In 2026, China-Russia trade continues to heat up. As a core hub for exports to Russia, Shanghai has a fiercely competitive freight forwarder market. Data shows that the scale of China-Russia cross-border e-commerce transactions has reached 183 billion yuan, but the industry faces prominent pain points: the customs clearance delay rate of traditional freight forwarders is as high as 25%, and the lost shipment rate exceeds 1%. Many enterprises face risks such as cost overruns and order breaches due to choosing the wrong freight forwarder. The choice of freight forwarder directly determines the compliance, stability and cost controllability of cargo transportation. With 20 years of in-depth experience in Russia-bound freight, Shanghai SBTG, based on the latest supervision policies and practical experience from thousands of shipments, has summarized five core selection points to help enterprises accurately lock in reliable partners.
I. Check Qualifications: Basic Threshold for Compliant Operation
Qualifications are the prerequisite for the legal operation of a freight forwarder. A freight forwarder without formal qualifications will directly expose the cargo to compliance risks.
Essential Core Qualifications: Must hold a business license, an international freight forwarding business operation license, complete registration with the Russian Federal Customs Service to obtain an exclusive registration number, and submit an employment notification on the Goslog platform. SBTG has all complete qualifications, with a registration number verifiable directly through the official Russian Customs website, fully complying with the mandatory requirements for electronic freight documents that took effect in September 2026.
Bonus for Advanced Qualifications: Prioritize freight forwarders that have obtained China-Russia AEO Advanced Certification. SBTG has this certification, with a cargo inspection rate 60% lower than that of ordinary enterprises, and can enjoy benefits such as priority declaration and fast customs clearance, with its compliance strength recognized by both Chinese and Russian customs.
II. Evaluate Routes: Core Support for Meeting Needs
Route layout directly affects transportation timeliness and costs. It is necessary to select suitable routes based on the enterprise’s own cargo volume and categories.
Multi-Route Coverage Capability: High-quality freight forwarders must have a diversified route layout of “railway + highway + sea transportation”. Starting from Shanghai, SBTG integrates fixed shipping space for China-Europe Railway Express, opens TIR trucking special lines, connects with Far East sea transportation networks, covers core cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, and can accurately match different timeliness and cost requirements.
Verification of Route Stability: Request the freight forwarder to provide route timeliness commitments and historical data to confirm shipping space guarantee capabilities. SBTG has established long-term cooperation with mainstream Chinese and Russian railway and airline companies, and can still guarantee stable shipping space during peak freight seasons, with the delay rate of core routes controlled within 5%.
III. Verify Customs Clearance: Key Link for Smooth Customs Passage
Customs clearance is the core pain point of Russia-bound transportation, and the freight forwarder’s customs clearance capability directly determines the efficiency of cargo clearance.
Professional Team Configuration: Must have a team of native Russian copywriters and senior customs clearance specialists, and implement a three-document review system. SBTG’s team accurately grasps the Russian norms for customs declarations, invoices and other documents, ensures information consistency, and avoids delays caused by document flaws.
Full-Category Adaptation Capability: Provide customized customs clearance solutions for different categories. SBTG can handle various types of goods such as household appliances containing refrigerants, food and electronic equipment, and complete necessary documents such as EAC certification and health certificates in advance, accurately complying with supervision requirements such as Russia’s Decree No. 1374.
IV. Review Guarantees: Important Support for Risk Mitigation
A sound guarantee system can minimize transportation risks and avoid unexpected losses.
Cargo Safety Guarantee: Provide sufficient transportation insurance covering core risks such as lost shipments, damage and customs clearance delays. SBTG has introduced exclusive digital insurance plans, simplified the claim settlement process, and initiated reviews within 24 hours to ensure controllable enterprise losses.
Digital Control Capability: Build a full-chain visualization system to realize real-time tracking of cargo trajectory and customs clearance progress. SBTG’s system seamlessly connects with the Russian customs system, supporting pre-declaration 72 hours before goods arrive at the port to predict potential risks in advance.
V. Evaluate Services: Core Guarantee for Long-Term Cooperation
High-quality services can improve the transportation experience and solve various subsequent problems.
Local Emergency Capability: Agents are required to set up a directly affiliated team in core cities such as Moscow. SBTG’s Moscow team has rich practical experience. In case of inspection, they will arrive at the scene within 1 hour to provide supplementary materials, cooperate with the Russian digital inspection process, and shorten the problem handling cycle.
Value-Added Service Support: Provide value-added services such as overseas warehouses, labeling and distribution. SBTG has laid out bonded warehouses in Moscow and Novosibirsk, supporting drop shipping and inventory management, adapting to the needs of platforms such as Ozon and Wildberries, and realizing integrated “transportation + warehousing + delivery” services.
Choosing a freight forwarder from Shanghai to Russia essentially involves a comprehensive assessment of compliance, stability and professionalism. SBTG fully meets the above five core selection points. With complete qualifications, diversified routes, professional customs clearance, sound guarantees and high-quality services, SBTG has become a trusted choice for many enterprises. In the future, SBTG will continue to deepen its digital capabilities and route layout, optimize the cost structure, and provide more competitive logistics solutions for Shanghai enterprises exporting to Russia. By mastering these five points, enterprises can avoid pitfalls in freight forwarder selection, realize smooth transportation of goods from Shanghai to Russia, and lay a solid logistics foundation for China-Russia trade.
