Belfast, United Kingdom
Sea freight in Belfast
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Belfast, via Belfast Harbour. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Belfast
- AirportBelfast International
BFS - AirportBelfast City
BHD - SeaportBelfast Harbour
Belfast International Airport (BFS) at Aldergrove is Northern Ireland's main cargo airport, with express and freighter traffic, while George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD), close to the harbour, serves mainly passenger routes. Dublin Airport (DUB) in the Republic of Ireland is reached by motorway and offers long-haul belly capacity, though goods then cross a customs boundary. For sea freight, Belfast Harbour handles ferry, ro-ro and container traffic, with frequent links to Great Britain.
The M1 runs south-west from Belfast and the A1 continues towards the border and Dublin. The M2 leads north towards Antrim and Belfast International Airport. Belfast Harbour has ferry and ro-ro links to Scotland and England, carrying the trailers that move most goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Operational logistics facts for Belfast
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast International Airport (BFS) | Express and freighter traffic | Northern Ireland's main air cargo gateway |
| Belfast Harbour | Ro-ro, ferries, containers | Frequent sailings to Great Britain for trailers and containers |
| East Belfast aerospace sector | Aerostructures, wing production | Urgent parts support by NFO and OBC |
| Northern Ireland agri-food | Dairy, meat, processed food | Exports needing correct customs and sanitary documents |
Industries in Belfast and how we support them
Belfast has a long aerospace history, with aerostructures and wing production in east Belfast, and a defence sector that includes missile systems manufacturing. Agri-food is a major exporter, with dairy, meat and processed food producers across Northern Ireland. Technology and cybersecurity firms are growing in the city. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight via Belfast International or Dublin under our own air waybills, Next Flight Out and On-Board Courier for aerospace parts, sea freight through Belfast Harbour, and in-house customs clearance that takes account of the Windsor Framework.
FCL and LCL via Belfast Harbour
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Belfast to Belfast Harbour, or on-carriage after arrival, is arranged by road or rail as part of the same booking.
Customs clearance in the United Kingdom
In-house customs team
Customs clearance in the United Kingdom is handled by our own in-house customs team.
For air freight to and from the United Kingdom we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in the United Kingdom need a GB EORI number issued by HMRC.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Belfast?
Usually Belfast Harbour. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.