Best value for heavy & bulky shipments

Sea Freight UK to India

Cost-effective sea freight from the UK to India at £2.50 per kilo, 37.5% cheaper than air. £250 shipment minimum, 35–45 days door-to-door, all-inclusive.

  • £2.50/kg
  • Fixed 45 working days
  • £250 shipment minimum
  • Up to 38% cheaper than air
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Large container ship at sea loaded with colourful cargo containers

Transparent, all-inclusive pricing

One quote, one number, everything in. Chargeable weight is the greater of actual and volumetric (L × W × H cm ÷ 5000) — the same formula on both air and sea. Transit is counted from the next working day after payment received.

Sea freight

£2.50 /kg

£250 minimum per shipment

Transit promise

Fixed 45 working days, everywhere in India

Counted from the next working day after payment received.

Air freight

£4.00 /kg

£40 minimum

Transit promise

Fixed 14 working days metro, 21 working days remote

Counted from the next working day after payment received.

Worked pricing examples

Real chargeable-weight scenarios so you can see exactly what you'd pay before requesting a quote. These are the prices a customer with the same shipment would be quoted today.

ScenarioChargeable weightAir priceSea priceNotes
Small parcel (gifts, documents)60 × 40 × 40 cm20 kg£80£250Sea hits the £250 shipment minimum — air wins outright here.
Suitcase / mid-size box100 × 60 × 50 cm50 kg£200£250Air and sea cross over near £250 for ~100 kg chargeable.
Bulk / multiple boxes3 × (80 × 60 × 50 cm)150 kg£600£375Sea saves £225 on the per-kg rate.
Whole-home move / business pallet~1.5 m³300 kg£1200£750Sea is up to 38% cheaper on the per-kg rate at volume.

Prices derived from the published £4.00/kg air and £2.50/kg sea rates, with the £40 air parcel minimum and £250 sea shipment minimum applied. All prices are all-inclusive: customs, duty, and door-to-door delivery.

Air vs Sea — side by side

The same shipment, two modes. Use this row to pick the right one — or send the same shipment on both if half is urgent and half is bulk.

AttributeAir freightSea freight
Rate per kg£4.00/kg£2.50/kg
Minimum charge£40 per parcel£250 per shipment
Transit · metroFixed 14 working daysFixed 45 working days
Transit · remoteFixed 21 working daysFixed 45 working days
Chargeable weightmax(actual, L × W × H ÷ 5000)max(actual, L × W × H ÷ 5000) — same formula
All duty, customs & deliveryIncludedIncluded
Best forUrgent, time-sensitive shipmentsHeavy, bulky, cost-sensitive shipments
Lithium-battery itemsNot permittedNot permitted

What's included

When we say everything is included, we mean it. No fuel surcharges, no peak-season uplifts, no surprise customs bill at delivery.

  • Free UK doorstep pickup

    Any UK postcode. Heavy-weight (>30 kg) and long-length (>80 cm) surcharges are waived when you drop off at our Wembley warehouse.

  • All Indian customs & duty

    Indian import duty, IGST, port handling and clearance fees — all pre-paid in your sea-freight quote.

  • Door-to-door delivery in India

    Final-mile delivery from the destination port to the receiver, in every Indian city we serve.

  • Chargeable-weight pricing

    The greater of actual and volumetric weight (L × W × H cm ÷ 5000). Sea uses the same chargeable-weight formula as air.

  • LCL consolidation at Wembley

    We consolidate your boxes with other UK → India sea shipments to get the best rate per kg without you needing to fill a container.

  • Same fixed transit everywhere

    45 working days to Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune — every Indian destination is the same fixed promise.

How it works

We handle every step from your UK doorstep to the receiver's door in India, so you don't have to.

  1. Get an instant quote

    Use our calculator or share dimensions and weight by WhatsApp — we reply with a single all-inclusive price, no hidden extras.

  2. Pay the deposit

    A £50 deposit (or £10 per box, whichever is higher) confirms your booking. Bank transfer in UK or India, or UPI / Google Pay for India payments.

  3. Free doorstep pickup

    Our driver collects from any UK postcode. We bring boxes and tape free of charge if you need them at the door.

  4. Wembley consolidation

    Your shipment is weighed, measured and prepared at our Wembley warehouse. Photos and the final chargeable-weight invoice are shared with you.

  5. UK export & India customs

    We handle all UK export paperwork, IGM filing, Indian customs clearance and import duty — everything is pre-paid in your quote.

  6. Door-to-door delivery

    Final-mile delivery direct to the receiver in India. They sign for it; you get a delivery confirmation.

Is this the right service for you?

Ideal for

  • Whole-house relocations and large moves
  • Furniture, kitchenware, large appliances (non-electrical)
  • Bulk shipments above 100 kg
  • Anything where the destination date is 6+ weeks away
  • Cost-sensitive shipments — saves up to 38% per kg vs air

Not the right fit for

  • Urgent or time-sensitive items
  • Anything containing lithium batteries

Surcharges & restrictions

Full transparency. These are the only situations where extra charges or restrictions apply — and we tell you up front, never at delivery.

  • Heavy weight surcharge — £60

    Items over 30 kg per piece carry a £60 handling surcharge. Waived for warehouse drop-offs at Wembley.

  • Long length surcharge — £60

    Items over 80 cm in any dimension carry a £60 handling surcharge. Waived for warehouse drop-offs at Wembley.

  • Battery items prohibited

    Laptops, phones, tablets, power banks, drones and e-cigarettes are strictly NOT accepted on air or sea — international aviation safety rules.

  • INR payments +18% GST

    Quotes are in GBP. Paying in INR (bank transfer or UPI in India) incurs an additional 18% GST surcharge.

  • KYC required

    Indian customs requires a packing list, receiver Aadhaar copy, and full contact details for sender and receiver.

For shipments over 100 kg of chargeable weight, sea freight is the most cost-effective way to send cargo from the UK to India — 37.5% cheaper per kilogram than air. CargoForce sea freight is £2.50 per kilogram with a £250 shipment minimum, all-in.

What is included

  • UK doorstep collection.
  • Consolidation, palletisation and export documentation at our Slough warehouse.
  • Ocean freight from Felixstowe, Southampton or London Gateway.
  • Sailings to Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), Mundra, Chennai and Kolkata.
  • Indian port handling and CFS charges.
  • Indian Customs clearance, Customs duty and IGST paid on your behalf.
  • Final-mile delivery to the consignee's door in India.

Transit time

Typical door-to-door transit time: 35–45 days. Sailing time alone is 24–34 days depending on destination port. UK consolidation, port handling, Indian clearance and inland delivery add the rest.

Pricing

£2.50 per kilogram of chargeable weight. £250 minimum per shipment (enforced at shipment level, not per package). Chargeable weight uses the same formula as air — the heavier of actual or volumetric.

When to choose sea freight

  • Shipments over 100 kg of chargeable weight.
  • Personal effects moves with multiple boxes.
  • Business inventory restocks with 6+ weeks of lead time.
  • Heavy or bulky goods where air freight pricing becomes prohibitive.
  • Furniture, household appliances (non-battery), bulk groceries.

LCL versus FCL

The £2.50/kg rate is for LCL (Less than Container Load) — your cargo shares a container with other shippers. For shipments over 4 tonnes or 8 cubic metres, we also quote FCL (Full Container Load):

  • 20-foot container: £1,800–£2,400 all-in.
  • 40-foot container: £2,400–£3,200 all-in.
  • 40-foot high-cube: £2,600–£3,400 all-in.

Booking process

  • Get an instant quote with our calculator.
  • Provide consignee details and KYC at booking.
  • Pickup scheduled within 48–72 hours.
  • Cargo consolidated and shipped on the next available sailing.
  • Live tracking from pickup to door delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How much cheaper is sea freight than air?

Sea freight is 37.5% cheaper on the per-kilogram rate (£2.50/kg vs £4/kg). For shipments above 100 kg the savings are real; below 100 kg the £250 shipment minimum often makes air freight equal or cheaper.

How long does sea freight take from the UK to India?

Door-to-door: 35–45 days. Mumbai (Nhava Sheva) is fastest at 35–40 days; Kolkata is slowest at 42–48 days.

What is the minimum charge?

£250 per shipment, enforced at the shipment level (not per package). This means shipments under ~100 kg pay the same flat £250 minimum.

Do you offer full container shipments (FCL)?

Yes. 20-foot, 40-foot and 40-foot high-cube containers are available, typically £1,800–£3,400 all-in depending on size. FCL is cheaper than LCL above 4 tonnes or 8 cubic metres.

Popular UK → India sea-freight routes

Every UK origin to every Indian destination is a fixed 45 working days by sea — counted from the next working day after payment received.

Edinburgh → Hyderabad45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Ahmedabad45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Pune45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Kolkata45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Jaipur45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Amritsar45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Surat45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Chandigarh45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Lucknow45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Kochi45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Thiruvananthapuram45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-doorEdinburgh → Coimbatore45 working days · sea · LCL door-to-door

Ready to ship?

Quote in minutes. Door-to-door. All customs and duty included. No hidden charges, ever.

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