Sea Freight in Peterborough

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

• Versatile
• Precise
• Dependable

Sea Freight in Peterborough

Sea freight is the cheapest way to move large volumes of goods between continents, and for most Peterborough businesses it is how exports reach customers outside Europe and how bulk stock arrives from overseas suppliers. The ship is only the middle of the journey, though. Goods leaving a unit on the Eastern Industry estate or a farm near Whittlesey still have to reach a port on the coast, and inbound containers still have to come back inland.

We arrange sea freight for businesses in and around Peterborough. Our drivers run the UK leg between your premises and the port, while space on the ship and the customs side are arranged by our freight forwarding partner. You get one contact, and the collection is planned around the sailing rather than as an afterthought.

Full container or shared container?

The first decision is how much space you need.

Full container load (FCL). You book a whole container, usually a 20ft or 40ft box, and it carries only your goods. It is sealed at your site or the packing depot and not opened again until it reaches the buyer, unless customs inspect it. For larger shipments this is normally the better value per pallet, and the goods are handled less.

Shared container load (LCL). If you have a few pallets rather than a full box, your goods travel alongside other shippers' cargo in a shared container. You pay for the space you use. The trade-off is extra handling at consolidation warehouses at each end, and usually a longer overall journey.

As a rough guide, a 20ft container holds around ten standard UK pallets on the floor and a 40ft around twenty to twenty-three, depending on the pallet size and how the load is planned. Heavy goods may reach the container's weight limit before it is full.

Getting goods from Peterborough to the ship

A full container is delivered empty to your yard, loaded by your own staff, and taken back to the port ahead of the cut-off. Plan the loading time with us beforehand: how many hours you need, whether you have a forklift and dock, and where the trailer can stand. Our container delivery service handles these moves across Peterborough and the surrounding area.

Part loads travel differently: we pick up the pallets and drop them at the groupage depot on the booking, and they go into a shared box from there.

Most deep-sea services from the East of England sail from Felixstowe, a run of around two hours down the A14. Our Felixstowe container haulage covers collections and deliveries at the port.

What sea freight costs depend on

Sea freight quotes are made up of several parts, and it helps to know what they are before comparing prices.

• The ocean freight rate for the container or the space, which moves with demand and the season
• Fuel and other surcharges added by the shipping line
• Port handling fees in the UK and at the destination
• Customs declarations at each end, plus any duty and import VAT
• The road leg in the UK, and any delivery at the far end
• Storage or container charges if a box is held beyond its free days

Check what is and is not included. A low ocean rate can look cheap until port charges and delivery are added.

Paperwork and customs

Every sea shipment needs a commercial invoice, a packing list and a bill of lading issued by the carrier, as well as your EORI number and the commodity codes for the goods. Many businesses use a forwarder or customs agent to make declarations on their behalf, and HMRC sets out what to check before you appoint someone to deal with customs for you. For the full picture on forwarding, see our international freight forwarding in Peterborough page.

Areas covered

Sea freight pickups and drop-offs cover businesses across Peterborough, Stamford, Spalding, Wisbech, March, Huntingdon and the Fens.

Why ship with us

• UK road leg and sea booking arranged together
• Container loading time agreed with you before the box arrives
• Collections timed against the port cut-off
• Imports brought inland inside the free days where the release allows
• A clear breakdown of what each quote includes

Frequently asked questions

How much does sea freight cost from Peterborough?

The ocean rate depends on the route and the time of year, so prices change from month to month. On top of that come port charges, customs and the road leg between Peterborough and the port. We quote the full shipment once we know the goods, the volume and the destination.

Is sea freight insured?

Not fully by default. The carrier's liability is capped by international rules and often comes to far less than the invoice value, so many shippers add their own cargo cover. Ask about it when you request a quote.

Can I ship a few pallets by sea?

Yes, as a shared container load. You pay for the space your pallets take up rather than a whole container. Make sure each pallet is packed and wrapped to cope with extra handling.

How long will my shipment take?

Journey times vary widely by route and service. Our partner gives the expected sailing and arrival dates with the quote. Allow extra time for the road leg and customs at each end.

Get a sea freight quote in Peterborough

Send us the goods, the number of pallets or the container size, the destination and your ready date. We will explain how the shipment would be handled and what it costs. Call us or use the contact form.