Air vs sea freight to Ghana
Compare air and sea freight for your China to Ghana shipment, with a built-in CBM helper so you can price volume correctly.
Air vs sea freight
Indicative China freight sampled 2026-06-07: air $9.5/kg, sea $360/CBM. Not a quote. Get a forwarder rate before booking.
- Shipment is over ~100 kg or ~0.5 CBM
- Goods are bulky or heavy relative to value
- You can wait 4-8 weeks
- Goods are light, small or urgent
- Value per kg is high (electronics, samples)
- You need stock in 1-2 weeks
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Is air or sea cheaper from China to Ghana?
For a typical 200 kg in 1 m³ load: air is ~$1,900 (~₵23,323) at $10/kg; sea ~$440 (~₵5,401) at $360/CBM. The crossover is near ~100 kg or ~0.5 CBM: below it air closes the gap, above it sea wins clearly. Indicative figures, sampled 2026-06-07; not a quote.
| Mode | Cost (USD) | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Air | $1,900 | ₵23,323 |
| Sea (LCL) | $440 | ₵5,401 |
How do you calculate CBM and volumetric weight?
CBM = length × width × height in metres. A 40×30×25 cm carton = 0.03 m³; ten cartons = 0.3 m³. Air volumetric weight = CBM × 167 kg, and air is charged on the greater of actual and volumetric weight — light, bulky goods price on volume, not weight.
How long does shipping really take to Ghana?
Air is usually 5-10 days to arrival, plus clearing. Sea LCL is often 4-8 weeks door-to-port depending on the line and consolidation, plus clearing that stretches if documents are not ready. Plan to the longer end. Ghana's China trade clears mostly through Tema and Takoradi and sells through Accra's Makola and Okaishie markets and Kumasi's Adum. Since ICUMS replaced the old clearing systems, every line on the declaration is itemised — which makes an accurate landed-cost estimate before you ship more valuable, not less.
What this estimate won't capture
Freight rates are indicative and move with season, fuel, route and consolidator. The numbers here build intuition; they do not replace a written quote from a forwarder for your specific shipment. Indicative figures, sampled 2026-06-07; not a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is air or sea cheaper from China to Ghana?
Sea (LCL) is usually cheaper per kg once a shipment passes roughly 100 kg or about half a CBM. Air is faster and wins for light, urgent or high-value goods.
How do I calculate CBM?
CBM is length x width x height in metres. For cartons in cm, multiply L x W x H and divide by 1,000,000, then multiply by the number of cartons.
What is volumetric weight?
Air freight is charged on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Bulky light goods can be charged on volume.
Are these freight rates accurate?
They are indicative ballpark figures sampled 2026-06-07. Always get a live quote from a freight forwarder before booking.
Last updated: 2026-06-07.
Kwame translates Ghana's layered import-tax system — duty, VAT, NHIL, GETFund and the community levies — into a landed cost an importer can plan around, and tracks how the cedi's moves against the yuan change the maths month to month. Accra-based, writing for the trader sourcing from Guangzhou and 1688.