Container shipping Hamburg to Cape Town
Are you interested in a way to ship a container from Hamburg to Cape Town (ZACPT)? Sea freight is a convenient transport solution: it is suitable to ship large volumes for low prices, it’s convenient and it has live tracking. Transporting a sea container with gas-based fuels or factory parts can be done via e.g. Evergreen Marine Corporation. Freight forwarders offer and a wide range of container types. Shipping lines offer the choice between Full Container Load (FCL) and (LCL) Less Container Load. Via our transport agents we give useful information with a view to international transport Cape Town (ZA CPT). You will find inside-information about the different types of containers. On this website you can read a step-by-step plan for starting exporters. Please send us an inquiry with your requirements and we will gladly send you a tailor-made offer with an attractive price and fast transit time.
- Ocean shipping is a reliable, safe and low cost-way to ship heavy and bulky goods.
- Compared to air freight, there are fewer restrictions and it is far cheaper.
- Sea freight is perfect for worldwide relocations and shipping breakbulk or bikes.
- The Port of Cape Town is an important logistics artery in South Africa.
- Popular container types are: 20 foot, 40 foot and Flat Rack, Dry Van, Hard-Top, Ventilated, Refrigerated, Tank containers.
Main topics
Shipping to Cape Town (ZACPT) from Hamburg (DEHAM)
Ocean freight shipping is the process of shipping goods by sea using containers. Your articles are packed tightly in a container. Your freight forwarder ensures that a container is ready. The freight goes by truck to the shipping vessel at the port of origin Cape Town (ZA CPT), and will be shipped by sea to the consignee at the POD. They offer solutions like port-to-port, door-to-port, port-to-door or door-to-door. In the following paragraph you will find practical information about the arrival port.
| Port of departure | Port of Hamburg (DEHAM) |
| Country of departure | Germany |
| Port of destination | Port of Cape Town |
| Country of destination | South Africa |
| Port Code | ZACPT |
| Transport Time | +/- 32 days |
| Shipping costs | $$ |
| Local address | P O Box 4245 Cape Town, Roggebaai 8000 South Africa |
| customercare.tnpa@transnet.net | |
| Website | www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net |
| Phone number | 214493408 |
Freight Forwarder Hamburg – port of Cape Town
- Information about your freight
Enter the port of origin and the arrival harbour. Specify your preference: a full container for yourself (FCL) or (LCL) and partial shipments. Also choose the desired format (20ft, 40ft of 40ft HC).
- Cargo preparations
Obviously, make sure the freight is packed securely. To transport the cargo in good condition, it is best to pack the freight on pallets. Tip: make sure you have recognizable labels on the freight.
- Export documents
If you are going to transport cargo to Cape Town (ZACPT), you must send relevant export documents (for the purpose of national customs): bill of lading, certificates of origin, packing declaration, commercial invoice, export/import customs declaration. A Bill of Lading is a document or contract provided by a carrier to a shipper to confirm that the shipment is received in good order and that the load is prepared for shipping.
- Agree on the conditions (Incoterms)
An incoterm is a set of rules to agree on the most important contractual terms and obligations for global trade. The Incoterm states how much responsibility you have for the cost and risk of transportation, insurance, duties payable and clearing customs. Widely used incoterms are Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), Cost, Insurance Freight (CIF), Free On Board (FOB).
- Ocean freight tracking
Use the Ocean Shipment Tracking to check where your freight is at this moment. You can see in realtime when the shipping is departed from the port of origin (POO), has arrived at the destination (POD) and when the cargo has reached its desired final destination.
Sea freight from Cape Town (ZACPT) to Hamburg (DEHAM): select the container that suits the freight
You are going to ship a container from port of Cape Town – (ZA CPT) to port of Hamburg – (DE HAM)? It is important to ask an appropriate container. There are smaller and bigger boxes (20 foot, 40 foot) and different container specifications (LCL shipment or FCL 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 text box below you can compare all types and read more about the most commonly seen options for sea freight. We are happy to provide you with more information about Shipping containers for sale.
What you need to know about the 20 FT container
20 FT containers (also known as dry van) are one of the most used container types. They are quite easy to transport, which give you lower handling and shipping costs. Very suitable for the transport of personal items and movings. Some extra info: 1 TEU is equivalent to 1 20 feet long container.
- A very popular box for sending goods overseas.
- The dimensions of a 20-foot container are: 5898 (l) x 2390 (h) x 2350 (w) mm.
- It can hold between 9 and 11 pallets.
- You must take into account a maximum permitted weight of +/- 27.500 kg.
Explanation about a 40ft container
In addition to the small one, there is also a larger 40 foot container. They can carry between 23 and 24 Europallets in one tier. This makes it very economical for transporting bulk goods by sea. Tip: there are also special 40 foot containers such as the ‘high cube’ variant. They are 9’6 tall. Very suitable for high products.
- Often chosen for large loads.
- The format is almost always the same: 12.19m long x 2.44m wide x 2.59m high.
- 1 FEU fit up to 20 Standard Pallets, and 24 Euro Pallets.
- Maximum load is about +/- 28.900 kg.
Ocean Freight Cost Calculator: instant shipping rates
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Information about Full Container (FCL)
If you want to ship a lot of cargo, then it is usually better to book a full container. Transport specialists call this Full Container Load (FCL). You don’t have to share space with others. There are many advantages to it: ideal transit time, damage is lessened and and it is cheaper per unit. Pay attention to the disadvantages: it is expensive for small loads and less convenient delivery options. Transporting cargo from another port? Also see Antwerp to Cape Town (ZACPT) or Rotterdam to Cape Town (ZACPT).
- The concept of FCL is that you temporarily own a complete container.
- Used by all major manufacturers and shipping companies.
- For shipments that are larger than 10 CBM.
- Available at: e.g. ONE, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC.
Less than container (LCL)
When you have too little goods to fill a full container, then your cargo will be combined with other cargo. Logistics experts treat that as a LCL (Less Than Container Load) agreement. LCL Means that means that you share space with others. You benefit from many advantages: it’s perfect for shipping small loads, reduces the costs of keeping a high inventory of goods stored and more options during peak shipping season. Disclaimer: if 50% of the container consists of your goods, then you better go for FCL. The shipping costs are calculated on the basis of the dimensions and weight of the cargo.
- The concept of LCL is that your cargo will be placed into a partial container.
- For low-volume shipments of between 3 m3 – 15,5 m3.
- Freight costs are typically based on cargo volume.
- Capabilities at almost all international ports.
- Available at: e.g. Yang Ming, POL, Wan Hai, ZIM, HMM.
Other types of containers and customization
You can choose from many types of boxes for shipping your cargo. There is a suitable solution for every type of cargo. The Dry Van is most commonly used in maritime transport. There are also special possibilities for oil, petroleum, and freshwater, meat, fish and frozen foods or very expensive items. We give a short explanation below. We also provide more information about sea transportation to Chatham Docks (GBCTM), port of Puerto de Ita Enramada (PYASU), Gijon (ESGIJ) harbor and terminal Zanzibar (TZZNZ).
- Bulk Containers: very suitable for dry bulk goods such as like grain and ore.
- Flat Rack Containers: it is flat and cargo can be loaded either from the sides or from the top.
- Hard-Top Containers: a specialized version of general dry van (with special roof).
- High-Cube Containers: it is 1 foot taller than the standard height of shipping containers.
- Insulated Containers: for transporting goods with the need of low temperature for a short distance.
- Open-Top Containers: perfect when large cargo needs to be loaded safely from above.
- Palletwide Containers: designed to accommodate a larger amount of Euro pallets.
- Refrigerated Containers: reefers are big fridges that are used to transport temperature controlled cargoes.
- Tank Containers: are barrel-shaped vessels serving multi-purposes.
- Ventilated Containers: the best option for for organic products.
Load types: what do you want to transport by sea?
Shipping goods by sea from Hamburg (DEHAM) to Cape Town (ZACPT) has lots of advantages: low prices, very safe and secure and the Duty and VAT are much less expensive than air freight. Relevant ocean cargo categories exported via sea lines are: liquid bulk, dry bulk, roll on/roll off, break bulk, containerized. Below you can read more information about it.
- Car shipping: it saves money and time to to have your vehicle shipped.
- House Moving: excellent logistic support in case of relocation.
- Removals (Household Goods): all your household effects shipped inexpensive and insured.
- Liquid Bulk: e.g. petroleum, hydrogen, chemicals, kerosene, diesel, biofuels.
- Dry Bulk: iron ore, coal, grain and things like sand, lumber, cement, plates.
- Roll on Roll off (RORO): one of the most flexible methods of shipping vehicles overseas.
- Breakbulk: are frequently packaged in smaller boxes: bags, boxes, cartons, crates, drums, or barrels/vats.
- Retail & other: load like clothes, toys, art and antiques, sports equipment, electronic goods & machines, food, drinks, shoes, fashion.
All you need to know about international transport (FAQ)
Shipping a container from Hamburg (DE) to Cape Town takes approx 32 days. The ship has to cover a distance of about 7600 nautical miles. Converted that is 14075 km. If you make a sea shipment, there are 2 important values, ETD and ETA. ETD provides information on the date and time the ship will leave the seaport. Estimated time of arrival (ETA) is the date and time that a shipment is predicted to arrive. The exact shipping time has several factors: displacement of the vessel, weather and delay at the port.
Shipping rates from Hamburg (Germany) to Cape Town (South Africa) are average. The total costs are determined by various components as container size, transit time and the Incoterms you have agreed on. Fill in the request form for current rates and transit times.
When you are exporting goods to Cape Town, then you should pay attention to customs clearance. You need to present the following documents: Import/export Licenses, Certificate of Origin, Letter of Credit, Insurance Certificate, Packing List, Commercial Invoice. For additional information and answers to questions you can contact the customs of South Africa or navigate to the website of the port or the government (www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net).
Incoterms define who is responsible for each phase of shipping process. The most popular Incoterms for sea transport are FOB and CIF. CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) means the seller arranges the cost and freight of bringing the goods to the port of origin. Content of a Free on Board (FOB) contract: the supplier to pay for the delivery of the cargo till the moment that it’s all loaded into the vessel. There are additionally more Incoterms 2000 like Carriage Paid To (CPT), Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), Free Carrier (FCA), Free Alongside Ship (FAS) & Delivered at Place Unloaded (DPU), Cost and Freight (CFR), Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP).