Shipping & Logistics from Bangladesh to USA/UK: Costs, Timelines, and How to Avoid Delays

Shipping and logistics can make or break your margins. A $1,500 shipment delay during peak season costs you lost sales and ad spend. A surprise $800 customs bill erodes your profit. This guide demystifies international shipping from Bangladesh—covering sea freight, air freight, customs, duties, incoterms, and how to structure logistics for DTC, Amazon FBA, and wholesale channels.

Sea freight vs air freight: The core trade-off

Choose based on urgency, cost, and order size.

Sea freight (ocean shipping)

• Timeline: 25–35 days port-to-port (Chittagong to LA/NYC/UK); add 5–10 days for customs and inland delivery.
• Cost: $1.20–2.00 per kg (for 500+ kg shipments); rates vary by season and route.
• Best for: Bulk orders (500+ unit's), reorders, non-urgent inventory.
• Pros: Lowest cost per unit; can ship large volumes; environmentally better than air.
• Cons: Slow; vulnerable to port congestion or delays; requires advance planning (order 8–12 weeks before you need inventory).

Air freight (express or cargo)

• Timeline: 5–10 days door-to-door via DHL/FedEx; 7–12 days for air cargo (palletized).
• Cost: $4.50–8.00 per kg for express courier; $3.50–5.50 per kg for air cargo (100+ kg).
• Best for: Sample shipments, urgent restock, small test orders (<200 unit's), peak season top-ups.
• Pros: Fast; predictable timelines; easier tracking.
• Cons: 3–5x more expensive than sea; weight-limited (airlines charge by volumetric weight).

Hybrid approach (most common)

• Bulk reorders: Ship via sea freight 8–10 weeks before you need inventory.
• Top-ups and samples: Air freight for small batches when sea shipment is en route or if you stock out early.

Incoterms: Who pays for what?

Incoterms define responsibilities between you and your manufacturer. The two most common for fashion brands:

FOB (Free on Board)

• Manufacturer's responsibility: Produce goods, deliver to port (Chittagong), and load onto ship.
• Your responsibility: Pay for ocean/air freight, customs clearance, duties, inland delivery from port to your warehouse.
• Cost breakdown (example 500-unit order, 250 kg):
  • Goods: $2,500 (FOB price from factory)
  • Sea freight: $400 (250 kg × $1.60/kg)
  • Customs broker: $150
  • Import duties: $0 (garments from Bangladesh duty-free to USA/UK)
  • Inland trucking: $200 (port to warehouse)
  • Total landed cost: $3,250 ($6.50 per unit)
• Pros: Lower upfront cost; you control shipping timeline and carrier.
• Cons: You handle logistics complexity and risk (delays, customs issues).

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)

• Manufacturer's responsibility: Produce goods, ship to your warehouse or Amazon FBA, pay freight, customs, and duties. you'receive goods ready to sell.
• Your responsibility: Pay the all-inclusive DDP price.
• Cost breakdown (same 500-unit order):
  • DDP price from factory: $3,500–3,800 (includes goods, freight, customs, delivery)
  • Landed cost: $7.00–7.60 per unit
• Pros: Zero logistics hassle; predictable pricing; factory handles customs and delivery.
• Cons: 10–20% higher cost than FOB; less control over shipping method and timing.

Which to choose?

• FOB if: you're ordering 1,000+ unit's regularly and have a freight forwarder or logistics partner.
• DDP if: First-time importer, small orders (<500 unit's), or you want simplicity over cost savings.

Import duties and taxes

The good news: Most garments from Bangladesh enter USA and UK duty-free.

USA (importing to the US)

• Duty-free under LDC (Least Developed Country) program: Woven garments (dresses, blouses, pants) and most knit's (T-shirts, bodysuit's) from Bangladesh are duty-free.
• Exceptions: Some synthetic activewear and outerwear may incur 5–16% duty—check HTS code (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) with your customs broker.
• No VAT/sales tax on import: You only pay sales tax when you sell to end customer (varies by state).
• De minimis exemption: Shipments under $800 are duty-free and require minimal paperwork (useful for sample shipments).

UK (importing to the UK)

• Zero duty under UK GSP (Generalized System of Preferences): Most garments from Bangladesh are duty-free.
• VAT (20%): You pay 20% VAT on the CIF value (Cost + Insurance + Freight) when goods clear customs. You can reclaim this if VAT-registered.
• Low-value shipments (under £135): No customs duty; VAT collected at point of sale (by you, not customs).

Canada and Australia

• Canada: Most garments from Bangladesh are duty-free under LDC tariff; 5% GST on import.
• Australia: Duty-free under GSP; 10% GST on import.

Shipping timeline breakdown

Plan backward from when you need inventory in hand.

Sea freight timeline (8–12 weeks total)

• Weeks 1–4: Production at factory
• Week 5: QC inspection and factory prep (carton labeling, palletization)
• Week 6: Trucking from factory to Chittagong port (1–3 days); customs export clearance (2–3 days)
• Weeks 7–10: Ocean transit (25–35 days depending on route and port congestion)
• Week 11: Arrival at destination port (LA, NYC, Felixstowe UK); customs clearance (3–7 days)
• Week 12: Inland trucking to your warehouse or Amazon FBA (2–5 days)

Pro tip: Add 1–2 week buffer for peak season (Sept–Nov) when ports are congested.

Air freight timeline (2–3 weeks total)

• Weeks 1–4: Production
• Week 5: QC and prep
• Week 6: Air shipment (5–10 days door-to-door via DHL/FedEx)

Working with a freight forwarder

Freight forwarders handle logistics so you don't have to become a shipping expert.

What freight forwarders do

• Book cargo space: Negotiate rates with shipping lines (ocean) or airlines (air).
• Handle export docs: Bill of lading, packing list, commercial invoice.
• Customs clearance: File import paperwork (CBP entry in USA, HMRC in UK).
• Deliver to final destination: Coordinate inland trucking to your warehouse or Amazon FBA.
• Track shipments: Provide updates and container tracking.

Top forwarders for Bangladesh apparel

• Flexport (flexport.com): Tech-enabled platform; transparent pricing; great for startups. $150–300 service fee + freight.
• Freightos (freightos.com): Online marketplace; compare quotes from multiple forwarders.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Reliable for air freight; higher cost but premium service.
• Kuehne+Nagel, DB Schenker, DSV: Large global forwarders; best for high-volume brands (>10 containers/year).
• Local forwarders in Bangladesh: Your manufacturer can recommend trusted partners in Chittagong/Dhaka.

Cost

• Sea freight service fee: $150–400 per shipment
• Customs brokerage: $100–250 per shipment
• Inland delivery: $150–500 depending on distance

Amazon FBA shipping: What's different

FBA requires specific prep and labeling. Your forwarder or factory must accommodate this.

FBA prep requirements

• FNSKU labels: Each unit gets a unique Amazon barcode sticker (manufacturer or 3PL applies these).
• Polybags: Must have suffocation warning if bag opening is 5"+ (standard for most apparel).
• Carton labeling: Amazon-specific shipping labels on each master carton.
• Pallet requirements (for large shipments): Max 50" height, 1,500 lbs per pallet; shrink-wrapped with 4-way entry.

Shipping to FBA: Two options

• Option 1: Ship to 3PL, then forward to FBA
  • Ship from Bangladesh to a third-party logistics warehouse (3PL) in USA/UK.
  • 3PL applies FNSKU labels, repackages, and sends to Amazon fulfillment centers.
  • Cost: $0.50–1.00 per unit for FBA prep + $150–300 for forwarding to Amazon.
  • Best for: First-time sellers or brands using DTC + FBA (store some inventory at 3PL for Shopify orders).
• Option 2: Factory applies FNSKUs, ship direct to Amazon
  • Send FNSKU labels to factory; they apply during production.
  • Freight forwarder delivers directly to Amazon FBA warehouse's).
  • Cost: $0.10–0.20 per unit for factory labeling; saves 3PL fees.
  • Best for: FBA-only brands or experienced sellers.

Amazon FBA receiving timeline

• After arrival at FBA warehouse, allow 3–7 days for Amazon to check in and make inventory live.
• During Q4 (Sept–Dec), receiving can'take 7–14 days—plan early.

Shipping cost optimization strategies

1) Consolidate shipments

• Combine multiple styles or reorders into one shipment to spread fixed costs (forwarder fees, customs) across more unit's.
• Example: Shipping 500 unit's costs $1.50/unit. Shipping 1,000 unit's costs $1.00/unit (economies of scale).

2) Negotiate with forwarders

• Once you ship 3–5 times, ask for volume discounts or flat monthly rates.
• Compare 2–3 forwarders per route; rates vary 15–30%.

3) Use LCL (Less than Container Load) wisely

• LCL: Share a container with other shippers; pay per cubic meter (CBM). Cost: $80–150 per CBM.
• FCL (Full Container Load): Rent entire 20' or 40' container. Cost: $2,500–4,500 (20'), $3,500–6,000 (40').
• Breakeven: If your shipment is >10 CBM, FCL is usually cheaper than LCL.

4) Ship during off-peak

• Peak season (Aug–Nov): Rates spike 30–50% due to holiday demand.
• Off-peak (Jan–Apr): Negotiate lowest rates; faster port processing.

5) Pre-pay or use trade financing

• Some forwarders offer 2–3% discount for pre-payment.
• Use trade credit (Flexport Capital, Shopify Capital) to defer shipping costs and preserve cash flow.

Common shipping mistakes

• Underestimating transit time: Sea freight is 6–8 weeks minimum. Add 2 weeks buffer for delays.
• Ignoring volumetric weight: Air freight charges by whichever is greater: actual weight or volumetric (L×W×H / 5000). Compress packaging to save.
• Not verifying HTS codes: Wrong tariff classification can'trigger duties or customs holds. Use a customs broker to classify correctly.
• Skipping cargo insurance: $50–150 per shipment covers loss or damage (0.3–0.5% of cargo value). Always insure.
• Poor communication with factory: Confirm exact ship date, container number, and forwarder contact before goods leave. Delays happen when info is unclear.

Customs documentation checklist

Missing docs = customs hold = delayed delivery. Ensure factory or forwarder provides:

• ☐ Commercial invoice: Lists goods, quantities, value, buyer/seller info.
• ☐ Packing list: Details cartons, weights, dimensions.
• ☐ Bill of lading (B/L): Proof of shipment; required to release cargo at destination port.
• ☐ Certificate of origin (if applicable): Proves goods are made in Bangladesh (for duty-free eligibility).
• ☐ BSCI/Sedex audit (if requested): Some retailers require ethical compliance docs for customs.

How to track your shipment

• Ocean freight: Use container tracking via shipping line (Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM) or forwarder portal. Check port arrival dates on MarineTraffic.com.
• Air freight: DHL, FedEx, UPS provide real-time tracking with estimated delivery dates.
• Customs status: Ask forwarder for CBP (USA) or HMRC (UK) clearance confirmation before delivery.

What to do if shipment is delayed

• Communicate with forwarder: Get updated ETA and reason (port congestion, customs hold, weather).
• Notify customers (if selling): Update product pages with restock dates; send email to pre-orders.
• Air freight a sample batch: If delay is >2 weeks and you're running out, air ship 100–200 unit's to bridge the gap.
• Claim insurance (if applicable): For lost or damaged cargo, file claim within 30 days.

How Selvyna Atelier handles shipping and logistics

• FOB or DDP—your choice: We offer both pricing models; DDP pricing includes freight, customs, and delivery to your door.
• Trusted forwarder network: We work with vetted forwarders in Chittagong for competitive sea and air rates.
• FBA prep support: Our factories can apply FNSKU labels and package per Amazon requirements at $0.15–0.25/unit.
• Consolidated shipments: Combine multiple orders into one container to reduce per-unit'shipping costs.
• Documentation handled: We provide all customs docs (invoice, packing list, B/L, origin certificate) in correct format.
• Shipment tracking: We share container or tracking numbers and keep you updated on arrival and customs clearance.

Bottom line

Shipping from Bangladesh is straightforward once you understand the options. Use sea freight for bulk orders (8–10 weeks), air freight for urgency (1–2 weeks), and work with a reliable forwarder to handle customs and delivery. Choose FOB if you want control and lower costs; choose DDP if you want simplicity. Most garments enter USA/UK duty-free, making Bangladesh one of the most cost-effective sources globally. Plan timelines backward from when you need inventory, add a 2-week buffer, and always insure your cargo. With the right logistics partner, international shipping becomes a competitive advantage—not a headache.