Ocean Freight to Germany

Ocean freight shipping to Germany

Germany is well-known as the economic powerhouse of Europe. It is the largest national economy in Europe, and the fourth-largest by nominal GDP in the world. The country is a founding member of the European Union and the Eurozone. Exporters cannot afford to ignore the benefits of ocean freight to Germany.

In 2014, Germany’s trade surplus was $285 billion USD, the world’s highest. It is the third-largest exporter in the world. The service sector and industry are among the largest components of its GDP. Its top exports include vehicles, machinery, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and rubber and plastics. Germany’s imports are also major. In 2014, it bought $1.218 trillion USD worth of imported products. Crude oil and natural gas are chief among these.

The vast majority of German companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, mostly family-owned. Fifty of the Fortune Global 500 companies have their headquarters in Germany. The country is made for business. All entrepreneurs interested in the European market should want to learn more about ocean freight to Germany.

FCL or LCL for your ocean freight to Germany

When planning to a shipment to Germany, you’ll be faced with two options. Your shipping volume may call for a full container load (FCL) or you may be able to use a shared container (less-than-container load, or LCL).

If your shipping volume comes to at least six standard pallets, a full container load (FCL) is your best choice. A 20-foot container will allow you to ship up to 10 standard pallets; a 40-foot container accommodates 22 standard pallets. FCL is also best if you wish your goods to remain isolated from those of other exporters.

There are two types of pallets available for your ocean freight to Germany: Standard (1.2m/47 ¼” X 1m/39 ³⁄₈”) and Euro (1.2m/47 ¼” X .8m/31 ½”.)

It is important to know which pallets you are using and if your cargo is stackable in order to calculate your shipping charge.

Ocean freight ports in Germany

When it comes to exporting to Germany, Bremen and Hamburg are ports of particular importance.

Port of Hamburg

Located 110 kilometres from the mouth of the Elbe into the North Sea, the port of Hamburg is the second-largest container port in Europe. This port features almost 300 berths along more than 26 miles of quay walls for seagoing vessels, four state-of-the-art container terminals, and around 50 facilities that specialize in handling project shipments and bulk cargoes. This is why it is one of the world’s most flexible, high-performance universal ports. Last year, it handled nearly 9.7 million standard containers (TEU).

→ Ship container to Hamburg

Port of Bremerhaven

The port of Bremerhaven managed by Bremenports GmbH & Co. KG, a private company that manages public funds and property. These ports are among the most important in Europe.

The terminals in Bremen and Bremerhaven handle almost all kinds of freight. They are extremely well-connected and managed. Almost 80 percent of all freight comes through Bremerhaven, which focuses on container vessels, car carriers and fruit carriers. Bremen specializes in handling conventional general cargo and heavy lift, as well as bulk cargo.

→ Ship container to Bremen

Our ocean freight services to Germany

iContainers’ ocean freight services to Germany includes door-to-door shipping, which means your cargo will be picked up and delivered to and from the addresses indicated by you. Our door-to-door shipping to/from Germany option is available with any of the services listed below:

• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from US to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from Taiwan to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from China to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from Spain to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from Dominican Republic to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from Mexico to Germany
• Door-to-door ocean freight shipping from UAE to Germany

What our ocean freight rates to Germany include

For more information, consult ship container rates for your ocean freight to Germany here.