Stuttgart, Germany
Sea freight in Stuttgart
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Stuttgart, via Sea freight via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Stuttgart
- AirportStuttgart Airport
STR - AirportFrankfurt
FRAroad feeder - SeaportSea freight via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam
Stuttgart Airport (STR) serves Baden-Württemberg's capital region and handles air cargo mainly on passenger flights and via trucked services. Most long-haul air freight from Stuttgart is routed by road feeder to Frankfurt (FRA), where freighter capacity is far larger. Stuttgart has its own inland port on the Neckar, but containers to and from overseas normally move via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam, with rail connections into the region.
The A8 (Karlsruhe, Munich) and the A81 (Heilbronn, Würzburg, Lake Constance) cross near Stuttgart, and the airport lies directly on the A8. Rail terminals in Kornwestheim and the Port of Stuttgart on the Neckar link the region with the North Sea ports by rail, and road feeder trucks connect STR and the industrial belt with Frankfurt Airport.
Operational logistics facts for Stuttgart
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Stuttgart Airport (STR) | Belly cargo and trucked air freight | Pick-up and hand-over close to the automotive cluster |
| Road feeder STR to FRA | Freighter capacity for heavy and oversized parts | Long-haul options for machinery and tooling |
| Port of Stuttgart and Kornwestheim rail terminal | Container rail links to North Sea ports | Sea freight with rail pre-carriage from the Neckar valley |
| Automotive and machinery cluster | Spare parts, prototypes and machine components | NFO and On-Board Courier when production is at risk |
Industries in Stuttgart and how we support them
The Stuttgart region is a centre of automotive production and engineering: Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Bosch are headquartered here, surrounded by a dense network of suppliers, machine builders and automation specialists. Supply chains rely on spare parts, tooling, prototypes and machine components shipped worldwide, often at short notice. Ziem Logistics supports these companies with air freight under our own air waybills via STR or Frankfurt, Next Flight Out and On-Board Courier for production-critical parts, sea freight for machinery and FCL volumes, and import and export clearance by our own customs team, including export control checks for machine tools.
FCL and LCL via Sea freight via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Stuttgart to Sea freight via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam, or on-carriage after arrival, is arranged by road or rail as part of the same booking.
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 Stuttgart?
Usually Sea freight via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.