Sea Freight Benchmarks (Door to Door)
| Origin | Destination | Port Transit | Customs & Last Mile | Buffer to Add | Total Planning Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen (Yantian) | Sydney | 15-19 days | 8-12 days | 3 days | 23-29 days |
| Ningbo | Melbourne | 18-22 days | 6-8 days | 4 days | 28-34 days |
| Qingdao | Brisbane | 21-25 days | 8-12 days | 3 days | 29-35 days |
| Xiamen | Fremantle | 19-23 days | 6-9 days | 4 days | 29-36 days |
Air Freight Benchmarks
| Service | Transit | Handling | Recommended Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express air service (DHL/UPS) | 2-4 days | 1 day | 5-6 days |
| Standard air freight | 8-12 days | 2 days | 7-12 days |
| Consolidated air + road | 6-8 days | 3 days | 10-12 days |
How to Build Buffer Days
- •Add +5 days around Chinese public holidays and Australian long weekends.
- •Add +7 days for DAFF tailgates if you import wooden furniture, food, or botanicals.
- •For LCL, tack on +2 days at both origin and destination for CFS handling.
Live Tracking and Contingency Plans
- Sailing swaps – Keep alternative vessel options listed in your PO so you can rebook quickly.
- Split shipments – Send top 20% SKUs via air if sea delays threaten seasonal launches.
- Communicate buffer to sales teams – Provide “earliest” and “latest” arrival dates so campaigns aren’t booked against best-case timelines only.
Use this planner alongside our Shipping Calculator and weekly Wharvex lane alerts to keep inventory flowing.
How Wharvex Helps
Wharvex Supply Chain Platform runs dedicated China → Australia sea, air, and express programs. Importers get:
- •Weekly capacity on major lanes with negotiated carrier rates
- •Managed customs clearance with ABF/DAFF coordination
- •Live milestone tracking, demurrage alerts, and delivery scheduling