Shipping art from Bali costs roughly USD 150–250 per cubic meter by sea or 4–12 USD per kg by air as of 2026, plus museum-grade crating and insurance at 2–3% of declared value. Ship From Bali collects from galleries across Ubud and Seminyak, screens materials for CITES, prepares every export document, and returns an all-in quote within 24 business hours.
A rolled canvas, a two-tonne greenstone Buddha and a foundry bronze from Sukawati are three different logistics problems — each with its own crate, paperwork and, sometimes, permit. Here are the numbers, crating standards and customs steps behind every all-in quote.
What does it cost to ship art from Bali?
Two variables set the price: volume for sea freight (per CBM) or actual/volumetric weight for air, plus the crate your piece needs. Figures below are 2025 benchmarks, subject to change; your quote is confirmed for the lane and dimensions you confirm.
| Option | Guide cost (USD, as of 2026) | Transit time | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCL sea to USA | 150–250 per CBM | 6–12 weeks | Crated sculpture, mixed gallery lots |
| LCL sea to Australia / Asia | Per CBM, quoted confirmed in 24h | 4–8 weeks | Combined art and furniture shipments |
| FCL 20ft container to USA | 2,500–4,500 per container | 28–45 days | Whole collections, about 30 CBM |
| FCL 40ft container to USA | 4,000–7,000 per container | 28–45 days | Large stone works, about 60 CBM |
| Air freight, economy | 4–7 per kg | 7–10 days | Paintings, small bronzes |
| Air freight, express | 5–12 per kg | 3–10 business days | Exhibition deadlines |
According to FreightAmigo’s 2025 Indonesia–USA data, sea transit runs 28–45 days depending on the port pair, with Bali–Seattle around 28–38 days. Air cargo departs I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar; expect fuel surcharges of 15–25% and security fees near 0.50 USD per kg on top. An all-in quote folds crating, pickup, trucking and export documents into one line — the only costs left at destination are import duty and GST/VAT, which the consignee pays under standard shipping terms.
Industry guidance puts the LCL-to-FCL break-even near 13 CBM: a gallery clearing a full show usually saves by booking a dedicated 20ft container loaded in Bali.
How are paintings, stone and bronze crated?
Bali LCL cargo is trucked overland to Surabaya’s Port of Tanjung Perak, then transshipped via Java and Singapore before the ocean leg. That routing means three to four separate handling events — which is why art gets museum-grade crating rather than plain export packing. The crate has to survive the roughest hundred meters of the journey, not the smoothest.
| Artwork type | Crate specification | Key protection detail |
|---|---|---|
| Stretched paintings | Timber slat crate, foam corner blocks, glassine face wrap | Moisture barrier plus humidity-absorption packs |
| Oversized canvas, rolled | Rigid tube suspended inside a timber case | Rolled paint-side out, only on request |
| Stone sculpture | Braced hardwood crate banded to a weight-rated skid | Centre of gravity marked, forklift channels built in |
| Bronze | Custom cradle with soft strap points, VCI anti-corrosion wrap | Patina isolated from all abrasion contact |
| Ceramics and mixed lots | Double-boxed, foam-floated, consolidated into one crate | Each piece photographed before sealing |
All crate timber is heat-treated to the ISPM 15 export standard. Published Bali LCL rate structures typically include export packing, multi-location pickup, Bali–Surabaya trucking, export documents and humidity-absorption measures; wood endorsement, stone endorsement and phytosanitary certificates can appear as itemised extras, so they are stated in the quote up front rather than discovered at the port.
Which artworks need CITES screening or permits?
Anything made from natural materials gets screened before quoting. CITES — the convention governing trade in endangered species — covers certain tropical timbers, all coral and most shell, tortoiseshell, ivory and many feathers. A contemporary suar-wood carving normally clears without a permit; a sculpture inlaid with coral or cut from a protected timber species needs certification or cannot legally leave Indonesia. Material is confirmed from your photos and any permit requirement is flagged inside the 24-hour quote window.
Age matters too. Indonesia protects designated cultural-heritage objects, so genuinely old artefacts are screened separately; contemporary work and reproductions move freely.
Every art shipment then carries the standard Indonesian export set: a commercial invoice with HS codes on each line (2025 HS classifications are mandatory), a packing list, a Certificate of Origin, and a Bill of Lading for sea or Air Waybill for air. Clearance runs through Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise, with filings lodged electronically via the Indonesia National Single Window — a system trending more digital and compliance-heavy through 2027.
Shipping to Australia? Biosecurity there screens wood, rattan and used household goods on arrival. Fumigation and treatment documentation are arranged in Bali before loading, so your sculpture is not held for treatment at an Australian port.
How does insurance work for artwork?
All-risk cargo insurance runs about 2% of declared value as of 2026 — one Bali provider’s FCL rate sheet cited 3%, dated November 2016, so treat 2–3% as the honest band. Your declared value must match the commercial invoice: that figure drives both the premium and the claim ceiling. Under-declaring to trim duty caps any payout at the lower number and invites customs queries, so collectors are asked to declare real acquisition value and document condition with timestamped photos at crating.
How does booking work?
- Send photos and dimensions. Use the declared-value quote form with photo upload — front, back and detail shots, plus height, width, depth and declared value.
- Screening and all-in quote, within 24 business hours. Material is confirmed (CITES check), the crate is specced, and you get one all-in figure per destination.
- Gallery or villa pickup. Collection across Ubud, Seminyak and the rest of Bali, with condition photos taken at handover.
- Crating and paperwork. Museum-grade crate built; invoice with HS codes, packing list and Certificate of Origin prepared, plus fumigation certificates where required.
- Departure and tracking. Sea freight moves via Surabaya; air freight lifts from Ngurah Rai. Milestone updates follow through to destination.
- Delivery. Door-to-door where booked; the consignee settles import duty and GST/VAT at destination rates.
> Get an all-in quote for your artwork. Send photos, dimensions and declared value through the quote form, or message the Ship From Bali concierge through the quote form on this page. Art shipments on this site are handled end-to-end by Ship From Bali — screening, crating, export paperwork and delivery — with one all-in price confirmed inside 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ship a single painting from Bali by air?
Yes. Air freight from Denpasar runs 4–7 USD per kg economy (7–10 days) or 5–12 USD express (3–10 business days) as of 2026. Airlines bill volumetric weight, so the crate’s dimensions — not just the canvas — set the price. For one painting, a slat crate flown economy usually beats waiting six weeks for shared sea freight.
Do Balinese wood carvings need a CITES permit?
Most do not. Contemporary carvings in common plantation woods such as suar clear export without CITES paperwork. Permits apply when a piece uses protected timber species or incorporates coral, shell, feathers or ivory. Every carving is screened from your photos before quoting; for Australia, fumigation and treatment documentation are added, since biosecurity there inspects wooden goods on arrival.
How much does it cost to ship a stone statue from Bali to the USA?
As of 2025, LCL sea freight Indonesia–USA runs about 150–250 USD per CBM, so a statue crating out at one cubic meter lands in that band plus crating and insurance. Very heavy or multi-piece stone works often justify a dedicated 20ft container at roughly 2,500–4,500 USD. Transit is 28–45 days depending on the US port, per FreightAmigo’s 2025 data.
Will Australian customs fumigate my wooden sculpture?
Australia’s biosecurity screening covers wood, rattan and used household goods, and untreated items can be held for treatment at your cost on arrival. That is prevented by fumigating in Bali before loading and shipping the treatment certificate with the export documents. Crates are built from ISPM 15 heat-treated timber, which Australian quarantine accepts as standard.
What value should I declare for art insurance?
Declare the genuine acquisition or replacement value, matching your commercial invoice. Cargo insurance costs about 2% of that figure as of 2026 — some Bali providers cite up to 3% — and any claim is capped at the declared amount. Under-declaring to reduce destination duty shrinks your protection and can trigger customs queries that delay clearance.