How to Ship from Taiwan to the USA — Complete Guide 2026
Everything you need to move cargo from Taiwan to America: choosing between air and ocean, picking the right port, preparing documents, clearing US customs, and controlling costs.
Taiwan Freight Resources
Ocean Freight
Air Freight
Customs
Resources
Step 1 — Choose Your Shipping Mode
Ocean freight is the backbone of Taiwan–USA trade. A container from Kaohsiung or Keelung reaches the US West Coast in 14–22 days and the East Coast in 30–42 days via the Panama Canal — ideal for electronics, machinery, bicycles, machine tools, and any shipment over roughly 200 kg. Choose FCL (your own container) when you have 13 CBM or more, or LCL to pay only for the space you use.
Air freight from Taoyuan TPE — one of the world’s top-10 cargo airports — reaches Los Angeles in under 2 days and New York in 2–3 days. It wins for semiconductors, high-value electronics, fashion samples, pharmaceuticals, spare parts, and anything where a week of transit costs more than the freight premium. See our full Taiwan to USA shipping page for lane details.
Step 2 — Pick the Right Port or Airport
Most Taiwan exports move through Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest container port with over 9 million TEU handled in 2024, home to Evergreen and Yang Ming. Northern Taiwan ships most efficiently through Keelung, which sits close to Taipei and serves manufacturers in the Hsinchu and Taoyuan corridors. Central Taiwan — especially the machine tool cluster — routes through Taichung. For air, Taoyuan TPE handles the vast majority of cargo; Kaohsiung KHH is a practical southern alternative for smaller shipments. A direct transpacific service from Kaohsiung usually beats a transshipment routing — your forwarder will confirm which carrier loop offers the best timing and cost.
Step 3 — Prepare Your Export Documents
Every Taiwan–USA shipment needs a commercial invoice (with accurate values and CCC/HS codes), a packing list, and the transport document — a bill of lading for ocean or an air waybill for air. Taiwan exporters must obtain an export declaration filed through the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (關務署). Specific goods need extras: FDA prior notice for food products, phytosanitary certificates for wood packaging (ISPM 15), and BSMI commodity inspection certificates for regulated electronics. Semiconductor shipments often require additional documentation confirming origin and end-use, especially for high-performance chips subject to US export controls.
Step 4 — Clear US Customs
For ocean shipments, your forwarder must file the ISF (Importer Security Filing, “10+2”) at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in Taiwan — late filings risk $5,000 penalties. On arrival, US Customs requires a formal entry for commercial goods over $2,500: the entry summary (CBP Form 7501), duties based on the HTS classification, plus the Merchandise Processing Fee and Harbor Maintenance Fee for ocean cargo. Taiwan-origin goods generally benefit from normal trade relations (NTR) rates, though additional Section 301 tariffs have applied to certain product categories — verify your HTS code before pricing your shipment. Most importers appoint a licensed US customs broker; we include US clearance in our door-to-door service so nothing sits on the pier.
Step 5 — Understand the Real Costs
A realistic Taiwan→USA budget has four layers: (1) origin charges — factory pickup, export declaration, port or airport handling; (2) the freight itself — ocean base rate plus BAF fuel surcharge, or air rate on chargeable weight (actual vs. volumetric, whichever is greater); (3) US arrival charges — terminal handling, ISF/entry fees, duties and taxes; (4) final delivery inland. Many Taiwan IT and electronics products enter the US at 0% under the WTO ITA agreement, but industrial machinery, bicycles, and apparel carry varying rates — confirm your HTS code before quoting your customer. Cargo insurance at roughly 0.3–0.5% of declared value is inexpensive protection for high-value Taiwan exports.
Step 6 — Choose Incoterms That Protect You
Taiwan suppliers often quote EXW (Ex Works) or FOB Taiwan port. EXW leaves you responsible from the factory gate — manageable if you have a trusted local agent, but complex for first-time importers. FOB Kaohsiung (or Keelung, Taichung) is usually smarter for US importers: the supplier handles inland trucking and export clearance, and you control the international freight with your own forwarder. Avoid accepting CIF unless you have compared rates — prepaid freight arranged by a foreign supplier is often marked up 20–40% above market.
Ready to Ship from Taiwan to the USA?
Get a firm door-to-door quote from our Taiwan–USA specialists — ocean or air, any origin in Taiwan, delivered anywhere in America.