The trade volume between China and the Netherlands has increased year by year. The transportation time plays a key role in import and export trade. This article will introduce the transportation time from China to the Netherlands in detail to help optimize the transportation plan.
You may also be interested in: How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to the Netherlands?
Introduction to the Netherlands
Located in the northwest of Europe and bordering Germany to the east, the Netherlands is an important trade hub in Europe, connecting major trade markets around the world and undertaking a large number of cross-border transportation tasks. Major ports and airports provide efficient logistics channels for transportation from China to the Netherlands
Major ports
- Port of Amsterdam: As the largest port in Europe and the second largest port in the world, it has complete logistics facilities and can handle a large number of containers and bulk cargo.
- Port of Amsterdam: It is one of the major multi-purpose ports in Europe, focusing on the transportation of liquid cargo (such as oil and chemicals), and also handles a large number of bulk cargo and container transportation.
- Port of Zeebrugge: It mainly handles container cargo and bulk cargo and is one of the important secondary ports in the Netherlands.
Major airports
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: An important air transport hub that provides fast air transport services. It has significant advantages in handling high-value goods and emergency transportation.
- Rotterdam The Hague Airport: A major transit airport with strong cargo handling capabilities, mainly responsible for transporting electronic products, flowers and other products.
Shipping from China to the Netherlands
There are three main modes of transport from China to the Netherlands: sea, air and rail. Each mode of transport has its own unique advantages and disadvantages and is suitable for different cargo needs
Sea Freight
Sea Freight is the most common mode of transport from China to the Netherlands. It is suitable for large quantities of goods and has relatively low costs. The transportation time is longer and it is not suitable for urgently needed goods.
Air Freight
Air transport is the fastest mode of transport and is suitable for goods with high timeliness requirements, but the transportation cost is high and the limited volume cannot transport bulk goods.
Rail Freight
Rail Freight via the China-Europe Railway Express combines the timeliness of air transport with the cost-effectiveness of sea transport, and is suitable for bulk commodities and goods that require medium timeliness.
Shipping Time from China to the Netherlands
The shipping time from China to the Netherlands is determined by the mode of transportation, but is also affected by the following factors:
- Weather conditions: Bad weather may cause delays in shipping, air or rail transportation, especially sea and air transportation.
- Port and airport congestion: Ports and airports may be congested due to a surge in cargo volume, resulting in cargo detention and extended shipping time.
- Types of cargo: Special cargo (such as hazardous chemicals and overweight cargo) may require additional procedures or special handling, affecting the speed of transportation.
- Holiday and weekday arrangements: Transportation arrangements during holidays may be affected, and the length of holidays has a greater impact on shipping time.
Sea Freight Time from China to the Netherlands
The shipping time is usually longer, and the specific transportation time depends on the distance between the departure port and the destination port and the traffic conditions of the route. Generally speaking, the shipping time from major ports in China to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is about 30-40 days. The following is the detailed transportation time:
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Rotterdam | 26-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Rotterdam | 28-35 days |
| Qingdao | Rotterdam | 25-35 days |
| Ningbo | Rotterdam | 27-33 days |
| Shanghai | Amsterdam | 26-33 days |
| Shenzhen | Amsterdam | 25-35 days |
| Qingdao | Amsterdam | 28-35 days |
| Ningbo | Amsterdam | 27-35 days |
| Shanghai | Zeeland | 27-33 days |
| Shenzhen | Zeeland | 26-34 days |
| Qingdao | Zeeland | 26-33 days |
| Ningbo | Zeeland | 25-35 days |
Air Freight Time from China to the Netherlands
It usually takes 3-7 days for goods to arrive at major destination airports in the Netherlands from major airports in China, depending on the route and airline.
| Departure Airport (China) | Arrival Airport (Netherlands) | Shipping time (days) |
| Shanghai Pudong | Amsterdam Schiphol | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Amsterdam Schiphol | 4-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Amsterdam Schiphol | 4-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Eindhoven | 3-6 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Eindhoven | 3-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Eindhoven | 4-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Rotterdam The Hague | 3-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Rotterdam The Hague | 3-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Rotterdam The Hague | 3-7 days |
Rail Freight Time from China to the Netherlands
Rail transport is a relatively fast and affordable option for connecting China and the Netherlands via the China-Europe Express, which usually takes 15-18 days to deliver, depending on the departure and arrival points and the length of stops along the way.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Netherlands) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhou | Rotterdam | 15-18 days |
| Chongqing | Rotterdam | 15-17 days |
| Wuhan | Rotterdam | 16-18 days |
| Zhengzhou | Amsterdam | 15-19 days |
| Chongqing | Amsterdam | 14-18 days |
| Wuhan | Amsterdam | 15-18 days |
The following are the shipping times from China to other parts of Europe:
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to the UK?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Germany?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to France
How to Improve the Shipping Time from China to the Netherlands
The ways to improve the transportation time include:
- Choose a faster route or flight: choose a direct route to avoid stopovers and improve transportation efficiency.
- Make reservations: Book transportation services in advance to avoid delays caused by temporary arrangements.
- Optimize packaging and loading: Improve cargo loading efficiency and reduce unnecessary delays during transportation.
- Pre-clearance and formalities: Reduce the detention time at ports or airports through pre-clearance and fast customs clearance.
Detailed Process of Shipping from China to the Netherlands
The detailed process of transport from China to the Netherlands usually includes the following main steps, which will help you master the time:
Cargo preparation
Confirm the type, quantity, size, weight and value of the goods. Choose the appropriate mode of transport (sea, air, rail, etc.) according to the different nature of the goods.
Choose a Shipping freight forwarder
Choose a reliable logistics company or freight forwarder to handle transportation matters. The freight forwarder will provide a transportation plan to help customers choose the most suitable mode and time of transportation.
Transport from China to the Netherlands
Choose a suitable mode of transport (sea, air, rail, etc.) according to the timeliness requirements of the goods, cost budget and other factors
Monitoring and communication during transportation
The freight forwarder will provide tracking information of the goods and monitor the transportation process in real time. If there are delays, port congestion or other problems during transportation, the freight forwarder will communicate with the customer in time and provide solutions to ensure that the goods arrive at the destination safely and on time.
Customs clearance process from China to the Netherlands
After the goods arrive in the Netherlands, they need to go through import customs clearance. The Dutch customs will check whether the goods meet the import requirements of the Netherlands based on the customs declaration documents and other information of the goods. Includes:
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Bill of Lading (sea)/Air Waybill (air)
- Certificate of Origin
- Import license or other relevant licenses (if applicable)
- Import tax and value-added tax (VAT): The Netherlands usually imposes value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods, and the tax rate is usually 21%. Customs may also impose other taxes and fees depending on the classification and value of the goods.
- Customs review: Customs will review all documents to confirm that the goods comply with the import regulations of the Netherlands. If necessary, the goods may be randomly inspected or sampled.
Delivery of goods
After the goods arrive at the destination, the consignee needs to check the quantity of the goods, the integrity of the packaging, and the invoice information. If the goods are damaged during transportation or there are other problems, the consignee should contact the freight forwarder as soon as possible to claim or resolve.
There are many options for transportation from China to the Netherlands. Sea, air and rail transportation each have their own advantages. When choosing a mode of transportation, you need to make a reasonable decision based on the type of goods, timeliness requirements and cost budget.