NEWS & BLOG
Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-09-25 Origin: Site
| Port Name (English) | Country | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| ROTTERDAM | Netherlands | Europe’s largest container port and a core logistics hub for the European continent. It has well-developed land transportation links to landlocked countries such as Germany and Belgium, and excels in the transportation of automobiles and mechanical parts. |
| HAMBURG | Germany | Germany’s largest port and a logistics hub in northern Europe. It has a well-established cargo transshipment network (railway and road) to inland areas and handles large volumes of chemical products and electronic equipment. |
| FELIXSTOWE | United Kingdom | The United Kingdom’s largest container port, with convenient access to the London metropolitan area. It functions as a transshipment point for distributing cargo from the Middle East and Asia to destinations within the UK. |
| ANTWERP | Belgium | Belgium’s largest port, strategically located to connect northern and southern Europe. It is active in the import and export of food and textile products, and offers comprehensive multilingual customs clearance services. |
| BARCELONA | Spain | A major port on the western Mediterranean coast, indispensable for trade with southern Europe and North Africa. Logistics thrives alongside tourism, with a focus on the transportation of furniture and agricultural products. |
| GENOA | Italy | Italy’s largest port and a hub in the northern Mediterranean. It aggregates machinery and automobile parts from northern Italy’s industrial zone (around Milan) and distributes them throughout Europe. |
| LE HAVRE | France | France’s largest container port, directly connected to the Paris metropolitan area by railway. It is widely used for importing high-end consumer goods such as fashion accessories and cosmetics. |
Coverage: Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, northern France, Denmark, Sweden, etc.
Representative Ports: Rotterdam Port, Hamburg Port, Felixstowe Port, Antwerp Port, Le Havre Port.
Logistics Characteristics:
Highly developed economy, with robust exports of industrial products and imports of high-end consumer goods.
Equipped with the "European Inland Waterway Network (Rhine-Main-Danube Canal)" and high-speed railway networks, enabling efficient cargo transshipment from ports to landlocked countries (e.g., Austria, Switzerland).
During winter (December–February), adverse weather in the North Sea may slightly increase the risk of ship delays.
Coverage: Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, southern France, Turkey (European side), etc.
Representative Ports: Barcelona Port, Genoa Port, Naples Port (Italy), Piraeus Port (Greece).
Logistics Characteristics:
Short trade routes to the Middle East and North Africa, focusing on the transportation of crude oil, natural gas, and agricultural products.
During summer (July–August), the tourist season may strain the cargo handling capacity of ports.
Due to regional economic disparities, customs clearance procedures may take longer at some ports. It is recommended to confirm arrangements with local agents in advance.
| Fee Abbreviation | English Full Name | Content and Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| O/F | Ocean Freight | The basic fee for transporting cargo by ship, calculated based on the greater of the cargo’s weight (W) or volume (M). Prices often surge during peak seasons (e.g., before the Christmas season). |
| THC | Terminal Handling Charge | A fee for loading/unloading cargo at the port terminal. Incurred at both the origin (East Asia) and destination (Europe), with higher fees typically applied at large ports such as Rotterdam Port and Hamburg Port. |
| IHC | Inland Haulage Charge | A fee for truck/railway transportation from European ports to consignees’ warehouses in inland areas. Fees vary significantly based on distance (e.g., Rotterdam Port → Munich, Germany). |
| DOC | Document Fee | A fee for preparing documents such as bills of lading (B/L) and export declarations. After Brexit, additional customs document fees may apply to cargo bound for the UK. |
| SEAL | Seal Fee | A fee for providing and affixing security seals on containers. In Europe, seals compliant with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code are mandatory; non-compliant seals will result in customs clearance refusal. |
| ENS | Entry Summary Declaration Fee | A fee for declaring cargo 24 hours before arrival, in accordance with the European Union (EU)’s "Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) System". Failure to declare will prohibit cargo unloading. |
| Brexit Fee | Brexit-Related Documentation Fee | Additional fees for cargo bound for the UK (a non-EU country), including customs declaration and certificate of origin preparation. Since 2021, confirmation of these fees is mandatory for UK-bound cargo. |
| Customs Clearance Fee | Customs Clearance Fee | A fee for proxy customs declaration at European customs. EU member states have unified customs clearance procedures, while non-member states such as the UK and Switzerland have more complex procedures and higher fees. |
| Port Dues | Port Dues | A fee for maintaining port facilities, calculated based on cargo weight or container size (FEU/TEU). Ports with advanced environmental measures (e.g., Antwerp Port) offer fee discounts for low-carbon ships. |
Issuing Entity: Directly issued by shipping companies (e.g., Maersk Line, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd).
Characteristics:
The shipper is often a freight forwarder, and the consignee is typically the shipping company’s agent in Europe. The shipping company bears responsibility for cargo transportation, providing strong legal protection.
MB/L is the basis for "door-to-door" contracts, where the shipping company handles transportation from the port to inland destinations.
Applicable Scenarios: Direct shipment of cargo by large manufacturing enterprises, transportation of high-value goods (e.g., precision machinery), and situations where safety is a priority.
Issuing Entity: Issued by freight forwarders based on the MB/L.
Characteristics:
The shipper is the factory, and the consignee is the final buyer in Europe. Local agents in Europe handle inland transportation and customs clearance, reducing the consignee’s workload.
Suitable for "less than container load (LCL)" cargo (combining shipments from multiple factories) and scenarios where delivery destinations are distributed across multiple inland cities.
Applicable Scenarios: Cargo from small and medium-sized enterprises, split delivery to multiple consignees, and situations requiring complex customs clearance for UK-bound cargo after Brexit.
