International Shipping from Malaysia

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.

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.

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.