Latin America Logistics Know-How

Chancay Port, built with investment from COSCO Shipping, entered commercial operation in November 2024. As a direct-sailing deepwater port from China to South America, its key advantage is bypassing the Panama Canal — cutting China–Peru transit from roughly 42 days via Callao to about 28 days, a ~33% improvement.

Initial designed annual throughput exceeds 1 million TEU, with plans to expand to 6 million TEU. As a newly opened port, some customs and operational details are still being finalized, so confirm current requirements with your local customs agent or with us before shipping. See the Chancay Port route page for full details.

CAFTA-DR (the Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement) is a trade pact between the US, the Dominican Republic, and several Central American countries, granting preferential duties only to goods originating in member countries. Goods manufactured in mainland China do not originate in a member country, so they cannot claim CAFTA-DR preferential rates and are subject to the Dominican Republic's standard import duty on Chinese-origin goods.

This is a common point of confusion for first-time Latin America exporters — don't assume preferential treatment just because goods transit through the US or carry a CAFTA-related label. The Dominican Republic charges ITBIS VAT of roughly 18% on most imports, plus customs duty by HS code typically in the 0-20% range. Provide your exact HS code to verify costs in advance — see the Dominican Republic shipping guide for more.

Choosing a container type is really about balancing space utilization against shipping cost. 20GP holds about 33.2 cbm and suits dense, heavy cargo; 40GP at about 67.7 cbm is the most commonly used general-purpose size; 40HQ (high cube) at about 76.4 cbm — roughly 30cm taller than 40GP — particularly suits light, bulky cargo (furniture, appliances, toys).

A common mistake is defaulting to 40HQ regardless of cargo type — for dense cargo (hardware, machine parts), a 40HQ may hit its weight limit (typically ~26-28 tons) well before the volume fills up, wasting the extra space you paid for. In that case, a 20GP or a combination of 20GP/40GP is often more cost-effective. Share your approximate weight and volume and we'll help calculate the optimal loading plan — see the FCL/LCL services page for details.

Roughly August through November each year is the traditional peak season for Latin America routes, as importers stock up ahead of Christmas and year-end promotions, sharply increasing demand for container space. Carriers often face tight availability during this window, and rates can fluctuate significantly.

We recommend booking FCL/LCL space 3-4 weeks in advance during regular periods, and 4-6 weeks ahead during peak season to lock in space. Booking early not only avoids delays from space shortages but also helps secure a more stable rate before spikes hit. If your order has a firm delivery deadline (e.g. tied to a seasonal promotion), talk to us early to plan the schedule.

International air freight calculates volumetric (dimensional) weight per IATA standard: volumetric weight (kg) = length × width × height (cm) ÷ 6000, and the chargeable weight is whichever is greater between volumetric and actual weight — commonly called being "dim-weighted." This means even light cargo can be charged well above its actual weight if the packaging is bulky (e.g. foam-padded electronics or inflatable products).

The key to reducing dim-weight cost is optimizing packaging — minimizing unnecessary void space while still protecting the cargo, and choosing boxes sized close to the product's actual dimensions. If you're unsure whether your shipment will be dim-weighted, share the exact length, width, height, and weight and we'll calculate it in advance — see the international air freight page for details.