Shipping to and from the United Kingdom

Transit times depend on the vessel rotation, and whether containers need to be connected to other vessels on their journey and how many calling ports there are on the route.

For example, you can ship a container from China to the United Kingdom from 28 days, from a main port like Shanghai. Outlying ports, however, like Xingdao, normally need to move on a feeder vessel first to a Chinese main port – and then be loaded on to an international (Mother) vessel bound for the United Kingdom.

There are also instances where the (Mother) vessel is destined for a European Main-Port like Rotterdam or Antwerp and not the UK. The container is removed from the (Mother) vessel and loaded onto a feeder vessel for the last leg of the journey to the United Kingdom.

Insurance is not necessarily required to ship to the UK but you should review whether this is something you should consider based on the Incoterms® you have agreed with your supplier.

Dependant on the Incoterms® chosen, the risk associated with your purchase moves at a specific point in the shipping process. For example, if you chose to work with DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms then the Seller bears all Risk until the Buyer receives the goods, while if you chose FOB (Free On Board) terms the Risk moves to the Buyer at the point it loads on the vessel at Origin.

You should always ensure you read the fine print to ensure insurance coverage meets your needs, with policies varying on commodities, routes and value. Only specific policies cover delays, while most do not. Other policies cover you only for General Average Contribution, which are the costs associated with loss or damage to a ship or its cargo, with costs shared between the owners of the ship and owners of the cargo on board.

If you’re shipping your cargo across the sea, you want to know that you won’t lose money if your cargo is damaged or lost. This is why Twill offers Value Protect, giving you peace of mind that your cargo is protected during the transportation with us.

The customs clearance process can differ from country-to-country and from port-to-port. At Twill we realise the need to get your goods through customs and understand the challenges it may cause. That’s why we can handle Customs House Brokerage (CHB) for you.

With the UK’s decision to leave the EU, also known as Brexit, businesses must prepare their logistics to guarantee goods’ smooth transport over the boarders to and from the UK. From the beginning of 2021, you will have to navigate the transition from free trade across Europe to a Brexit compliant trade.