How long from deposit to my port?
From the day your 30% deposit lands, expect 18-25 days production and loading, then 15-42 days ocean transit depending on your port. Mombasa and Manila are the fastest lanes; Lagos, Tema, and Umm Qasr take longer because of route distance and transshipment. Total door-to-port time usually runs 35-65 days, and we confirm each stage with dated documents, not verbal promises.
Why this concern is real
Many buyers pay a deposit and then get silence for six weeks. Some factories quote fast delivery to close the deal, then push your container back behind other orders once they have your money. Others load the goods but delay the Bill of Lading, so your 70% balance sits stuck and your buyer in Lagos or Mombasa is calling you daily asking where the goods are. Without a serial-numbered test log and a loading video, you cannot even prove what left the factory versus what was promised on the Proforma Invoice (PI).
How it actually works
After your 30% T/T deposit clears to the corporate account named on the signed PI, production or sourcing (for new white-label units) and used-unit testing (27-point bench test) typically takes 10-15 days across our 8 appliance categories. Container loading and the run-test video add 2-5 days. Then ocean transit begins:
- Mombasa: roughly 18-28 days transit, freight $2,500-3,500 per 40'HQ.
- Manila: roughly 12-18 days transit, freight $1,000-1,800 per 40'HQ.
- Umm Qasr: roughly 20-30 days transit, freight $2,500-4,500 per 40'HQ.
- Lagos: roughly 30-42 days transit, freight $3,000-4,000 per 40'HQ.
- Tema: roughly 28-38 days transit, freight $2,800-3,500 per 40'HQ.
These ranges depend on carrier schedule, port congestion, and transshipment hubs (Singapore, Jebel Ali, or Colombo). Add 3-7 days on either end for customs clearance and vessel rollovers, which happen more often than any freight forwarder likes to admit.
How we handle it at Apex Home Export
Step 1: You sign the PI naming the exact contract entity; bank details are confirmed on that signed PI plus a recorded video, so there is no last-minute account switch.
Step 2: 30% deposit clears to that account. We start sourcing or pulling tested units from our network of 184 pre-scanned factories, using the verified A-list supplier for your category.
Step 3: Every used unit gets the 27-point bench test with serial number logged; you get grade documentation (A: ≤3 years, 90-day warranty; B: ≤5 years, 30-day warranty; C: tested working, as-is) before loading.
Step 4: We load the container and send you the loading and run-test video. Only after you review this video do we send the Bill of Lading copy and request your 70% balance. This is our fixed rule: video before balance, no exceptions.
Step 5: Once the 70% clears, original documents move by courier and the vessel departs on the schedule already booked. We give you the vessel name, voyage number, and ETA at that point, not before.
What you should do before you pay
- Get the vessel booking window in writing before you send the 30% deposit, not after.
- Confirm the bank account name matches your signed PI and contract entity exactly.
- Ask for the factory's estimated loading date in the PI, so delays are measurable against a number.
- Book third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek) at your cost if the order value justifies it.
- Keep WhatsApp confirmation of every stage: deposit sent, testing done, loading video received, balance sent.
Bottom line: your realistic window is 35-65 days from deposit to port depending on route, and no one can shrink ocean transit time, only the paperwork delays around it. Message us on WhatsApp with your target port and category to get a dated timeline before you send a single dollar.