Ocean & Air Freight Shipping to France

France is a major player in global trade and currently the world’s sixth-largest importer. In 2018, the European nation imported goods worth $672,549 million (USD). France's main trade partners are the European Union, the United States, and China.

If importing to France is on your agenda, then you will need to know about the different modes of transport, costs, transit times, and customs clearance procedures. We have gathered the most important information about ocean and air shipping to France, right here on this page for your convenience.

What Are Your Options for Shipping Freight to France?

In addition to land transport via France’s neighboring countries, your commercial goods can enter the country via air or sea. Each option has certain benefits and drawbacks, which we will discuss in the following sections.

Ocean Freight to France

Less than Container Load (LCL): When you choose LCL shipping, your cargo will travel next to the consignments of other shippers in a shared container. This is often the least expensive option for small freight shipments that don’t warrant paying for an entire container.

Full Container Load (FCL): With FCL, a shipping container is yours for the entire journey to France. Shippers who want their goods to remain sealed until they reach the final recipient prefer this option. It is also likely to be the most cost-effective mode of transport for large shipments.

Air Freight to France

In most cases, air shipping will outperform ocean shipping for speed and flexibility. This is true even when a direct flight is not available for your cargo. On a less positive note, air freight is also likely to be the most expensive option.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo to France?

With the final cost depending on so many different criteria, there is no easy answer to this question. The quote for your ocean and air shipping needs will be based on the following factors:

• Nature of goods
• Chosen mode of transport (FCL, LCL, Air)
• Weight of the cargo
• Dimensions of the cargo
• Distance between origin and destination
• Type of service (such as port-to-port, door-to-door)

There is one rule of thumb that you should know when it comes to cost. Ocean shipping will typically be the most economical option for heavy freight of 100 kg or more. Smaller consignments of less than 100 kg, on the other hand, can be easily transported via air or sea because there is typically little difference between the cost of ocean and air shipping.

Shipments weighing less than 35 kg should be moved by international courier services because it’s not cost-effective for freight forwarders like Shipa Freight to deal with this weight bracket.

How Long Does it Take to Ship Cargo to France?

How long it will take for your cargo to reach France will primarily depend on the oceanport and airport of origin. Air freight shipments from a major international airport are typically available for collection or onward transportation in France after two to ten days, although in rare cases, the time required can be longer. Ocean freight, however, takes much longer than that. Your goods might be at sea for 23 to 54 days.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Sea to France?

Below you can see example transit times for a shipping container from various locations to France:

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Transit Time LCL	Transit Time FCL
Australia	Brisbane	Le Havre	54 Days
Australia	Fremantle	Le Havre	41 Days
Australia	Melbourne	Le Havre	48 Days
China	Ningbo	Fos-Sur-Mer	41 Days
China	Ningbo	Le Havre	38 Days
China	Shanghai	Le Havre	34 Days	37 Days
China	Shekou	Le Havre	38 Days
China	Shenzhen	Le Havre	39 Days	46 Days
China	Tianjin	Fos-Sur-Mer	41 Days
China	Zhuhai	Fos-Sur-Mer	20 Days
India	Cochin	Fos-Sur-Mer	34 Days
India	Cochin	Le Havre	37 Days
India	Chennai	Fos-Sur-Mer	33 Days
India	Chennai	Le Havre	39 Days
India	Mundra	Fos-Sur-Mer	25 Days
India	Mundra	Le Havre	30 Days
India	Nhava Sheva	Le Havre	34 Days
India	Nhava Sheva	Fos-Sur-Mer	30 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Fos-Sur-Mer	26 Days	26 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Le Havre	45 Days
Indonesia	Belawan	Le Havre	36 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Le Havre	45 Days	40 Days
Indonesia	Semarang	Fos-Sur-Mer	38 Days
Indonesia	Semarang	Le Havre	36 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Le Havre	45 Days
Pakistan	Karachi	Fos-Sur-Mer	36 Days
Thailand	Bangkok	Le Havre	45 Days	42 Days
UAE	Jebel Ali	Fos-Sur-Mer	36 Days
USA	Houston	Le Havre	23 Days
USA	Boston	Le Havre	24 Days

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Air to France?

Here are examples of transit times for air shipments to France from various major international airports:

Country of Origin	Airport of Origin	Destination Airport	Transit Time
Australia	Brisbane	Lyon	3 Days
Australia	Melbourne	Paris	3 Days
Australia	Sydney	Paris	3 Days
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Paris	4 Days
China	Shanghai	Paris	3 Days
China	Shenzhen	Paris	8 Days
China	Beijing	Lyon	7 Days
China	Chengdu	Paris	13 Days
Colombia	Bogota	Paris	10 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Lyon	5 Days
India	Mumbai	Paris	8 Days
India	Chennai	Marseille	4 Days
India	Chennai	Paris	5 Days
India	Delhi	Paris	4 Days
India	Ahmedabad	Paris	8 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Marseille	6 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Paris	6 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Paris	3 Days
Jordan	Amman	Paris	8 Days
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Paris	5 Days
Saudi Arabia	Jeddah	Paris	6 Days
Thailand	Bangkok	Marseille	5 Days
Thailand	Bangkok	Paris	3 Days
UAE	Abu Dhabi	Paris	8 Days
UAE	Dubai	Paris	4 Days
UAE	Dubai	Marseille	4 Days
USA	Boston	Paris	5 Days
USA	Charlotte	Paris	7 Days
USA	Dallas	Paris	5 Days
USA	Chicago	Paris	5 Days
USA	Miami	Paris	2 Days
USA	New York	Paris	6 Days
USA	San Francisco	Paris	4 Days
Vietnam	Hanoi	Paris	8 Days

Import Customs Clearance in France

The customs authorities in France will grant import clearance only to freight that has followed proper procedures. For first-time shippers especially, this can be an overwhelming process and not to be underestimated.

To be on the safe side, most businesses engage an experienced freight forwarder for the task. They can guarantee that French customs rules are followed to the letter.

Even when you rely on a freight forwarder, you still have to submit the necessary paperwork. The French customs officials will typically request the following documents:

1. Commercial Invoice

2. Packing List

3. Certificate of Origin

4. Letter of Credit or other payment terms (depends on the contract between the parties involved)

5. Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight (Shipa Freight will provide this for you)

Sometimes they request other documents, too, such as certificates, permits, licenses. Your freight forwarder will inform you about the exact requirements as necessary.

If you would like to learn more about these documents and see some examples, have a look at our handy documents list.

Ship Ocean Freight to France: FCL or LCL?

Most commercial goods travel to French ports inside 20ft or 40ft containers that are loaded aboard specialized cargo vessels. These ships also carry sea freight that doesn’t fit inside a standard container. The carriers can offer other types of containers and break-bulk shipping options.

Containerized ocean shipping has two alternatives: LCL and FCL. The following sections discuss the pros and cons of each option.

Less Than Container Load (LCL) Shipping to France

Advantages:

• LCL is the cheapest option for shipments of cargo that occupy around six standard pallets (equivalent to 14 CBM) or less.
• LCL provides you with flexibility for loading and delivery, because you can drop off and pick up your cargo from the freight forwarder’s warehouse.
• LCL can speed up your supply chain, as you don’t have to wait until you have accumulated sufficient cargo to fill a container.

**Disadvantages: **

• Your freight will travel alongside the consignments of other shippers.
• The necessary consolidation and deconsolidation of the container usually adds a few days to your freight’s transit time.
• The extra movements and handling can put delicate, fragile, or perishable cargo at risk of damage.

Learn more about Less than Container Load on our dedicated page on LCL shipping.

Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping to France

Advantages:

• FCL is fast and straightforward, as no consolidation or deconsolidation is necessary.
• With FCL, your goods will remain isolated in a container for the entire journey to France.
• If you are shipping more than 14 CBM, FCL will probably work out cheaper than LCL, when you calculate the transportation cost per unit.

Disadvantages:

• A flat fee applies for rental and shipping of the entire container, no matter how much or how little you load into it.
• FCL might restrict your pickup and delivery options as not all businesses can handle shipping containers in their facilities.

Learn more about Full Container Load on our dedicated page on FCL shipping.

Cargo Ports of Arrival in France

Le Havre

Port Facts:

• Largest container port in France.
• Located on the mouth of the Seine River, just 200 km away from Paris.
• Facilities include three sets of terminals dedicated to containers and 6.5 kilometers of docks.
• Offers access to France’s hinterland and other European destinations via the rail network.

Owned By: Grande Port Maritime du Havre.

Annual Container Volume: >2.8 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: FRLEH.

Fos-Sur-Mer

Port Facts:

• Situated 40 kilometers northwest of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast.
• Ideal for importers in Marseille, Montpelier, Avignon, and other areas of southern France.
• Facilities include container handling terminals and a gas terminal.

Owned By: Marseille Fos Port Authority.

Annual Container Volume: >1.25 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: FRFROS.

Air Shipping for Your Freight to France

Air freight is for shippers who value speed more than cost. Flying your cargo to France is significantly faster and more flexible than transporting it by sea. Due to the premium price, most businesses choose this mode of transport only for small quantities of products.

Advantages:

• Ideal for cargo with a limited shelf-life, because of the short transit times.
• Airlines and airport operators guarantee high standards of security.
• Best if you are moving only two to three pallets or even less.
• Less affected by the weather and, hence, very reliable.
• Convenient for recipients located close to an international airport.

Disadvantages:

• Very costly when you are shipping large quantities of goods.
• Bulky or awkwardly shaped freight may not fit into the hold of an aircraft.

Airports of Arrival in France

Paris Charles de Gaulle (IATA Code: CDG)

Airport Facts:

• Twelfth-busiest air-freight gateway in the world and second-busiest in Europe.
• Largest airport in France.
• Boasts an annual cargo handling capacity of 3.6 million tonnes.
• Situated 23 kilometers northeast of central Paris in the district Roissy-en-France.
• Covers an area of over 32 square kilometers.

Lyon (IATA Code: LYS)

Airport Facts:

• Primary airport of the third-biggest city in France and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
• Known as Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport.
• Located close to Lyon’s main business district just 20 kilometers outside of the city.

Marseille (IATA Code: MRS)

Airport Facts:

• Third-largest airport for freight throughput in the country.
• Situated 27 kilometers northwest of Marseille.
• Facilities include an ultra-modern 1,200 square-meter cold room for perishable products.

Strasbourg (IATA Code: SXB)

Airport Facts:

• Situated 10 kilometers southwest of central Strasbourg.
• Has a single runway and one terminal.
• Offers 40 direct connections, mainly to European destinations.

Ocean and Air Shipping to France: Why Choose Shipa Freight?

Shipa Freight’s state-of-the-art online platform is taking freight forwarding to the next level. Businesses of all sizes can now ship their cargo to France with us – making supply chain management easier than ever.

Ship your freight to France with us to benefit from:

• Instant, easy-to-understand online quotes.
• Fast and straightforward online booking and payment.
• One platform for all of your imports and exports.
• Transparent shipping documentation.
• Complex customs clearance done for you.
• Full compliance with international shipping rules and regulations.
• Helpful customer service—available 24/7 via phone, email, and online chat.