Europe
Container Shipping from the UK to Germany
Hamburg and Bremerhaven open up the whole of Central Europe by barge and rail — a dependable short-sea lane with frequent departures.
Container shipping from the UK to Germany runs full container load to Hamburg (DEHAM) and Bremerhaven (DEBRV). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Germany at present. Sea transit is 4–7 days port to port and air freight 1–1 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Germany are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Germany
Full container load and groupage both go to Hamburg and Bremerhaven. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Hamburg or Bremerhaven
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 Germany 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 Germany
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 Germany are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,000.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £1,450.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £58.00 | 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 Germany?
Hamburg and Bremerhaven between them serve German industry and much of central Europe, so the traffic is weighted towards machinery, automotive components and industrial supplies, alongside furniture, textiles, packaged consumer goods and building materials.
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 Germany?
Germany charges Einfuhrumsatzsteuer at a standard rate of 19%, 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.
Germany runs customs entries through the ATLAS electronic system, and clearance is fast but unforgiving about detail — a description that does not match the commodity code will stop the entry rather than be waved through. Importers filing monthly can open a deferment account (Aufschubkonto) with the Zoll to settle duty and import VAT on the 16th of the following month.
What are the import restrictions in Germany?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Germany?
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 .
Shipping to Germany: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Germany take?
Sea freight runs about 4–7 days port to port, and air freight 1–1 days airport to airport. Hamburg is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 4 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 Germany?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Germany: Hamburg (DEHAM), Bremerhaven (DEBRV). Full container load goes to Hamburg and Bremerhaven. We have no scheduled groupage service to Germany 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 Germany?
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 Germany — 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 Germany lane?
Heavy or out-of-gauge machinery is common on this lane and often needs a flat rack or open top rather than a standard box. Flag it at quote stage — equipment availability drives the schedule more than the freight rate does. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes automotive components, industrial and precision machinery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Germany — each one works as an origin or a destination.
Netherlands
Import & export · Rotterdam
LCL from
£55.00
per cubic metre
3+ days
View lane
France
Import & export · Le Havre
LCL from
£52.00
per cubic metre
2+ days
View lane
Spain
Import & export · Valencia
LCL from
£56.00
per cubic metre
5+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to Germany? 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.