Import from Thailand: Ocean Freight & Shipping Guide 2026
Ocean freight is 5-15% of your landed cost and can swing 300% during peak season or Red Sea disruption. This is the 2026 field guide to shipping from Thailand.
The two ports you'll use
Laem Chabang Port (LCB) — 95% of FCL exports
- 130 km southeast of Bangkok, deep-sea container terminal
- Direct calls: Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Evergreen, ONE, HMM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd
- Cutoff: usually Sunday night for Wednesday sailing
Bangkok Port (Klong Toey) — LCL and small shipments
- On the Chao Phraya River, feeder-only
- LCL consolidators: OOCL Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel, DHL, Yusen
- Barge to LCB for onward main-line vessel
2026 transit times (Laem Chabang origin)
| Destination Port | Transit | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | 18-22 days | Daily |
| Oakland | 22-25 days | 3x/week |
| Seattle / Tacoma | 20-24 days | 3x/week |
| New York (via Panama) | 32-38 days | 2x/week |
| Savannah | 30-35 days | 2x/week |
| Rotterdam | 28-34 days (via Cape) or 24-28 (Suez if open) | Daily |
| Hamburg | 30-36 days | 4x/week |
| Felixstowe (UK) | 32-38 days | 3x/week |
| Southampton | 30-35 days | 2x/week |
| Sydney / Melbourne | 14-18 days | 3x/week |
| Vancouver | 20-24 days | 3x/week |
| Montreal (via Panama) | 35-42 days | 1x/week |
Add 3-5 days if Red Sea reroute is active. Add 7-14 days during Lunar New Year and Golden Week bunching.
2026 FCL rate ranges (USD, all-in)
| Route | 20FT | 40HC |
|---|---|---|
| LCB → LA/LGB | 1,400-1,900 | 1,900-2,600 |
| LCB → New York | 2,800-3,600 | 3,600-4,700 |
| LCB → Rotterdam | 2,200-3,000 | 3,000-4,000 |
| LCB → Felixstowe | 2,400-3,200 | 3,200-4,300 |
| LCB → Sydney | 1,600-2,100 | 2,100-2,800 |
| LCB → Vancouver | 1,700-2,200 | 2,300-3,000 |
LCL rates (per CBM or per 1,000 kg, whichever greater)
| Route | Per CBM |
|---|---|
| BKK → LA | USD 85-130 |
| BKK → NY | USD 140-200 |
| BKK → Rotterdam | USD 110-170 |
| BKK → Felixstowe | USD 120-180 |
| BKK → Sydney | USD 75-110 |
Minimum: usually 1 CBM or USD 100 whichever higher, plus USD 40-80 in origin fees.
Incoterms 2020 for Thai imports
- FOB Laem Chabang — standard for FCL. You pay ocean freight, insurance, destination.
- FCA Bangkok — for LCL, factory hands over at CFS warehouse.
- CIF — supplier books freight. Usually 10-20% more expensive than FOB + your forwarder.
- DAP / DDP — full door-to-door. Only trust with vetted forwarders; DDP hides duty markup.
TUSKO recommendation: FOB or FCA. Use your own or a vetted forwarder. Never let a new supplier control CIF.
Peak seasons to avoid
- Chinese New Year (Jan-Feb): factories close 10-14 days, rates spike 40%
- Golden Week (Oct 1-7): China closed, Thai ports jammed with reroutes
- US Xmas peak (Aug-Oct bookings for Nov delivery): rates 50-100% above baseline
- Songkran (Apr 13-15): Thai factories close 5-7 days, port slow
Book 4-6 weeks ahead in peak; 2 weeks off-peak.
Insurance
Marine cargo insurance costs 0.15-0.35% of CIF value. Cover: Institute Cargo Clauses (A) — all-risk. Always insure even for small orders — one lost container wipes out a year of margin.
FAQ
Q: Is air freight ever worth it from Thailand? A: Under 100 kg or urgent samples: yes. USD 4-8/kg BKK → US airports, 3-5 days. Above 500 kg: ocean is 10x cheaper.
Q: What's a "chassis fee" and why is it USD 300 on my invoice? A: US chassis (trailer under the container) rented separately at LA/LGB. USD 30-45/day, minimum 5-10 days. Included in some carrier quotes, extra in others.
Q: Can I ship LCL and pick up my own container? A: No. LCL goes to CFS deconsolidation warehouse; you pick up pallets/cartons after 3-5 days processing.
Q: What's ISF and when is it due? A: Importer Security Filing (10+2) for USA. File 24h before vessel loads at LCB. USD 25-50 broker fee. USD 5,000 penalty if late.
Q: Does TUSKO book freight? A: We coordinate with your forwarder or introduce a vetted partner. We don't mark up freight — you see the carrier invoice.
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