Nepal is a landlocked country without any coastline access. All kinds of sea freight, either FCL (Full Container Load) or LCL (Less than Container Load), transit through Indian gateway ports: mostly Kolkata Port. The cargo is shipped from these ports to Nepal by either rail from the only dry port in Nepal (Birgunj Inland Container Depot [ICD], Sirsiya) that is connected with rail or transported through roads across the borders of Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj.
Namaste Cargo Nepal (P) Ltd. handles the end-to-end logistics chain, including pickup from origin, handling at Kolkataport, rail transit from CONCOR to Birgunj ICD, customs clearance in Nepal, and deliveries at destination within Nepal.
Our shipping options include two types of sea freight services based on the volume of your shipments:
You rent a whole container solely for yourself. FCL is recommended if your shipment will completely fill or almost fill one container that can be either 20ft or 40ft in size. Some advantages include a cheaper per-unit rate for bulk cargo, less handling (cargo not handled during transit), quicker clearing at Birgunj ICD, and improved cargo safety. Available container sizes include 20ft standard, 40ft standard, and 40ft High Cube (HQ).
In LCL, your cargo is combined with that of other shippers in one container. This type of service is suitable if your cargo volume is less than 15 cubic meters or below the minimum capacity needed for making FCL economical. In our consolidation process, we combine your cargo with compatible ones, saving you cost according to the space and weight utilized. The minimum cargo size for LCL services is 2 CBM/340 kg, whichever is higher. Weekly consolidations from port cities make sure you have no delays.
The busiest of the two Indian land borders for freight traffic is the Birgunj-Raxaul border post, which links to the Birgunj ICD at Sirsiya. Container rakes are run by CONCOR from Kolkata/Haldia/VIZAG to Birgunj via this rail route, with a normal travel time of 3-4 days (although delays may cause travel to stretch to 7-15 days during busy seasons). Overland transport is conducted via trucks from all other Indian border posts: Birgunj, Biratnagar-Jogbani, Bhairahawa-Sunauli, and Nepalgunj-Rupaidia.
Freight traffic entering Nepal from China uses two main entry points in the north, namely Rasuwagadhi-Kerung (in Rasuwa district) and Tatopani-Khasa (in Sindhupalchok district). These routes are entirely road-only routes and handle freight via trucks only. The Tatopani ICD supports the ASYCUDA customs clearance process. Typical commodities transported from China include electronic products, manufactured products, automobiles, construction materials, and fresh fruits. Weather or landslide conditions on the Chinese side may affect operations; our team keeps track and informs about alternate routes as necessary.
FCL import and export: 20 ft., 40 ft., and 40 ft. HQ containers via Kolkata/Haldia
LCL consolidation/forwarding: NVOCC services with weekly shipments from major ports around the world
NVOCC House Bill of Lading (HBL) issuance: For consolidated LCL shipments
Container transloading and top-up operation: Utilising partially loaded containers
Road freight import/export: truck movements across all active India–Nepal and China–Nepal border crossings
Rail freight: CONCOR container rake movements from Birgunj ICD
Nepal customs clearance: licensed agents at Birgunj ICD, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj
Door-to-door delivery: From your warehouse to the desired destination address.
Cargo insurance: protection for your shipment against loss or damage in transit
FCL (Full Container Load) means your goods fill an entire container; you pay for the whole container regardless of fill level. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your cargo shares space with others; you pay only for the volume or weight your shipment occupies. FCL is better for large volumes (typically above 15 CBM). LCL is better for smaller, cost-sensitive shipments where speed is less critical.
Kolkata Port (INCCJ) and Haldia Port (INHAL) are used to exchange cargo with Nepal. Visakhapatnam Port (VIZAG / INVTZ), located in Andhra Pradesh, is another option that is gaining popularity as an alternative especially if the first one is busy. The goods move further from there to Birgunj ICD by CONCOR rail or road transport.
The Birgunj Inland Container Depot (ICD) located in Sirsiya in Birgunj is Nepal's primary dry port, which is also connected to Indian seaports via a rail link. The majority of containerized imports entering Nepal have their customs clearance and transshipment done at Birgunj ICD port.
Yes, you will be able to track your shipment after we issue the Bill of Lading/cargo reference. Moreover, we provide proactive notifications about major events along the way: departure from port, arrival at Birgunj ICD, custom clearance, and finally, delivery confirmation.
Yes, sea freight costs per kg or CBM are significantly lower than those of air. The downside of sea freight is higher transit times (45-60 days), while for air, the transit time ranges between 5-7 days. The best choice would be sea freight for cargo that doesn't need urgent delivery. Estimate the cost difference with our Cost Calculator.
