Shipping times and costs from United States of America to Spain

Shipping Container Costs to Spain

Looking to move your belongings to Spain?

If you’re in a rush, putting your possessions on a plane is possible, but pricey – it’ll typically cost you around twice as much as shipping them to Spain by sea.

 

How to get quotes for shipping to Spain

1. You’ll be asked to provide a few details about your move to Spain
2. If we have shipping partners who can help you, they’ll contact you with quotes
3. You can compare these quotes and choose the deal that suits you
4. Our shipping partners will then help prepare your shipment for customs, deliver it door-to-door, and generally make the process as easy and stress-free as possible

 

Should you choose sea freight or air freight?

You may decide to send your belongings to your new home in Spain via plane or ship – either way, it should be an informed decision.

Here are the main advantages of each method, with more detailed explanations available on our Air Freight vs Sea Freight page.

Benefits of Sea Freight

• A 99.99% safety record
• Sea freight is 12-16 times cheaper than air freight
• You’re typically able to fit more on a ship than a plane
• A container ship creates 44 times less CO2 than a plane
• The International Maritime Organisation has pledged to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping by 40% by 2030

Benefits of Air Freight

• An identical 99.99% safety record
• Planes are faster

  However, there are unpredictable factors that can affect your shipping time, such as:

• Natural disasters
• Adverse weather conditions
• A route being unexpectedly blocked, as the Suez Canal was in March 2021
• Global health crises like COVID-19

Clearing customs at the Spanish border

Any shipment coming into Spain will have to deal with duties and inspection, but if you follow the guidelines, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Most shipping companies will send you all the forms you need to fill in before your move.

Check the Spanish customs website to see if any of your belongings are restricted or prohibited. If you have any more questions, direct them to your Spanish embassy.

You will need to create a list of everything that’s inside your container, in Spanish, and include their approximate value.

Most containers are physically inspected at the border, and if the contents don’t match the inventory, you’ll incur extra fees. Our suppliers can help you to make this list.

Be specific, clear, and honest. Shipments of used household goods are permitted, but you must sign a document agreeing not to transfer, lease, or sell them for at least a year after your arrival.

Popular shipping ports in Spain

Your container will almost certainly be shipped to one of Spain’s three major shipping ports. They are as follows, with statistics sourced from the European Union:

• Valencia (east, 5.2 million containers per year)
• Algeciras (south, 4.8 million containers per year)
• Barcelona (northeast, 3.4 million containers per year)

Once your container reaches a Spanish port, it will go by truck or train to your new house. A door-to-door service means you won’t have to worry about organising this final stage on your own.