Shipping a container from Rotterdam (NLRTM)

You want to ship a container from Rotterdam to an international port? Sea freight has many advantages: it’s perfect for heavy and bulky items, you have low maintenance costs and it is trustworthy. Exporting a container overseas with ro-ro or equipment can be facilitated by shippinglines like MSC. You can choose from many different sizes and types of shipping containers. Shipping lines offer the choice between full containers (FCL) and Less Container Load (LCL). Via containershippingservice.com you will get helpful information regarding ocean transport from the Port of Rotterdam (NLRTM) We share knowledge and comprehensive information about the ways in which you can transport cargo by sea. On this website you can read a 5 step export plan. Send us your details and receive a quote with extensive pricing details.

Ocean shipping is a good, safe and cost-effective way to ship your goods to anywhere in the world.
Advantages compared to air freight: you have lower costs and more time for document processing.
Sea freight is excellent for international removals and the transportation of liquids or cars.
The Port of Rotterdam is the most important port in the Netherlands and one of the biggest of Europe.
You can choose from many types and sizes of containers: 20 footers, 40 footers and Flat Rack, Insulated, Dry Van, Refrigerated, Open-Top, Tank containers.

Get shipping rates

Sea Freight shipping Rotterdam (the Netherlands)

Ocean freight shipping is the container freight transportation of cargo by shipping lines. Your products are stored in shipping containers. The freight forwarder (intermediary) will book a container. The cargo is transported by truck to the shipping vessel at the departing port Rotterdam (NL RTM), and will be shipped over the sea to the recipient at the port of destination. You can book various solutions like port-to-port, door-to-port, port-to-door or door-to-door. In the table below you can read different kind of info about the port of discharge.

Portname	Port of Rotterdam
Country	The Netherlands
Port Code	NLRTM
Website	portofrotterdam.com
Phone	+31 (0)10 252 10 10
Address	World Port Center (WPC) Wilhelminakade 909 3072 AP Rotterdam
Annual Cargo Tonnage	436.8 million tonnes
Annual Container Volume	15.000.000 TEU

Popular Destination Ports

Do you want to send sea freight from Rotterdam? Below you will find the most popular ports of arrival. Click on one of the routes for more information, an indication of the transit time and a cost indication.

Sending Sea Freight From Rotterdam

Enter freight details
Enter the departing port and the POD (port of destination). Choose if you want to ship full containers (FCL) or (LCL) and partial shipments. You can also choose the size of the container (20-foot, 40-foot, or a 40-foot high cube).
Freight preparations
To start with, ensure the freight is properly packaged. To prevent accidents, make sure everything is securely placed on pallets. Your load also need to be labelled in the right way.
Documents Required for Exporting
When you transport cargo to from Rotterdam Port, please pay attention to the necessary special export documents (for correct national customs papers): certificates of origin, export/import customs declaration, packing list, bill of lading, packing declaration. A Bill of Lading is a legal document released by a shipping agency or carrier to the shipper to acknowledge the receipt of cargo and that everything is ready to ship.
Selecting the best Incoterms
An incoterm is a set of rules to define the seller’s and buyer’s responsibilities. The chosen Incoterm decides who will pay for things like transport, insurance and duty related matters. Much chosen incoterms are Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), Free On Board (FOB), Ex Works (EXW).
Ocean freight tracking
Use the Online Container & Freight Tracking System to see where your cargo is at this moment. You can see in realtime when the load is loaded at the POL (port of origin), arrived at the port of arrival (POD) and when the cargo has reached its final destination.

LCL and FCL Shipping From Rotterdam

FCL Container Shipping from Rotterdam

If you want to ship a lot of cargo, it is best to book a full container. Within the logistics sector this is called FCL (Full Container Load). You don’t need to share space with others like LCL. It is a popular transport method: ideal transit time, less risk of damage during the logistics process and the rates are more favorable. Pay attention to the disadvantages: it is unsuitable for small goods exporters and it is hard to book during peak season.

FCL means that the volume is large enough to fill a whole container by one customer.
Perfect for bulk, expensive and fragile goods.
When you send more than 10 standard pallets.
Available at: e.g. MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, ONE, Maersk.

(LCL) Less than container from Rotterdam

With a small freight, aks our freight forwarders to possibilities for a shared container. You choose a LCL (Less Than Container Load) contract. LCL Means that means that you only pay for the space you need in a shipping container. There are many benefits like: you can save money on smaller shipments, less inventory costs & management and more options during peak shipping season. Important: if your shipment takes up more than half a container, then FCL is probably your best bet. The cost of LCL is based on the volume and weight of the packages.

The concept of LCL is that you transport your cargo via a partial container.
Cost effective for shipments between 2 m3 and 14,5 m3.
Cost-effective for freight forwarders with smaller shipment volumes.
Capabilities at almost all international ports.
Available at: e.g. HMM, Evergreen, Yang Ming, POL, Wan Hai.

All you need to know about international transport (FAQ)

How much does it cost to ship a container from Rotterdam?

Shipping rates from Rotterdam are average vary between $500 up to $5000, depending on your destination port. The total sum is determined by a number of factors like cargo weight, the total distance to the delivery destination and other costs like stacking and siting. Fill out our form for a price proposal and transit times.

Which customs documents are required for my shipment?

When shipping goods from Rotterdam (the Netherlands), then you should also think about customs clearance. The following documents are required: Insurance Certificate, Bill of Lading, Letter of Credit, Import/export Licenses, Packing List, Certificate of Origin. For questions or additional information, please contact local customs of the country where you are shipping to.

What Incoterm should i use?

Incoterms define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers for the delivery of goods under sales contracts. The most common terms for sea transport are CIF and FOB. Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) means the exporting party takes care of the cost and freight of bringing the goods to the agreed port. The meaning of Free on Board (FOB) is the seller is responsible for the entire logistics process for the goods until they are on the vessel at the outbound port. In addition, there are other Incoterms 2000 like e.g. Free Alongside Ship (FAS), Free Carrier (FCA), Ex Works (EXW), Carriage Paid To (CPT) + Delivered at Place Unloaded (DPU), Cost and Freight (CFR), Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP).