Deep Freeze air freight from China to India

Frozen Goods by Air Freight: Maintaining Quality Over Long Distances

At first glance, frozen products might not seem like a logical choice for air freight—after all, sea freight in refrigerated containers is much cheaper. But for certain frozen products, air freight is the better option due to quality, freshness, or urgency reasons.

When Ship Frozen Goods by Air?

• High-End Seafood: deep-frozen lobster, scallops, tuna, and other premium seafood for the restaurant industry—where quality deteriorates too much during long sea transport
• Pharmaceutical Frozen Products: vaccines, biologicals, and certain blood products that require -20°C or lower and cannot be shipped by sea
• Seasonal Urgency: when a specific frozen product must be available urgently—for example, for a major buyer or a retail chain that has missed stock
• Small, High-Value Batches: where the value per kilogram justifies the higher air freight rates

Aircargo.nl is fully equipped for frozen transport: from dry ice calculation to veterinary notifications and NVWA customs clearance.

Exporting to China

China is the world’s second-largest importer and one of the most sought-after destinations for Dutch air freight. Schiphol offers direct cargo flights to Shanghai (PVG), Beijing (PEK), and Guangzhou (CAN), ensuring most shipments arrive cargo-to-cargo within 12–14 hours.

Customs & Regulations

Chinese customs are known to be strict. Every shipment requires an accurate commercial invoice, a detailed packing list, and often a Certificate of Origin. For food products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, mandatory registration with the GACC (General Administration of Customs China) is required. Electronics intended for the Chinese market must comply with CCC certification.

Practical Tips

• Ensure all documents are provided in English and preferably also in Chinese
• Dual-use goods require an export license from the Netherlands
• Chinese holidays (including Golden Week and Chinese New Year) cause significant delays — plan well in advance

Aircargo.nl handles shipments to China daily and is familiar with the pitfalls. We manage the complete export documentation and coordinate with our local agents for smooth processing.

Importing from India

India is a leading producer of pharmaceutical APIs and generic drugs, textiles, precious and semi-precious stones, and IT hardware. The Indian pharma industry supplies hundreds of Dutch and European importers — and air freight is the standard mode for time-sensitive pharmaceutical raw materials.

Specific Considerations

• Pharmaceutical APIs require GMP certificates and European registration
• Precious stones and jewelry need detailed value declarations and insurance certificates
• Textiles may be subject to anti-dumping measures — check the HS code

Aircargo.nl guides importers through European customs clearance of Indian goods and ensures all required certificates are in place.

China as a Crosstrade Destination

In crosstrade operations, Schiphol acts as a European hub for goods not shipped directly from the Netherlands. China is a highly demanded link in crosstrade routes both as origin and destination, for example for goods routed from the US, UK, or Middle East to China via AMS.

Aircargo.nl has direct relationships with Chinese cargo agents in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen and can coordinate the entire documentation flow — including Chinese customs formalities — from Aalsmeer.

Key Considerations for Frozen Air Freight

Uninterrupted Cold Chain

Frozen products must be kept at a minimum of -18°C for the entire duration of transport. This requires dry ice (carbon dioxide, UN1845 — classified as DGR), certified freezer containers (unit load devices), or a combination of both. Aircargo.nl arranges the correct cooling based on flight time and product.

Dry Ice — DGR Considerations

Dry ice is classified as dangerous goods (UN1845, class 9) and must be documented on the AWB and Shipper’s Declaration. The amount of dry ice per shipment is limited by airline regulations. Aircargo.nl always calculates the required amount of dry ice based on flight time plus buffer hours and properly records this in the documentation.

Health Certificates

Frozen products of animal origin (meat, fish, shellfish) require a veterinary health certificate when imported into the EU and are inspected at designated border inspection posts (BIP). Aircargo.nl pre-notifies the shipment to the NVWA for smooth customs clearance.