Container shipping Hamburg to East London
Are you interested in a way to ship a container from Hamburg to East London (ZAELS)? Sea freight has many pluses: you can ship large volumes at low costs, it is economical and it is safe. Transporting containers with freight like dry bulk or vehicles can be arranged by shipping companies such as Evergreen Marine Corporation. When you want to forward a container, you can choose from a lot of container-types. An important distinction is a full container just for your freight (FCL) and Less Container Load (LCL). Via containershippingservice.com we give accurate information for international transport East London (ZA ELS). You will find up-to-date information about the different types and ways of sea freight. On this website you can read a step-by-step import plan. Fill out the form and we will gladly send you a tailor-made offer with great prices and shipping conditions.
- Ocean shipping is a fast, trustworthy and cost-effective way to ship your goods to anywhere in the world.
- Compared to air freight, it offers more capacity and value.
- Sea freight is excellent for international relocations and transporting liquids or consumer goods.
- The Port of East London is one of the biggest ports of South Africa.
- We handle a wide variety of container sizes including: normal 20 & 40 foot, High Cube and Dry Van, Hard-Top, Flat Rack, Open-Top, Refrigerated, Ventilated containers.
Main themes
Shipping to East London (ZAELS) from Hamburg (DEHAM)
Ocean freight shipping is the container freight transportation of cargo by shipping lines. Your products are packed in shipping containers. The intermediary (freight forwarder) will book a container. Your goods are loaded into the shipping vessel at the port of origin East London (ZA ELS), and will be shipped over the sea to the customs at the arrival harbour. You can choose for: port-to-door, port-to-port, door-to-door, door-to-port. In the schedule below we share facts about the POD (Port Of Destination).
| Port of departure | Port of Hamburg (DEHAM) |
| Country of departure | Germany |
| Port of destination | Port of East London |
| Country of destination | South Africa |
| Port Code | ZAELS |
| Transport Time | +/- 32 days |
| Shipping prices | $$ |
| Port address | P O Box 101, East London 5200, South Africa |
| south-africa@containershippingservice.com | |
| Website | www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net |
| Phone | 437002300 |
Freight Forwarder Hamburg – port of East London
- Shipment details
Enter the port of origin (POO) and the arrival harbour. Determine your container terms: full containers (FCL) or (LCL) and partial shipments. Besides this, also choose a suitable container size (twenty foot, forty foot or a high cube).
- Preparing the cargo
As a starting point, you need to make sure your load is packed correctly. To avoid damage, it is best to pack the freight on pallets. Your cargo must also be easily recognizable with labels.
- Documents Required for Exporting
In the situations that you export goods to East London (ZAELS), you will need relevant export documents (for the purpose of national customs): certificates of origin, commercial invoice, export/import customs declaration, bill of lading, packing declaration. A Bill of Lading is a legal document provided by a carrier to a shipper describing the correct state of goods and confirm that the items are well packed for shipment.
- Find your incoterms
An incoterm is a set of rules to define responsibility and liability for shipment of the goods. The Incoterm states who assumes the risk of, for example, the cost and risk of transportation, insurance, duties payable and clearing customs. For freight by sea, these are the most popular terms: Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), Cost, Insurance Freight (CIF), Free On Board (FOB).
- Track your cargo
Use the Ocean Shipment Tracking to see where your container is at this moment. You can check the status when the shipping is departed from Port of Loading, arrived at the port of arrival (POD) and when it has arrived at the final destination.
Sea freight from East London (ZAELS) to Hamburg (DEHAM): find a container that suits your cargo
You want to ship a container from port of East London – (ZA ELS) to port of Hamburg – (DE HAM)? It is important to pick the right container type. There are smaller and bigger boxes (20ft & 40ft) and different container agreements (LCL shipment or FCL shipment). Many international shipping lines operate this route. Your cargo can be quickly transported to surrounding cities. In the box below we help you choose the right type and provide info about the most popular container types. Our specialists also provide details about Shipping lines.
What you need to know about the 20 FT container
20 ft. containers (which is a standard dry van) is the most preferred container size. They are easy to stack on the vessel, so the transport costs are quite low. Ideal for the transportation of bulk goods and personal items and removals. Keep in mind: TEU is a standard measurement of volume in container shipping and means 1 20 Foot container.
- This box offers a solution for the transportation of cargo via ocean shipments.
- A 20-foot container has the following dimensions: 6,06 x 2,44 x 2,59.
- Usually, 9-11 pallets are able to fit in one TEU.
- In terms of weight load, the following applies: +/- 27.300 kg.
Information and benefits of 40 foot container
Besides the 20-foot, the 40-foot container is another popular option. You can pack a lot of cargo in this. All this makes it a very effective means for transporting bulk goods by sea. Good to know: people can also opt for the 40 foot container ‘high cube’ choice. They are 1 foot higher than a regular container. This makes them particularly useful for niche applications.
- Often chosen for large loads.
- The dimensions are as follows: 12 x 2,3 x 2,4 m.
- It allows the transport of up to 28 pallets.
- Maximum load is about +/- 28.200 kg.
Ocean Freight Volume Calculator: get shipping rates
Compare costs from popular international transport companies
FCL: Full Container
If you have enough goods to fill an entire container, than you can reserve your own full container. The abbreviation FCL stands for Full Container Load. There is no need to share it with other shippers. There are many advantages to it: Usually a faster transit time, chance of damage is reduced to a minimum and the rates are more favorable. Pay attention to the disadvantages: the transport over land is more complex (truck) and it is harder to unload the FCL shipment. Departing from another port? Also check out Antwerp to East London (ZAELS) and Rotterdam to East London (ZAELS).
- What we mean by FCL is that you book a single container exclusively for your cargo transportation only.
- Perfect for bulk, expensive and fragile goods.
- If you’re shipping more than 14 m3.
- Available at: e.g. Hapag-Lloyd, COSCO, MSC, ONE, Maersk.
Information about LCL containers
If you do not need a full container, it is often a good idea to pick a shared container. Logistics experts treat that as a LCL (Less Than Container Load) agreement. The idea of LCL is that you share space with others. There are many benefits like: 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. Worth mentioning: if your shipment takes up more than half a container, then FCL is probably your best bet. The shipping costs are calculated on the basis of the volume and weight of the packages.
- The concept of LCL is that your shipment is taking up only a part of a partial container.
- The best choice for a charge between 2,5 m3 & 15,5 m3.
- Deal for cargo that does not fill the entire container.
- More Availability During Peak Season.
- Available at: e.g. Evergreen, POL, ZIM, Wan Hai, Yang Ming.
Various other types of containers
There are many different types of boxes available for ocean transport. Each type of cargo requires a different approach. The Dry van is suitable for many common goods. Special boxes are also being used for liquids, flowers, fruit or other special goods. You can read more about it below. We also provide more information about sea transportation to Sattahip (THSAT), port of Shenzhen (CNSNZ), Empresa Portuaria Valparaiso (CLVAP) harbor and terminal Halifax (CAHAL).
- Bulk Containers: used for transportation of dry bulk cargo like like grain and ore.
- Flat Rack Containers: internationally used when the cargo cannot fit inside a standard box.
- Hard-Top Containers: the roof can be removed if necessary.
- High-Cube Containers: it is 1 foot taller than the standard height of shipping containers.
- Insulated Containers: ideal for Short-Term Storage or Short-Hop Journeys.
- Open-Top Containers: also have end doors, like closed containers, to give flexibility for loading and unloading.
- Palletwide Containers: the ideal type for transporting many euro pallets.
- Refrigerated Containers: reefers maintain a stable temperature inside.
- Tank Containers: if you want to transport a large quantity of liquid as bulk cargo.
- Ventilated Containers: used to transport cargo with good moisture contents which requires ventilation while transit.
Kind of load: what do you want to transport by sea?
Importing cargo by sea from Hamburg (DEHAM) to East London (ZAELS) is very popular because of attractive costs, high sea vessel load capacity and containers can also be used for further transportation by road or rail. Much seen ocean cargo imported via sea shipping includes: roll on/roll off, liquid bulk, dry bulk, break bulk, neo bulk. Below you can read more information about it.
- Car shipping: you can ship your vehicle practically anywhere in the world.
- House Moving: get your private goods shipped for relocation.
- Removals (Household Goods): your household effects are shipped in a fast and secure manner.
- Liquid Bulk: e.g. kerosene, biofuels, diesel, petroleum, chemicals, hydrogen.
- Dry Bulk: grain, iron ore, grain and coils, salt, cement, rods.
- Roll on Roll off (RORO): vessel type used for the transportation of cars and other automobiles.
- Breakbulk: ships carrying break-bulk cargo are often called general cargo ships.
- Retail & other: products like sports equipment, clothes, electronic goods, art and antiques, toys + shoes, furniture, machines, fashion, food.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about international transport
Shipping a container from Hamburg (DE) to East London takes on average 32 days. The total distance is approx. 7600 nautical miles (NM). 1 nautical mile is equivalent to 1.85 km. That makes the distance 14075 kilometers. If you make a sea shipment, you have to pay close attention to ETD and ETA. Estimated time of departure (ETD) is when the ship is estimated to leave the port. ETA is the date that the shipment arrives in the destination country. There are many factors that determine the final shipping time: the boat speed, weather conditions and type and weight of cargo.
Shipping rates from Hamburg (Germany) to East London (South Africa) are average. The total costs are determined by a number of factors like type of goods transported, transit time and other costs like stacking and siting. We invite you to contact us for more information, a price proposal and transit time.
When you are exporting goods to East London, then you must have the administration in order for customs clearance. The following documents need to be in place for effective and easy customs clearance. Insurance Certificate, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Letter of Credit, Commercial Invoice, Import/export Licenses. For additional information and answers to questions you can contact the customs of South Africa or take a look at the website (www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net).
Incoterms are a set of standardized terms of delivery terms used international trade. The most popular Incoterms for sea transport are CIF and FOB. Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) means the seller is responsible for the cost and freight of bringing the goods to the agreed port. By Free on Board (FOB) we mean the seller is responsible for all expenses the goods until they have been placed on board of the ship. Optionally one can also select one of the other Incoterms 2000 such as Carriage Paid To (CPT), Ex Works (EXW), Free Alongside Ship (FAS), Free Carrier (FCA) + Delivered At Place (DAP), Delivered at Place Unloaded (DPU), Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP).