Buying, compliance & shipping

The commercial and documentary path from enquiry to commissioning: lead times, minimum order quantities and payment terms, destination certificates for Nigeria, East Africa and Saudi Arabia, clearance costs, and how a set is packed and shipped.

1. 01How to Buy a Generator Set from China: The Buyer's Process from Enquiry to CommissioningBuying a generator set from China is a process, not a product lookup. Send a real load list, read the quote by rated output not nameplate, witness the test, and confirm the documents before the container sails.
2. 02Generator Lead Times, MOQ and Payment Terms: What a Chinese Supplier ExpectsA built to spec set typically needs 15 to 35 days after deposit, longer for containerised or dual-fuel builds. Minimum order is usually one unit, payment runs 30 percent deposit with the balance before loading, and the Incoterm decides who owns the freight.
3. 03SONCAP for Generators: What Nigerian Buyers Need Before the Container SailsNigerian imports need a SONCAP certificate backed by a Product Certificate from an approved body. The generator must carry the right rating label and test report, or the container is held at the port.
4. 04PVoC for Kenya, Tanzania and the EAC: The Generator Document ChecklistEast African imports clear on a Pre-Export Verification of Conformity certificate issued by an authorised agent at the load port. Get the certificate before the container leaves, or it is rejected on arrival.
5. 05SASO and SABER for Saudi Arabia: Certifying a Generator ConsignmentSaudi imports require SABER registration: a Product Certificate of Conformity and a Shipment Certificate. The generator must meet the declared standard and carry the right label before the shipment certificate is issued.
6. 06SONCAP and PVoC in 2026: document checklist for African importsDestination certificates decide whether your container clears or demurrage starts ticking. The exact document set we prepare for Nigerian and Kenyan consignments.
7. 07Importing Generators into Africa: Demurrage, Bonded Storage and Where Costs HideThe generator price is the small number. Demurrage, terminal handling, bonded storage and clearing agency fees are where African imports run over budget. Plan the landed cost, not the ex-works price.
8. 08Shipping a Generator Set: Container Loading, Packing and InsuranceMost sets ship in a 20 ft or 40 ft container, secured on a steel skid with the controller protected. Choose FOB or CIF, confirm the packing method, and insure to the landed value, not the ex-works price.