Ocean and Air Shipping From Indonesia to India

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Updated on 16 Sep 2021

14 min read

5,000 kilometers of the Indian Ocean separates Indonesia and India. Southeast Asia’s biggest nation exported $14 billion of goods to India in 2018 according to the United Nation’s COMTRADE database, with palm oil the most exported product.

An agreement reached in Jakarta in 2018 is set to boost bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2025. Busy times lie ahead for the trade lanes between the two countries. If your business is already engaged in ocean and air shipping from Indonesia to India, or you are exporting for the first time, this page provides you with handy information that will bring welcome simplicity to ocean and air freight shipping.

What Are Your Options for Freight From Indonesia to India?

Freight forwarding professional leaning on a stack of cartons, adjacent to the flags of Indonesia and India

Ocean and air shipping are the two viable ways of transporting commercial goods from Indonesia to India. The pros and cons of both forms of shipping are discussed below.

Ocean Freight From Indonesia to India

Less than Container Load (LCL): With LCL, your goods share container space with other products transported in a shipping container from Indonesia to India. Consolidation and deconsolidation will be required in the ports of departure and arrival.

Full Container Load (FCL): You don’t have to fill a container to use FCL shipping. You can pay for the exclusive use of a container and fill it with as many or as few goods as you desire. It is often quicker and sometimes less expensive than LCL.

Air Freight from Indonesia to India

Air shipping between Indonesia and India usually takes four to eight days, which is significantly quicker than ocean shipping. Currently, there are no direct flights between the two countries, so freight forwarders will use indirect services to ship your goods by air. This is usually the most expensive way to import from Indonesia to India.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From Indonesia to India?

The cost of shipping from Indonesia to India depends on your choice of air or ocean shipping, the nature of the goods you wish to ship, and the following factors:

Your chosen port of origin in Indonesia
Your chosen port of arrival in India
Whether it’s peak or low season for shipping
Available capacity among airlines or shipping lines
Fuel prices
Whether FCL or LCL shipping is required for your ocean cargo
The weight, volume, and dimensions of your consignment
Whether a door-to-door, door-to-port, port-to-door, or port-to-port delivery is needed

Air shipping is usually more expensive than ocean shipping but is often the preferred option for shippers who:

Want to ship goods from Indonesia that are urgently required in India
Have a consignment that weighs less than 100kg
Have a small shipment to send—one that can fit on one, two, or three pallets

Generally speaking, it’s more cost-effective to ship cargo weighing above 100kg as ocean cargo. That’s because as shipments get larger, the cost difference between an import from Indonesia to India by sea, versus one made by an air-freight carrier, widens considerably. A large shipment of air freight can cost many times more than the same shipment sent via ocean carrier.

Please note that Shipa Freight does not offer quotations for shipments weighing less than 35kg.

How Long Does it Take to Ship Cargo From Indonesia to India?

5,000 kilometers separate Indonesia and India. Freight forwarders can ship goods by air in four to eight days. Ocean carriage will take between two and four weeks.

How Long Does It Take To Ship Cargo by Ocean From Indonesia to India?

The total ocean shipping time between Indonesia and India will vary. Times can range from as little as two weeks to as many as four, as indicated by the following route examples, taken from the Shipa Freight database:

Paper calendar to represent the transit time of shipments with Shipa Freight

Surabaya to Nhava Sheva—16 days FCL, 15 days LCL
Jakarta to Nhava Sheva—15 days FCL, 14 days LCL
Jakarta to Chennai—17 days FCL, 14 days LCL
Semarang to Nhava Sheva or Chennai—21 days FCL
Surabaya or Jakarta to Mundra—26 days LCL
Surabaya to Chennai—25 days FCL, 18 days LCL
Belawan to Kolkata—18 days FCL
Belawan to Mundra or Nhava Sheva—21 days FCL
Jakarta to Kattupalli or Tuticorin—26 days FCL

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Air From Indonesia to India?

The fastest way to ship goods from Indonesia to India is by air, as this list illustrates:

Jakarta to Chennai or Cochin—8 days
Jakarta or Surabaya to Mumbai—6 days
Jakarta to Cochin —8 days
Surabaya to Chennai or Delhi—8 days
Jakarta to Bangalore—4 days
Denpasar to Delhi—3 days
Surabaya to Delhi—8 days

Customs Clearance in Indonesia and India

When importing from Indonesia to India, all goods will be subject to customs clearance. The process is complicated and many businesses choose to hire a freight forwarder to manage the task. It’s something you should seriously consider, as a forwarder’s expertise will remove the risk of unnecessary delays impacting the timeliness of your shipment. A forwarder will also ensure your consignment complies with rules and regulations.

You will still have responsibility for completing and submitting essential paperwork with your consignment. Customs officials in Indonesia and India will likely require the following:

Commercial Invoice
Packing List
Certificate of Origin
Letter of Credit or other payment terms (depends on the contract between the parties involved)
Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight (your freight forwarder will provide this for you)

You may need to supply additional paperwork in the form of a permit, certificate, or license. If you’d like to view examples of the paperwork listed above, our document list page is the place to go.

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

Ocean Freight

Two to four weeks is the average duration of ocean shipping from Indonesia to India. Your products will probably ship from a port in Indonesia across the Indian Ocean in a container aboard a cargo ship.

Containers generally come in two sizes—20ft and 40ft. A standard container that opens at one end will suit most consignments. Your freight forwarder can advise on whether your goods might be better off in a specialized container.

To determine the right solution for your business, a freight forwarder will need to know the weight, dimensions, and volume of your shipment. This information will also help to determine whether LCL or FCL shipping is best for transporting your sea freight in a container from Indonesia to India. Below, we take a closer look at LCL and FCL and assess the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

Less Than Container Load (LCL) shipping could be the ideal way to export from Indonesia to India if:

Your consignment is 14 CBM or less in volume
Your recipient in India does not urgently require the goods
Your freight is safe to ship inside a shared container
You have ruled out air freight due to size, weight, or budget restrictions

A downside of importing from Indonesia to India by LCL is the need for goods to be consolidated with other products from other shippers. This logistics necessity can mean LCL shipping takes longer than FCL. Deconsolidation will also be required upon arrival in India, further adding to overall transit time.

You might wish to avoid LCL as a means of transporting a shipping container from Indonesia to India if:

Your cargo comprises food, flowers, or other perishables
Your goods are high-value or delicate and could be damaged by frequent handling and moving
You have a strict delivery deadline to meet and cannot afford shipping delays
Transporting your goods in a shared container is not desirable

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

Full Container Load (FCL) shipping is often the best option for businesses with:

Cargo that isn’t urgent but is still required in India by a specific date
The ability to load and seal a shipping container in Indonesia
A recipient who has the facilities to unload the container in India
A consignment that’s more than 14 CBM (equal to about half of the capacity of a 20ft container)
The need to transport extremely delicate freight that’s best shipped in isolation from other shippers’ products

Air Freight

Many companies find air shipping is their best option when importing from Indonesia to India, especially if:

Their freight is perishable and will benefit from the shortest possible transit time
The delivery is urgent
Their cargo requires strict security measures in place due to its high value
They only need to send a small, light consignment—three or four pallets at most
Their supplier and consignee are both nearer to an airport than a seaport, saving on overland transportation costs

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo Ports of Origin in Indonesia

Jakarta

Port Facts:

Also known as the Port of Cabang Tanjung Priok
Regarded as a key gateway to the Indonesian archipelago
Prone to congestion due to lack of storage space and cargo berths
Three container terminals and a 16,800 meter-long quayside can efficiently process goods destined for India

Owned By: PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II.

Annual Container Volume: >8 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: IDJKT.

Belawan Sumatra

Port Facts:

Indonesia’s biggest port outside of Java
Best known as a stop-off for cruise ships
Its location suits suppliers and manufacturers based in Northwestern Sumatra
Rubber, coffee, and tea are among the goods most often exported from here

Owned By: Pelni.

Annual Container Volume: >400,000 TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: IDBLW.

Surabaya

Port Facts:

Also known as Tanjung Perak
Indonesia’s second-busiest seaport
The main cargo hub serving East Java
Accessed via the narrow Madura Strait
A focal point for inter-island shipping
If your manufacturer or supplier is based on one of Indonesia’s islands, transporting your goods from here to India could save you time and complication

Owned By: PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II.

Annual Container Volume: >3.8 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: IDSUB.

Semarang

Indonesia’s third-largest port
Gives businesses in northern coastal regions of Java a port from which to import or export
If your supply chain moves goods from Salatiga, Demak, Kendal, or nearby areas, Semarang is a convenient port of departure

Owned By: PT Pelabuhan III Indonesia.

Annual Container Volume: >730,000 TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: IDSRG.

Cargo Ports of Arrival in India

Nhava Sheva

Port Facts

Serves as an alternative to the nearby Port of Mumbai
More than half of India’s containerized freight is processed here
Use this port if the destination for your goods from Indonesia is in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, or elsewhere in Maharashtra

Owned By: Government of India.

Annual Container Volume: >5 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: INNSA.

Chennai

Port Facts

A sea-freight hub located in Tamil Nadu
India’s second-largest container port
One of the closest ports in India to Indonesia
Enjoyed a record-breaking year to March 2019 when the port processed 15.7 million TEUs

Owned By: Chennai Port Trust, Ministry of Shipping.

Annual Container Volume: >15.7 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: INMAA.

Mundra

Port Facts

Located in the Gulf of Kachchh
Container throughput grew by 27.7% in 2017, fueled by bigger cargo ships using the port
A convenient way to access India’s northwestern hinterland
Cargo teams at four container terminals can discharge and manage goods from Indonesia

Owned By: Adani Group.

Annual Container Volume: >4.2 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: INMUN.

Kattupalli

Many forwarders recommend shipping goods from Indonesia to Kattupalli instead of Chennai
The ports of Chennai and Kattupalli are just 31 kilometers apart
A privately-owned sea freight facility
Guarantees congestion-free approach roads, unlike its older, busier neighbor

Owned By: Adani Group.

Annual Container Volume: >493,000 TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: INKTP.

Pipavav

Opened in 2002
India’s first privately-owned port
Serves Surat, Rajkot, and other cities in Gujarat in Northwest India
Infrastructure includes two berths and eight cranes to facilitate the unloading of container vessels

Owned By: A.P. Moller Maersk Group.

Annual Container Volume: >880,000 TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: INPAV.

Other Destination Ports in India

Your container from Indonesia to India can also be unloaded at these other ports:

Haldia
Mormugao
Cochin
Hazira
Kolkata
Visakhapatnam
Krishnapatnam
Tuticorin

Flying Your Freight: Airport Guide

Airports of Origin in Indonesia

Denpasar Bali

Airport Facts:

Situated 13 kilometers south of Denpasar
Also known as Ngurah Rai International Airport
The closest air facility to Jimbaran and Kuta
Indonesia’s second-busiest airport
Wide-body aircraft can use this air freight hub and fly to destinations in India via indirect routes

India Airports Served: None.

Denpasar to India Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: DPS.

Jakarta

Airport Facts:

Located 20 kilometers northwest of Jakarta
A third runway opened in December 2019, increasing the cargo handling capacity of the airport
More expansion is planned with the cargo terminal due to be relocated to a bigger site by 2025

India Airports Served: None.

Jakarta to India Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: CGK.

Surabaya

Airport Facts:

Located just 12 kilometers from the city of Surabaya in Eastern Java
Indonesia’s third-busiest air hub
Facilities include a single runway and a two-story freight terminal
Handles about 120,000 tonnes of air freight each year

India Airports Served: None.

Surabaya to India Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: SUB.