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Sea freight: Connecting the world on the high seas

Transport your goods from A to B by sea freight for a reliable, cost-effective and sustainable option. Our wide network of port locations, own fleet and experience with customized solutions ensure your goods reach their destination safely and efficiently by sea.

Explore our sea freight solutions

With sea freight, you can ship your cargo worldwide with the support of our long-standing partnerships with major port operators and shipping lines, together with our own fleet of vessels. We offer a wide range of solutions tailored to your sea freight needs, includingß LCL, FCL and buyer’s and seller’s consolidation. From river-sea transport and chartering services to supply and disposal for tankers and customs clearance assistance, we handle every aspect of your sea freight logistics.

Sea transportation at a glance

Ship your sea freight cost-effectively with LCL, even for smaller loads. By sharing container space, you lower shipping costs while maintaining reliability. Ideal for smaller importers and exporters, LCL lets you move smaller volumes and adapt to market demand. It’s an affordable way to expand your business through sea freight and save compared to air or rail transport.

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FCL sea freight is the ideal choice when regular shipment volumes between set origins and destinations allow for full container use. Benefit from customized container shipping suited to your needs, continuous tracking and paperless booking and documentation for seamless coordination with sea freight companies.

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Combine multiple LCL shipments into a single full-container load (FCL) with buyer’s and seller’s consolidation. This sea freight method helps reduce costs, increase supply chain transparency and enhance cargo management, offering a streamlined and cost-effective solution for global logistics.

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Short sea transportation provides an efficient connection between industrial regions and markets. Regular liner services between major port locations save time and costs while offering environmentally friendly cargo handling options. Through our door-to-door sea freight services, we deliver goods quickly and reliably. Our just-in-time deliveries also ensure that the desired goods or materials arrive on time for your production.

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We specialize in delivering comprehensive transport services for offshore projects. Whether it’s the safe transfer of your crew by ship or helicopter or reliable supplies for your offshore platforms, we have you covered. Our groupage services are our specialty, combining consignments for different platforms to reduce costs and protect the environment. We also design tailored logistics concepts for complete wind farm campaigns.

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Your benefits

Sea transport is a particularly environmentally friendly way to move goods.

With regular departures and fixed transit times, sea freight is a highly reliable option. Benefit from optimized supply chains and consistent availability.

Use our intercontinental logistics services to reach trade routes and markets within the deep sea transport sector.

We manage the complete coordination of your goods, including pre- and on-carriage, and ensure all applicable regulations are always met.

Why choose Rhenus for sea freight services

  • Strong network
  • Strong relationships with all major shipping companies as reliable partners
  • Complete services across the entire supply chain offer solutions from a single source
  • Flexibility through customized industry solutions
  • Enhanced security with real-time tracking throughout the entire transportation process
  • Digital efficiency through paperless booking and digital platforms that improve transparency and control

Value-added services for sea freight

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Sea freight handling

We take care of all your sea freight handling needs, including intelligent storage, repackaging, neutralization, sorting, intelligent monitoring, labeling, shipment checking and palletizing.

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Document solutions for sea freight shipments

Benefit from our proof of delivery and invoices on paper instead of sending them electronically. These essential documents confirm that your shipment has been properly delivered. Our courier services ensure fast and secure delivery of confidential documents to various countries. For digital efficiency, we also provide customized reporting to help you manage your data effectively.

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Customs clearance

We make sure your sea freight clear customs smoothly and in full compliance with current regulations. Whether you’re importing or exporting goods, our experts and reliable partners handle customs clearance quickly and professionally, ensuring your cargo is always in safe hands.

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Marine cargo insurance

Our customized transport insurance solutions protect the value of your freight against risks of physical loss or damage during transportation by land, sea or air. This helps you manage the financial impact of potential damage. Since not all routes are equally safe and not all goods are equally sensitive, our insurance services ensure your shipments are always protected.

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E-solutions for your sea freight

We integrate your IT systems with ours to automate the exchange of important business data like shipping orders and status codes. This ensures efficient processes and eliminates manual input. The result is better data quality, fewer errors and faster processing of your transactions.

Our certificates for quality management

DIN EN ISO 9001:2015

Certified under DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, Rhenus ensures high-quality sea and river navigation, inland waterway transport and related services with full compliance that meet your highest expectations.

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Preview of DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management standards

Rhenus is a DIN EN ISO 14001:2015-certified provider of sustainable logistics solutions that minimize environmental impact while meeting your needs with eco-conscious practices.

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Preview of DIN EN ISO 14001:2015 certification for environmental management standards

Rhenus optimizes energy efficiency in inland waterway transport and provides reliable services while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact, certified according to DIN EN.

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Preview of DIN EN ISO 50001:2015 certification for energy management standards

As a GMP-certified company, Rhenus guarantees quality and safety throughout the entire logistics process and ensures the safe and compliant transport of animal feed by inland waterway. 

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review of GMP 021403 certification for good manufacturing practices
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Are you looking for a reliable and well-connected partner in sea freight logistics?

Reach out to our experts. They will be happy to offer you extensive guidance and support.

Frequently asked questions

Sea freight refers to the transport of goods by sea, that is, by ship. It is used for various types of cargo, from raw materials such as coal and oil to finished products like cars and electronics. Companies choose sea freight to move large quantities of goods over long distances because it is typically more cost-effective than air or land freight.

Air freight is generally more expensive than sea freight due to higher operating costs and limited cargo space on planes. It’s often chosen for urgent or time-critical shipments , while sea freight is preferred for larger quantities of goods over longer distances because it is more cost-effective.

You can choose between full charter services and general cargo shipments. We handle all types of cargo, from containers and bulk goods to dangerous, liquid, heavy or oversized project cargo. For deep sea transportation, we rely on long-standing partnerships with reputable sea carriers to charter vessels and deliver your goods on time anywhere in the world. For smaller shipments, we consolidate your freight on one vessel and ship it to your chosen destination. Sea freight consolidation leads to cost savings for you.

With our consolidation services, buyers can combine LCL shipments from different suppliers to reduce costs. Your cargo is collected in one location, consolidated into an FCL container and sent to the destination together. If you’re a seller, we load your various shipments from one origin into an FCL container and send it directly to the port of destination, where the goods are unloaded and distributed to each recipient. This saves time and effort while giving you better transparency and control over your sea freight.