Commercial LCL shipping from Canada to Panama
Samples, spare parts, stock for a small shop or goods for a customer abroad do not need a whole container. A1 ships commercial cargo in shared ocean containers (LCL) from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to Colon. The rate starts at USD 5 per cubic foot to Colon, and the carrier estimates 48–58 days in transit depending on the gateway and the city.
Pensionado residents and Panamanians returning after a long stay abroad can apply for exemptions on household goods; other shipments pay import duty and ITBMS. Clearance is done through a licensed customs broker.
Colón sits at the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal, and the trip to Panama City across the isthmus takes about an hour by road or rail. The Colón Free Zone is one of the largest in the world, so many commercial shipments are destined for re-export. Panama uses the US dollar, which keeps invoicing simple.
Commercial importers in Panama need a RUC tax registration and a licensed Panamanian customs broker. ITBMS, the sales tax, is 7 % on most goods, with higher rates on alcohol and tobacco, and duty depends on the HS code. Goods consigned to a company inside the Colón Free Zone enter without import duty while they stay in the zone and are taxed only when they are released into the Panamanian market, so the invoice should name the right consignee from the start.
Panama uses the US dollar as legal tender alongside the balboa, so commercial invoices in US dollars need no conversion, and customs checks the declared value against the transaction value on the invoice. Importers of food, cosmetics or medicines need a sanitary registration from the Ministry of Health before the first shipment.
Commercial cargo rates to Panama
| Destination | From Toronto | From Montreal | From Vancouver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colon | USD 6 / cu ft 48 days · min. USD 476.92 | USD 5 / cu ft 48 days · min. USD 441.60 | USD 8 / cu ft 58 days · min. USD 547.56 |
Example: a small commercial shipment from Montreal to Colon
- A few cartons (0.4 CBM, 80 kg): USD 441.60
- One pallet, 120 × 100 × 150 cm, 350 kg (1.8 CBM): USD 582.88
- Two such pallets (3.6 CBM, 700 kg): USD 900.76
The totals include the A1 processing fee, surcharges and solar fee. The carrier charges by volume or by weight (1,000 kg per CBM), whichever is greater. Destination charges are confirmed by the carrier before you pay; customs duties and taxes are paid by the importer in Panama.
Which Canadian gateway: one pallet to Colon
- From Toronto: USD 646.46, about 48 days
- From Montreal: USD 582.88, about 48 days
- From Vancouver: USD 773.61, about 58 days
Montreal is the least expensive gateway to Colon, Toronto the fastest: 0 days quicker for USD 63.58 more. Choose the warehouse you can reach; from other Canadian cities the calculator shows the lowest of the three.
Dense goods are charged by weight: 1 CBM of tiles or metal parts weighing 800 kg costs USD 441.60 to Colon, against USD 441.60 for 1 CBM at 200 kg.
Documents for commercial cargo
- Commercial invoice. Our commercial invoice (PDF): seller and buyer, a clear description of each item, quantity, unit value, total value, currency and country of origin. HS codes help customs in Panama classify the goods.
- Packing list. The packing list (PDF) gives the pieces, packed dimensions and gross weight of every pallet, crate or carton, matching the invoice.
- Customs value. The customs value of the shipment may not exceed CAD 2,000.
The importer's details that the carrier conditions below ask for (tax or registration numbers) go on the invoice and the booking. More help: commercial shipping documents.
Pallets and crates
Commercial cargo travels palletized or crated. Wood packaging must be ISPM 15 heat-treated and stamped, or the cargo can be refused at the destination. Stack the cartons squarely on the pallet, no wider than the pallet itself, and stretch-wrap and strap them; label every piece with the consignee's name and city in Panama. You deliver the cargo, already palletized or crated, to our receiving warehouse in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver: A1 does not offer pickup and does not palletize. The warehouse measures and weighs the cargo, and the final price follows those measurements.
Carrier conditions for Panama
The carrier's tariff lists no special conditions for Panama beyond the general rules on this page; the destination charges are confirmed for each booking.
How to book
Calculate the price in the calculator above with the cargo type "Commercial cargo", accept the quote and upload the commercial invoice and packing list on your booking page. After the carrier confirms the destination charges, you pay and receive the labels and the warehouse delivery instructions. Sending your own belongings rather than goods? See personal effects shipping to Panama.
Shipping to Panama by service
A1 services from Canada: Ocean LCL shipping, personal effects, commercial cargo, air freight (on request).
Questions and answers
How much does it cost to ship a pallet to Panama?
One pallet of 120 × 100 × 150 cm weighing 350 kg from Montreal to Colon costs about USD 582.88 including all A1 fees. Destination charges, duties and taxes are confirmed separately.
Which documents does a commercial shipment to Panama need?
A commercial invoice and a packing list, plus anything the carrier conditions for Panama require. The customs value of the shipment may not exceed CAD 2,000.
Does A1 pick up or palletize the cargo?
No. You deliver the cargo, already palletized or crated, to our receiving warehouse in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.
Rates valid through December 25, 2026; totals include A1 fees of USD 265.00. Destination charges are confirmed by the carrier, duties and taxes are paid by the consignee, and transit days are the carrier's estimate.