Container Shipping to and from the Netherlands

The Netherlands benefits from a great network of transportation modes, and at Twill, our customers have access to our full range of haulage services. We use Ocean and Inland Transportation (via rail, road and barge) to get your container delivered as promised – and thanks to the strong transport infrastructure, we have short lead times and fast turnaround times. That means you, as a customer, can use a well-connected network which improves the delivery time of your products.

The APM 2 port is the largest in Europe, located just outside Rotterdam. It has a direct Rail and Barge connection to locations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, facilitating Inland Transportation. Learn more about Inland Transportation with Twill.

Transit times for shipping to and from the Netherlands will depend on the locations you are shipping from or to. However, Rotterdam is the biggest European port, meaning the Netherlands holds a favourable position regarding transit times.

For example, Rotterdam is often the first Northern European port vessels from Asia stop at. With Asia to Northern Europe being one of the biggest and most important trade routes, we offer not only weekly departures but also fast transit from Shanghai to Rotterdam. In this case, the estimated transit time between the locations is 34 days and exporting from Rotterdam to Asia will take 28 days to deliver the container to Shanghai port.

As Twill is supercharged by industry leader Maersk, we have global coverage and can support you wherever your cargo is moving from or towards. This means we ensure that your cargo arrives on time.

Transit times will be affected each year by the holiday season. At this time, you will see a peak in containers coming into the Netherlands. This peak season counts especially for goods such as toys, garden furniture, winter tires and spring fashion. At these times, it's important to plan your shipments wherever possible.

At Twill, we specialise in shipping your cargo from door to door, over land and sea. Our services do not automatically include insurance for your cargo – unless the laws in the country require it. In this case, insurance is not needed to ship to the Netherlands, but you should review whether this is something you should consider based on the Incoterms® you have agreed with your supplier.

Depending on the Incoterms® chosen, the risk associated with your cargo moves at a specific point in the shipping process. For example, if you chose to work with the DAP (Delivered at Place) Incoterm, then the seller bears all risk until the buyer receives the goods at their final destination. If you choose the FOB (Free On Board) Incoterm, the risk moves to the buyer at the point it loads on the vessel at its origin destination.

You should always read the fine print to ensure insurance coverage meets your needs, as policies vary based on commodities, routes and value.

If you're shipping your cargo across the sea, you want to know that you are easily being compensated if your cargo is damaged or lost. This is why Twill offers Value Protect, giving you peace of mind that your cargo is protected during transportation with us. With our Value Protect added, it is easier and simpler to make claims when compared to traditional insurance – helping you avoid the many difficulties and annoyances that businesses face when trying to ship cargo while protecting it from risk and damage.

Customs Clearance is required to facilitate cargo movement out and into countries. The process can differ from country-to-country and from port to port. At Twill, we understand the challenges this may cause. That's why we can handle Customs Clearance for you.

For a smooth clearance process for exports or imports, you must take care of a few documents: the Commercial invoice, Packing list, Bill of Lading and a complete order form. If you book Customs Services with Twill, you can easily upload these documents to our platform once you have filled them out.

The most popular trade lanes are from and to Asia – like China, Vietnam, Thailand and India. These countries represent big market shares and have the biggest vessels carrying the most containers globally. Other popular trades are lanes from the United States and Africa towards the Netherlands.

As a customer, this means that vessels are frequently leaving and sailing on these trade lanes and many shipping services are available via Twill's platform.