International shipping guide from Singapore

Whether your business is based in Singapore and will be expanding into overseas markets, or is located elsewhere and will be depending on products or components manufactured in the city-state, this page is for you.

Here you will find some useful information relating to the procedures involved in air and ocean freight shipping from Singapore to the USA, Europe, and other parts of Asia, as well as the key trade lanes connecting the island’s businesses and industries with commercial centers around the world.

Customs Requirements for Shipping Freight from Singapore

Like every country, Singapore has its own procedures, requirements, and regulations surrounding the shipment of goods across its borders to overseas markets. Unlike some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, though, export processes for ocean and air freight in Singapore are reasonably straightforward.

That said, it pays to understand the basics of those processes, even if you will enlist one of the many freight forwarding companies in Singapore to manage the export process for you.

The Benefits of Singapore Shipping Specialists

In fact, it makes a lot of sense to use a freight forwarder unless you or someone in your business has the requisite skills, knowledge, and time to coordinate the various resources and parties involved in the international shipment of commercial products.

Shipa Freight is an online logistics platform and service provider, with a local presence (via our parent company, Agility Logistics) in Singapore and 100 other countries around the world. We make it simple for your business to ship ocean and air freight from Singapore, not least by taking care of compliance with shipping and customs procedures and regulations.

Because we do all that for you, we are providing the following details purely for your information, and of course, if you prefer to work with one of the local brick-and-mortar shipping companies in Singapore, we hope the information will help you in your discussions with prospective service providers.

The Export Process in Brief

If your business is or has been involved in importing to Singapore, the export process should seem very familiar and indeed, the customs service has done a good job of harmonizing the two processes. If you’re not familiar with either importing or exporting though, the following brief step-by-step guide should help you to understand the basics.

Step 1 - Register as an exporter: You will need to register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), in order to receive a Unique Entity Number (UEN).

Step 2 - Activate your customs account: To do this, you will need your UEN. You can activate your customs account online and it should be live within four hours of application. Your business will be able to declare goods for export the next business day after account activation. (This to allow the Singapore Customs to update records into their Systems.) Please note that your customs account, once activated, can be utilized for exporting as well as importing.

Step 3 - Apply for an export permit (AED – Advance Export Declaration) for your shipment: While this activity is known as permit application in Singapore, it is essentially a customs declaration, and you can appoint your freight forwarder in Singapore (or Shipa Freight if you are our customer) to conduct applications on your behalf.

Step 4 - Receive your permit and ship your freight: Assuming your permit request is approved, you (or your declaring agent) will receive a permit number and can proceed to have your goods loaded aboard the vessel or aircraft.

The four steps described above are a simplified overview of the process, but overall, it is quite straightforward… and very straightforward if you appoint a freight forwarder or shipping company in Singapore to manage the process for you.

Controls and Prohibitions on Export Freight from Singapore

The government of Singapore has a relaxed approach to exports compared with many countries, primarily because the city-state does not have great reserves of natural resources that demand protection. You can find details of restricted and prohibited items on the Singapore Customs website, but for a general idea of the types of goods that are subject to restriction, see the list below:

• Toy guns
• Certain types of timber
• Rubber
• Rice
• Meat and meat products
• Military equipment
• Fish and fishery products
• Chemicals

All of the controlled items listed above may only be shipped as freight from Singapore if you obtain the appropriate authorizations, licenses, or permits from the relevant agency. Singapore Customs lists the controlling agencies for each category of controlled goods on its website.

In addition to the list above, it’s worth noting that the customs service operates a program of controls on the export of locally produced textiles to the European Union and the United States.

Shipping Singapore Exports as Ocean Freight

The following information will help you get an idea of the main ocean routes from Singapore. These are the routes served by major shipping lines, which freight forwarding companies in Singapore and around the world use to move their customers’ cargo.

Although the information we share here relates only to the port-to-port routes used for shipping from Singapore to the USA, Europe, and Asia, the team at Shipa Freight will be pleased to manage the domestic, as well as international legs of your export shipments. This is known as door-to-door shipping, and is available for shipments from Singapore to around 100 different countries.

Which are the Busiest Routes for Ocean Shipping from Singapore?

Shipping companies in Singapore are engaged to send more ocean freight to countries within Asia than anywhere else. Indeed, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and South Korea are Singapore’s largest export markets. Ocean trade lanes to Asia are therefore the busiest for outbound freight from Singapore. The following five routes carry some of the highest volumes of export goods:

• Singapore to Shanghai (China)
• Singapore to Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
• Singapore to Ningbo (China)
• Singapore to Jakarta (Indonesia)
• Singapore to Port Klang (Malaysia)

Longest and Shortest Transit Times for Shipping Singapore Exports

Perhaps surprisingly, businesses shipping Singapore exports don’t endure extremely long transit times when compared to some ocean lanes from other parts of the world. If your freight requires shipping from Singapore to the USA, then you or your consignees will have the longest wait for ocean freight to arrive, particularly if the destination is in one of the East Coast states.

The route from Singapore to Charleston in South Carolina for example, takes around 37 days to complete, with a similar timeframe for shipments heading to New Orleans.

The shortest routes connect Singapore exporters with markets in Indonesia and Malaysia, with ocean freight spending little more than a day in transit to ports such as Jakarta and Port Klang.

Routes for Shipping Singapore Ocean Freight

***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
Singapore	Argentina	Buenos Aires	26 Days
Singapore	Brazil	Paranagua	23 Days
Singapore	Brazil	Rio de Janeiro	22 Days
Singapore	Brazil	Santos	21 Days
Singapore	Canada	Montreal	30 Days
Singapore	Canada	Vancouver	26 Days
Singapore	United States	Atlanta	34 Days
Singapore	United States	Boston	25 Days
Singapore	United States	Seattle	28 Days
Singapore	United States	Baltimore	35 Days
Singapore	United States	Houston	32 Days
Singapore	United States	Charleston	37 Days
Singapore	United States	Miami	35 Days
Singapore	United States	Mobile	35 Days
Singapore	United States	New Orleans	36 Days
Singapore	United States	Norfolk	32 Days
Singapore	United States	Port Everglades	32 Days
Singapore	United States	Savannah	35 Days
Singapore	United States	New York	27 Days
Singapore	United States	Long beach	24 Days
Singapore	United States	Los Angeles	24 Days
Singapore	United States	Oakland	29 Days
Singapore	Montevideo	Uruguay	24 Days

To Europe

Port of Origin	Destination Country	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Singapore	Belgium	Antwerp	27 Days
Singapore	Croatia	Rijeka	22 Days
Singapore	Denmark	Aarhus	28 Days
Singapore	Denmark	Copenhagen	32 Days
Singapore	Finland	Helsinki	33 Days
Singapore	France	Le Havre	21 Days
Singapore	France	Fos-sur-Mer	24 Days
Singapore	Germany	Bremerhaven	26 Days
Singapore	Germany	Hamburg	23 Days
Singapore	Greece	Athinai	18 Days
Singapore	Ireland	Cork	25 Days
Singapore	Italy	Ancona	22 Days
Singapore	Italy	La Spezia	18 Days
Singapore	Italy	Genoa	20 Days
Singapore	Lithuania	Klaipeda	30 Days
Singapore	Netherlands	Rotterdam	24 Days
Singapore	Poland	Gdansk	32 Days
Singapore	Portugal	Lisbon	31 Days
Singapore	Romania	Constanta	22 Days
Singapore	Russia	Novorossiysk	24 Days
Singapore	Russia	Vladivostok	20 Days
Singapore	Slovenia	Koper	25 Days
Singapore	Spain	Barcelona	20 Days
Singapore	Spain	Valencia	21 Days
Singapore	Spain	Algeciras	16 Days
Singapore	Sweden	Gothenburg	30 Days
Singapore	United Kingdom	Grangemouth	29 Days
Singapore	United Kingdom	London Gateway	19 Days
Singapore	United Kingdom	Southampton	19 Days
Singapore	United Kingdom	Felixstowe	20 Days
Singapore	United Kingdom	Liverpool	22 Days

To Asia

Port of Origin	Destination Country	Destination Port	Approximate Duration
Singapore	Adelaide	Singapore	16 Days
Singapore	Brisbane	Singapore	11 Days
Singapore	Fremantle	Singapore	7 Days
Singapore	Melbourne	Singapore	13 Days
Singapore	Sydney	Singapore	12 Days
Singapore	Bangladesh	Chittagong	7 Days
Singapore	Cambodia	Kâmpóng Saôm	2 Days
Singapore	China	Shanghai	13 Days
Singapore	China	Dalian	7 Days
Singapore	China	Ningbo	13 Days
Singapore	China	Xiamen	21 Days
Singapore	China	Qingdao	33 Days
Singapore	China	Shenzhen	14 Days
Singapore	China	Nanjing	17 Days
Singapore	India	Mundra	8 Days
Singapore	Indonesia	Jakarta	1 Day
Singapore	Indonesia	Surabaya	2 Days
Singapore	Indonesia	Belawan	2 Days
Singapore	Indonesia	Semarang	3 Days
Singapore	Japan	Kobe	10 Days
Singapore	Japan	Shimizu	11 Days
Singapore	Japan	Yokohama	10 Days
Singapore	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	8 Days
Singapore	Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	1 Day
Singapore	Malaysia	Port Klang	1 Day
Singapore	Malaysia	Penang	2 Days
Singapore	New Zealand	Auckland	15 Days
Singapore	New Zealand	Tauranga	22 Days
Singapore	Philippines	Manila	13 Days
Singapore	Philippines	Cebu	9 Days
Singapore	Philippines	Davao	4 Days
Singapore	South Korea	Busan	12 Days
Singapore	Sri Lanka	Colombo	5 Days
Singapore	Taiwan	Kaohsiung	5 Days
Singapore	Thailand	Laem Chabang	3 Days
Singapore	Thailand	Bangkok	3 Days
Singapore	Vietnam	Ho Chi Min City	5 Days

Air Freight from Singapore

If your business has the budget to ship goods by air, or it is a necessity to do so, the best source of assistance will be a global logistics company or a freight forwarder in Singapore that specializes in air freight.

Shipa Freight is one such company, with thousands of routes in our database, and the ability to deliver online air freight quotes in moments. You can get a quote for airport-to-airport or door-to-door shipping, and our prices are competitive—a vital factor given the high cost of air freight.

High Volume Trade Lanes for Air Freight from Singapore

As with ocean shipping, the busiest air freight routes are those channeling exports from Singapore to other nations in Asia. Five routes that see some of the highest air freight volumes are…

• Singapore to Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
• Singapore to Manila (Philippines)
• Singapore to Denpasar (Indonesia )
• Singapore to Shanghai (China)
• Singapore to Seoul (South Korea)

Longest and Shortest Transit Times for Air Freight from Singapore

If you choose air freight for shipping from Singapore, it’s likely to be because you need to get your goods moved quickly, so transit times are probably important to you and your business.

If your business is based in Malaysia, air freight will certainly be fast, and a good freight forwarder in Singapore should be able to get your shipments cleared through airport customs without delay, perhaps getting them to their consignees faster than they would arrive by road freight. After all, the flight from Singapore’s Changi Airport to Kuala Lumpur is less than one hour, making it possibly the shortest route from Singapore in terms of transit time.

At the other end of the time scale, transit time from Changi to San Francisco is 17 hours, making it the longest route for air freight shipping from Singapore to the USA—and indeed, to anywhere.

List of Key Routes for Shipping Singapore Air Freight

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 America

Airport of Origin	Destination country	Destination Airport	Approximate Duration
Singapore	United States	Los Angeles	16 Hours
Singapore	United States	San Francisco	17 Hours

To Europe

Airport of Origin	Destination country	Destination Airport	Approximate Duration
Singapore	Denmark	Copenhagen	12 Hours
Singapore	Finland	Helsinki	12 Hours
Singapore	France	Paris	13 Hours
Singapore	Germany	Frankfurt	13 Hours
Singapore	Italy	Milan	12 Hours
Singapore	Italy	Rome	12 Hours
Singapore	Netherlands	Amsterdam	12 Hours
Singapore	Poland	Warsaw	12 Hours
Singapore	Russia	Moscow	10 Hours
Singapore	Spain	Barcelona	13 Hours
Singapore	Switzerland	Zurich	13 Hours
Singapore	United Kingdom	Manchester	14 Hours
Singapore	United Kingdom	London Heathrow	14 Hours

To Asia/Oceania

Airport of Origin	Destination country	Destination Airport	Approximate Duration
Singapore	Australia	Brisbane	7 Hours
Singapore	Australia	Sydney	7 Hours
Singapore	Australia	Perth	5 Hours
Singapore	Australia	Adelaide	6 Hours
Singapore	Australia	Melbourne	7 Hours
Singapore	Cambodia	Phnom Penh	2 Hours
Singapore	China	Beijing	6 Hours
Singapore	China	Shanghai	5 Hours
Singapore	China	Guangzhou	4 Hours
Singapore	China	Xiamen	4 Hours
Singapore	China	Qingdao	5 Hours
Singapore	China	Chengdu	5 Hours
Singapore	Hong Kong	Hong Kong	4 Hours
Singapore	India	Hyderabad	5 Hours
Singapore	India	Coimbatore	4 Hours
Singapore	Indonesia	Surabaya	3 Hours
Singapore	Indonesia	Jakarta	2 Hours
Singapore	Indonesia	Denpasar	3 Hours
Singapore	Japan	Tokyo	7 Hours
Singapore	Japan	Osaka	6 Hours
Singapore	Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	>1 Hour
Singapore	Malaysia	Penang	1 Hour
Singapore	New Zealand	Christchurch	9 Hours
Singapore	New Zealand	Auckland	10 Hours
Singapore	Philippines	Manila	3 Hours
Singapore	Philippines	Cebu	4 Hours
Singapore	South Korea	Seoul	6 Hours
Singapore	Sri Lanka	Colombo	4 Hours
Singapore	Taiwan	Kaohsiung	4 Hours
Singapore	Taiwan	Taipei	4 Hours
Singapore	Thailand	Bangkok	3 Hours
Singapore	Vietnam	Hanoi	3 Hours
Singapore	Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	2 Hours

Need a Faster Forwarder for Singapore Shipping?

When you start looking for a logistics partner to help you with commercial freight shipping, you will find more than enough freight forwarding companies in Singapore from which to choose. However, what many of them have in common is that they need time to provide you with a quote. You may need to wait at least a day or two to hear back from each provider.

Shipa Freight is different from conventional forwarders in that we can generate competitive freight quotes in moments, thanks to our industry-leading technology, a vast database of ocean and air freight routes, and a global network of logistics resources.

A fast quote doesn’t mean you can’t shop around though. Your online Shipa Freight quote will remain valid for a period of time, so you can feel free to compare it with those of other forwarders—or if you don’t want your freight to wait, you can convert it to a booking right here on our platform.

For fast, efficient forwarding at an affordable rate, with a choice of air or ocean services from Singapore to hundreds of destinations, you don’t need to wait, just book online with Shipa Freight.