Germany
Air freight, sea freight and customs in Hamburg
Hamburg combines Germany's largest seaport with an airport that handles belly cargo; large air freight volumes are often trucked to Frankfurt for long-haul freighter flights.
Services in Hamburg
- Air freight in HamburgAir freight for time-critical and high-value cargo between Europe, the Americas and Asia.
- Sea freight in HamburgFCL and LCL sea freight on the main trade lanes, with pre-carriage and on-carriage by road or rail.
- Customs clearance in HamburgImport and export clearance by our in-house customs teams in 8 countries and by partner teams in the Ziem network.
Airports, seaports and connections in Hamburg
- AirportHamburg Airport
HAM - AirportFrankfurt
FRAroad feeder - SeaportPort of HamburgGermany's largest seaport
Hamburg Airport (HAM) handles air cargo mainly in the bellies of passenger aircraft, which suits smaller urgent consignments to European and selected long-haul destinations. Heavier or larger air freight from Hamburg is usually trucked to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) under a road feeder service to reach its freighter network. For sea freight, the city itself is the gateway: the Port of Hamburg is Germany's largest seaport, with container terminals such as Burchardkai, Altenwerder and Tollerort, and Bremerhaven is the second option on the North Sea coast.
Hamburg sits where the A1 (Bremen, Ruhr), A7 (Hanover, Denmark), A23, A24 (Berlin) and A25 meet. The port is served by an extensive port railway that moves containers to and from inland terminals across Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. Inland waterway links via the Elbe and the Elbe-Lateral Canal connect the port with the hinterland, and road feeder trucks link HAM and the port with Frankfurt for air connections.
Industries in Hamburg and how we support them
Hamburg's economy is shaped by the port: importers, wholesale and consumer-goods traders bring in containers from Asia and the Americas and distribute them across Northern Europe. The second pillar is aviation, with Airbus final assembly in Finkenwerder and Lufthansa Technik's maintenance base at the airport, which generates a steady demand for urgent aircraft parts (AOG). Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with FCL and LCL sea freight via Hamburg terminals, Next Flight Out and On-Board Courier for AOG parts, air freight under our own air waybills, and import and export customs clearance handled by our own customs team.
Operational logistics facts for Hamburg
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Port of Hamburg (container terminals) | FCL/LCL to and from Asia, the Americas and Scandinavia | Sea freight and German customs clearance handled in the same shipment file |
| Hamburg Airport (HAM) | Belly cargo on passenger flights, urgent smaller consignments | Short first-mile distances for city and port-area shippers |
| Road feeder HAM to FRA | Heavier air freight connecting to freighter flights | Access to Frankfurt freighter capacity without a separate booking in Hamburg |
| Aviation cluster Finkenwerder and airport | AOG and aircraft spare parts | NFO and On-Board Courier for time-critical aerospace components |
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
Do urgent shipments from Hamburg fly out of HAM or are they trucked to Frankfurt?
It depends on size, weight and destination. Smaller consignments can fly from Hamburg Airport (HAM) on passenger flights. Larger or heavier shipments and those needing a main-deck freighter usually travel by road feeder to Frankfurt (FRA). We compare both options with every booking and confirm the cut-off times.
Can you handle AOG parts for aviation customers in the Hamburg area?
Yes. For aircraft-on-ground situations we offer Next Flight Out on the first available flight with customs pre-lodged, or an On-Board Courier who hand-carries the part from the pick-up address to the destination. We arrange pick-up across the Hamburg area, including Finkenwerder and the airport zone.
Can air and sea freight be combined for shipments via Hamburg?
Yes. Many importers move base volumes by sea through the Port of Hamburg and use air freight for urgent top-up quantities. We book both modes in one file, so documents, customs data and delivery addresses stay consistent across the two shipments.
Can you clear containers arriving at the Port of Hamburg?
Yes. Our own customs team files the import declaration with German Customs in ATLAS for containers discharged in Hamburg. Clearance can be prepared before arrival when the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading are available, and the release depends on complete and correct documents.
What does an importer in Hamburg need for customs clearance?
The importer needs an EORI number issued by German Customs, a commercial invoice, a packing list and the transport document. For regulated goods additional certificates may apply. We check the tariff classification and the documents before filing, so questions are resolved before the goods arrive.
Do you also handle export declarations for goods leaving via Hamburg?
Yes. We prepare the export declaration in ATLAS, so the export accompanying document is in place when the goods are delivered to the terminal or airport. This applies to sea freight from Hamburg as well as air freight via HAM or FRA.