Container shipping Antwerp to Cape Town
You want to ship a container from Antwerp to Cape Town (ZACPT)? Sea freight is a convenient transport solution: e.g. you can transport high volumes for a reasonable price, it is economical much more environmental friendly than air freight. Transporting a container by sea with liquids or personal goods is very easy with e.g. Maersk. You can book a lot of container-types. There is made a difference between a complete full container (FCL) and partial shipments (LCL). Via our experts we provide helpful information for international transport Cape Town (ZA CPT). We get you useful information about the various sea container types. Besides this we share a practical step-by-step plan. Send you shipping details and we will prepare a quote with market prices.
- Ocean shipping is a professional, trustworthy and cost-effective way to ship your goods to anywhere in the world.
- Compared to air transport, there are fewer restrictions and it is far cheaper.
- Sea freight is great for worldwide relocations and importing breakbulk or cars.
- The Port of Cape Town is a much-chosen harbor in South Africa.
- The most commonly used containers are: 20 footers, 40 footers and Dry Van, Insulated, Hard-Top, Tank, Open-Top, Refrigerated containers.
Main topics
Shipping to Cape Town (ZACPT) from Antwerp (BEANR)
Ocean freight shipping is one of the most economical forms of transporting goods internationally. Your products are packed tightly in a container. The intermediary (freight forwarder) will book a container. Your goods are loaded into the shipping vessel at the port of origin (POO) Cape Town (ZA CPT), and will be shipped overseas to the addressee at the arrival harbour. They can get you services like door-to-door, port-to-port, port-to-door, door-to-port. In the attached table we provide you with details about the port of destination.
| Port of departure | Port of Antwerp (BEANR) |
| Country of departure | Belgium |
| Port of destination | Port of Cape Town |
| Country of destination | South Africa |
| Port Code | ZACPT |
| Transportation time | +/- 30 days |
| Shipping prices | $$ |
| Office address | P O Box 4245 Cape Town, Roggebaai 8000 South Africa |
| customercare.tnpa@transnet.net | |
| Website | www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net |
| Phone number | 214493408 |
Freight Forwarder Antwerp – port of Cape Town
- Details of your shipping
Enter the port of origin (POO) and the arrival harbour. Decide how you want to export: a full container just for your freight (FCL) or (LCL) and partial shipments. Find a container size that fits your goods (20ft, 40ft of 40ft HC).
- Loading the freight
Primarily, make sure your goods are tightly packaged. To avoid damage, ensure that your cargo is always placed on pallets. Don’t forget to label the cargo!
- Customs Documentation for Exporters
When you transport cargo to Cape Town (ZACPT), you will need special export documents (for the purpose of national customs): packing list, commercial invoice, bill of lading, export/import customs declaration, packing declaration. A Bill of Lading is a document or contract signed by the carrier to confirm that the goods match the description listed on the paperwork and noticing that the cargo is well packed for transport.
- Choosing the Incoterms
Incoterms are important to define the rights and obligations of both the buyer and seller. The chosen Incoterm decides who is responsible for, for example, transport, insurance and the relevant documents for transport. Popular incoterms are Ex Works (EXW), Free On Board (FOB), Cost, Insurance Freight (CIF).
- Follow your cargo live
Use container track and trace to check where your load is at this moment. You can see exactly when the shipping is departed from the port of origin (POO), has been transferred to the POD (port of destination) and when it has arrived at the final destination.
Sea freight from Cape Town (ZACPT) to Antwerp (BEANR): pick a container
You need to ship a container from port of Cape Town – (ZA CPT) to port of Antwerp – (BE ANR)? Make sure you get a suitable container. They are available in different sizes (20ft & 40ft) and different container specifications (FCL shipment or LCL shipping). Well-known shipping lines are CMA CGM, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, K Line, Maersk, MOL, MSC, ZIM. Major towns near the seaport are Cape town, Atlantis, Stellenbosch, Somerset west, Paarl, Malmesbury, Grabouw, Koffiefontein, Mooreesburg, Hermanus, Worcester, Ceres, Saldanha, Robertson, Bredasdorp, Swellendam, Vredendal, Calvinia, Mosselbay, Oudtshoorn. In the section below you will find useful information about the most popular products. We also offer more information about Rail Freight.
What you need to know about the twenty foot container
Twenty Foot Containers (a.k.a. dry van) is the most commonly used size. They are very efficient, which ensures low handling costs. Widely used for transporting household goods and international movings. Keep in mind: TEU abbreviation stands for Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit.
- This box is widely used for transporting cargo via the ocean.
- A 20-foot container has the following dimensions: 6058mm x 2438mm x 2891mm.
- A 20’ft container can hold eleven pallets.
- In terms of weight load, the following applies: +/- 27.100 kg.
Explanation of the forty foot container
The 40-foot container is identical to the 20-foot container, but once the size. He can hold much more cargo. This makes it very economical for transporting large loads by sea. In conclusion, people can also opt for the 40 foot container ‘high cube’ variant. You’ve got just a little extra height. Ideal if you have high cargo.
- They are ideal for big shipments.
- The dimensions are the same internationally: 12.025m long x 2.352m wide x 2.393m high.
- The FEU can hold between 20 and 24 pallets.
- In terms of goods, there is a weight limit of +/- 28.600 kg.
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What is a Full Container (FCL)?
If you want to ship a lot of cargo, than you can reserve your own full container. The abbreviation FCL stands for Full Container Load. All cargo space is used exclusively for you. There are many advantages to it: It allows for a faster transit time, limited damage risk and you pay lower price per unit. Pay attention to the disadvantages: you need large volume to be viable and insurance is more expensive. Transporting cargo from another port? Also see Rotterdam to Cape Town (ZACPT) or Hamburg to Cape Town (ZACPT).
- FCL means that you get the universal right to your own container.
- Ideal for cargo with tight delivery schedules.
- It is cheaper when the shipment uses more than 10 pallets.
- Available at: e.g. Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, ONE, COSCO, Maersk.
In which situations do I choose an LCL container?
If your cargo does not fill an entire 20-foot or 40-foot container, then your cargo will be combined with other cargo. You choose a LCL (Less Than Container Load) contract. The goal of LCL is that multiple shippers’ goods are packed together. The advantages of this option include: for smaller loads, it is way cheaper than a full container, storage and insurance is advantageous and more options during peak shipping season. Remark: if your shipment takes up more than half a container, then it is often more interesting to go for an FCL shipping. The total shipping costs are related to the volume in m3 and the weight of the freight.
- LCL Means that means that a partial container is booker for the freight.
- Cost effective for shipments between 2 m3 & 15 m3.
- Deal for cargo that does not fill the entire container.
- Easier to find space during peak season.
- Available at: e.g. Wan Hai, Yang Ming, POL, Evergreen, ZIM.
Information about other types of containers
There are many different types of boxes available for the shipment of your goods. Each type of cargo requires a different approach. The most popular version is of course the Dry van. Special boxes are also being used for oil, petroleum, and freshwater, vegetables and fruit or other special goods. You can read all about it in the section below. You can also read more information about shipments to Cat Lai (VNCLI), port of London gateway (GBLGP), Ancona (ITAOI) harbor and terminal Nansha Port (CNXSA).
- Bulk Containers: used for transportation of dry bulk cargo like as grain, feedstuffs, spices.
- Flat Rack Containers: internationally used when the cargo cannot fit inside a standard box.
- Hard-Top Containers: for shipping a wide range of dry cargo and mass freight.
- High-Cube Containers: ideal for secure storage, particularly of valuable equipment or machinery.
- Insulated Containers: a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products.
- Open-Top Containers: are able to accommodate much larger objects.
- Palletwide Containers: are adequate for shipping Euro-pallets because of the interior dimensions.
- Refrigerated Containers: reefers are used for goods which need to be transported at a constant temperature.
- Tank Containers: if you want to transport a large quantity of liquid as bulk cargo.
- Ventilated Containers: for cargoes that require ventilation in transit.
Kind of load: What do you want to ship?
Importing cargo by ocean from Antwerp (BEANR) to Cape Town (ZACPT) has a lot of pluses: low prices, very safe and secure and containers can also be used for further transportation by road or rail. The most important ocean cargo via sea import/export routes are: containerized, neo bulk, break bulk, roll on/roll off, dry bulk. Below we give an explanation.
- Car shipping: your vehicle will be shipped safely and insured internationally.
- House Moving: your belongings will be safe and secured with international relocation.
- Removals (Household Goods): have your household effects shipped to a new home.
- Liquid Bulk: e.g. gasoline, diesel, petroleum, hydrogen, biofuels, chemicals.
- Dry Bulk: iron ore, coal, grain and things like sand, sugar, salt, plates.
- Roll on Roll off (RORO): means that the cargo is moved on and off the vessel on wheels.
- Breakbulk: ships carrying break-bulk cargo are often called general cargo ships.
- Retail & other: freight like sports equipment, electronic goods, clothes, medical/pharmacy, toys + drinks, shoes, fashion, machines, food.
FAQ: everything you need to know about international transport
Shipping a container from Antwerp (BE) to Cape Town takes about 30 days. The total distance is about 7250 nautical miles. That equates to 13427 km. When you export something, you have to take into account 2 important values (ETD and ETA). ETD means the Expected or Estimated Time of Departure. Estimated time of arrival (ETA) is the date and time that a shipment is predicted to arrive. Shipping time is subject to displacement of the vessel, weather conditions and delay at the port.
Shipping rates from Antwerp (Belgium) to Cape Town (South Africa) are average. The total costs are determined by various features such as the size of the container, the total distance to the delivery destination and conditions. We invite you to contact us for a price proposal and transit times.
When sending goods to Cape Town, there are documents you need for customs clearance. The following documents are required: Letter of Credit, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, Import/export Licenses, Packing List, Insurance Certificate. For more information, you can contact the customs of South Africa or surf to the official website where you can read a lot of info (www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net).
The Incoterms tell us: Who is organising carriage and insurance? For transport by ship we usually use CIF and FOB. CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) means the exporter arranges the cost and freight of bringing the goods to the port of destination. Terms of Free on Board (FOB): the seller is responsible for all expenses the goods until they are loaded on a shipping vessel. One can also choose from one of the alternative Incoterms 2000: Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), Free Alongside Ship (FAS), Ex Works (EXW), Free Carrier (FCA) + Delivered At Place (DAP), Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP), Cost and Freight (CFR).