Container Shipping to Guatemala — Get Instant Quotes
Why Choose iContainers for Shipping to Guatemala
- Reserve slots before they vanish. Pacific-side Puerto Quetzal boosted volumes by 21 % year-on-year in Q1 2025, while the APM container terminal alone can handle ≈ 340 000 TEU a year—berth windows fill quickly. container-news.com, apmterminals.com
- Sail through DUCA paperwork. Our platform guides you step-by-step through the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA) used by SAT Customs, cutting clearance times in half. en.portal.sat.gob.gt
- Door-to-door FCL, LCL & sea-air solutions. Weekly services link North America, Europe and Asia to Puerto Quetzal (GTPRQ) on the Pacific and Santo Tomás de Castilla (GTSTC) on the Caribbean, with full milestone tracking and bilingual support.
- Need it faster? Add an air-freight leg via La Aurora International Airport (GUA)—FedEx’s new daily freighter adds ≈ 24 t (52 000 lb) of capacity and same-day uplift to Miami. newsroom.fedex.com
- Plan for seasonal and social disruptions. Hurricane-season swells (Aug-Oct) and periodic road blockades can close port gates for days—we flag risk windows early so your boxes stay on schedule. mykn.kuehne-nagel.com
Our Container Shipping Services to Guatemala
Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping
High-volume shippers—coffee exporters, sugar mills, apparel maquilas—secure 20′ & 40′ boxes straight into Puerto Quetzal or Santo Tomás for swift gate moves, reefer plug-ins and on-dock rail to the highlands.
Less than Container Load (LCL) Shipping
SMEs slash costs on loads under 15 m³ with weekly consolidations ex-Miami, Houston, New York, Valencia & Shanghai—perfect for spare parts, finished garments or Amazon-style e-commerce restocks.
| Key Service Facts | |
|---|---|
| Popular mode | FCL dominates bulk coffee & sugar; LCL is growing for SME replenishment |
| Major port / airport served | Puerto Quetzal (Pacific), Santo Tomás de Castilla (Caribbean); urgent freight via GUA Airport |
| Typical cargo | Coffee, raw sugar, bananas, cardamom, apparel, auto & machinery parts tendata.com, oec.world |
| Transit-time snapshots | • Miami → Santo Tomás: ≈ 5 – 8 days • New York → Santo Tomás: ≈ 8 – 12 days • Rotterdam → Puerto Quetzal: ≈ 20 – 25 days • Shanghai → Puerto Quetzal: ≈ 25 – 37 days |
| Country-specific challenges | Hurricane-season congestion and ad-hoc port blockades—early booking plus buffer days keep freight moving. mykn.kuehne-nagel.com |
| Alternative option | Door-to-door air freight (2 – 5 days) via GUA for high-value or time-critical cargo newsroom.fedex.com |
Container shipping rates to Guatemala
How much does it cost to ship a container to Guatemala?
How Long Does It Take to Ship a Container to Guatemala?
- US Gulf / Caribbean → Guatemalan ports: ≈ 5 – 12 days direct.
- North Europe → Puerto Quetzal / Santo Tomás: ≈ 18 – 25 days with one Atlantic trans-shipment.
- East Asia → Puerto Quetzal: ≈ 25 – 40 days via Panama or U.S. hubs.
- Air freight: door-to-door in 2 – 5 days through GUA. newsroom.fedex.com
Popular Routes and Ports for Shipping to Guatemala
Pacific loops (ANDEX, Far East–WCSA) call Puerto Quetzal weekly, while Caribbean services (WCCA, CARIBEX) link Santo Tomás de Castilla with Miami, Houston, New York, Cartagena, Valencia & Rotterdam. Feeder barges and bonded trucking move cargo to Guatemala City FTZs within 4-6 hours of discharge.
Steps to Book Your Container Shipment with iContainers
- Generate an instant quote online.
- Upload documents (commercial invoice, packing list, phytosanitary or DUCA forms).
- Confirm booking & pay securely.
- Track milestones—gate-in, loading, trans-shipment, arrival—in real time.
- Clear customs—DIY via SAT’s portal or lean on our licensed brokers.
- Arrange final-mile delivery to mills, maquilas or Amazon FBA.
What Can You Ship in a Container to Guatemala?
Common Commodities
- Coffee
- Raw sugar
- Bananas & plantains
- Cardamom
- Apparel & textiles
- Auto parts
- Consumer electronics
Restricted / Prohibited
Firearms, wildlife products, counterfeit brands, narcotics, untreated wooden packaging without ISPM-15 proof.
FAQs About Shipping Containers to Guatemala
Enter origin, destination and load size in our quote tool—FCL & LCL rates refresh weekly with bunker and peak-season surcharges.
For volumes < 15 m³, weekly LCL consolidation is usually most cost-effective.
Not by Guatemalan law, but carriers’ liability is limited—door-to-door all-risk coverage is strongly recommended.
Secure space 6–8 weeks before the Aug–Oct storm window and Oct–Dec coffee harvest surge to avoid roll-overs and congestion fees.
Yes—sea-air solutions (e.g., Asian origin → Miami by air → Puerto Quetzal by feeder) balance speed and cost.