Service · freight forwarding

A Bali freight forwarder with published rates

Pickup anywhere on the island, export packing, customs paperwork with correct HS codes, and sea or air carriage to your door.

Updated 2026 · 4-minute read

Quick answer

A forwarder coordinates your whole export: pickup, packing, paperwork and carriage. Ship From Bali publishes per-CBM rates and issues a written all-in quote within 24 business hours, via vetted licensed partners.

Get an all-in quote See rates & process

Per CBM · sea LCL to USA: USD 150–250
Written all-in quote: 24 hours
LCL / FCL break-even: 13 CBM
Cargo insurance · of value: ~2%

The service

What a Bali forwarder does — and costs

Benchmarks in USD as of 2026, subject to change. A serious forwarder confirms them in a written all-in quote.

What the service includes

A forwarder is not the shipping line or the airline. It books carrier space, prepares the legal paperwork and moves your goods from a villa in Canggu or a workshop in Ubud onto a vessel or aircraft.

Bali has no major direct container services, so LCL cargo is trucked to Surabaya’s Port of Tanjung Perak, then transshipped via Java and Singapore. Every handling point is a risk point — so export packing belongs in the quote, not the fine print. Air freight leaves Denpasar, priced on actual or volumetric weight.

20ft container: about 30 CBM
40ft container: about 60 CBM
40ft high cube: about 70 CBM
LCL / FCL break-even: near 13 CBM

The export document set

Everything clears through the Directorate General of Customs and Excise via the INSW electronic filing system, with export licensing under the Ministry of Trade. Filings get more digital through 2027 — one more reason to file correctly the first time.

Commercial invoice with 2025 HS codes
Packing list matching the invoice
Certificate of Origin for preferential duty
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill
Wood, stone or phytosanitary endorsements
Fumigation papers for Australia-bound wood

What it costs

A proper Bali LCL rate already includes ocean freight, Bali–Surabaya trucking, multi-location pickup, export packing, documents and humidity absorbers. Air adds a security surcharge of about USD 0.50 per kg and fuel at 15–25% of freight; fuel rose about 12% in 2025, so book off-peak.

One exclusion is universal: the consignee pays import duty and GST/VAT at destination. Port-to-port quotes also leave out port taxes, clearance and delivery — which is why we quote door to door.

Sea LCL to the USA: USD 150–250 per CBM
FCL 20ft to the USA: USD 2,500–4,500
FCL 40ft to the USA: USD 4,000–7,000
Air economy: USD 4–7 per kg
Air express: USD 5–12 per kg

How long it takes

Guide figures as of 2026; transit varies by port pair and season. Sea times include the Surabaya truck leg and Singapore transshipment — a forwarder quoting only the ocean leg is underquoting your real door-to-door time.

Australia and Asia: 4–8 weeks by sea
USA and Europe: 6–12 weeks by sea
Bali–Seattle: 28–38 days port to port
Air, every route: 3–10 business days

How to spot a legitimate forwarder

Run this checklist before handing over goods or a deposit. It doubles as a description of how we operate.

Published per-CBM and per-kg rates
Written all-in quote within 24 hours
A named, numbered process
Confident answers on 2025 HS codes
Honest about destination duty and tax
Insurance terms in writing

How booking works

Six steps, one written price

Every shipment is arranged via vetted licensed freight partners.

01 / 06

Send your details

Cargo description, rough dimensions or photos, pickup area and destination address.
Quote within 24 hours

Inclusions, exclusions and estimated destination duties itemised in writing.
Pickup & packing

Anywhere in Bali, with export packing and humidity protection for sea cargo.
Documents filed

Invoice with HS codes, packing list, COO, B/L or AWB, plus any endorsements.
Your cargo ships

By sea via Surabaya or by air from Denpasar, tracked at each milestone.
Clearance & delivery

Delivered to your door, with duty and tax invoices passed through at cost.

Asked constantly

Freight forwarder questions

All shipping questions

Do I need a freight forwarder to ship personal belongings from Bali?

No rule forces you to, but export clearance runs through Indonesian customs and the electronic INSW system, and filing errors stop cargo at the port. A forwarder prepares the documents, books space and consolidates your goods — usually cheaper than the delays.

How do I know a Bali freight forwarder is legitimate?

Look for published per-CBM and per-kg rates, a written all-in quote listing inclusions and exclusions, and a named process. Then ask which 2025 HS codes apply to your goods. Verbal-only pricing and “duty-free” promises are the clearest warning signs.

Does the forwarder handle customs clearance at destination?

Only on door-to-door terms. Port-to-port quotes exclude destination duties, port taxes, clearance and delivery. Door to door, the destination agent files clearance and passes duty invoices through at cost — the consignee still pays duty and GST or VAT.

How fast should a Bali freight forwarder give you a quote?

Within 24 hours, if you supply dimensions or photos, approximate weight, pickup area and destination. Ship From Bali does so as standard. A quote that takes a week, or arrives as an unconfirmed estimate, signals pricing problems later.

Can a forwarder collect cargo from multiple suppliers?

Yes — multi-location pickup is standard in Bali LCL rates. Furniture from Tabanan, art from Ubud and homewares from Seminyak are collected separately, then consolidated into one shipment with one document set and one per-CBM price.

Guides & services

Start with the full guide, or pick the service that fits your move.

01 / 06

All rates & transit

Forklift moving pallets between warehouse racks

Forwarding desk

Get your all-in quote in under 24 hours

Send cargo details, photos and your destination — you get a written, all-in, door-to-door price, not an estimate.

Or reach the desk directly

More room to write? Use the contact page

A Bali freight forwarder with published rates