Quick answer: goods from China reach Kenya either by sea to Mombasa or by air to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Sea is cheaper and slower and suits heavy or bulky goods; air is faster and suits small, high-value parcels. Prices change week to week and no public rate card for this route has been verified, so the honest answer on cost is: varies, request quotes. You will also pay KRA duty and VAT on arrival; estimate it with our import duty calculator for goods from China.
Your Three Main Options
| Option | Best for | How it is priced | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea freight, full container (FCL) | Large orders that fill a 20ft or 40ft container | Per container | Port of Mombasa, then rail or road inland |
| Sea freight, shared container (LCL or consolidation) | Small traders with a few cartons to a few cubic metres | Per cubic metre (CBM) | Mombasa, often delivered to a Nairobi warehouse |
| Air freight | Samples, electronics, urgent or light goods | Per kilogram (or volume weight, whichever is higher) | JKIA, Nairobi |
Many Kenyan importers use a “door to door” consolidator: the agent collects from your supplier’s warehouse in China, ships with other customers’ goods, clears customs in Kenya and hands over at their Nairobi office. Their per-kg or per-CBM price often includes duty, which is convenient but makes it hard to see what you are paying for each part.
What It Costs
Varies, request quotes. Freight on the China to Kenya route depends on global container rates, fuel surcharges, the season (rates often rise before Chinese New Year) and how full the ship or plane is. Any agent that publishes a rate is showing a price for that week. When you ask for a quote, get it in writing and check what it includes:
- Pick-up from the supplier in China
- Export clearance in China
- Freight and insurance
- KRA duty, VAT, IDF and RDL in Kenya
- Port or airport charges and clearing in Kenya
- Delivery to your door or collection point
Ask whether a per-kg or per-CBM price is “duty inclusive”. If it is, ask what happens for goods that attract higher duty, such as phones, cosmetics or items needing extra approvals.
How Long It Takes
Air freight is measured in days and sea freight in weeks. The time that matters to you is door to door: collection in China, waiting for the next sailing or flight, the journey, customs in Kenya and delivery. Ask each agent for their current door-to-door estimate and their sailing or flight dates, and ask how long the last few shipments actually took. Allow extra time around Chinese public holidays, when factories and forwarders close.
Duty and Taxes in Kenya
KRA charges import duty on most goods under the East African Community Common External Tariff, usually 0%, 10%, 25% or 35% depending on the product, plus 16% VAT, a 2.5% Import Declaration Fee and a 2% Railway Development Levy on the customs value. Some products also pay excise duty. The customs value is normally based on the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) of the goods. Our China import duty calculator applies these rates.
Keep the supplier’s commercial invoice and packing list. If your goods are under-declared to cut duty and KRA finds out, you can face penalties and the goods can be held.
KEBS Rules: PVoC and the Import Standards Mark
Many products must meet Kenyan standards before they leave China. Under KEBS’s Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme, regulated goods are inspected or tested in the exporting country and issued a Certificate of Conformity. Goods that arrive without one can be re-inspected at your cost, held or rejected. Some imported goods also need KEBS’s Import Standardisation Mark sticker before sale. Ask your supplier and agent whether your product is covered, and get the certificate before the goods ship.
Paying Your Supplier
Many Chinese suppliers accept Alipay, bank transfer or payment through a marketplace such as Alibaba. You can pay Alipay merchants directly from M-Pesa; see sending money to China with Alipay on M-Pesa. Marketplace payment protection usually only applies when you pay through the marketplace itself, not by direct transfer.
How to Avoid Fake Shipping Agents
Scams on this route usually follow one pattern: a cheap quote, payment up front to a personal number, then the goods are “stuck at customs” and more money is needed. Protect yourself with these checks:
| Check | How to verify it |
|---|---|
| The company is real | Ask for the registered company name and search it on the Business Registration Service through eCitizen. |
| It can clear customs | Ask which KRA-licensed customs agent clears the goods and check the licence. See our guide on clearing and forwarding licences. |
| It has an office | Visit the Nairobi or Mombasa office before sending large payments. |
| Payment goes to the company | Pay only to a company bank account or a business till in the company’s name. Never to a personal M-Pesa number. |
| The quote is in writing | Get a quote listing what is included, and a receipt for every payment. |
| Tracking is real | Ask for the bill of lading or air waybill number and check it with the shipping line or airline. |
Be wary of anyone who asks for “release fees” by phone or WhatsApp after the goods are in transit. Ask for a KRA or KPA document showing the charge.
Comparing Agents
We do not rank or recommend shipping agents. When you compare them, use the same shipment details for every quote, ask the same questions about what is included, and weigh their verifiable facts: registration, customs licence, office address and published rate pages. A slightly higher, fully itemised quote from a firm you can check is safer than the cheapest lump sum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to ship by sea or air?
Per kilogram, sea is almost always cheaper, especially for heavy goods. For very small, light parcels the difference can be smaller once minimum charges are counted, so ask for both.
Can I ship a car from China?
Yes, but cars follow a different process. See our car import duty calculator and the KEBS 8-year rule.
Want quotes? Use the form below. We keep your request and reply with options; we do not pass your details to any agent without asking you first.
