Patras, Greece
Customs clearance in Patras
Import and export clearance for shipments to and from Patras. Customs clearance in Greece is handled by our own in-house customs team.
Industries in Patras and how we support them
Patras and the surrounding Achaia and Western Greece region produce agricultural goods, wine, olive oil and processed food, much of it exported to Italy and Western Europe by road via the Patras ferries. The port also supports trade and distribution businesses. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with road freight via the Patras-Italy ferries, air freight via Athens under our own air waybills, sea freight through Piraeus, and in-house customs clearance for exports to non-EU markets.
Operational logistics facts for Patras
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Port of Patras | Ferries and ro-ro to Italy | Road freight to Western Europe without the Balkan land route |
| Olympia Odos motorway | Road link to Athens | Access to Athens Airport and Piraeus |
| Rio-Antirrio Bridge | Link to western mainland Greece | Road connection north towards Ioannina and Epirus |
| Western Greece agri-food | Wine, olive oil, food products | Exports by ferry or via Piraeus |
Airports, seaports and connections in Patras
- AirportAthens
ATH - AirportAraxos
GPA - SeaportPort of Patrasferries to Italy
Patras is Greece's main ferry gateway to Italy. The Port of Patras has regular ferry services to Italian ports such as Ancona and Bari, carrying trucks and unaccompanied trailers to and from Western Europe. For air freight, Athens International Airport (ATH) is the main option, reached via the Olympia Odos motorway. Araxos Airport (GPA), west of Patras, is primarily a military airfield with limited civil traffic.
The Olympia Odos motorway links Patras with Corinth and Athens. The Rio-Antirrio Bridge across the Gulf of Corinth connects Patras with western mainland Greece, where the Ionia Odos runs north to Ioannina and the Egnatia Odos. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Patras and the Western Greece region.
Clearance by our own team in Greece
In Greece our own customs team files the declarations. Questions about classification, valuation or missing documents are answered directly by the people who prepare the entry, without a third party in between.
Customs clearance in Greece
In-house customs team
Customs clearance in Greece is handled by our own in-house customs team.
For air freight to and from Greece we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Greece need an EORI number issued by the Greek customs authority.
Documents we check before shipping
Commercial invoice, packing list, the transport document and, where needed, certificates of origin, licences or permits. We check that descriptions, values and HS codes are consistent across all documents before the goods move.
Frequently asked questions
Are customs formalities needed on the Patras-Italy ferries?
Greece and Italy are both EU members, so goods in free circulation travel without customs formalities. Non-EU goods or goods for export must be covered by the correct transit or export documents, which we prepare.
Can you clear exports of wine and olive oil from Patras?
Yes. Our own customs team prepares export declarations. Wine is an excise good, so movements under duty suspension need the correct excise documents, and some destinations require certificates of origin or health certificates.
Can you clear imports for Patras businesses arriving at Piraeus?
Yes. We file the declaration with AADE customs, coordinate release at Piraeus and arrange road transport to Patras once the goods are cleared.