International Freight Forwarding in Peterborough

Peterborough Road Haulage can help with Freight Forwarding to and from Peterborough and around the surrounding areas.

• Versatile
• Precise
• Dependable

International Freight Forwarding in Peterborough

Peterborough businesses ship a lot overseas: packaged food and drink, machinery and spares, building products, agricultural equipment from the Fens. Getting those goods abroad means two jobs that rarely sit with the same company. Someone has to book the ship or the aircraft, prepare the customs paperwork and deal with the far end. Someone else has to get the goods off your loading bay and onto that ship in the first place. We bring both together, so you deal with one contact from the first enquiry to delivery.

Our part is the UK road leg. We collect from your premises in Peterborough or anywhere in the region and take the goods to the port, or we collect your inbound freight from the port and deliver it to your door. The shipping itself, the customs declarations and the overseas side are handled by our freight forwarding partner.

Most customers come to us for one of three reasons. Their usual forwarder leaves them to sort out the haulage. They are exporting for the first time and want someone to explain the steps. Or they have an import arriving and need it brought inland from the port at a time that suits their warehouse.

What international freight forwarding covers

A freight forwarder organises the movement of goods between countries on your behalf. That usually means choosing how the goods travel, booking space with the carrier, preparing or checking the export and import paperwork, and arranging collection and delivery at each end.

Our partner moves goods two ways: by sea, in full or shared containers, and by road to and from mainland Europe. Customs paperwork for both is prepared as part of the booking.

Whatever the route, the goods still have to cross England by road before and after the long leg. That is where we fit in. Our vehicles collect from Peterborough, the A1 corridor and the surrounding industrial estates and run the goods to the port named on the booking, so the partner's shipping timetable and our collection are planned together rather than by two firms who never speak.

How a shipment works with us

1. Tell us what you are sending. We need a description of the goods, the number of pallets or packages, weights and dimensions, the collection address and the destination. If the goods are already in a container, give us the container size.

2. We pass the shipping side to our partner. They confirm the route and the paperwork needed for that country.

3. We collect. On the agreed day our driver collects from your site, checks the load against the paperwork and secures it for the run to the port.

4. The goods ship. From there, our partner looks after the sea crossing or the road journey into Europe, and the customs process.

5. Arrival. For imports, the same process runs the other way: once the goods are released at the UK port, we collect and deliver to your premises.

Paperwork you will need

Delays in international freight usually come from paperwork rather than transport. Any business moving goods in or out of the UK needs an EORI number, and most shipments need an invoice for customs, a packing list and the correct commodity codes for the goods. The terms of sale matter too. If you sell on ex works terms, the buyer arranges collection; if you sell delivered, the cost and risk of the journey sit with you. Check which terms are on your order before asking for a quote, because they decide who books the freight.

Export packing is worth thinking about early. Goods that travel happily on a pallet across the UK may need stronger packing, crating or extra securing for a long sea voyage with several handling points.

Who uses our freight service in Peterborough

• Food and drink producers sending packaged goods to overseas buyers
• Engineering firms exporting machines, parts and spares
• Agricultural businesses moving equipment to and from mainland Europe
• Importers bringing in stock, raw materials or components
• Online retailers receiving bulk stock from overseas suppliers

Containers and the road leg

Many international shipments travel in a shipping container. If you are loading a full container at your own site, our container delivery service brings the empty box to you and takes it back to the port once loaded. For loads going by sea, our sea freight service in Peterborough explains full and shared container options and what affects the cost.

Areas covered

We pick up and drop off overseas freight in Peterborough, Stamford, Huntingdon, Wisbech, Spalding, March and Oundle, and from anywhere in the East of England and the East Midlands.

Why use us for freight forwarding

• One contact for the UK collection and the international shipping
• Collections planned around the vessel or flight booking, not separately
• Our own drivers carry out the UK road leg
• Paperwork explained in plain terms before you book
• Imports collected from the port as soon as they are released

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an EORI number to export?

Yes. Any UK business moving goods across the UK border needs an EORI number that starts with GB. You apply through GOV.UK, and it normally needs to be in place before the shipment is declared, so sort it out before you book.

Can you collect from a factory with no forklift?

Often, yes. Tell us how the goods are packed and how heavy each item is. Pallets can be loaded by tail lift, and heavier items can be lifted by a crane lorry. If you are loading a container yourself, we agree with you beforehand how it is delivered, how long you need to load it and when we collect it.

How long does an international shipment take?

That depends on the destination, the way the goods travel and the time customs takes at each end. Our partner confirms the expected timing for your route when they quote.

Can you handle imports as well as exports?

Yes. For inbound freight, we collect from the UK port once the goods are released and deliver to your premises in and around Peterborough. Send us the arrival details as soon as you have them.

How much does international freight forwarding cost?

The main factors are the destination, how the goods travel, the volume and weight, and the customs work involved. The UK collection adds a separate road cost based on distance and the vehicle needed. Send us your shipment details for a quote.

Get a freight quote in Peterborough

Tell us the goods, the destination and the date they must be away by. We will set out how the job would run and what it costs. Call us or use the contact form.