Beach	Via Singapore or Colombo	30 to 40 days

Add five to ten days at each end for inland movement and customs. A Delhi factory to a US warehouse is realistically six to eight weeks door to door by sea.

What documents does a sea shipment from India need?

Commercial invoice and packing list, with HS codes for every line
Shipping bill, filed by us on ICEGATE against your IEC and AD code
Bill of lading, issued by the line or NVOCC once the vessel sails
Certificate of origin where the buyer or destination customs asks for one
Verified gross mass (VGM) declaration for every container under SOLAS
Fumigation or phytosanitary certificate for wooden packing and agricultural goods

For DDP shipments to the USA we also file the ISF (10+2) at least 24 hours before loading. Missing that window is a fine of up to USD 5,000 per shipment, so we treat it as a hard cut-off.

Which Incoterms does QShip quote?

Most marketplace sellers need DDP, delivered duty paid, because Amazon and Walmart will not act as importer of record. We also quote FOB for buyers who control their own freight, CIF for letter of credit sales, and DAP where the consignee clears customs themselves. The quote states the term, so you know exactly which costs are inside it.

How does a ocean freight booking work with QShip?

1
Send the cargo details
Origin pin code, destination, CBM or container count, weight, commodity and the Incoterm you need.
2
Get a rate and a sailing
We reply with the route, the vessel cut-off and the all-in cost for the term quoted, the same working day.
3
Book and prepare documents
We confirm space, send the container or CFS booking, and collect invoice, packing list and any certificates.
4
Stuff, seal and file
Cargo is loaded at your factory or the CFS, VGM is declared, the shipping bill is filed and cleared.
5
Sail and track
You receive the bill of lading and a tracking number. Status updates run from gate-in to arrival.
6
Clear and deliver
Destination customs, duty payment on DDP shipments, and delivery to the warehouse or fulfilment centre.

Questions customers ask

Transit times, charges and document requirements on this page were last reviewed on 5 September 2026.