What's the difference between FOB and CIF price?
FOB covers the machine loaded at a Chinese port; CIF adds ocean freight and marine insurance to your destination port. Neither includes import duties and local taxes.
The short version
- FOB (Free On Board) — the price of the machine, loaded onto the vessel at the port (Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao, or Tianjin). You arrange or pay freight and insurance separately.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) — the FOB price plus ocean freight and marine insurance to your named destination port.
What neither one includes
Neither FOB nor CIF covers import duties, local taxes, port handling at destination, or inland delivery from your port to the worksite. Those are set by your destination country and cleared on your side.
Which should you choose
If you already have a forwarder and want to control freight, take FOB. If you want one landed number and one party responsible door-to-port, take CIF. We quote both so you can compare landed cost — typical CIF lead time is 28–45 days port-to-port.
Does CIF include import duty?
No. CIF stops at your destination port. Import duties, VAT, and local taxes are calculated by your country on the CIF value and paid by the importer.
Can I choose the shipping port?
Yes — Shanghai is default, but Ningbo, Qingdao, and Tianjin are available. We pick the port nearest your machine to keep inland transport down.
Who provides the marine insurance?
The CIF quote includes marine insurance. For FOB we can still arrange freight and insurance for you on request.
