Sea freight of cargo from Europe
By clicking the button you agree to our privacy policy
Which cargo we ship by sea
Sea freight makes sense when volume or dimensions make air and road delivery disproportionately expensive and the schedule allows for sea transit. The type of cargo determines more than price: the shipping format, the container type and the set of documents all depend on it.
- Industrial equipment, machine tools and production lines
- Spare parts, components and consumables
- Industrial chemicals and raw materials, including cargo classified as dangerous goods
- Rolled metal, steel structures, construction and finishing materials
- Consumer goods, furniture and household appliances
- Out-of-gauge and heavy items requiring a dedicated stowage and securing plan
Where the sea leg runs from and to
The port of loading is not a default choice. It depends on where the supplier is located, what the cargo is and which service is actually running on the route at the time.
Ports of departure in Europe
- Rotterdam, Antwerp — the largest North Sea hubs
- Hamburg, Bremerhaven — Germany
- Genoa, Trieste — Italy, access to the Mediterranean
- Valencia, Barcelona — Spain
- Piraeus, Thessaloniki — Greece
- Constanta — Romania, the Black Sea
Arrival destinations
- Novorossiysk — southern direction, container and general cargo
- Saint Petersburg, Ust-Luga — the Baltic
- Kaliningrad — a separate logistics circuit
- Transshipment ports under a multimodal scheme, when a direct service is unavailable or uneconomical
- The final point is the agreed consignee warehouse, not just the quay
FCL, LCL and container equipment
The shipping format is determined by the size of the consignment and the requirements of the cargo. This is the first decision in sea freight: both the cost and the number of cargo handling operations en route depend on it.
FCL — a dedicated container
The container is used entirely for your consignment. The cargo is not combined with anyone else's, there are fewer handling operations and it is easier to keep the goods intact. It makes sense when the volume fills a container or when the cargo cannot be handled together with other shipments.
LCL — groupage shipment
The consignment is consolidated with cargo from other shippers. It is cheaper at small volumes, but it adds consolidation and deconsolidation operations at warehouses — and therefore extra time and extra points where the cargo is moved.
The container type is selected to match the actual dimensions, weight and loading method:
- 20' DV — the standard container for dense, heavy cargo. The limit here is usually reached by weight rather than by volume.
- 40' DV — the same principle with twice the volume. Suited to light, bulky consignments.
- 40' HC (High Cube) — increased height for packages that are tall.
- Open Top — top loading, when the cargo will not fit through the door opening.
- Flat Rack — a platform for out-of-gauge and heavy cargo with non-standard geometry.
- Reefer — a refrigerated container for temperature-controlled cargo.
- Tank container — liquid bulk cargo.
Multimodal routes: sea and road
A port-to-port scheme covers only the middle of the task. The cargo almost always has to be collected from the supplier and delivered to the final point, so in most supplies the sea leg works together with a road leg and, less often, a rail leg.
Direct sea shipment
Collection from the supplier — port of loading in Europe — sea leg — port of arrival — road delivery to the consignee warehouse. The simplest scheme: the fewest handling operations and the fewest points where something can go wrong.
Scheme with transshipment
Used when a direct service on the route is unavailable or not economically justified. The cargo passes through an intermediate port with a transfer and continues by sea or by road. One workable option is transshipment through Turkish ports: we have an operational base in Istanbul, and on some routes this gives a stable scheme. It is not the only route and not a mandatory one — it is used where it genuinely suits the cargo and the destination.
Consolidation on the European leg
If there are several suppliers, the consignments are first brought together by road at a consolidation warehouse, and a single shipment then enters the port. It is often cheaper and always simpler in terms of documents than several parallel shipments.
How we arrange a sea shipment
The procedure is the same for FCL and LCL. The difference lies in the amount of preparation at the consolidation stage and in the number of cargo handling operations en route.
Enquiry and cargo parameters
We need: the cargo description, the HS code if available, gross weight, dimensions and number of packages, packaging type, the shipper address, the final delivery point and the agreed Incoterms delivery terms.
Feasibility check
We check cargo and route restrictions, service availability and permit document requirements. Schemes that will not work are ruled out here — before you start counting on them.
Quotation and agreeing the scheme
We propose options: the shipping format, the type and number of containers, the route, the scope of services and each party's area of responsibility. We agree the terms and sign the contract.
Booking and positioning for loading
We book space on the vessel, send transport to the supplier and check packaging, marking and securing of the cargo. For LCL we arrange delivery to the consolidation warehouse.
Export clearance and loading
Who is responsible for export clearance in the country of departure is determined by the agreed Incoterms delivery terms. We coordinate delivery of the cargo to the port, issuance of the Bill of Lading and loading onto the vessel.
The sea leg and monitoring
We track the movement of the shipment and keep you updated on its status. Key dates are visible in advance: arrival at the port of destination and the start of the free time period for the container.
Arrival, clearance, delivery
We support customs clearance in the country of destination, arrange collection from the terminal and the inland leg to the agreed point, and hand over the set of documents for the supply.
Sea freight documents
The exact set depends on the cargo, the route and the terms of the deal. Below are the documents that appear most often in sea supplies. Some of them do not apply to every shipment, and that is normal: there is no universally mandatory list.
Bill of Lading
The contract of carriage by sea and at the same time a document of title: the cargo is released against it at the port of destination. The release form — originals, Telex Release or Express Release — is agreed in advance, because the procedure and speed of cargo release depend directly on it.
Invoice and packing list
The invoice records the parties, the goods, the value and the delivery terms. The packing list records the composition of the shipment: the number of packages, gross and net weight and dimensions. These two documents are the ones that most often disagree with each other.
Export declaration
Issued in the country of departure where local legislation requires it and the delivery terms provide for it. Who files it is determined by the Incoterms rule, not by the habits of the parties.
Proof of origin documents
The form depends on the route and on whether tariff preferences are being claimed. EUR.1 is used in trade under free trade agreements. A.TR confirms the status of goods in circulation between the EU and Türkiye and is relevant only where a Turkish party is involved in the route. Neither of them is mandatory by default.
Insurance policy
Issued if the cargo is insured. It is important to understand that the liability of the sea carrier is limited under international conventions and generally does not cover the full value of the cargo.
Permit documents
For certain categories: IMDG documentation for dangerous goods, phytosanitary and veterinary certificates, conformity documents and licences. The set is determined by the goods and the route.
The customs side of the supply
A sea shipment does not end at the quay. Before the cargo can be collected from the terminal it has to be declared — and this is where delays that were not in the calculation most often appear.
Our role
Turkey Logistic acts as the operational organiser of the supply. We do not replace the customs representative: the declaration is filed by the specialist party entitled to do so.
We coordinate the documentary and logistics side — the filing deadlines, the consistency of data between the invoice, the packing list and the Bill of Lading, and the interaction between participants at the handover points where time is usually lost.
What this gives you in practice
- Documents are prepared in parallel with the movement of the cargo, not after it arrives
- Data discrepancies are found before filing, while they are still cheap to correct
- You have a single line of responsibility instead of correspondence with four contractors
- Collection from the terminal is planned in advance, taking the container free time into account
What determines cost and lead time
We do not publish tariffs and do not quote lead times before checking the route: both depend on the parameters of the specific shipment and on the situation on the route at the time of the enquiry. Instead of promises, here is a transparent list of the factors that actually move the figure.
Cost
- Shipping format: FCL or LCL, the type and number of containers
- The freight rate on the route and its seasonal movement
- Port of loading and port of destination, availability of a direct service
- Gross weight and actual dimensions, the weight-to-volume ratio
- Cargo class and container equipment requirements
- Port and terminal charges and cargo handling
- Inland legs to the port of departure and from the port of arrival
- Cargo insurance, if it is arranged
- Demurrage and detention when the free time is exceeded
Lead time
- Availability of a direct sea service versus a transshipment scheme
- The vessel call schedule and sailing frequency on the route
- Time needed for consolidation on a groupage shipment
- Cargo handling at the ports of departure and destination
- How quickly all parties to the deal prepare the documents
- Customs procedures and the accuracy of the data filed
- The inland leg from the port to the final point
- Seasonal peaks in port congestion and weather restrictions
Sea freight risks and what we do about them
The sea leg is longer than a road leg, it involves more participants and therefore more points where responsibility is handed over. Below are the real risks and how they are covered on our side.
Discrepancies in the documents
We reconcile the description, weight and number of packages between the invoice, the packing list and the Bill of Lading before filing. A correction at this stage costs an email; after arrival it costs demurrage.
Container idle time
Before the start we record the container free time and plan collection from the terminal around it, so that demurrage and detention do not appear in the invoice after the fact.
Damage to or loss of the cargo
The carrier liability is limited and is not equal to the value of the cargo. We offer insurance for the specific shipment and check packaging, marking and securing at loading.
Incorrect classification of the cargo
We clarify the characteristics before booking. For cargo with signs of being dangerous goods we work under the IMDG rules: the class, UN number and packing group are established before space is booked, not afterwards.
The scheme does not work on the route
We check feasibility before signing the contract. If there is no working service on the route for your cargo, we say so immediately and propose an alternative instead of taking the order and getting stuck.
A gap in responsibility between participants
Transport, documents, clearance and the inland legs are held within a single coordination loop. You do not have to reconcile the shipping line, the port, the broker and the road carrier between themselves.
Verified experience in international supplies
We do not claim sea freight cases that are not in the documents. The projects below were carried out by road, and we state that directly. We show them because the competence they demonstrate — assembling a document set without discrepancies, consolidating items into one shipment, handling dangerous goods correctly — determines the outcome in a sea shipment just as much.
Industrial equipment GALDI RG50
The Turkey Logistic team supported the deal and coordinated the documentary and logistics side.
Industrial chemicals, dangerous goods
Classification, documents and combining dissimilar items into a single shipment — the same discipline required for a sea shipment of dangerous goods under IMDG.
Delivery of a Brabus Shadow 1200 XC yacht
An example of working with cargo for which a standard scheme does not fit and is assembled individually.
Frequently asked questions about sea freight
What is the difference between FCL and LCL, and which should you choose?
FCL is a dedicated container for your consignment: the cargo is not combined with anyone else's, there are fewer handling operations and it is easier to keep the goods intact. LCL is a groupage shipment where the consignment is consolidated with cargo from other shippers: cheaper at small volumes, but it adds consolidation and deconsolidation operations at warehouses. The rule of thumb is simple: if the cargo fills a container or cannot be handled together with other shipments, FCL is the choice. The precise answer comes from a calculation based on gross weight and actual dimensions.
Which container types are used in sea freight?
Standard 20ft and 40ft (Dry Van) for most general cargo; 40ft High Cube where packages are taller. For non-standard tasks there are Open Top with top loading, Flat Rack for out-of-gauge and heavy cargo, reefer containers for temperature-controlled goods and tank containers for liquid bulk. The type is selected to match the actual dimensions, weight and loading method.
Which European ports can you ship from?
We arrange departures from European ports, among them Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Genoa, Trieste, Valencia, Barcelona, Piraeus, Thessaloniki and Constanta. The specific port of loading depends on where the supplier is located, the type of cargo and service availability on the route, so it is chosen to suit the task rather than by default.
How long does delivery by sea take?
There is no universal lead time, and we do not quote one before checking the route. The duration is affected by the availability of a direct sea service versus a transshipment scheme, the schedule and frequency of vessel calls, the time needed for consolidation on a groupage shipment, handling at the ports, how quickly the parties prepare the documents and the inland leg to the final point. For a specific route and cargo we give a reasoned estimate after the feasibility check.
How much does sea freight from Europe cost?
We do not publish tariffs: the cost is made up of the freight rate on the route, the shipping format (FCL or LCL), the type and number of containers, port and terminal charges, the inland legs to and from the port, insurance and any container idle time costs. For a quote we need the cargo description, gross weight, dimensions and number of packages, and the points of departure and delivery.
Which documents are required for sea freight?
The core set is the Bill of Lading, the invoice and the packing list. Depending on the route and the terms of the deal, an export declaration from the country of departure, proof of origin documents, an insurance policy and permit documentation for certain cargo categories may also be required. There is no universally mandatory list: the set is determined by the specific supply.
What is a Bill of Lading and why is it needed?
The Bill of Lading is both the contract of carriage by sea and a document of title: the cargo is released against it at the port of destination. The release form — originals, Telex Release or Express Release — is agreed in advance, since the procedure and speed of collecting the cargo depend on it.
What are demurrage and detention?
These are charges for exceeding the container free time. Demurrage is charged for keeping the container at the terminal beyond the agreed period; detention is charged for using the container beyond the agreed time after collection. Both are calculated separately from the freight and accumulate daily, which is why we set out the free time conditions before the shipment starts.
Can dangerous goods be shipped by sea?
Yes, subject to the IMDG rules. Before space is booked the hazard class, UN number and packing group must be established, the relevant documentation prepared and the required packaging and marking provided. Some items have restrictions on routes and on stowage together with other goods, so the cargo characteristics need to be provided at the enquiry stage.
Do you work with private individuals?
The service is intended for companies and sole traders: the work is carried out under a contract, with a full set of documents for the supply.
Related services
The sea leg is rarely the only part of a supply. These services are the ones most often used alongside it.
Request a sea freight quote
By clicking the button you agree to our privacy policy
+ 90 (536) 787 9239
turkeylogist@gmail.com
