Insights
Practical articles on freight forwarding, Sri Lanka customs, and export services — written by our operations team.
Freight Forwarding
Choosing between Full Container Load and Less than Container Load shipping can significantly affect your landed cost. This guide compares FCL vs LCL for Sri Lanka importers and exporters.
Customs & Trade
A step-by-step guide to customs clearance at Colombo Port and Bandaranaike Airport for Sri Lanka importers — documents required, duties, HS codes and common delays.
Export Services
A complete guide to exporting Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka — required certifications, the Sri Lanka Tea Board process, packaging standards, and choosing a freight forwarder.
Freight Forwarding
A practical guide to Incoterms 2020 — FOB, CIF, EXW, DDP and more — and how each term affects your risk, cost and responsibility as a Sri Lanka importer or exporter.
Freight Forwarding
Everything you need to know about air freight to and from Sri Lanka — airlines serving BIA, chargeable weight, transit times to key markets, and when air freight makes more sense than sea.
Customs & Trade
A clear breakdown of Sri Lanka import duty rates in 2026 — Customs Duty, VAT, PAL, CESS — how to find your HS code, and a step-by-step example to calculate landed cost.
Export Services
A complete guide to exporting bottled water from Sri Lanka — SLS certification, health certificates, export permits, packaging requirements and choosing a freight partner.
Customs & Trade
Many Sri Lanka importers use these terms interchangeably — but freight forwarders and customs brokers have distinct roles. This guide explains the difference and when you need each.
Warehousing
A guide to warehousing options in Sri Lanka — bonded vs general warehouses, locations near Colombo Port, costs, and how integrated freight and warehousing improves your supply chain.
Transport
Everything you need to know about road freight in Sri Lanka — truck types, key routes and transit times, port pickup, costs, and how to arrange last-mile delivery after your container clears customs.
Freight Forwarding
A complete step-by-step guide to importing goods by air into Sri Lanka — how cargo is processed at Bandaranaike International Airport, what documents are needed, clearance timelines, and how to avoid costly storage charges.
Freight Forwarding
Should you use DHL, FedEx or a freight forwarder for your small shipment to Sri Lanka? This guide compares courier services and commercial air freight on cost, customs treatment, documentation, and which to choose at different weights.
Freight Forwarding
A plain-English guide to how airline cargo shipping works for Sri Lanka freight — belly-hold vs freighter aircraft, how AWBs work, cargo classifications, surcharges, and how to book airline freight through a forwarder.
FAQ
To import goods to Sri Lanka you need a Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading or Airway Bill, Certificate of Origin, and any product-specific permits. Your freight forwarder files the Customs Entry in ASYCUDA World and pays duties on your behalf before the cargo is released from Colombo Port.
Sri Lanka import duties include Customs Duty (0–30% depending on HS code), VAT at 18%, Port and Airport Levy (PAL) at 7.5%, and CESS on selected products. The effective total tax rate ranges from 18% to over 100% for some products.
To export Ceylon tea, you need a Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Lion Logo Licence, a Quality Certificate issued per consignment after SLTB tasting, a Phytosanitary Certificate from the Department of Agriculture, and a Certificate of Origin. Your freight forwarder handles the export customs entry and cargo booking.
FCL (Full Container Load) means you rent an entire shipping container. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your cargo is consolidated with other shippers in a shared container and you pay only for your CBM. For Sri Lanka, the breakeven is around 12–15 CBM — below that, LCL is usually cheaper.
Sea freight from major Chinese ports (Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou) to Colombo takes approximately 12–18 days, depending on routing and whether there are transhipment calls at Singapore or Port Klang.
A freight forwarder arranges the physical movement of your cargo — booking shipping space, organising inland transport, and handling documentation. In Sri Lanka, most importers and exporters use a freight forwarder who also holds a customs agent licence, giving them end-to-end support from origin to door.
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