Cologne, Germany
Sea freight in Cologne
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Cologne, via Rhine ports, sea freight via Rotterdam and Antwerp. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Cologne
- AirportCologne Bonn Airport
CGN - SeaportRhine ports, sea freight via Rotterdam and Antwerp
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is one of Germany's main cargo airports and a major express hub; UPS runs its European air hub there, and other express carriers and freighter operators also use the airport, including night-flight operations. This makes CGN useful for time-critical shipments and freighter capacity in western Germany. Düsseldorf (DUS) is the alternative for belly cargo. For sea freight, Cologne relies on the Rhine: containers come from Rotterdam and Antwerp by barge or rail to terminals in Cologne-Niehl and Cologne-Godorf.
The Kölner Autobahnring formed by the A1, A3 and A4 connects Cologne with the Ruhr area, Frankfurt, Aachen and Belgium. The Cologne Eifeltor terminal is one of Germany's major rail combined-transport hubs, and the Rhine ports operated by HGK in Niehl and Godorf link the region with the Benelux seaports. CGN has direct motorway access via the A59.
Operational logistics facts for Cologne
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) | Express, freighter and night-flight operations | Late hand-over options for time-critical freight |
| Cologne Eifeltor rail terminal | Combined road-rail transport | Rail connections across Europe for continental freight |
| HGK Rhine ports Niehl and Godorf | Containers to and from Rotterdam and Antwerp | Sea freight delivered by barge close to Cologne consignees |
| Chempark Leverkusen and Dormagen | Chemicals and plastics | Classification and documents for chemical shipments prepared before departure |
Industries in Cologne and how we support them
The Cologne region hosts chemical parks and refineries along the Rhine, such as Chempark Leverkusen and Dormagen and the Shell Rhineland refinery, a Ford plant in Cologne-Niehl, and a strong media and service sector. Express logistics is a core part of the local economy. Typical shipments include chemical products, automotive parts and electronics. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight under our own air waybills via CGN, Next Flight Out on the first available flight, On-Board Courier, sea freight via Rotterdam and Antwerp with Rhine pre-carriage, and import and export clearance by our own customs team.
From the port to your door in Cologne
We arrange collection of the container or the LCL cargo at Rhine ports, sea freight via Rotterdam and Antwerp, customs clearance and delivery to your site in the Cologne area. For exports we organise the pick-up and the delivery to the terminal before the cut-off.
Customs clearance in Germany
In-house customs team
Customs clearance in Germany is handled by our own in-house customs team.
For air freight to and from Germany we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Germany need an EORI number issued by German Customs.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Cologne?
Usually Rhine ports, sea freight via Rotterdam and Antwerp. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.