USA City Import Guide — California

Import from China to Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach operates alongside the Port of LA, forming the San Pedro Bay port complex. Long Beach is highly automated and heavily handles direct imports for national retailers. Local importers benefit from immediate proximity to massive transloading and cross-docking facilities.

⏱️ 13–15 days sea (from Shanghai), 3–5 days air (LAX) Port of 🏭 Petrochemicals
💡

Check whether your carrier calls at a highly automated terminal like LBCT, where truck turn times are significantly faster, saving drayage costs.

Customs Infrastructure — Long Beach, California

Port / ICD: Port of Long Beach (POLB)
✈️ Airport: Long Beach Airport (LGB) / LAX
Inland Container Depots (ICDs)
  • 🏭Near-Dock Rail (ICTF)
Sea Transit from China
13–15 days sea (from Shanghai), 3–5 days air (LAX)
Customs Zone
California Customs Zone

Key Industries & Top China Imports — Long Beach

Industries
  • Petrochemicals
  • Automotive
  • Machinery
  • Consumer Electronics
Top Products from China
  • Auto parts
  • Industrial machinery
  • Electronics
  • Plastics

How to use this Long Beach import guide

Long Beach guides provide tactical route planning for importers shipping from China. This page brings those pieces together for importers evaluating shipments into Long Beach. It highlights local infrastructure, the products and industries most exposed to China sourcing, and the US-specific cost logic that matters once Section 301 tariffs, MPF, and HMF are factored in.

The most important local question is not just whether goods can reach Long Beach, but how they reach it most efficiently. In practice, that means matching the shipment to Port of Long Beach (POLB) and Long Beach Airport (LGB) / LAX, the buyer's warehouse location, the urgency of the inventory, and the product class being imported. A route that looks cheap at the port level can become slower or more expensive after rail movement, ICD handling, or inland delivery.

For importers in or around Long Beach, the industries that usually shape demand are Petrochemicals, Automotive, Machinery, Consumer Electronics. The corresponding China-sourced categories often include Auto parts, Industrial machinery, Electronics, Plastics.

What to verify before cargo is booked

Before booking a shipment into Long Beach, confirm the HTS classification, Section 301 applicability, and the last-mile delivery plan. US imports are sensitive to documentation quality because duties directly depend on the declared HTS code. Unlike VAT systems, US duties are a sunk cost and cannot be recovered via input tax credits.

Importers want to know how the route actually works: which infrastructure is closest, when air freight makes sense, and where timing risk appears. You can use the calculators on this page to estimate your landed cost, and then confirm live rules with official sources like CBP - Basic Importing and Exporting, Harmonized Tariff Schedule, CBP - Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF).

Official US Customs Sources

Use these government references to confirm the current US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rules that matter when routing cargo into Long Beach.

Calculate USA Import Duty & Landed Cost

Calculator
Total cubic meters. Measure your cartons: L × W × H (cm) ÷ 1,000,000 per carton × total cartons.
Total gross weight. LCL is charged on weight/measurement (W/M) — whichever is greater.

More Free Calculators for Long Beach Importers

Customs Duty, MPF, Section 301, and Landed Cost — all free, no sign-up required

Sea Freight Cost Calculator China to Usa

Shanghai/Ningbo/Yantian to LA/Long Beach, NY/NJ, Savannah, or Seattle. 2026 FCL and LCL benchmark rates with transit times, peak-season surcharges, and port-specific THC differences.

US Customs Duty Calculator — Full Breakdown

Calculate your exact US customs bill: HTS base rate + Section 301 surcharge + MPF (0.3464%) + HMF (0.125%). See the effective duty rate that actually hits your bottom line — not the headline number your supplier quotes.

Section 301 Tariff Calculator — US-China Trade War Tariffs

Section 301 adds 7.5–25% on top of standard HTS rates for most China-origin goods. Enter your List classification (1, 2, 3, 4A, or 4B) to see the additional tariff and whether any exclusions apply to your product.

Landed Cost Calculator — Total China Import Cost Per Unit

The single most important number in China importing. Enter FOB price, freight, HTS duty, Section 301 tariffs, MPF, and broker fees — get the true per-unit cost that determines whether your product is profitable or a money pit.

📋 US Customs Duty Quick Reference

Duty Basis
CIF Value (in USD)
Section 301 Range
0% – 20%
MPF Rates
5% / 12% / 18% / 28%
HMF
10% of Section 301
De Minimis
US $800
MPF Recoverable?
No — duty is a sunk cost

MPF Formula: 0.3464% of FOB value (min $32.71, max $654.12). HMF Formula: 0.125% of FOB value (sea freight only). Unlike VAT, US duties are not recoverable.

Frequently Asked Questions — Importing from China to Long Beach

Generally, ocean freight rates from China are identical for LA and Long Beach as they are priced as base ports (USWC). Drayage costs depend entirely on which specific terminal your container arrives at and your warehouse location.