Shipping From Canada to the United States: Air, Sea & Container Freight

When you’re comparing freight quotes, note the level of service the freight forwarder is offering.
For example, if you’re shipping from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, United States, you’re going to want to ask your supplier about the cost difference between shipping from the supplier’s warehouse in Vancouver– which means using the EXW incoterm– and shipping from the port of Vancouver(CAVAN) – which means using the FOB incoterm.
Prices for FOB are typically lower, but shipping FOB doesn’t mean your total costs will necessarily be lower. You might make up the cost by paying your supplier to bring your goods to port. When comparing prices, take all your costs into account.
Note that some incoterms, including FOB, are used for sea shipping only.
Learn all about incoterms here.

When importing from Canada to the US, you will need to pay Customs Duties before your goods are released into the country. These costs can be significant. Researching your costs early can keep you from getting caught by surprise.

How the Customs Process Works
When goods arrive at port, customs officials will first check to make sure all your paperwork is in order, and then calculate the amount of duties owed and collect payment. After payment, goods will be released.
To handle customs clearance, you can hire your own broker, or use the brokerage provided by your freight forwarder. If you book on Freightos, you can use our brokerage services as well.

When calculating your shipping costs, don’t forget to protect yourself in case your goods are damaged or lost. You can do this through your freight forwarder or a third party insurance agent. Insurance costs are typically around 0.3% – 0.5% of your Commercial Invoice Value, which is the amount you paid for the goods.

When shipping freight from Canada to the United States, make sure to get all your paperwork, such as the Commercial Invoice and Bill of Lading, in order.
Use our paperwork checklist here to make sure all your paperwork is in order before you ship.

As an Amazon shipper from Canada to the United States, you’ll need to consider issues of timing and storage, as well as choosing the right forwarder. Check out this guide to learn more.

Your factory, supplier, or freight forwarder will likely advise you which port is best for your export from Canada, based on location, ease of customs clearance, transit time, port volume, and any relationships or agreements between the factory and the port.
If you’re choosing a port on your own, important factors to consider include location, cost, and transit time. Here are the top ports for exporting from Canada:
Port Name: Vancouver
Port code: CAVAN
Port Name: Montreal
Port code: CAMTR
Port Name: Toronto
Port code: CATOR

These are the top ports for importing into the United States:
Port Name: Los Angeles
Port code: USLAX
Port Name: New York
Port code: USNYC
Port Name: Houston
Port code: USHOU

It depends on which shipping mode you use. Shipping express can take as few as ____days– but express is the most expensive mode, and is not suitable for large shipments. Air freight shipping will take about ____days. Sea freight shipping takes ____days, but is the most affordable if you can wait.

Carriers can introduce increases to shipping charges, called General Rate Increases (GRIs) at the start of each month. But, toward the middle of the month as they try to fill supply on vessels, they often lower these prices. That means booking during the latter two weeks of the month can often save you money.