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International Shipping from Malaysia

FCL, LCL and Air freight forwarding: information and online quote

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Updated on 04 Jul 202114 min read

If your business has a need to ship commercial freight from Malaysia to other countries around the world, there is no faster or simpler way to get quotes, book your shipments, pay for freight shipping, and keep track of your goods in transit, than by taking advantage of the Shipa Freight online platform.

However, as much as we would like your business, we’re also dedicated to helping enterprises like yours ship for success. That’s why we like to share our shipping knowledge here on our website, so you can benefit from it regardless of whether you become our customer or prefer to engage one of the many freight forwarding companies in Malaysia.

On this page, you will find some valuable information about international shipping from Malaysia, primarily relating to freight routes and transit times, although we have also included a brief overview of the export procedures with which you will need to comply.

Malaysian Customs Procedures for Exports

While any forwarding company in Malaysia should be able to tell you about the Customs Department’s role in export control, and how you can ensure compliance with their protocols, it’s a good idea to have that knowledge in place before you start talking with potential service providers.

For example, some freight forwarding companies in Malaysia will do more for you than others in terms of helping you comply with export rules and regulations. If you know the basics yourself, you will be able to ask the right questions when assessing how comprehensive a given forwarder’s services are.

Needless to say, at Shipa Freight, we take care of all customs documentation and compliance requirements, and ask only that you provide us with the information necessary to submit your export declarations and supporting documents. Furthermore, if you need help to access certain information, our customer support agents will do their utmost to assist you.

Documentation Requirements for Exports from Malaysia

As border procedures and requirements go, exporting, just like inbound shipping to Malaysia, is quite straightforward. Of course, you, your shipping company in Malaysia, or your international freight forwarder, will need to submit an export declaration before Malaysian Customs will release your goods from their control and let them be loaded onto a ship or aircraft.

The export declaration is made using Customs Form No.2. It is typically completed and submitted online. In addition to a completed declaration, your declaring agent will also need to submit the following documents to the Malaysian Customs Department:

  • A packing list
  • Certificates of origin for your goods
  • Copies of applicable export licenses
  • A commercial invoice stating the exact value of the goods for export
  • A bill of lading

In Malaysia, some products attract export tariffs. The Customs Department will use the documents in the list above, along with your completed export declaration, to calculate the tariffs payable. You will need to pay the tariffs—through your declaring agent—before customs will release your goods for export.

Export Prohibitions and Restrictions

The Malaysian government is not especially restrictive when it comes to exports, but you should still verify if your products are subject to export prohibitions or controls.

Prohibited exports include…

  • Weapons and munitions
  • Military vehicles
  • Military equipment
  • Turtle eggs
  • Rattan from the Malaysian peninsula

Controls on international shipping from Malaysia are typically implemented through a process of licensing. You will need a license, for example, to export any type of product to Israel. A license is also required if you wish to ship any of the following items to any location outside of Malaysia:

  • Animals and animal products
  • Fish
  • Dairy products
  • Rubber
  • Palm oil products
  • Pineapples
  • Vegetables
  • Rice
  • Cocoa
  • Roof tiles
  • Wood
  • Textiles
  • Sugar
  • Iron
  • Steel
  • Star fruit

The above list is not exhaustive and in all, the Malaysian government controls some 43 groups of products by way of licensing, so it really is critical to check if the goods you wish to ship from Malaysia fall into any of those groups.

International Shipping from Malaysia: Ocean Freight Trade Lanes

As an international freight forwarder for Malaysia, Asia, and the rest of the world, Shipa Freight maintains a database of thousands of ocean freight routes, has relationships with all the major shipping lines, and a network of offices across around 100 countries.

We also provide a complete range of services, so although the route information you see in this section relates purely to port-to-port shipping legs, we will ship yoOcean Routes for International Shipping from Malaysiaur products or materials door-to-door if you require us to. When you use our platform to request a shipping quote, you just need to select the type of service that you need from a straightforward drop-down menu. Cargo ship at doc next to other ships

Highest Volume Ocean Freight Routes from Malaysia

The largest proportion of Malaysia’s exports is shipped to other countries in Asia. Accordingly, the busiest ocean freight routes, carrying the highest volumes of cargo, are those linking Malaysian ports with countries such as China, Thailand, and Singapore.

Five of the routes most utilized by freight forwarding companies in Malaysia are…

  • Port Klang to Ningbo (China)
  • Port Klang to Shanghai (China)
  • Port Kelang to Laem Chabang (Thailand)
  • Tanjung Pelepas to Singapore
  • Port Kelang to Xiamen (China)

The Longest and Shortest Transit Times for Shipping from Malaysia

The longest ocean freight routes from Malaysia connect the country’s main container ports with those in the Eastern United States. Transit time for cargo from the island of Penang to the port of Miami in Florida for example, is around 52 days. That route is currently one of the longest, in terms of transit time, between Malaysia and its trading partners overseas.

The shortest routes for international shipping from Malaysia involve just one day of transit time, or perhaps even slightly less, and are used to move freight to Belawan in Indonesia and perhaps surprisingly, to Singapore, the city-state which in theory at least, can be reached by road in less than one day from Kuala Lumpur.

Of course, the advantage of using ocean freight for such short-distance routes is the absence of traffic jams, which tend not to occur at sea—even in the incredibly busy Strait of Malacca.

Ocean Routes for International Shipping from Malaysia

Please note that all transit times shown in the list below are for your interest and general guidance only. They are not guaranteed to be precise, and your freight may be in transit for more or less time than the charts indicate.

To America

Port of Origin Destination Country Destination Port Approximate Duration
Port Klang Brazil Santos 24 Days
Port Klang Brazil Itaguai 23 Days
Port Klang Canada Vancouver 30 Days
Port Klang Canada Montreal 37 Days
Penang Canada Montreal 38 Days
Pasir Gudang Canada Montreal 38 Days
Port Klang Canada Montreal 37 Days
Port Klang United States Atlanta 30 Days
Pasir Gudang United States Atlanta 35 Days
Penang United States Atlanta 40 Days
Penang United States Boston 36 Days
Pasir Gudang United States Boston 36 Days
Port Klang United States Boston 30 Days
Port Klang United States Oakland 21 Days
Port Klang United States Baltimore 36 Days
Penang United States Baltimore 42 Days
Port Klang United States Houston 35 Days
Penang United States Houston 42 Days
Penang United States Charleston 45 Days
Port Klang United States Charleston 27 Days
Port Klang United States Long Beach 28 Days
Tanjung Pelepas United States Long Beach 30 Days
Penang United States Long Beach 35 Days
Pasir Gudang United States Long Beach 32 Days
Penang United States Miami 51 Days
Port Klang United States Miami 33 Days
Penang United States Mobile 45 Days
Port Klang United States New Orleans 43 Days
Penang United States New Orleans 46 Days
Penang United States Norfolk 45 Days
Port Klang United States Norfolk 45 Days
Port Klang United States Port Everglades 33 Days
Penang United States Port Everglades 37 Days
Port Klang United States Savannah 29 Days
Penang United States Savannah 39 Days

To Europe

Port of Origin Destination Country Destination Port Approximate Duration
Tanjung Pelepas Belgium Antwerp 20 Days
Port Klang Belgium Antwerp 20 Days
Pasir Gudang Croatia Rijeka 28 Days
Penang Croatia Rijeka 29 Days
Port Klang Croatia Rijeka 29 Days
Port Klang Denmark Copenhagen 32 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Denmark Copenhagen 36 Days
Pasir Gudang Denmark Copenhagen 41 Days
Penang Denmark Copenhagen 39 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Finland Helsinki 34 Days
Pasir Gudang Finland Helsinki 40 Days
Port Klang Finland Helsinki 36 Days
Port Klang France Le Havre 26 Days
Pasir Gudang France Le Havre 25 Days
Penang France Le Havre 26 Days
Tanjung Pelepas France Le Havre 30 Days
Port Klang Germany Bremerhaven 29 Days
Penang Germany Bremerhaven 30 Days
Port Klang Germany Hamburg 23 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Germany Hamburg 24 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Greece Athinai 18 Days
Penang Greece Athinai 25 Days
Port Klang Greece Athinai 21 Days
Pasir Gudang Greece Athinai 27 Days
Penang Ireland Dublin 31 Days
Port Klang Ireland Dublin 31 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Italy Genoa 27 Days
Port Klang Italy Genoa 27 Days
Penang Italy Genoa 29 Days
Penang Italy La Spezia 26 Days
Port Klang Italy La Spezia 26 Days
Port Klang Lithuania Klaipeda 40 Days
Pasir Gudang Lithuania Klaipeda 41 Days
Penang Netherlands Rotterdam 29 Days
Port Klang Netherlands Rotterdam 28 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Netherlands Amsterdam 24 Days
Penang Netherlands Amsterdam 29 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Norway Oslo 34 Days
Port Klang Norway Oslo 32 Days
Port Klang Poland Gdansk 31 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Poland Gdansk 28 Days
Penang Poland Gdansk 30 Days
Pasir Gudang Poland Gdansk 30 Days
Pasir Gudang Portugal Lisbon 39 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Portugal Lisbon 33 Days
Port Klang Portugal Lisbon 37 Days
Penang Portugal Lisbon 41 Days
Port Klang Romania Constanta 27 Days
Penang Romania Constanta 28 Days
Port Klang Russia Novorossiysk 30 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Russia Novorossiysk 30 Days
Penang Slovenia Koper 29 Days
Port Klang Slovenia Koper 28 Days
Port Klang Spain Barcelona 23 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Spain Barcelona 22 Days
Port Klang United Kingdom London Gateway 24 Days
Tanjung Pelepas United Kingdom London Gateway 23 Days
Penang United Kingdom London Gateway 25 Days
Penang United Kingdom Southampton 25 Days
Tanjung Pelepas United Kingdom Southampton 23 Days
Port Klang United Kingdom Southampton 24 Days
Port Klang United Kingdom Felixstowe 23 Days
Penang United Kingdom Felixstowe 24 Days
Tanjung Pelepas United Kingdom Liverpool 23 Days
Penang United Kingdom Liverpool 27 Days

To Asia and Oceania

Port of Origin Destination Country Destination Port Approximate Duration
Tanjung Pelepas Australia Brisbane 11 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Australia Melbourne 16 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Australia Sydney 19 Days
Port Klang Bangladesh Chittagong 6 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Cambodia Kampong Saom 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Lianyungang 9 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Shanghai 12 Days
Port Klang China Shanghai 10 Days
Port Klang China Dalian 16 Days
Port Kelang China Ningbo 9 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Xiamen 7 Days
Port Klang China Xiamen 5 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Qingdao 11 Days
Port Klang China Qingdao 9 Days
Port Klang China Xingang 12 Days
Port Klang China Fuzhou 10 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Ningbo 8 Days
Port Klang China Nansha 6 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Nansha 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Fuzhou 8 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Tianjin 12 Days
Tanjung Pelepas China Dalian 21 Days
Port Klang Hong Kong Hong Kong 7 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Hong Kong Hong Kong 6 Days
Penang Hong Kong Hong Kong 11 Days
Port Klang India Chennai 4 Days
Port Klang India Mundra 9 Days
Penang Indonesia Semarang 8 Days
Penang Indonesia Surabaya 6 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Indonesia Semarang 2 Days
Port Klang Indonesia Belawan 1 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Indonesia Surabaya 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Indonesia Jakarta 8 Days
Penang Japan Yokohama 15 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Japan Nagoya 15 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Japan Yokohama 12 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Japan Hakata 11 Days
Port Klang Japan Hakata 12 Days
Port Klang Japan Yokohama 12 Days
Penang Japan Yokohama 15 Days
Penang Japan Kobe 15 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Japan Kobe 15 Days
Port Klang Japan Kobe 10 Days
Tanjung Pelepas New Zealand Tauranga 21 Days
Port Klang Pakistan Karachi 10 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Papua New Guinea Port Moresby 11 Days
Penang Philippines Manila 15 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Philippines Manila 12 Days
Port Klang Philippines Manila 9 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Philippines Davao 14 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Singapore Singapore 1 Day
Port Klang Singapore Singapore 1 Day
Penang Singapore Singapore 2 Days
Tanjung Pelepas South Korea Busan 19 Days
Port Klang South Korea Busan 26 Days
Pasir Gudang South Korea Incheon 10 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Sri Lanka Colombo 4 Days
Port Klang Sri Lanka Colombo 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Taiwan Kaohsiung 5 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Taiwan Taipei 11 Days
Pasir Gudang Taiwan Taipei 7 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Thailand Laem Chabang 2 Days
Port Klang Thailand Laem Chabang 6 Days
Port Klang Thailand Bangkok 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Vietnam Da Nang 4 Days
Tanjung Pelepas Vietnam Haiphong 6 Days
Port Klang Vietnam Haiphong 5 Days
Penang Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City 6 Days
Pasir Gudang Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City 14 Days
Port Klang Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City 3 Days

Air Freight from Malaysia: Trade Lanes and Transit Times

Not every freight forwarder in Malaysia will specialize in air freight. Many deal primarily in ocean freight but will help customers to ship goods as air freight when required, while others don’t handle air freight from Malaysia at all.

Shipa Freight places equal emphasis on both modes of shipping, and as with our ocean freight services, we also offer door-to-door transportation using air freight for the international leg of a shipment, and trucking or rail services for the domestic legs. Air cargo being loaded on airplane while at the airport

Most Popular Routes for Air Freight from Malaysia

Five of the most popular air freight routes serve trade lanes from Malaysia to airports elsewhere in Asia. Those five, all of which originate at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (known locally as KLIA) are as follows:

  • Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
  • Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta (Indonesia)
  • Kuala Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
  • Kuala Lumpur to Guangzhou (China)
  • Kuala Lumpur to Shenzhen (China)

Longest and Shortest Routes for Air Freight from Malaysia

Air Freight from Kuala Lumpur to Frankfurt Airport in Germany, will spend around 14 hours in transit, making this one of the longest routes for exports from Malaysia. The shortest route is a quick hop from KLIA to Changi Airport in Singapore, which involves less than one hour of transit time. Freight forwarding companies in Malaysia use this route to help customers beat the traffic delays often endured when shipping time-sensitive consignments by road.

Air Freight Routes Used for Shipments from Malaysia

Please note that all transit times shown in the list below are for your interest and general guidance. They show flight durations for direct routes only, and your freight may be in transit for more or less time than the charts indicate.

To Africa and the Middle East

Airport of Origin Destination Country Destination Airport Approximate Duration
Kuala Lumpur Oman Muscat 7 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Qatar Doha 8 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Saudi Arabia Jeddah 9 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Turkey Istanbul 11 Hours
Kuala Lumpur UAE Dubai 7 Hours

To Europe

Airport of Origin Destination Country Destination Airport Approximate Duration
Kuala Lumpur Netherlands Amsterdam 12 Hours
Kuala Lumpur United Kingdom London Heathrow 13 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Germany Frankfurt 14 Hours

To Asia/Oceania

Airport of Origin Destination Country Destination Airport Approximate Duration
Kuala Lumpur Australia Sydney 8 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Australia Brisbane 8 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Australia Melbourne 8 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Australia Perth 5 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Bangladesh Dhaka 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Cambodia Phnom Penh 2 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Beijing 6 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Shanghai 5 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Xiamen 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Guangzhou 4 Hours
Penang China Guangzhou 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Chengdu 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur China Shenzhen 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Hong Kong Hong Kong 4 Hours
Penang Hong Kong Hong Kong 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur India Delhi 5 Hours
Kuala Lumpur India Mumbai 5 Hours
Kuala Lumpur India Chennai 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Indonesia Denpasar 3 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Indonesia Jakarta 2 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Indonesia Surabaya 3 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Japan Osaka 6 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Japan Tokyo 7 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Philippines Manila 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Philippines Cebu 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur New Zealand Auckland 10 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Singapore Singapore <1 Hour
Penang Singapore Singapore 1 Hour
Kuala Lumpur Seoul South Korea 6 Hours
Penang Seoul South Korea 6 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Sri Lanka Colombo 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Taiwan Taipei 5 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Taiwan Kaohsiung 4 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Thailand Bangkok 2 Hours
Penang Thailand Bangkok 2 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Vietnam Hanoi 3 Hours
Kuala Lumpur Vietnam Ho Chi Minh 2 Hours
Penang Vietnam Ho Chi Minh 2 Hours

International Shipping from Malaysia: Why Choose Shipa Freight?

While you can always use a forwarder in Malaysia to help you get your freight to overseas destinations, there are a number of advantages to using our online platform as an alternative. These advantages include:

  • Fast and competitive online freight quotes
  • A dedicated customer support team to help you with more complex shipping needs
  • Easy conversion of an online quote to a freight booking
  • Pay all your shipping fees online using your preferred payment method
  • Track your freight online from door-to-door
  • An advanced compliance engine to help you avoid border issues and delays
  • Access to the resources and network of a leading global logistics company

If you’d like to know more about Shipa Freight, and how we can help your business ship for success, please feel free to spend some time browsing our website.

Alternatively, you can contact us with your questions, or just try the platform out by requesting your first online quote for shipping freight from Malaysia.

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