Ocean and Air Shipping From India to Thailand
Information and quote from India to Thailand for LCL, FCL and Air shipping
India and Thailand are around 2,400 kilometers apart as the crow flies. Both primary manufacturing centers in South Asia, the two nations have a long history of good trade relations. In 2013, a Joint Business Council was established to stimulate bilateral trade—a move that’s certainly bearing fruit, because in 2018 exports from India to Thailand totaled $4.86 billion.
If your business has been exporting or importing from India to Thailand for years, or if you are a start-up new to international shipping, a freight forwarder can help make shipping less stressful. They can arrange and coordinate the transportation of your commercial goods between India and Thailand by air or sea, so you can concentrate on generating that next big order.
Shipping Ocean Freight From India to Thailand
Cargo vessels bound for Thailand from India will cross the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, then pass Singapore to reach the Gulf of Thailand. That’s where the ports of Bangkok and Laem Chebang lie—Thailand’s two biggest ocean shipping hubs. They are just 114km apart, with Bangkok to the North of the Gulf of Thailand and Laem Chebang on its eastern shores.
Sea freight shipments from India to either port can be completed in as little as 11 days or take as long as 23 days, depending on your port of origin and whether you require FCL or LCL shipping. You will find further explanation of transit times elsewhere on this page. Your freight forwarder should give you a choice of containers in which to ship your goods. The types of container available include:
- Tank containers for liquids and gases
- Open top containers for extra long or tall cargo
- Half-height containers for small amounts of bulky freight
- Flatbacks for heavy or unevenly shaped consignments
- Refrigerated containers for goods requiring temperature control
- Ventilated containers for goods needing air circulation
A good freight forwarder will coordinate every aspect of your import or export from India to Thailand, and should offer the following delivery options:
- Port to port
- Door to port
- Port to door
- Door to door
Sending a Less-than-Container-Load (LCL) From India to Thailand
Sea freight that’s less than 15 cubic meters in volume and weighing under 100kg is usually more cost-effective to ship as LCL. A less-than-container-load will share a container with other goods making the same journey aboard a cargo vessel.
Consolidation of your goods with others will occur in your chosen port of origin in India, and deconsolidation will take place in Thailand. Both are logistics necessities that help explain why LCL shipping typically takes longer than FCL.
Full Container Load (FCL) From India to Thailand
FCL shipping gives your business exclusive use of a container that you can fill with as many or as few goods as you desire. You will be able to seal your container before transporting it to port in India, and it will remain unopened until it arrives at its destination in Thailand, unless customs officers wish to inspect your goods. The advantages of FCL shipping over LCL include:
- Fewer touches of your goods
- No consolidation or deconsolidation is required
- Typically faster shipping times
As with LCL shipping, you will have a choice of 20ft containers which carry 10-11 standard pallets, or 40ft containers which can fit up to 21 standard pallets.
Cargo Ports of Origin in India
Chennai
Located in Southeast India in the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is one of Indian ports that’s closest to Thailand. Choose this as your port of origin and your goods could be shipped to Thailand in under two weeks if you decide to use FCL shipping.
Owned By: Chennai Port Trust, Ministry of Shipping.
Annual Container Volume: >1.5 million TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: INMAA.
Mundra
A world top-50 container port, Mundra has four container terminals that can process your goods ahead of export or import from India to Thailand. It’s a privately-owned sea freight center in Gujarat, close to the border with Pakistan. If your goods originate in Mundra, Bhuj, Rajkot, or elsewhere in Northwestern India, this is a good choice as a port of origin.
Owned By: Adani Group.
Annual Container Volume: >4 million TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: INMUN.
Nhava Sheva
The Port of Nhava Sheva achieved a first for annual cargo throughput in India in 2019, exceeding five million TEUs. Five container terminals handle 50% of India’s containerized freight traffic in a port that’s located in the northwest, about as far away as an Indian port can be from Thailand. But don’t let that put you off getting a freight forwarder to book a carrier to get your goods from here to Thailand. Shipping from Nhava Sheva can take as little as 12 days.
Owned By: Government of India.
Annual Container Volume: >5 million TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: INNSA.
Kolkata
Situated close to the border with Bangladesh, Kolkata is a river port over 200km inland from the Bay of Bengal. It was India’s third-busiest port for container traffic in 2018-2019 and has 86 wharves and 28 berths from which goods can be lifted from shore to ship. If the last link in your supply chain is in Jamshedpur, Bhadrak, or Kolkata itself, shipping to Thailand from here makes sense.
Owned By: Kolkata Port Trust, Ministry of Shipping.
Annual Container Volume: >825,000 TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: INCCU.
Hazira
This port in Northwest India is close to Surat and north of Mumbai. It’s a privately-owned deepwater sea freight hub with multi-cargo facilities that are easily reached by road and rail from Bharuch, Karjan, Kosamba, and other locations in Northern and Western India.
Owned By: Adani Group.
Annual Container Volume: >300,000 TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: INHZA.
Other Ports of Origin in India
In addition to the ports mentioned above, Shipa Freight can arrange shipments to Thailand from these Indian ports:
- Visakhapatnam
- Kattupalli
- Tuticorin
- Pipavav
- Haldia
- Krishnapatnam
- Mormugao
- Ahmedabad
Cargo Ports of Arrival in Thailand
Bangkok
Khlong Toei Port as it’s also known serves Thailand’s capital city. The port is ranked in the world top 100 for volume of containerized goods processed. It sits to the north of the Gulf of Thailand on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. If the final destination for your goods is Bangkok, discharging your commercial goods from India here is a wise move.
Owned By: Port Authority of Thailand.
Annual Container Volume: >1.5 million TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: THBKK.
Laem Chebang
Situated on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Thailand, 25km north of Pattaya City, this is Thailand’s largest seaport. It ranks as the world’s 22nd-busiest for container goods and has seven container terminals. Businesses with cargo destined for Rayong, Chon Buri, and elsewhere in Eastern Thailand might find it quicker to discharge their goods here instead of in Bangkok, which is further north.
Owned By: Hutchison Laem Chebang International Terminal Ltd.
Annual Container Volume: >500,000 TEUs.
UN/LOCODE: THLCH.
Air Freight From India to Thailand
Over 330 flights operate between India and Thailand every week. Air shipping between the two nations usually takes eight days, quicker than LCL or FCL ocean shipping. Air freight could be the best choice for your cargo if:
- You like the idea of paying less insurance for your consignment
- You want to ship a smaller consignment of just a few pallets
- Your goods are fragile or temperature-sensitive
- Your goods are valuable and will benefit from the high levels of security provided by airlines and airport operators
Airports of Origin in India
Chennai
Chennai Airport handles all types of air freight and has specialist facilities for perishable goods such as fruit, vegetables, plants, and flowers. If you are exporting or importing from India to Thailand, freight forwarders can arrange for your consignment to be delivered within eight days—faster than ocean shipping.
Thailand Airports Served: Bangkok.
Chennai to Thailand Cargo-Only Operators: None.
IATA Code: MAA.
Mumbai
Western India’s premier airport processes around 900,000 tonnes of air freight annually. Its huge air cargo terminal has dedicated facilities for handling perishable and fragile cargo. If your products are manufactured in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, or elsewhere in Western India, flying them to Thailand from Mumbai could be the quickest route to the Thai market.
Thailand Airports Served: Bangkok.
Mumbai to Thailand Cargo-Only Operators: Cathay Pacific Cargo, FedEx Express, Lufthansa Cargo, UPS Airlines.
IATA Code: BOM.
Ahmedabad
Close to the Pakistan border, Ahmedabad Airport serves Northwestern India including cities in Gujarat. This airport is officially called Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and operates direct passenger flights to Bangkok, onto which a freight forwarder can book your cargo.
Thailand Airports Served: Bangkok.
Ahmedabad to Thailand Cargo-Only Operators: None.
IATA Code: AMD.
Kolkata
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is the full name of this freight hub. It’s located in Dum Dum in West Bengal and is the biggest air cargo center in North East India. Several airlines operate passenger flights to Bangkok on which freight from India to Thailand can be shipped. If your supplier or manufacturer is based in this area of the subcontinent, Kolkata is likely to be your nearest airport.
Thailand Airports Served: Bangkok.
Kolkata to Thailand Cargo-Only Operators: None.
IATA Code: CCU.
Delhi
This is India’s busiest air cargo handling center and South Asia’s largest freight gateway. The airport spans over 2000 hectares and is 16km southwest of New Delhi city center. Two integrated cargo terminals, a state-of-the-art logistics center, and advanced temperature-controlled storage facilities make this a popular airport with international freight shippers.
Thailand Airports Served: Bangkok.
Delhi to Thailand Cargo-Only Operators: Thai Cargo.
IATA Code: DEL.
Other Airports of Origin in India
Additionally, Shipa Freight can arrange for your goods to be shipped to Thailand from these airports in India:
- Cochin
- Coimbatore
- Hyderabad
- Bangalore
Arrival Airport in Bangkok
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
A premier Southeast Asia air freight center, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is the newer of the city’s two airports. Three million tonnes of air freight are handled here annually with road and rail links into Bangkok City making onward transit of imports from India easy.
Connected Airports in India: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad.
India to Bangkok Cargo-Only Operators: Korean Air Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Turkish Airlines Cargo, UPS Airlines.
IATA Code: BKK.
Customs Clearance Procedures in India and Thailand
All goods for export or import from India to Thailand require accurate and specific documentation to pass customs checks before departure in India and upon arrival in Thailand. Here is a list of paperwork that will be required:
- A letter of credit
- A certificate of origin
- A packing list
- A commercial Invoice
- A tax invoice
- A bill of lading
To save you time, we have created this page, which features samples of the above documents.
How Long Does It Take To Ship Freight From India to Thailand?
Shipping air freight from India to Thailand usually takes eight days. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport will almost certainly be the airport used as the port of arrival. You should be given a wide variety of departure airports in India to choose from.
Ocean shipping usually arrives in Bangkok’s river port or at Laem Chebang on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Thailand in 11 to 23 days.
How Long Does It Take To Ship Cargo in a Container From India to Thailand?
Transporting goods on a cargo vessel in a shipping container from India to Thailand by FCL can be as quick as 12 days. LCL shipping can take up to 23 days as these samples show:
- Nhava Sheva to Bangkok—12 days FCL, 23 days LCL
- Chennai to Bangkok—15 days FCL
- Nhava Sheva to Laem Chebang—13 days FCL
- Chennai to Laem Chebang—19 days FCL
- Ahmedabad to Bangkok—11 days LCL
How Long Does It Take to Ship Air Freight From India to Thailand?
The vast majority of imports and exports from India to Thailand will land at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport and will usually take eight days:
- Delhi to Bangkok—8 days
- Mumbai to Bangkok—8 days
- Chennai to Bangkok—8 days
- Ahmedabad to Bangkok—8 days
- Kolkata to Bangkok—8 days
How Much Does It Cost to Ship Cargo From India to Thailand?
Determining the cost of shipping goods from India to Thailand requires consideration of the following:
- The weight of goods to be shipped
- Their dimensions and volume
- Whether the cargo is being shipped by ocean or air routes
- The nature of the cargo being shipped
- Whether a door-to-door, door-to-port, port-to-port, or port-to-door delivery service is required
Goods weighing less than 100kg can be as economical to fly as to ship by ocean carrier. Consignments over 100kg are expensive to fly, so unless customers in Thailand cannot wait to receive the goods, ocean shipping is likely to be more cost-effective. Shipa Freight does not process shipments that weigh less than 35kg.
Why Choose Shipa Freight to Ship Cargo From India to Thailand?
Shipa Freight brings the following benefits to shipping from India to Thailand:
- An easy to use online platform
- Quick bespoke quotes
- Online booking and payment features
- GPS tracking of every stage of the shipping process
- Access to customs clearance expertise
- The support of the international shipping experts at our parent company Agility Logistics
- 24/7 customer service support