Short answer: DDP is one price for five stages — export clearance in China, trunk freight, destination import clearance, duties and taxes, and final delivery to door. Everything else stays outside the price, and we itemize it on the quotation instead of letting you discover it later.
Inside vs outside the DDP price
| Inside the DDP quote | Outside — itemized on the sheet |
|---|---|
| Export clearance in China | Remote-area delivery surcharges |
| Trunk freight (sea or air) | Storage overage caused by delayed instructions |
| Destination import clearance | Re-delivery caused by buyer-side changes |
| Duties and taxes at destination | Services added after the quote is confirmed |
| Final delivery to door | Anything else we flag line by line before you confirm |
DDP vs DAP vs EXW, in one breath
- EXW — you own the chain from the factory door: pickup, export paperwork, freight, clearance, duties, delivery.
- DAP — the seller delivers to destination, but import clearance and duties are the buyer's problem.
- DDP — one party prices and runs the whole chain including duties. On Africa lanes this is the default, because split accountability is where shipments go to die.
What happens at each stage under our DDP
- Quote — five items in, one sheet out: included, excluded, charging basis, current sailing or flight, transit range.
- China side — pickup or hub delivery, consolidation, export clearance under truthful declaration.
- Trunk — sailing or flight on the booked service; status updates while it moves.
- Destination — import clearance and duties settled by us; inspection handled with documents and first-hand notices.
- Delivery — last-mile to door, or self-pickup where the quotation states it.
The boundary we never cross in marketing: no promise of release, inspection waiver or clearance on a fixed date. Release and inspection belong to customs. Scope details per lane live on the China to Africa overview and the sea / air DDP pages.
FAQ
How is DDP different from DAP or EXW?
Under EXW you own everything from the factory door; under DAP the seller delivers to destination but the buyer clears import and pays duties; under DDP the forwarder's price includes destination import clearance and duties. On our lanes DDP is the default because it puts one accountable party on the whole chain.
Who pays the duties under DDP?
Duties are inside the DDP price — that is what "tax included" means. You pay one price to us; we settle duties at destination. Any duty change between quote and shipment is handled per the quotation terms, stated on the sheet.
What happens if customs inspects my DDP shipment?
Inspection is customs' decision and is not something any forwarder can promise away. Under DDP we run the inspection process: documents, presence, and first-hand notice to you. We do not promise release, inspection waiver or a fixed clearance date.
Is DDP available on air freight too?
Yes. Air DDP and sea DDP carry the same coverage: export clearance, trunk, destination clearance, duties and delivery. The mode changes speed and charging basis, not the scope.