Europe
Shipping from Belgium to the UK
Antwerp is one of Europe's largest ports and a natural gateway for cargo heading into Germany, northern France and the Netherlands as well as Belgium itself.
Container shipping from the UK to Belgium runs full container load to Antwerp (BEANR) and Zeebrugge (BEZEE). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Belgium at present. Sea transit is 2–5 days port to port and air freight 1–1 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Belgium are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Belgium
Full container load and groupage both go to Antwerp and Zeebrugge. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Antwerp or Zeebrugge
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually London Gateway.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Belgium at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Belgium
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Belgium are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £930.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £1,380.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £54.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Belgium?
Chemicals and plastics in packaged form, machinery, automotive components, steel and building materials, furniture and general retail stock move through Antwerp and Zeebrugge as routine groupage cargo.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Belgium?
Belgium charges BTW / TVA at a standard rate of 21%, charged on the customs value plus any duty plus the freight cost, not on the goods value alone. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0% under the UK–EU trade agreement, otherwise 0–20%, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Belgium offers import VAT deferment through an ET 14000 licence, which shifts the VAT to the periodic return in the same way the Dutch Article 23 does. Antwerp is a chemicals and breakbulk port as much as a container one, so specialised handling is easier to arrange here than at most European gateways.
What are the import restrictions in Belgium?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Belgium?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Belgium to the UK shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Belgium take?
Sea freight runs about 2–5 days port to port, and air freight 1–1 days airport to airport. Antwerp is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 2 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Belgium?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Belgium: Antwerp (BEANR), Zeebrugge (BEZEE). Full container load goes to Antwerp and Zeebrugge. We have no scheduled groupage service to Belgium at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Belgium?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Belgium — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Belgium lane?
Antwerp handles a great deal of chemical and bulk-liquid traffic alongside containers, so tank and specialist equipment is easier to arrange here than on most lanes. Flag it at enquiry if that is what you need. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes chemicals and plastics, machinery and equipment, steel and metal products.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Belgium — each one works as an origin or a destination.
Netherlands
Import & export · Rotterdam
LCL from
£55.00
per cubic metre
3+ days
View lane
Germany
Import & export · Hamburg
LCL from
£58.00
per cubic metre
4+ days
View lane
France
Import & export · Le Havre
LCL from
£52.00
per cubic metre
2+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping from Belgium? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.