Container Shipping Express

Shipping a container from Germany depends on where you’re sending it,
the type of goods, and whether it’s personal or commercial cargo.

Here’s a clear breakdown of how to ship a container from Germany step by step.

 whether you’re exporting products or relocating goods overseas. Step-by-Step: How to Ship a Container from Germany

1. Choose your container type Depending on your cargo size and nature: 20-foot container (20ft): ~33 m³ — good for ~25–28 tons or a 2–3 bedroom household. 40-foot container (40ft): ~67 m³ — good for large shipments or bulky cargo.
40ft high-cube: ~76 m³ — for taller or lighter bulky goods. Special containers: refrigerated (reefer), open-top, or flat-rack for oversized loads.

 2. Pick your shipping method Main options: Method Description Transit time (example to Asia/US) Sea freight (FCL or LCL) Cheapest for long distances; via port (Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven). 4–6 weeks Rail freight For
Eurasian routes (e.g., China via the New Silk Road). 2–3 weeks Air freight Fastest, but costly; for urgent or high-value goods. 3–7 days For most container shipments, sea freight is the standard option.

3. Select an export port in Germany Main German seaports: Hamburg – Germany’s largest and busiest port. Bremerhaven – large container port. Wilhelmshaven (JadeWeserPort) – deep-water port for large vessels. Lübeck / Kiel – smaller
ports mainly for Baltic and Scandinavian trade. You’ll typically transport your loaded container by truck or rail to one of these ports.

4. Choose an international freight forwarder or shipping company You can arrange directly with a carrier or through a freight forwarder who handles all documentation and logistics. Some well-known forwarders in Germany: DHL Global Forwarding
DB Schenker Kuehne + Nagel Hapag-Lloyd (shipping line) Maersk / MSC / CMA CGM Freightos (for online quotes) They can arrange: Pickup from your location (door-to-port or door-to-door) Customs clearance Sea freight booking Destination delivery

5. We Prepare export documentation You’ll need: Commercial invoice Packing list Bill of lading (B/L) – issued by the carrier once loaded Export declaration (Ausfuhranmeldung) – required if goods > €1,000 or > 1,000 kg Certificate of origin (if needed)
Insurance documents If you’re exporting commercially, you’ll also need an EORI number (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) from German customs (Zoll).

6. Customs clearance Handled by your forwarder or customs agent. Steps include: Electronic export declaration via ATLAS (the German customs system) Goods inspection (if selected) Clearance and issuance of export approval

7. Container shipping and tracking Once the container is loaded onto a ship: You’ll receive the Bill of Lading (B/L) and tracking number. You can track it online via the shipping line (e.g., Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd). At destination, your consignee
clears it through import customs and arranges final delivery.

8. Typical costs Approximate ranges (for a 20ft container from Hamburg):
Destination Cost (port-to-port) Transit time USA (East Coast) €1,000 – €2,000 3–4 weeks China €1,200 – €2,500 4–6 weeks Australia €2,500 – €4,000 6–8 weeks Middle East (Dubai) €1,000 – €2,000 3–4 weeks Costs vary with fuel surcharges,
season, and container availability.

9. Insurance (recommended) Always take marine cargo insurance (usually 0.3–0.6 % of cargo value) to protect against loss, damage, or delay. ? Summary Checklist ?? Choose container type ?? Select port (Hamburg, Bremerhaven…)
Get quotes from freight forwarders.  Prepare export documents. Arrange customs clearance ?? Ship, track, and insure your cargo.