Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Sea freight in Edinburgh
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Edinburgh, via Leith, Grangemouth and Rosyth. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Edinburgh
- AirportEdinburgh
EDI - SeaportLeith, Grangemouth and Rosyth
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is Scotland's busiest airport, with passenger routes to European hubs and long-haul destinations that carry belly cargo. Glasgow (GLA) and Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) are alternatives to the west, with Prestwick handling freighter traffic. For sea freight, Leith is Edinburgh's own port, Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth is Scotland's largest container port, and Rosyth on the Fife side handles ro-ro and cargo traffic.
The A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass links the city with the M8 to Glasgow and the A1 south towards England. The M9 runs past Edinburgh Airport towards Grangemouth and Stirling, and the Queensferry Crossing carries the M90 over the Forth to Rosyth and Fife. We arrange pick-up and delivery across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife.
Operational logistics facts for Edinburgh
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Airport (EDI) | Belly cargo, European and long-haul routes | Scotland's busiest airport for direct departures |
| Port of Grangemouth | Container traffic | Scotland's largest container port, linked by the M9 |
| Edinburgh BioQuarter | Life sciences and research | Temperature-controlled and documented sample shipments |
| Leith and Rosyth | General cargo, ro-ro | Additional port options on the Firth of Forth |
Industries in Edinburgh and how we support them
Edinburgh combines a large financial services sector with life sciences, research and food and drink exports. The Edinburgh BioQuarter and research institutes around the city work with samples, reagents and laboratory equipment, while Scottish food and drink producers export seafood, whisky and other products. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight via Edinburgh or larger UK hubs under our own air waybills, temperature-controlled shipments for life-science materials, On-Board Courier for research samples, sea freight via Grangemouth, Leith or Rosyth, and in-house customs clearance for imports and exports.
FCL and LCL via Leith, Grangemouth and Rosyth
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Edinburgh to Leith, Grangemouth and Rosyth, 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 Edinburgh?
Usually Leith, Grangemouth and Rosyth. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.