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How shipping from China to Grenada works
There is no direct sailing from China. Cargo leaves a Chinese port on a mainline transpacific vessel, relays at a hub, and arrives on a feeder.
The relay points are Kingston and Cartagena, the latter well connected to the southern Caribbean through Asia-to-Latin-America services. Caucedo also feeds the lane. Grenada sits at the southern end of the Windward chain, close to Trinidad, so some cargo routes via the southern network rather than the Windward Passage. Ask which relay is being quoted, because it changes the transit materially. Interworld Freight consolidates through Miami, which is the routing behind the transit figures in this guide, and the Miami departure for Grenada arrives on Thursday. See Caribbean transshipment hubs.
How long it takes, leg by leg
What sets the range. The range comes from the Chinese port of loading, not from the island: in Interworld Freight's LCL tariff of July 21, 2026, Shanghai reaches Miami in 18 days, Qingdao and Shenzhen in 35 and Ningbo in 37, and the Miami to Grenada leg adds 7 days. The totals are port-to-port sailing days. They exclude the cargo cut-off at the origin warehouse, the wait in Miami for the next sailing and customs clearance on arrival.
Our consolidated service quotes 25 to 44 days from the Chinese port to Grenada, with arrivals on Thursday. The range is set by the origin port: Shanghai quotes at 25 days and Shenzhen at 42 days.
- Origin consolidation, 3 to 7 days. LCL only.
- Chinese port to Miami. Shanghai 18 days, 35, Shenzhen 35, Ningbo 37.
- Miami to Grenada, 7 days. The feeder arrives on Thursday.
- Deconsolidation, 2 to 5 days. LCL only.
- Customs clearance, 1 to 5 days.
Regional comparisons are in China to Caribbean transit times, and the Chinese loading ports are covered in Chinese ports serving the Caribbean.
What it costs and what drives the number
| Component | Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean freight | Per CBM (LCL) or per container (FCL) | Southern Windwards feeder |
| Origin and destination CFS | Per shipment or per CBM | LCL only |
| Terminal handling, both ends | Flat | n/a |
| Customs brokerage | Per entry | n/a |
| Import duty | 0% to 45% by HS code | Wider than the CET headline suggests |
| VAT 15% | On customs value plus duty, due at the same time as duty | n/a |
| Customs Service Charge 3 to 6% | On all imports | Not a duty; omitted from most tariff comparisons |
Two planning points follow. First, do not model duty from the CET bands alone; check the Grenadian rate for your specific classification, because the national schedule reaches considerably higher on some lines. Second, because VAT falls due at the same moment as duty, the full destination charge has to be funded in one payment at clearance rather than spread. For an importer running tight working capital, that timing is worth knowing before the vessel arrives, not at the counter.
The regional table is in Caribbean import duties and taxes, and the cost stack in China to Caribbean shipping cost.
LCL, FCL or air: choosing for Grenada
St. George's has modest container handling capacity and a small container freight station market, which pushes the breakeven early.
- Under 8 to 12 CBM: consolidated shipping wins on cost.
- 12 to 18 CBM: price both ways, weighting the container side for schedule reliability.
- Above 18 CBM: a full container wins on cost per cubic metre.
Interworld Freight runs the consolidated option from origin CFS in China through local clearance: LCL shipping from China to Grenada. For full containers, container shipping to the Caribbean. The mode analysis is in LCL vs FCL for Caribbean imports.
What our network quotes for Grenada
The reference shipment is 5 CBM and 1,500 kg on FCA terms. Weight is 1.5 tons against 5 CBM, so volume sets the chargeable figure, as chargeable weight in ocean freight explains. The totals below are our quotes to Grenada from each origin, with the transit time.
| Origin | Total, 5 CBM / 1,500 kg | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $1,095 | 7 days |
| Shanghai | $2,655 | 25 days |
| Shenzhen | $2,690 | 42 days |
| Valencia | $2,580 | 25 days |
The Miami row is the domestic consolidation from our Miami hub, and the Chinese rows add the origin leg to Miami. The contract term that fixes who pays for each leg is covered in Incoterms for importing from China.
Transit by Chinese origin port
The Chinese origin port sets the total, because the Miami to Grenada leg is the same 7 days for every origin.
| Origin port | To Miami | To Grenada |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 18 days | 25 days |
| Qingdao | 35 days | 42 days |
| Shenzhen | 35 days | 42 days |
| Ningbo | 37 days | 44 days |
Cargo from Shanghai arrives 19 days before the same cargo from Ningbo, so compare the origin port of each supplier before comparing their delivery promises. The Valencia row shows that European consolidation quotes at the same 25 days as Shanghai. For the destination side of the market, see the import guide to shipping to Grenada, and for the neighbouring market on the same Windward chain, shipping from China to Barbados.
Ports of entry in Grenada
St. George's is the principal cargo gateway, serving the capital, the main commercial centre and the tourism corridor around Grand Anse. All containerised imports route through here.
Carriacou and Petite Martinique are served onward from Grenada by inter-island vessel. Cargo destined for either is a separate leg with its own cost and timing.
Customs clearance in Grenada
Imports are administered by the Customs and Excise Division, with VAT administered alongside by the Inland Revenue Division.
- The importer needs a TIN or equivalent local registration; confirm the current requirement with your broker.
- Entry is filed through the ASYCUDA system by a licensed local broker for commercial cargo.
- Duty is assessed by HS code, with published rates ranging from 0% to 45%.
- VAT at 15% is charged at the same rate as on locally produced goods and is due when the customs duty is paid.
- A Customs Service Charge of 3% to 6% applies to all imports.
CARICOM duty-free entry applies to goods of CARICOM origin only. Chinese-origin cargo pays the applicable rate in full.
What importers actually bring in from China
Grenada's mix reflects tourism, an agricultural and spice-processing sector, an offshore university population and a resident market: construction and finishing materials, hospitality furniture, fixtures and equipment, consumer electronics and appliances, agricultural and processing equipment, furniture and household goods, and general retail.
Agricultural and food-processing equipment is worth flagging because it can fall into capital-goods classifications carrying much lower duty than finished consumer goods, and the difference on this island's wide tariff range is substantial. That is exactly the case where checking the specific rate before ordering, rather than assuming a band, changes the purchase decision.
Where these shipments fail
- Modelling duty from the CET headline. Grenada's published range runs to 45%, well above the 20% CET top band.
- Not funding the whole charge at clearance. VAT falls due with duty, in one payment.
- Forgetting the Customs Service Charge. At 3% to 6% on all imports it is missing from standard tariff tables.
- Ignoring the Carriacou leg. St. George's is not Carriacou, and the inter-island movement is separate.
- Booking at the LCL cutoff rather than before it. A missed sailing means a missed relay connection behind it, so the real cost is about two weeks.
Interworld Freight is a global freight forwarder headquartered in Miami, running transpacific consolidation from China alongside its transatlantic, Middle East and Oceania trades. The wider lane is in shipping from China to the Caribbean, and the neighbouring markets in shipping from China to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and shipping from China to Trinidad and Tobago.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does shipping from China to Grenada take?
Our consolidated service quotes 25 to 44 days from the Chinese port: 25 days from Shanghai and 42 days from Shenzhen, with arrivals in Grenada on Thursday. The Chinese port to Miami leg takes 18 days from Shanghai and 35 days from Shenzhen, and the Miami to Grenada leg takes 7 days.
What duty and VAT does Grenada charge on imports?
Duty ranges from 0% to 45% by HS code, which is wider than the CARICOM Common External Tariff headline of 0% to 20% would suggest, so check your specific classification rather than assuming a band. VAT is charged at 15% on customs value plus duty, at the same rate as on locally produced goods, and it is due at the same time as the customs duty. A Customs Service Charge of 3% to 6% applies on top.
When is VAT payable on imports into Grenada?
At the same time as the customs duty. That means the whole destination charge has to be funded in a single payment at clearance rather than spread, which is worth planning for before the vessel arrives if working capital is tight.
Which port do shipments from China arrive at in Grenada?
St. George's, serving the capital, the main commercial centre and the Grand Anse tourism corridor. Carriacou and Petite Martinique are served onward by inter-island vessel, which is a separate cost and schedule element.
Do Chinese goods get CARICOM duty relief in Grenada?
No. CARICOM duty-free entry applies to goods certified as being of CARICOM origin. Chinese-manufactured goods pay the applicable Grenadian duty rate in full, plus VAT at 15% and the Customs Service Charge.
How can I reduce duty on equipment imports into Grenada?
By classifying accurately rather than defaulting. Grenada's tariff range is wide, and agricultural, processing and capital equipment can attract materially lower rates than finished consumer goods. Checking the specific rate before placing the order, rather than assuming a band, is the highest-value preparation on this lane and can change the purchase decision itself.
How much does LCL cost from China to Grenada?
Our reference quote for 5 CBM and 1,500 kg on FCA terms is $2,655 from Shanghai and $2,690 from Shenzhen, with $2,580 from Valencia for European cargo. The same shipment from Miami quotes at $1,095.
On which day does cargo arrive in Grenada?
Our Miami to Grenada service arrives on Thursday, 7 days after departure from Miami. A shipment from Shanghai reaches Miami in 18 days, so the total is 25 days.
Which Chinese port is fastest to Grenada?
Shanghai, at 25 days to Grenada in our data. Qingdao and Shenzhen quote at 42 days and Ningbo at 44 days, so cargo from Shanghai arrives 19 days before the same cargo from Ningbo.
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