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The bests methods to ship your goods between Malaysia and the UK
The United Kingdom is among the world’s largest economies (5th highest GDP in October 2022). The country has a commercial and political agreement with a lot of countries all around the world, especially since Brexit.
Malaysia is part of ASEAN, and the UK decided to strengthen its relationship with these Asian countries and promote collaboration with them.
Furthermore, the UK and Malaysia are linked by the Commonwealth and the Malaysia-United Kingdom Strategic Dialogue, established in November 2021.
These two countries are linked by their history and agreements, but are quite far from each other, the distance as the crow flies is 11,323.77 km. There are two solutions to cover this distance, sea freight, and air freight. We’ll both detail these methods, let’s begin with sea freight.
Sea freight shipping from Malaysia to the UK
Overview – Ocean cargo from Malaysia to the United Kingdom
Ocean freight flows in the United Kingdom are well distributed among the numerous seaports that border various coasts and countries.
Thestrength of the UK ports, despite their individual small sizes, is the magnitude of their total traffic when all of them are considered. For example, 445.5 million tonnes of cargo were handled in the United Kingdom in 2021 according to the government. In terms of sea transportation, the UK is a driving force. The UK's main economic partners are the EU and the USA. Malaysia is ranked 37th.
Another distinctive feature of the United Kingdom is that its ports are highly interconnected.
Busiest ports in the United Kingdom
- Grimsby & Immingham
Grimsby and Immingham are two of the Kingdom's busiest ports. It is an important port for UK imports. It is the country's second port in terms of Roro cargo, third in terms of oil products and fifth in terms of liquid bulk. It oversaw 16 million tonnes of Roro cargo, 12 million tonnes of oil products, and 19 million tonnes of liquid bulk in 2016.
This port handles 75% of all shipments handled. Only 10% of cargo is traded with other domestic ports. Half of the goods handled are exchanged with the EU, with the remaining 25% going to international destinations.
- London
London is one of the most significant UK export ports, accounting for 85% of all port flows. The EU receives half of the flows, other UK ports receive 20%, and international destinations receive the remainder. It is the third port in the UK for RoRo cargo, with 8 million tonnes handled in 2016. It is also the Kingdom's sixth-busiest liquid bulk port, with 15 million tonnes handled in the same year. 13 million tonnes of the same liquid bulk products were oil products, making London the UK's second-largest port for oil management. In 2016, 50 million tonnes of goods were administered there.
- Southampton
The Port of Southampton is also one of the busiest in the United Kingdom. In 2016, Southampton handled 36 million tonnes of goods. Its trade flows are very balanced both internationally and internally. 45% of the goods arrive, while 55% depart from Southampton. With 20 million tonnes handled in 2016, it is the third most important UK port for liquid bulk. 9 million tonnes of this liquid bulk are oil products, putting Southampton in fourth place in the UK for this category of goods. In Southampton, liquid bulk accounts for 55% of all goods administered. Lolo cargo accounts for a significant portion of the other goods handled there, accounting for up to 30%.
Transit time between Malaysia and the UK
The estimated sea transit time from Malaysia to the UK is 20 to 40 days without picking up and delivering items at the origin and destination. Naturally, your location in Malaysia, as well as other factors, will influence this.
| Malaysia/UK | London | Immingham | Southampton |
| Pasir Gudang | 19 Days | 40 Days | 30 Days |
| Penang | 30 Days | 25 Days | 30 Days |
| Tanjung Pelepas | 19 Days | 40 Days | 25 Days |
| Port Kelang | 30 Days | 30 Days | 35 Days |
Please keep in mind that the transit time only includes the freight. Unaccounted-for pickup, delivery, loading, and unloading may extend the duration of your shipment.
How much does shipping between Malaysia and the UK cost?
The cost of shipping products by water varies greatly, depending on a variety of factors. For example, whether you're sending a small or large amount, you won't use the same container type.
If your shipment is less than 15 cubic meters, choose an LCL (Less Than Container Load) rather than an FCL (Full Container Load). Naturally, our experts will assist you in determining the best option for your requirements.
*Our ability to provide packing and/or loading services is dependent on your requirements and will affect the final price.
However, because the cost of sea freight is determined by the weight and quantity of goods transported, we can explain how this is calculated.
You should be aware that the weight/volume ratio is calculated using the following equivalency rule: equals 1 m3 per ton.
In UP, groupage and traditional modes of transportation are well-established.
Regardless of the unit of measurement, the carrier will always benefit from performing the calculation or correlating to the highest value (in volume or in mass).
Air Freight between Malaysia and the UK
This freight method is the second and the last that we can propose for you to transport your goods from Malaysia to the UK. In fact, air freight is one of the most common shipping methods.
Air freight could be used in two different ways: classic and express.
Difference between express and classic freight
- Traditional air freight: This strategy is used by airlines such as British Airways, Air China, Thai Airways, and Qatar Airways to deliver cargo on regularly scheduled flights. It takes advantage of available space on commercial aircraft.
- Express air freight: Items are transported by aircraft designed for air freight in this second, more expensive option. Then, “courier firms” are in charge of providing door-to-door services, such as picking up items from aircraft and delivering them to clients. They are UPS, FedEx, TNT, and DHL, in that order. This method of distributing goods to customers also allows for hand delivery of those items anywhere in the world.
Transit time between Malaysia and the UK
The typical flight from Malaysia to the United Kingdom should take 13-15 hours, depending on where you depart. Allow 6 to 9 days to complete the delivery from the pickup location to the final destination. Again, this is only an estimate.
*Keep in mind that logistics do not stop with the flight, customs may choose to hold a package for a variety of reasons.
What is the cost of air freight between the UK and Malaysia?
Given how much weight and volume affect air freight pricing, the price will most likely vary depending on what you're shipping. Because your box must clear customs when it arrives, the contents of your cargo will impact your prices.
What is the difference between volumetric weight and gross weight?
Two methods are used to categorize the load weight of your items in order to account for the density of your shipment.
Consider how air freight tariffs are determined. The most important distinction to grasp is that between real weight and volumetric weight. You will be able to comprehend your air freight quotes once you have received them.
If the volumetric weight of your shipment is greater than the actual weight, the carrier will provide you with a quote based on this weight. Now that you understand how it works, you can use online load weight calculators to make things easier.
Customs Clearance
As you are probably aware when moving from one country to another with personal belongings, you must go through customs and have your items cleared. DocShipper may be able to assist with customs clearance of your goods due to their experience working with customs.
Customs Procedure
When the truck arrives at the Johor customs checkpoint, officers from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department will inspect your order and any associated paperwork.
To export your goods, you must have the following documentation:
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Air Waybill
- Permission to Export (if required)
In order to export products that require a license, the exporter must frequently register with Malaysian Companies Commission. A license to export specific plants, forest products, minerals, and other products is one of the criteria. The list of items requiring this export authorization is available on the Royal Malaysian Customs Department's official website.
You must classify and declare your goods to Malaysian authorities prior to shipment. Malaysia, like the vast majority of customs administrations, classifies your products using the System Source tax code. The HSS Explorer allows you to view the classification of your products. Depending on what you are sending, taxes and tariffs may be imposed on your purchase.
Customs value
When goods from other countries are imported into the UK, customs duties and taxes must be paid. These are calculated by multiplying the value of imported items by a percentage.
Custom value
It equals the price of the goods when all associated transportation costs to the UK border are included. Also known as CIF (Incoterm) value. This is the price you will have paid for the products when they arrive at a port of entry into the UK, regardless of which country they are being delivered to.
The customs value will serve as the foundation for calculating customs duties.
The statistical or monetary value
The statistical value, like the customs value before it, reflects the product's worth plus all transportation costs, but only when it enters French territory. When commodities arrive, for example, at the ports of London of Liverpool, both of which are points of entry into the UK, they frequently coincide with the customs value at the union border.
It is used to collect data on a country's foreign trade as well as some national taxes.
The tax amount
The tax value, also known as the “value of the first destination,” serves as the foundation for collecting VAT on French territory (also known as “Consumption or MAC”).
The following items are included in the VAT tax base:
- Other than the VAT, taxes, charges, and levies (customs duties and all other ancillary national taxes, if any, are included in the VAT calculation base).
- Incidental costs, such as the cost of packaging, storing, transporting, and insuring the items until they arrive in the UK.
Different products have different duty percentages, which are determined by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and range from 0-12%. This percentage will be deducted from the total value of the goods. In addition to other items, goods such as alcohol and cigarettes will be taxed. The complete list of duty-paying items is available on the official UK Customs website. For goods entering the UK via the CIF system, the cost of the goods, the cost of insurance, and the freight price of the cargo are all taken into account when calculating tax assessments.
How can I find my HS code?
- Asking your dealer is the smartest and safest line of action.
- Visit this website to find the HS code if he is unable to supply it.
- It is quite easy to use.
Calculate customs duties with the HS Code
Knowing the customs charges and taxes levied on your product when it is imported will be useful now that you have the HS code.
To do so, go to the TARIC customs system on the official UK customs website.
A page similar to this one can be found here:
As shown on the screen above, you must enter the following information:
- The HS code of the product (here “080430”)
Next, click “Search measurements,” which takes you to the following page:
How to Estimate Taxes and Duties
- Add the total value of the imported goods to the consumption tax (if applicable), plus the environmental protection rate (if applicable), and the tax rate to calculate the amount of customs duty.
- VAT is calculated by multiplying the total cost of the imported good (including import tax) by the applicable VAT rate.
- Simply multiply the product's value by the applicable SCT rate to calculate the special consumption tax.
- Simply multiplying the quantity of taxable commodities by the EPR rate yields the environmental protection tax.
- Finally, to determine all applicable taxes for importing into Malaysia, simply perform the following calculation: VAT, any applicable TCS, and import taxes are added to the EPT (if applicable).
DocShipper does it impose any obligations?
Payment cannot be included in your regular obligations to us. To demonstrate this, we will return the data provided by Malaysian Customs. Only expenses related to the creation of a regulatory information document are eligible for an indulgence. DocShipper will be in charge of obtaining these customs leniency fees because we will be creating the necessary paperwork for you. The customs fees will be collected by the government.
Malaysia customs
Official name : Malaysian Directorate General of Customs
Website : Malaysian Customs
What paperwork is necessary for shipping goods between Malaysia and the UK?
Documents proving compliance (CE standard)
The certificate of origin attests to the country of origin of the transported commodities. The nation of production, which should not be confused with the place of origin of the items, is identified in this document. This is necessary for international trade.
Authentication of Origin
No matter if you are going to the UK or Malaysia, you must have the original invoice in order to clear your items through customs. Check to see if the amount on the packing list matches the amount on the original invoice.
Bill of Lading
The bill of lading, which is a proof of transportation document, attests to the delivery of the specified goods by the exporter. The bill of lading is another legal document that must be considered. It also provides all the information required to handle the freight and properly invoice it.
Packing List
Shippers create a “packing list” for each supply chain participant. Every air and sea freight shipment must be accompanied by this formal document, which contains all the information about the product(s) and packaging that are included in each shipment.
