Freight Guide from Xiamen Port (CNXMN) to Antwerp Port (BEANR)

I. Transportation Modes and Routes

A. Air Freight (Air – Truck Combined Transport)

• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: It serves as a crucial transfer center in Europe. Once the goods arrive, trucks are used for the delivery to Antwerp Port. The short distance between the two locations ensures smooth logistics connection.
• Frankfurt Airport: Positioned in the heart of Europe, it is convenient for the rapid distribution of goods across the continent. Trucks transport the goods from the airport to Antwerp Port after arrival.
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: With a well – developed freight network, it provides a stable transit option. Trucks are arranged for the final delivery to Antwerp Port.

• Lufthansa: Its main hubs are Frankfurt and Munich. It offers high – frequency flights, ensuring fast transfer and transportation of goods. Lufthansa has rich experience and professional facilities in handling temperature – controlled goods and valuable items, with advantageous routes connecting major economic regions in Asia and Europe.
• Air France: Relying on Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, it has a dense route network. It provides stable freight flights on the Xiamen – Antwerp route. Air France pays great attention to service quality, especially in cargo handling and warehousing connection, which is reliable for high – value – added cargo transportation.
• KLM: Linked closely with Xiamen via Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, it has an advanced fleet of cargo planes and a wide – spread route network. It can quickly transport goods from Xiamen to Amsterdam and efficiently connect with the subsequent truck delivery to Antwerp, excelling in timeliness and transportation safety.

B. Sea Freight (Sea – Truck Combined Transport)

• Maersk: It has an extensive route coverage, connecting major ports in Asia such as Shenzhen, Ningbo, Busan, and Singapore, with those in Europe like Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Southampton. Maersk has large – scale vessels with strong transportation capacity, provides one – stop logistics services, and utilizes advanced information technology for easy cargo tracking.
• MSC: Its routes involve ports in Asia including Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and in Europe such as Le Havre, Genoa, and Barcelona. MSC offers competitive prices, has flexible routes, and is environmentally conscious.
• Cosco: It links coastal ports in China such as Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, and Guangzhou with European ports like Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Piraeus. As a domestic shipping enterprise, Cosco has a deep understanding of the domestic market, a large fleet, and can realize the coordinated operation of sea, land, and air multimodal transport.

II. Analysis of Advantages and Disadvantages of Transportation Modes

A. Air Freight

• Advantages
  • High Speed: Usually, the whole journey only takes 3 – 5 days, greatly shortening the delivery cycle, which is ideal for meeting urgent demands.
  • High Safety: Stringent security checks and the flight environment reduce the risk of cargo damage, making it suitable for high – value and fragile goods.
  • Strong Traceability: High – level informatization enables shippers to track the cargo’s status in real – time.
• Disadvantages
  • High Cost: The cost is several times to dozens of times that of sea freight, which is not cost – effective for large – quantity and low – value goods.
  • Limited Cargo Capacity: The cargo capacity of aircraft is small, and large – volume and heavy – weight goods need to be transported in batches, increasing operating costs.

B. Sea Freight

• Advantages
  • Low Cost: It has the lowest cost for large – scale cargo transportation, which helps reduce logistics costs.
  • Large Cargo Capacity: Ships have a strong cargo – carrying capacity, suitable for transporting large – quantity goods.
  • Mature Routes: The sea route from Xiamen Port to Antwerp Port is well – established, with frequent sailings and a variety of choices.
• Disadvantages
  • Long Transit Time: Sea voyages usually take 30 – 40 days. Considering port operations and inland transportation, the overall transportation cycle is long, resulting in slow capital turnover and high inventory costs.
  • Vulnerable to Weather: It is easily affected by adverse weather and sea conditions, leading to flight delays and cargo damage, with relatively poor transportation stability.

III. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A. What are the approximate costs of air and sea freight?

Fee Breakdown

Origin Charges – Local Fees in China

• Handling Fee
• Documentation Fee
• Seal Fee
• Port of Loading Terminal Fee

Booking Process

How to make a booking?:  Quotation → Order Reception → Booking → Packing → Customs Declaration → Confirmation → Signing → Reconciliation → Release of Documents 

Cargo Types

• General Cargo (GC)
• Possibly Refrigerated (RF)

Container Types & Sizes

• 20’GP：Approx. 5.9×5.9×19.7ft, 33m³/1160ft³
• 40’GP：Approx. 8×8.6x40ft, 67m³/2370ft³
• 40’HQ：Approx. 8×9.6x40ft, 76m³/2700ft³
• 45’HQ：Approx. 8×9.6x45ft, 86m³/3050ft³
• 20’RF：Approx. 5.9×5.9×19.7ft, 26 – 28m³/930 – 1000ft³
• 40’RH：Approx. 8×9.6x40ft, 58m³/2050ft³

Service Offerings

1. Air Freight：With extensive route resources, we ensure the rapid and secure air transportation of goods to their destinations.
2. Ocean Freight：Our ocean freight services cover major global routes.

Local Services in China for EXW/FOB/CIF

1. Export Customs Brokerage：We are well – versed in all export customs clearance processes, ensuring the smooth passage of goods through customs.
2. Warehousing/Storage：Provide safe and convenient warehousing services to meet the temporary storage needs of goods.
3. Pick – up & Distribution：Our efficient pick – up and distribution services enable seamless cargo transportation connections.

Key Loading Ports in China

From China to Latin America and USA: Xiamen (CNXMN)/Shenzhen Shekou (CNSHK) Yantian (CNYTN)/

Qingdao (CNTAO)/Shanghai (CNSHA)/Ningbo (CNNGB)/Hongkong (HKHKG)/Fuzhou ( CNFOC )/

Nansha(CNXSA)/Huangpu(CNHPU )/TIanjin Xingang（CNTXG ）/Dalian( CNDLC )