Resources · Shipping Guide

Getting stone from the quarry to your yard

Stone is heavy, fragile and valuable, so freight can make or break the deal. Compare the shipping lines and forwarders that move it, see what a container costs on the main stone lanes, and learn how to pack and insure it.

Carriers: 21
Forwarders: 6
Stone lanes: 12

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Last reviewed October 2026 · Prices are indicative

One 20ft container of stone

Cargo weightLimited by road rules at destination: 18–26 t
Granite slabs, 2 cmOr 25–35 slabs at 3 cm: 35–50
Tiles, 2 cmIn about 15–20 crates: 350–500 m²
Long-haul freightIndia, Brazil, Turkey to the US: $1,800–3,500
TransitPlus 1–2 weeks at ports: 2–6 weeks

Who moves stone

The leading shipping lines and forwarders

Click a company for its strengths and weaknesses, a cost estimate, the countries it serves best and how it suits stone. Dollar signs show where it usually prices against the market.

Strong in

Global carriers

Own the ships and sail every major lane

Regional specialists

Strong on a few lanes, often cheaper there

Freight forwarders

Book space on the carriers and handle the paperwork

At a glance

Compare them side by side

Company	Best for	Price	Strongest in
MSC	The world's largest container line, with the most port calls	Market rate	+5
Maersk	The most reliable schedules, plus customs and inland transport	Premium	+6
CMA CGM	Strong in the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and Africa	Market rate	+6
COSCO Shipping	The biggest carrier out of China, including Xiamen	Value	+5
Hapag-Lloyd	German reliability, strong on the Atlantic and Latin America	Premium	+5
ONE (Ocean Network Express)	Japanese-owned carrier, strong across Asia and the Pacific	Market rate	+4
Evergreen	Taiwanese line with a big transpacific and Asia network	Market rate	+3
HMM	Korea's flag carrier, with very large modern ships	Value	+2
YANG MINGYang Ming	Taiwanese line focused on the transpacific and Asia to Europe	Value	+1
ZIM	Nimble niche carrier, strong from the Mediterranean and Turkey to the US	Market rate	+3
WAN HAI LINESWan Hai Lines	Intra-Asia specialist, now also on the transpacific and to India	Value	+4
PIL (Pacific International Lines)	Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa at regional prices	Value	+4
X-Press Feeders	The feeder network that links small stone ports to big hubs	Value	+3
SITC	Frequent, low-cost sailings around China, Japan and Southeast Asia	Value	+2
KMTCKMTC	Korean regional line linking Asia with India and the Gulf	Value	+2
Arkas Line	Turkey's leading carrier, across the Mediterranean and Black Sea	Value	+4
Turkon Line	Direct Turkey to US East Coast service, popular with stone importers	Market rate
Grimaldi Group	Ro-ro and breakbulk for blocks and machinery that don't fit a box	Premium	+4
Atlantic Container Line	Containers plus oversized cargo between North Europe and North America	Premium	+1
Crowley	The specialist for the US, Central America and the Caribbean	Market rate	+2
Matson	The fastest ocean option from China to the US West Coast	Premium
DHL Global Forwarding	Global forwarder with LCL consolidation and customs everywhere	Premium	+3
Kuehne+Nagel	The largest ocean forwarder, with strong online quotes and LCL	Market rate	+3
DSV	Huge forwarder with trucking across Europe	Market rate	+3
CEVA Logistics	CMA CGM's logistics arm, strong in the Mediterranean and Middle East	Market rate	+3
Expeditors	US-based forwarder known for customs compliance	Premium	+2
Flexport	Online forwarder with live tracking and simple quotes	Market rate

Where stone travels

The main stone trade lanes

Indicative port-to-port ocean freight for one 20ft container, including the usual fuel and terminal surcharges at origin, and typical transit times. Destination charges, duty, insurance and trucking are extra.

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India USA

Mundra, Chennai, Krishnapatnam → New York, Savannah, Houston

Granite slabs, countertops, sandstone paving

20ft, port to port: $2,000–3,500
Transit: 30–45 days

Often used:MSC,Maersk,CMA CGM,Hapag-Lloyd,ONE,ZIM

Brazil USA

Vitória, Rio de Janeiro → Savannah, New York, Houston, Miami

Granite and quartzite slabs

20ft, port to port: $1,800–3,000
Transit: 18–30 days

Often used:MSC,Maersk,Hapag-Lloyd,CMA CGM,ZIM

Turkey USA

Izmir (Aliağa), Mersin → New York, Baltimore, Savannah, Houston

Marble, travertine, limestone tiles and slabs

20ft, port to port: $1,800–3,200
Transit: 18–30 days

Often used:Turkon Line,MSC,ZIM,Hapag-Lloyd,CMA CGM

Italy USA

La Spezia, Livorno, Genoa → New York, Miami, Houston

Carrara and other marble slabs, finished products

20ft, port to port: $1,800–3,000
Transit: 12–22 days

Often used:MSC,Hapag-Lloyd,ZIM,Maersk,CMA CGM

China USA

Xiamen, Shenzhen, Shanghai → Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland

Quartz, porcelain slabs, finished stone, tiles

20ft, port to port: $1,300–2,800
Transit: 14–24 (11 on Matson) days

Often used:COSCO Shipping,Evergreen,ONE,Yang Ming,Matson,Wan Hai Lines

China UK & North Europe

Xiamen, Shenzhen → Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg

Finished stone, paving, quartz, tiles

20ft, port to port: $900–2,200
Transit: 30–45 days

Often used:COSCO Shipping,CMA CGM,MSC,Maersk,HMM,Evergreen

India UAE & the Gulf

Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Chennai → Jebel Ali, Dammam, Jeddah

Granite, marble, sandstone for Gulf projects

20ft, port to port: $400–1,000
Transit: 5–14 days

Often used:PIL,X-Press Feeders,KMTC,Wan Hai Lines,Maersk,MSC

Egypt Saudi Arabia & the Gulf

Alexandria, Damietta → Jeddah, Dammam, Jebel Ali

Galala and Sinai marble slabs and tiles

20ft, port to port: $700–1,600
Transit: 7–20 days

Often used:CMA CGM,MSC,Arkas Line,Maersk

Turkey China

Izmir, Mersin → Xiamen, Shanghai

Marble and travertine blocks for processing

20ft, port to port: $700–1,600
Transit: 25–40 days

Often used:COSCO Shipping,MSC,CMA CGM

India China

Chennai, Krishnapatnam, Vizag → Xiamen

Granite blocks for processing

20ft, port to port: $500–1,200
Transit: 15–25 days

Often used:COSCO Shipping,Wan Hai Lines,KMTC,PIL,SITC

China & India Australia

Xiamen, Shenzhen, Chennai → Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Finished stone, paving, quartz

20ft, port to port: $800–2,000
Transit: 14–30 days

Often used:CMA CGM,COSCO Shipping,Maersk,PIL

Portugal & Spain UK & North Europe

Leixões, Lisbon, Valencia, Alicante → Felixstowe, Southampton, Rotterdam

Limestone, marble, paving; also by truck

20ft, port to port: $500–1,200
Transit: 4–10 days

Often used:X-Press Feeders,MSC,CMA CGM,DSV

Container rates can move 30-50% within weeks, and Red Sea or Suez disruptions add one to two weeks and extra cost on Asia and India to Europe and the US East Coast. Use these figures to budget, then get live quotes.

Equipment

Choosing the right container

Stone runs out of weight allowance long before it runs out of space, so the 20ft container is the workhorse of the trade.

20ft dry (heavy tested)

Slabs on A-frames or in bundles, tiles and paving in crates

Up to about 28 t (30,480 kg gross)

The standard for stone: it fills by weight long before it fills by volume.

40ft dry

Light or bulky goods: thin tiles, mosaics, pebbles in bags

About 26 t, but rarely loaded beyond 20-22 t

Costs more than a 20ft but carries little more stone weight, so avoid it for slabs.

20ft open top

Blocks and tall bundles loaded by crane from above

About 28 t

Used for blocks and slab bundles that can't be forklifted through the doors.

20ft or 40ft flat rack

Oversized blocks, machinery, gang saws

30–40 t depending on the rack

Out-of-gauge cargo is quoted separately and needs lashing plans.

Breakbulk or bulk vessel

Large volumes of raw blocks, for example India or Brazil to China

Whole holds, priced per tonne

Cheapest per tonne for big block shipments; ports and timing are less flexible.

Road limits, not the box, set the weight

A 20ft container can carry about 28 t, but trucks can't always take that. In the US, a standard chassis usually allows about 17-20 t of cargo in a 20ft; heavier boxes need a tri-axle chassis or a permit. EU and UK limits allow more, and many Gulf ports take full-weight boxes. Tell your vendor the maximum before they load.

Packing

Packing stone so it arrives whole

01
Slabs on A-frames or in bundles
Polished faces together, separated by foam or plastic film, strapped to steel or treated-wood A-frames that are bolted or chocked to the container floor.
02
Tiles and paving in crates
Tiles stand on edge in fumigated or heat-treated wooden crates (ISPM 15 stamp) with corner protectors, at no more than about 1.2 t a crate for forklifts.
03
Lash and block everything
Stone shifts with the ship's roll. Ask for a lashing and blocking plan and photos of the loaded box before the doors close; it is the best evidence in any claim.
04
Weigh it, then declare it
SOLAS rules require a verified gross mass (VGM) for every container. Misdeclared weight leads to rolled bookings, re-weighing fees and overweight fines.

Reading a quote

What you actually pay for

Freight quotes list many lines. Compare all-in totals for the same Incoterm and the same free days, not the base rate.

Base ocean freight: The carrier's port-to-port rate for the container.
BAF / fuel surcharge: Bunker fuel, including the cost of low-sulphur fuel and EU emissions (ETS) on European lanes.
THC (terminal handling): Loading and unloading at each terminal, charged at origin and destination.
Overweight surcharge: Charged by some carriers on 20ft boxes above about 18-20 t of cargo, which is most stone.
PSS / GRI: Peak season surcharges and general rate increases announced at short notice.
Documentation and seal fees: Bill of lading issue, telex release and container seal.
Detention and demurrage: Daily charges once free time runs out at the port or before the empty is returned. Ask for 14+ free days.
Destination charges: Customs clearance, duties and taxes, port fees, chassis and trucking to your yard.

Ways to pay less

Load to the legal weight limit: an underfilled container costs the same as a full one.
Buy FOB or FCA and get your own freight quotes from at least three carriers or forwarders.
Avoid peak months (August to October on most lanes) and pre-holiday rushes such as Chinese New Year.
Book space two to three weeks ahead in busy months; a container rolled to the next sailing usually loses a week.
Negotiate free time up front: demurrage on a delayed customs release can exceed the freight.
Combine orders from several vendors in one origin city into one container through a consolidator.

Trade terms

Codes, terms and paperwork

The delivery terms, customs codes, documents and standards that come up on every stone order, so a quote means the same thing to you and your vendor.

Incoterms 2020: who pays, and when the risk becomes yours

Agree delivery terms using the ICC's Incoterms 2020, and name the place or port after the term, for example “FOB Chennai”. These are the ones you'll meet most in stone.

Vendor pays You pay Risk passes to you Vendor insures

01Loading at the vendor
02Export customs
03Origin port
04Sea freight
05Destination port
06Import duty and customs
07Delivery to you

EXWEx WorksRisk: at the vendor's premises
Loading at the vendor: you payExport customs: you payOrigin port: you paySea freight: you payDestination port: you payImport duty and customs: you payDelivery to you: you pay
FCAFree CarrierRisk: handed to your carrier
Loading at the vendor: vendor paysExport customs: vendor paysOrigin port: vendor paysSea freight: you payDestination port: you payImport duty and customs: you payDelivery to you: you pay
FOBFree on BoardRisk: on board the ship
Loading at the vendor: vendor paysExport customs: vendor paysOrigin port: vendor paysSea freight: you payDestination port: you payImport duty and customs: you payDelivery to you: you pay
CIFCost, Insurance and FreightRisk: on board the ship
Loading at the vendor: vendor paysExport customs: vendor paysOrigin port: vendor paysSea freight: vendor paysDestination port: you payImport duty and customs: you payDelivery to you: you pay
DAPDelivered at PlaceRisk: at your site, before unloading
Loading at the vendor: vendor paysExport customs: vendor paysOrigin port: vendor paysSea freight: vendor paysDestination port: vendor paysImport duty and customs: you payDelivery to you: vendor pays
DDPDelivered Duty PaidRisk: at your site, before unloading
Loading at the vendor: vendor paysExport customs: vendor paysOrigin port: vendor paysSea freight: vendor paysDestination port: vendor paysImport duty and customs: vendor paysDelivery to you: vendor pays

EXW Ex Works
The buyer takes on all costs and risks from the vendor's premises. Common for blocks bought direct from the quarry.
FCA Free Carrier
The vendor hands the goods, cleared for export, to the buyer's carrier at an agreed place, such as a container terminal.
FOB Free on Board
The vendor loads the goods on board the vessel at the port of shipment, and risk passes to the buyer there. Widely used in the stone trade.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
The vendor pays cost, minimum insurance, and freight to the destination port, but risk passes once the goods are on board at the port of shipment.
DAP Delivered at Place
The vendor delivers to the buyer's named destination, ready for unloading. Common for finished stone products.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
The vendor bears all costs and risks, including import duties and taxes. The most convenient term for the buyer.

FOB and CIF are designed for goods loaded straight onto a vessel. For containers handed over at a terminal, the ICC recommends FCA or CIP instead, though FOB and CIF remain common in the stone trade. The chart is simplified; the wording in your contract decides.

Harmonized System

HS codes for stone

The customs heading on your invoice sets the duty you pay. Blocks and rough stone sit in chapter 25; anything cut, polished or made sits in chapter 68.

Blocks and rough stone

2514: Slate, crude or roughly cut into blocks or slabs
2515: Marble, travertine and other calcareous stone, crude or roughly cut
2516: Granite, porphyry, basalt, sandstone and other monumental stone, crude or roughly cut

Worked and engineered stone

6801: Setts, curbstones and flagstones of natural stone (except slate)
6802: Worked monumental or building stone: polished slabs, tiles, cut-to-size and countertops
6803: Worked slate and articles of slate
6810: Articles of artificial stone, including engineered quartz surfaces

HS headings are shared worldwide to six digits; each country adds its own digits and duty rates, and Free Trade Agreements can lower them. Anti-dumping and countervailing duties may apply on top; the United States, for example, charges them on quartz surface products from China, India and Turkey. Check the exact code and rate with your customs broker before you quote or buy.

Documents that travel with stone

Commercial invoiceDescription, quantity, unit price, total value, and HS code
Packing listDimensions, weights, and the number of pieces, slabs, crates, or containers
Bill of lading (B/L)Issued by the carrier; the title document for sea freight
Certificate of originNeeded to claim preferential duty rates under trade agreements
Insurance certificateCover for marine or air transit
Test and quality certificatesPhysical properties, dimensions, and finish
Fumigation or ISPM 15 certificateWhen wooden crates or pallets are used

Insure it, and check on arrival

A carrier's liability is capped at a small amount per kilo, far below the value of polished stone. Take cargo insurance on Institute Cargo Clauses (A), which covers breakage, for roughly 0.2-0.5% of the cargo value. Under CIF the vendor buys only minimum cover, so top it up.

Photograph the seal and the stone as the doors open, note any damage on the delivery receipt, and report it within three days.

Payment terms

How the money moves usually follows the documents. LithoPrime doesn't process payments between buyers and vendors.

L/C
Letter of credit
Recommended for first orders and large orders. Banks guarantee payment against the agreed documents, which protects both sides.
Safest for first orders
T/T
Telegraphic transfer
Common between established partners. A typical split is 30% in advance and 70% against a copy of the bill of lading.
D/P · D/A
Documentary collection
Banks release the shipping documents against payment (D/P) or acceptance of a bill (D/A).

Watch for changed bank details. A common fraud is an email, apparently from your supplier, saying their bank account has changed. Before paying into new bank details, confirm them by phone with a contact you already know.

Quality standards to put in your order

Name the standard in your purchase order and ask for test certificates against it, so “first quality” means something you can check.

European Union

EN standards, with CE marking

EN 1469
Natural stone slabs for cladding
EN 12057 / EN 12058
Modular tiles, and slabs for floors and stairs
EN 1341
Natural stone slabs for external paving
EN 12326
Slate and stone for roofing and external cladding

United States

ASTM dimension stone standards

ASTM C503 / C615
Marble / granite dimension stone
ASTM C568 / C616
Limestone / quartz-based (sandstone) dimension stone

India

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

IS 1130
Marble blocks, slabs and tiles

What your country may ask for at import

Vendors handle export licences and permits; meeting the destination's import rules is on the buyer. Check these with your customs broker before the stone ships.

Licences, quotas and minimum prices
Import licences or permits, and in some markets quotas or minimum import prices for certain stone.
Certificate of origin
To claim preferential duty rates under a trade agreement.
CE marking
With a Declaration of Performance, for stone covered by an EU harmonised standard.
Radioactivity (gamma) tests
Some markets require test reports for certain granites and other igneous stone.
ISPM 15 and packing declarations
Treated wooden crates and pallets; Australia and New Zealand also want a declaration that the container is free of soil, seeds and pests.
CITES and heritage stone
Coral rock needs CITES permits (fossil coral usually doesn't); many countries restrict exporting fossils, meteorites and heritage stone.
Sanctions
No dealing with people, companies or countries sanctioned by the UN, the EU, OFAC (US) or OFSI (UK).
The full rules, including CITES, sanctions and environmental compliance, are on our International Trade page.
International Trade

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often and differ by country.

Questions

Shipping stone: common questions

How much stone fits in a 20ft container?

Usually 18 to 26 tonnes, depending on the destination's road weight limits. That is roughly 35 to 50 slabs of 2 cm granite, or 25 to 35 slabs of 3 cm, or 350 to 500 m² of 2 cm tiles. Stone always runs out of weight allowance before space, which is why it ships in 20ft rather than 40ft containers.

How much does it cost to ship a container of stone?

Indicatively $400 to $1,000 for short regional lanes such as India to the Gulf, and $1,800 to $3,500 for long-haul lanes such as India, Brazil or Turkey to the US, port to port for one 20ft container. Add destination port charges, customs clearance, duty and trucking, which can together match the ocean freight. Rates move every week, so get at least three quotes.

Should I book with a shipping line or a freight forwarder?

If you ship a few containers a year, use a forwarder: they compare carriers, book space, prepare documents and arrange customs. Booking directly with a carrier makes sense once you ship regularly on one lane and can negotiate a contract rate.

What is the overweight limit for containers into the US?

The container itself can take about 28 tonnes, but US road rules usually limit the stone inside a 20ft to roughly 17 to 20 tonnes on a standard chassis. Heavier boxes need a tri-axle chassis or overweight permit, which adds cost. Agree the load weight with your supplier before they pack.

Which Incoterm is best for buying stone?

For containers, FCA or FOB (vendor clears export and delivers to the port) gives the buyer control of the freight and its cost. CIF and CFR are simpler but let the vendor choose the carrier and add margin. The Incoterms chart on this page shows who pays for each stage and when the risk passes to you.

Do I need insurance for stone shipments?

Yes. Carrier liability is limited by law to a small amount per kilo, far below the value of polished stone. Cargo insurance on Institute Cargo Clauses (A) terms covers breakage and costs about 0.2 to 0.5% of the cargo value.

Budget your order

Know the landed cost before you buy.

The Freight Calculator estimates the freight for your route and cargo. Then ask vendors for FOB prices with an RFQ and compare like for like.

Freight Calculator Post an RFQ

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Company details, prices and transit times are a general guide, last reviewed October 2026, and are not quotes or endorsements. Logos are trademarks of their owners and are shown only to identify them. Always confirm rates and schedules with the carrier or your forwarder.