How long does it take for a container ship to get from Ningbo china to Los Angeles California?
the reason you can’t get a straight answer, is because there is not one. They can tell you when the container will get to the port, and GUESS at how long it will sit there – which is very variable in today’s environment. The ships are not moving until they are full, and shipping volumes are so low that there are not always a ship load of containers waiting at the port. Once the ship leaves port, it will be four to six weeks – used to be about half that; but the shipping companies slowed the ships to save on fuel. In my last company, we shipped a lot for China, and I am still friends with the Logistics Manager. She has a relationship with freight forwarders around the world, and enough influence to get on specific ships. Things are bad right now, which increases uncertainty. And related – you know that the shipping contract says that the captain can toss the container if he feels he needs to due to rough seas or anything that might endanger the ship, and you have no recourse against the
