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Shipping from Taiwan to USA: Costs, Transit Times & Duties

  • Update：2026-10-27 11:02:40
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  • Importer guide
  • Taiwan to USA
  • Ocean freight

Ship from Taiwan to the US: transit times from Kaohsiung, Keelung and Taipei, 2026 duty rates, US entry fees and a step-by-step first-container checklist.

By Paul Liang | Mingsung International Logistics · Reviewed · 13 min read

  • 15–19 daysTaiwan to LA/Long Beach, port to port
  • 10%Typical total US duty on Taiwanese goods
  • $201.4BUS imports from Taiwan in 2025, a record

Bottom line

Most Taiwan cargo reaches Los Angeles in 15–19 days and New York in about 37, and most Taiwanese goods pay 10% in total US duty

Taiwan is now one of America's largest suppliers: US imports from Taiwan hit a record $201.4 billion in 2025 , and Taiwan's exports to the US were up 59% in the first nine months of 2026. Shipping is straightforward once you know the four moving parts: which Taiwan port your supplier uses, the ocean leg, US entry (ISF, bond, duties and fees) and delivery from the US port.

Since July 24, 2026, most Taiwanese goods pay 10% in total under a Section 301 action, with computers, smartphones and chips exempt. The US–Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade was signed on Feb 12, 2026 but had not entered into force as of October.

Three things to get right:

  1. Know your port pair. Taipei and Keelung run the fastest West Coast services; Kaohsiung has the widest choice, including East Coast services via Panama.
  2. File the ISF on time. It is due 24 hours before your container is loaded in Taiwan, and late or missing filings can cost $5,000 each.
  3. Price the whole landed cost, not just freight. Duty, MPF, HMF, broker fees and US delivery can add more than the ocean freight itself.

Taiwan to US door to door at a glance

  1. Taiwan export · 3–7 days

    Trucking to Kaohsiung, Taipei or Keelung; export declaration (C1/C2/C3); VGM and cut-offs

    Under FOB: your supplier

  2. Ocean · 15–44 days

    15–19 days to LA/Long Beach, about 19 to Tacoma, 37–44 to the East Coast and Gulf via Panama

    ISF: filed 24 hours before loading

  3. US entry · 1–3 days

    Entry in ACE, 10% typical duty, MPF 0.3464%, HMF 0.125%; exam risk

    Who: you or your customs broker

  4. Delivery · 2–10 days

    Drayage from the port, or rail inland; LA/LB rail dwell passed 7 days in Sept 2026

    Watch: free time, demurrage and detention

Which Taiwan port should your goods ship from?

Table 1. Which Taiwan port should your goods ship from?
Port Region Strengths Typical use
Kaohsiung (KHH) Southern Taiwan; national hub Widest carrier choice; direct West Coast, Pacific Northwest and East Coast services Most FCL to the US, and anything to the East Coast or Gulf
Taipei Port (TPE) Northern Taiwan Fastest Los Angeles service on Premier Alliance (15 days) Northern suppliers, West Coast cargo
Keelung (KEL) Northern Taiwan Short trucking for Taipei-area factories; West Coast and intra-Asia services Northern suppliers, LCL consolidation
Taichung (TXG) Central Taiwan Close to central Taiwan's machinery and bicycle clusters Usually feeds to Kaohsiung or Taipei for US routes

Source: ONE 2026 transpacific schedule

How long does shipping from Taiwan to the US take?

Port-to-port days from published 2026 carrier schedules:

Table 2. How long does shipping from Taiwan to the US take?
Service (operator) Route Port-to-port days
PS7 (Premier Alliance) Taipei → Los Angeles / Oakland 15 / 21
PS4 (Premier Alliance) Keelung → Los Angeles / Oakland 18 / 24
PS4 (Premier Alliance) Kaohsiung → Los Angeles / Oakland 19 / 25
PN1 (Premier Alliance) Kaohsiung → Tacoma 19
EC1 via Panama (Premier Alliance) Kaohsiung → New York / Savannah / Charleston 37 / 42 / 44
EC4 via Panama (Premier Alliance) Kaohsiung → Houston 43
HTW (Evergreen, Ocean Alliance) Taipei / Kaohsiung → Los Angeles → Oakland → Tacoma Weekly; Tacoma call restored Sept 2026

Source: ONE 2026 transpacific schedule; AJOT: Yang Ming 2026 network; Container News: HTW Tacoma call

Yang Ming's 2026 network calls Taiwan on PS4, PS7, MS2, PN1, FP2, EC1 and EC4. East Coast and Gulf services from Asia currently run via the Panama Canal.

How much does it cost to ship from Taiwan to the US?

There is no Taiwan-specific public freight index, so use Asia–US benchmarks and ask for a quote on your exact port pair.

Table 3. How much does it cost to ship from Taiwan to the US?
Cost layer Who pays under FOB Taiwan October 2026 reference
Ocean freight, Asia → US West Coast You Drewry WCI Shanghai–LA $8,007 per FEU (Oct 22); Xeneta Far East–USWC about $8,300
Ocean freight, Asia → US East Coast You Drewry Shanghai–New York $10,166 per FEU; Xeneta about $11,500
Taiwan origin charges (THC, documents, export customs) Supplier Included in the FOB price
US destination charges, customs broker, delivery You Quote by port and delivery address
Duty, MPF, HMF You (importer of record) See the duty and fee tables below

Source: Drewry WCI; Xeneta via FreightWaves

Xeneta's three-month forecast expects US West Coast spot rates to ease toward $4,500–5,500 per FEU. Rates are high mainly because of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, blank sailings and congestion.

Landed cost example: one 40-foot container

Assume $120,000 of goods at FOB Kaohsiung, an MFN duty rate below 10%, and a Los Angeles destination. US customs value is the transaction value, which normally excludes international freight and insurance.

Table 4. Landed cost example: one 40-foot container
Item Calculation Amount
Customs value FOB price $120,000
Duty 10% total (Section 301, net of MFN) $12,000
Merchandise Processing Fee 0.3464%, within the FY2027 min $34.58 / max $670.86 $415.68
Harbor Maintenance Fee 0.125% (ocean only) $150.00
Government charges subtotal $12,565.68
Ocean freight Market rate on the day; around $8,000 per FEU in late October 2026 about $8,000
Customs broker, ISF, bond, delivery Quote by provider varies

Source: Mohawk Global: FY2027 user fees; 19 CFR 24.24 (HMF)

What US duties apply to Taiwanese goods in 2026?

Table 5. What US duties apply to Taiwanese goods in 2026?
Measure Status (Oct 27, 2026) What it means
Section 301 action on Taiwan In force since July 24, 2026 Duty topped up to 10% in total; goods with MFN of 10% or more pay no extra
Exemptions Computers (8471, 8473.30), smartphones (8517.13/.14), telecom equipment, semiconductors (8542) No Section 301 duty
Section 232 auto parts and timber/lumber 15% in total for Taiwan, retroactive to May 1, 2026 Separate from the Section 301 action
Section 232 steel, aluminum, copper 50% (Annex I-A) or 25% (Annex I-B) since June 8, 2026 Check the annex for your HTS line
Section 232 semiconductors 25% on a narrow set of advanced chips since Jan 15, 2026 Broader chip tariffs still pending
IEEPA tariffs Ended Feb 24, 2026 after the Supreme Court ruling Refunds through CBP's CAPE process; Phase 3 opened Oct 6, 2026
Section 122 surcharge (10%) Expired July 24, 2026 No longer collected
US–Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade Signed Feb 12, 2026; not in force as of October Watch for an effective date
Section 301 overcapacity investigation Open; covers 16 economies including Taiwan Results were expected "within weeks" in early October

Source: Troutman Pepper: Section 301 on 60 partners; SEKO: Section 232 caps for Taiwan; C.H. Robinson: CAPE Phase 3; USTR: ART fact sheet

For how origin is tested when Taiwanese products contain Chinese parts, see Made in Taiwan? How US Importers Verify Country of Origin.

What do you need for US customs entry?

Table 6. What do you need for US customs entry?
Requirement Rule Practical note
Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) Filed at least 24 hours before loading in Taiwan $5,000 liquidated damages per violation; needs a bond
Customs bond Single-transaction, or continuous: $50,000 minimum or 10% of a year's duties, taxes and fees Continuous bonds make sense from a few entries a year ( bond sizing guide)
Entry and entry summary Filed by you or your customs broker in ACE Duties are paid on the entry summary
Merchandise Processing Fee 0.3464%; FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) min $34.58, max $670.86 Per formal entry
Harbor Maintenance Fee 0.125% of value Ocean shipments only
De minimis (Section 321) Suspended for all countries since Aug 29, 2025; statutory repeal July 1, 2027 Low-value parcels from Taiwan are not duty-free
CPSC certificate eFiling Mandatory in ACE since July 8, 2026 For regulated consumer products
FDA, FCC and other agencies Product-specific Food needs FDA registration and Prior Notice ( food guide)

Source: GHY: ISF; Flexport: customs bonds; Federal Register: de minimis; Foley: CPSC eFiling

What happens on the Taiwan side?

Under FOB, your supplier handles Taiwan export customs, but delays there still delay you.

Table 7. What happens on the Taiwan side?
Step What happens Who
Export declaration Filed electronically; customs sorts it into C1 (no review), C2 (document review) or C3 (document review plus exam) Supplier or its broker
Documents Commercial invoice, packing list, export permit for restricted goods, certificate of origin if required Supplier
Origin declaration Since May 2025, US-bound exports of Taiwan-made goods require a signed declaration of origin Supplier
VGM Verified gross mass submitted before cut-off, under SOLAS Supplier or forwarder
Cut-offs SI, VGM and container yard cut-offs usually fall 1–3 days before departure Forwarder confirms

Source: Taiwan Customs: export clearance; Taipei Times: origin declaration

Check that your commercial invoice and packing list match what US customs needs before the container leaves.

FCL or LCL from Taiwan?

Full containers (FCL) are usually cheaper per cubic meter from roughly 13–15 CBM, and they are faster because there is no consolidation or deconsolidation. LCL suits trial orders and small, frequent shipments, but expect a few extra days at each end. For a detailed comparison, see FCL vs LCL Shipping: Cost Comparison.

Do US port fees on Chinese ships affect Taiwanese carriers?

Only on certain vessels. USTR's Section 301 port fees apply to Chinese-owned or -operated ships and to Chinese-built ships run by other operators. The fee follows the ship, not the cargo or the carrier's nationality.

Table 8. Do US port fees on Chinese ships affect Taiwanese carriers?
Point Detail
Who pays The vessel operator; carriers may try to pass costs to shippers
Exemptions Container ships of 4,000 TEU or less; voyages under 2,000 nautical miles
Taiwanese carriers' exposure In April 2025, the China-built share of ships on US routes was 0% for Evergreen, 17% for Yang Ming and 0% for Wan Hai
Status Suspended until Nov 9, 2026; USTR has proposed extending the pause to Jan 9, 2027

Source: Tradlinx: what returns Nov 10; TechNews: China-built share by carrier; S&P Global

Shipping your first container from Taiwan: 7 steps

  1. Confirm the HTS code and duty rate

    • Ask a customs broker to classify the product and confirm the Section 301 or Section 232 position.
    • Check for partner-agency requirements (FDA, FCC, CPSC).

  2. Agree on the Incoterm and port

    • FOB Kaohsiung, Taipei or Keelung is common and keeps you in control of the ocean leg.
    • Confirm the supplier's ready date in writing.

  3. Set up your US entry basics

    • Get a customs bond and appoint a customs broker.
    • Make sure your importer of record details are in place.

  4. Book the ocean freight

    • Book 2–3 weeks before the ready date, longer before Chinese New Year.
    • Choose FCL or LCL, and the port pair with the best schedule.

  5. File the ISF

    • Collect supplier, manufacturer and consignee details from the supplier early.
    • File at least 24 hours before loading.

  6. Track and prepare entry

    • Review the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading against each other.
    • Pre-file the entry so cargo can clear on arrival.

  7. Arrange US delivery

    • Book drayage or rail before arrival; check free time to avoid demurrage and detention.
    • Keep records of every entry for at least five years.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from Taiwan to the US take?

Port to port, about 15–19 days from Taipei, Keelung or Kaohsiung to Los Angeles, about 19 to Tacoma, and 37–44 days to New York, Savannah or Charleston via Panama. Door to door, allow four to five weeks to the West Coast and six to eight to the East Coast.

How much does it cost to ship a container from Taiwan to the US?

Ocean freight tracks the Asia–US market, around $8,000 per 40-foot container to the West Coast and $10,000–11,500 to the East Coast in late October 2026. Add duty, MPF, HMF, broker fees and US delivery for the full landed cost.

What is the US tariff on Taiwanese goods?

Most Taiwanese goods pay 10% in total since July 24, 2026. Goods with an MFN rate of 10% or more pay no extra Section 301 duty, and computers, smartphones, telecom equipment and semiconductors are exempt. Section 232 products follow their own rates.

Is the US–Taiwan trade agreement in force?

Not as of October 2026. It was signed on Feb 12, 2026 but has not entered into force. Until it does, the July 2026 Section 301 rates and Section 232 programs apply.

Do I need an ISF for shipments from Taiwan?

Yes, for all ocean shipments to the US. It must be filed at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in Taiwan, and violations can cost $5,000 each.

What is the MPF for fiscal year 2027?

0.3464% of the entered value, with a minimum of $34.58 and a maximum of $670.86 per formal entry, effective Oct 1, 2026. The Harbor Maintenance Fee is 0.125% of value on ocean shipments.

Should I use Kaohsiung or Keelung?

Use the port with the best schedule for your destination. Kaohsiung has the widest choice and the East Coast services; Taipei and Keelung suit northern suppliers and have fast West Coast services.

Can I import small shipments from Taiwan duty-free?

No. The $800 de minimis exemption has been suspended for all countries since Aug 29, 2025, and the statutory repeal takes effect July 1, 2027.

About this guide

Paul Liang
Mingsung International Logistics, Taipei

Last reviewed
Experience
Written by Paul Liang at Mingsung International Logistics in Taipei. Mingsung handles FCL and LCL ocean exports from Kaohsiung, Keelung, Taipei and Taichung, and works with Taiwanese suppliers on export documentation every week.
Coverage
Covers Taiwan ports and carriers, transit times, cost layers, US duties on Taiwanese goods, US entry requirements, Taiwan export procedures and USTR port fees.
Based on
Based on carrier schedules from ONE and Yang Ming, Drewry and Xeneta rate data, USTR and Federal Register notices, CBP fee notices, US Census trade data and Taiwan Customs procedures.
Please note
Rates and schedules change weekly; figures are published indices and schedules, not quotes. Duty positions reflect October 27, 2026; confirm your HTS line with a licensed customs broker. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Update log

  • First published. Duty positions reflect the Section 301 action of July 24, 2026 and FY2027 user fees.

Sources

  1. US Census Bureau — Trade in goods with Taiwan
  2. ONE — 2026 Transpacific service schedule (June 22, 2026)
  3. AJOT — Yang Ming announces 2026 East-West service network
  4. Container News — Ocean Alliance restores Tacoma call on HTW service
  5. Drewry — World Container Index
  6. FreightWaves — Xeneta: US-bound container rates peak, but sharp collapse unlikely
  7. Troutman Pepper — Forced labor Section 301 tariffs on 60 trading partners
  8. SEKO — Section 232 tariff caps on Taiwan auto parts, lumber and aircraft components
  9. USTR — Fact sheet: US–Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade
  10. White & Case — US terminates IEEPA-based tariffs after Supreme Court decision
  11. Mohawk Global — CBP customs user fees for fiscal year 2027
  12. Federal Register — Indefinite suspension of the de minimis exemption (June 24, 2026)
  13. GHY — US Importer Security Filing (ISF)
  14. Foley & Lardner — CPSC eFiling begins July 2026
  15. S&P Global — US port fees on China-linked ships likely delayed to January
  16. CNA — Taiwan's exports to the US, January–September 2026
  17. Taipei Times — Origin declaration for US-bound Taiwan exports


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