Container shipping to Ecuador

A 20-ft container typically costs between $1,500 and $2,500 and a 40-ft between $2,500 and $3,500. The final price depends on the origin port, the type of cargo and whether you ship a full or a shared container; when you request a quote we confirm it within one business day with the full breakdown. On top of the freight, imports pay the ad valorem tariff for the HS code, a 0.5% FODINFA levy and 15% IVA on the CIF value.

You need a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, an insurance policy, and the DAI (Declaración Aduanera de Importación) filed in ECUAPASS by a licensed customs agent. The importer needs an SRI-issued RUC and SENAE registration with an electronic signature token. Add a certificate of origin for preferential rates, a conformity certificate for INEN-regulated products, and ARCSA or Agrocalidad documents for regulated goods. We prepare them for you and handle customs clearance at destination, so no missing paper holds your cargo.

Use LCL for 2 to 15 CBM, a 20ft FCL above 15 CBM, a 40ft above 30 CBM, and air under 2 CBM. ECUAPASS fees and broker costs are charged per declaration, so consolidating several suppliers into one shipment cuts the customs cost per unit, and that saving often outweighs the freight gap between modes. Dense cargo fills a 20ft by weight first. Not sure? Tell us what you are shipping and we recommend the format with the best total cost.

Yes, with limits. COMEX Resolution 009-2022 bans used clothing, footwear, tires, used vehicles and used vehicle spare parts, so a move cannot include them. Household goods travel as freight with a full DAI in ECUAPASS, filed by a licensed agent; SENAE's courier Category B covers only personal packages up to 4 kg and USD 400 FOB. IVA is 15%. Antiques and artwork need ministry authorization. We move personal items, household goods and full relocations, with customs and documentation handled door to door.

We serve Guayaquil, Esmeraldas, Posorja, with customs clearance handled at each one and inland delivery coordinated to the final destination if you need it. Guayaquil (ECGYE) is the main container gateway, with a river draft of about 9.75 m, and DP World Posorja (ECPSJ), about 85 km southwest, is the deep-water alternative for larger ships. SENAE clears cargo on ECUAPASS.

Ocean freight from Miami to Guayaquil takes 5 to 10 days port to port for a full container, and 8 to 14 days for LCL because of consolidation. Air freight from Miami to Guayaquil (GYE) or Quito (UIO) lands in 1 to 3 days. Clearance adds time when the ECUAPASS registration or an INEN, ARCSA or Agrocalidad permit is missing at arrival, and storage in Guayaquil runs while it is fixed.

The importer needs a RUC from the SRI and an ECUAPASS registration with an electronic signature token before the cargo sails. A licensed customs agent files the import declaration (DAI) in ECUAPASS with the commercial invoice, transport document, insurance and any certificate of origin, and SENAE assigns a control channel for documentary or physical inspection. Products under an RTE INEN technical regulation also need a conformity certificate.

Under COMEX Resolution 009-2022, Ecuador prohibits imports of used clothing, footwear and tires, used vehicles and motorcycles, used vehicle spare parts, hazardous waste and ozone-depleting substances, among other items. Food, plant and animal products need Agrocalidad clearance, and processed foods, cosmetics and medicines need ARCSA health registration before import. Antiques, firearms, live animals and original artwork require ministry authorization, and narcotics and counterfeit goods are banned outright.

Electronics, clothing, furniture, industrial equipment and food products are among the goods most commonly shipped from the US to Ecuador, as long as they meet Ecuadorian import rules. Products under an RTE INEN technical regulation need a conformity certificate, processed foods and cosmetics need ARCSA registration, and plant or animal products need Agrocalidad clearance. Machinery, vehicle parts, chemicals and consumer goods fill most containers arriving in Guayaquil.

Yes for personal packages, no for commercial stock. SENAE's 4x4 courier category covers packages up to 4 kg and USD 400 FOB, with a USD 1,600 annual cap per person and, since June 16, 2025, a fixed USD 20 tariff plus FODINFA. Commercial quantities must enter as freight with a full DAI in ECUAPASS, which is where consolidated LCL or air cargo from Miami fits.

LCL consolidated through Miami is the cheapest way to ship 2 to 15 CBM, and a full container is cheaper per unit above 15 CBM. Consolidating several US suppliers in Miami also cuts customs cost: ECUAPASS fees and broker charges are per declaration, so one shipment with one DAI costs less than several small entries. Air only pays off for urgent or very light cargo.

Not in force yet. The United States and Ecuador signed an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on March 13, 2026, under which Ecuador commits to cut tariffs on US agricultural goods, machinery, chemicals and medical products. The preferences apply only after Ecuador's domestic approval, so US-origin goods pay the applied MFN tariff today; the 2023 simple average was 11.2%. Check the agreement's status before pricing a deal on it.