First leg · China to Australia

Freight forwarding, China to Australia — and straight into our 3PL

We move your goods from China to Australia by sea and air, clear them through Australian customs, and deliver them straight into our own Sydney 3PL warehouse — ready to pick, pack and ship. One partner for the whole first leg, your storage and your last-mile, on one invoice. FCL and LCL from the major Chinese ports to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

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What we move

Sea, air and customs — handled end to end

Ocean and air freight from China, full Australian import clearance, and goods delivered directly into the warehouse that will fulfil them.

Sea Freight (FCL & LCL)

Cost-effective ocean freight from the major Chinese ports to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Ship a full container (FCL) when you have the volume, or consolidate into a shared container (LCL) when you don't — we book the sailing, manage the booking and track it to port.

Our 3PL services →

Air Freight

Faster air cargo from China for time-sensitive launches, replenishment and high-value stock, with express and standard options. The right mode for restocking a runaway seller or covering a gap before a sea shipment lands.

How it works →

Customs Clearance

Australian import customs clearance handled for you — import declarations, duties and GST, biosecurity requirements and the supporting documentation. We keep your shipment compliant and moving instead of stuck at the border.

Logistics glossary →

Direct Into Our Warehouse

Cleared freight is delivered straight into our 10,000 m² Western Sydney 3PL warehouse and booked into stock — no third-party drop-off, no separate inbound leg. The moment it lands it's ready to fulfil.

Storage solutions →

Freight + 3PL vs a forwarder alone

One partner from the port to the customer

A standalone freight forwarder gets your goods to an Australian port — then hands them off. We carry them all the way into fulfilment.

With OutBox3PL (freight + 3PL)

Your freight lands directly in the warehouse that fulfils it — no handover
One invoice and one point of contact for freight, storage and last-mile
Customs clearance and inbound receiving managed by the same team
Live visibility from the Chinese factory floor through to your customer's door
Goods are sellable the moment they're booked into stock

A separate freight forwarder

Goods are dropped at a port or depot, then handed to someone else
Separate contracts and invoices for freight, warehousing and delivery
An extra inbound leg and re-handling before stock reaches your 3PL
Visibility breaks at each handoff between providers
You coordinate the gaps between forwarder, warehouse and courier

The end-to-end advantage

Your freight lands directly in fulfilment

Because we also run the Australian 3PL and Sydney last-mile delivery, your freight never stops at the port. There is no second forwarder to brief, no inbound leg to book and no second invoice to reconcile — just one partner managing the whole journey from China to your customer's door.

One partner for the first leg, storage and last-mile delivery
No handoff between a freight forwarder and your warehouse
Customs clearance and inbound receiving run by the same team
Goods booked straight into stock — sellable the day they arrive
A single invoice and a single contact for the whole supply chain
10 years of moving goods from China into Australian fulfilment

How it works

From a Chinese port to your customers

Book

Tell us what's shipping and when. We arrange collection in China and consolidate your shipment.

Sea or air

Goods move from the port on the mode that fits your timeline and budget — FCL, LCL or air.

Customs cleared

We lodge the Australian import declaration and settle duties, GST and biosecurity.

Lands in our warehouse

Cleared freight is delivered into our Sydney 3PL and booked straight into stock.

Fulfilled

Orders are picked, packed and delivered across Australia from the same facility.

Why first-leg freight belongs with your 3PL

China-to-Australia importing, without the handoffs

Importing from China into Australia is a chain of dependent steps: a booking and collection in China, a sea or air leg to an Australian port, an import customs declaration with duties, GST and biosecurity checks, an inbound delivery to a warehouse, then receiving and put-away before a single order can ship. When a different company owns each step, the gaps between them are where time and money leak — demurrage while paperwork catches up, re-handling on the inbound leg, and stock that sits uncounted because the warehouse wasn't expecting it.

Running the first leg and the 3PL as one operation closes those gaps. We clear your goods and deliver them straight into our own Western Sydney warehouse, where the same team books them into stock against the shipment we already know is coming. There's no second forwarder to chase, no inbound leg to schedule separately, and no reconciling one invoice against another — which is why an integrated first leg is usually both faster to sellable stock and cheaper once the handling and coordination costs are counted in.

With FCL and LCL from the major Chinese ports to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, plus air freight for urgent lines, you choose the mode per shipment while everything downstream stays the same. The moment your container or air shipment lands and clears, it's part of the same inventory pool our pick-pack and last-mile teams ship from every day.

FAQ

Freight forwarding questions, answered

Do you ship by sea and air?

Yes. We move goods from China to Australia by both sea and air. Sea freight is the cost-effective choice for regular and larger volumes, available as full-container (FCL) or consolidated (LCL). Air freight is the faster option for time-sensitive launches, replenishment and high-value stock. You can pick the mode per shipment.

Do you handle customs clearance?

Yes. We manage Australian import customs clearance as part of the service — import declarations, duties and GST, biosecurity requirements and the supporting documentation. Your shipment stays compliant and keeps moving instead of being held at the border, and clearance is handled by the same team that receives the goods.

How long does sea freight from China take?

Sea freight transit times vary by origin port, destination, sailing schedule, consolidation and customs clearance, so we confirm an estimated timeline for your specific lane when we quote. Air freight is materially faster and is the option to reach for when a shipment is urgent.

Which ports and cities do you cover?

We move freight from the major Chinese ports to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Goods are then delivered into our 10,000 m² Western Sydney 3PL warehouse at Clyde NSW, where they're fulfilled and dispatched across Australia.

Does the freight connect to your 3PL and last-mile delivery?

Yes — that's the core advantage. Your freight is delivered straight into the same Sydney warehouse that stores and fulfils it, and we also run Sydney last-mile delivery. One partner covers the first leg, your storage and the final delivery, on a single invoice with one point of contact and visibility across every leg.

Should I choose FCL or LCL?

FCL (a full container) usually makes sense when you have enough volume to fill or nearly fill a container, while LCL (consolidating into a shared container) suits smaller shipments where you only pay for the space you use. We'll advise on the most cost-effective option for your volumes when we quote your lane.