International shipping guide to Italy

Whether you are sending packages to Italy on a regular basis, or wish to import goods by the full container load, Shipa Freight makes it easy for you to obtain competitive quotes online. We also give you access to a vast network of logistics resources to ship your goods quickly and efficiently.

The information on this page may be helpful to you if your business is shipping to Italy for the first time. It includes some of the things you should know about shipping standards and import/export formalities, and a comprehensive listing of regular shipping routes with approximate transit times.

International Shipping to Italy: Import/Export Standards

Italy is a member state of the European Union (EU), so imports and exports must comply with EU standards and tariffs. Tariffs can change without notice, so it’s important to be up to speed with current requirements before you begin shipping freight to Italy.

The European Commission’s TARIC website should contain up-to-date information on duties and tariffs. You can also ask for help from our team, since we manage international shipments to Italy on a regular basis and have the contacts necessary to update you.

Packaging and Labeling Requirements

In addition to understanding tariffs and duties, you might wish to familiarize yourself with EU and Italian requirements for packaging and labeling, which you must comply with when shipping packages to Italy. You can find details of all the EU requirements by visiting the European Union website.

However, Italy has its own specific set of requirements, which specify that you must display the following details on package labels:

• The product name
• Names and addresses of manufacturers, packers, sellers, or importers
• The product’s country of origin
• Product ingredients with weights in descending order
• The metric volume and weight of the package and its contents
• Category names of any product additives (if applicable)
• Details of any special storage requirements
• Best before, use by, or expiry dates

In most cases, information on package labels must be printed in Italian, but if you are an exporter sending packages to Italy, your local Italian consignee should be able to advise you of the precise requirements for labeling.

Documentation Requirements

The details we provide in this section are purely for your information. As a Shipa Freight customer, you will not have to worry unduly about the obligations described here, as we take care of most border

Formalities. This includes the preparation and submission of documents on your behalf. As with packaging and labeling, the documentation requirements for shippers sending freight to Italy are largely in line with those specified by the EU. The key documents you will need to provide are as follows:

The Commercial Invoice: You will normally be required to have three copies of a commercial invoice for the goods in your shipment. There are no stipulations as to the format of this invoice, but it must contain the following information:

• The date of issue
• The name and address of the seller and the buyer
• The payment terms agreed for the sale
• The country of origin of the goods
• An exact description of the goods, including the six-digit HS codes
• Details of the packaging type and material
• Quantity of each product or material in the shipment
• Gross and net weights
• The value of the goods covered by the invoice

The Bill of Lading: The details you must include in the bill of lading are as follows:

• Description of the goods being shipped
• The shipper’s name
• The name of the vessel carrying the goods
• The goods’ country of origin
• The name of the port at which the goods will be loaded
• The name of the port at which the goods will be unloaded
• Description of any identifying marks on the goods
• The name of the person who will claim the goods at the destination port

Aside from providing the two documents described above, you will also need to lodge a customs declaration. This can be done online or through the submission of paper documents. However, many businesses involved in shipping packages to Italy, engage a freight forwarder or customs broker to take care of the declaration process.

These services can make the process of shipping to Italy cost a little more. Keep in mind that unless you have experienced logistics professionals, are familiar with customs clearance, or working in your business, the services of a skilled external agency are well worth the small expense.

Shipping to Italy: Restricted Goods and Materials

The EU applies restrictions and prohibitions on the importation of certain goods and materials into all member states, with Italy being no exception.

While it’s not practical to provide full details of restrictions and prohibitions here, the following examples highlight some of the goods that you should not ship to Italy without first checking what specific controls, restrictions, or regulations may be in place:

• Coffee
• Cosmetics
• Foodstuffs of any type
• Leather goods
• Medical equipment and medicines
• Vitamin products
• Plants
• Shoes
• USB sticks
• Animal products (whether for food or non-food use)
• Music, movies, or similar media on DVDs or CDs

The list above is not exhaustive, and the items were selected especially to highlight the fact that restrictions and controls can apply to any type of goods. This includes even those that might seem innocuous—like USB sticks, for example.

You will find all the relevant information about restricted imports if you visit the EU’s TARIC website , but the database is not necessarily simple to navigate and interrogate. If in doubt, a logical first step will be to contact your freight forwarder or customs broker for shipment advice relating to your goods.

Trade Lane Information: Ocean Freight to Italy

The following information will help you to familiarize yourself with some of the main ocean freight routes for shipping to Italy. While the information here only covers port-to-port shipping legs, Shipa Freight also offers port-to-door and door-to-door transportation to destinations anywhere inside Italian borders.

5 Most Popular Routes for Shipping to Italy

The busiest ocean freight routes to Italy bring imports from oriental Singapore and the much closer ports of North Africa. Five of the most-used routes, for example, are:

• Singapore to Naples
• Singapore to Genoa
• Tanger Med (Morocco) to Genoa
• Port Said (Egypt) to Venice
• Port Said (Egypt) to Genoa

This doesn’t mean that other parts of the world are short of ocean-freight routes to Italy. Indeed, the major ports of Venice, Trieste, Livorno, and Genoa are some of the busiest in Europe, with freight continually arriving from every continent.

Longest/Shortest Transit Times to Italy for Ocean Freight

The longest ocean routes to Italy are those bringing cargo vessels in from East Asia and the American continent. Transit times for ocean freight from Chinese ports like Xiamen and Qingdao can be up to 40 days or even more.

Of course, a lot depends on how many ports a vessel will call at en route between China and Italy, but if you will be moving cargo between these two countries, you should expect it to spend a minimum of 25 to 30 days at sea.

Shipping from the US to Italy meanwhile, can be quite fast, especially if the port of origin is one of those in the East Coast states. However, for businesses shipping from South America, transit times can be considerably longer. One of the longest routes, from Buenos Aires to Genoa, takes 30 days from port to port.

The shortest trade lanes connect Italy to the Middle Eastern and North African markets. Some of these routes, such as Casablanca (Morocco) to Genoa, take just three days to traverse.

Ocean Routes List for Freight to Italy

From America

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Duration
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Genoa	30 Days
Brazil	Itajai	Genoa	22 Days
Brazil	Itapoa	Genoa	21 Days
Brazil	Itaguai	Genoa	18 Days
Brazil	Rio Grande	Genoa	27 Days
Brazil	Santos	Genoa	19 days
Mexico	Altamira	Naples	24 Days
Mexico	Veracruz	Naples	25 Days
United States	Baltimore	Naples	18 Days
United States	Baltimore	Genoa	21 Days
United States	Miami	Naples	15 Days
United States	New Orleans	Naples	18 Days
United States	New York	Genoa	25 Days
United States	New York	Naples	23 Days
United States	Norfolk	Genoa	21 Days
United States	Norfolk	Naples	17 Days
United States	Savannah	Genoa	20 Days
United States	Savannah	Naples	16 Days
United States	Houston	Naples	20 Days

From Africa and the Middle East

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Duration
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Genoa	30 Days
Brazil	Itajai	Genoa	22 Days
Brazil	Itapoa	Genoa	21 Days
Brazil	Itaguai	Genoa	18 Days
Brazil	Rio Grande	Genoa	27 Days
Brazil	Santos	Genoa	19 days
Mexico	Altamira	Naples	24 Days
Mexico	Veracruz	Naples	25 Days
United States	Baltimore	Naples	18 Days
United States	Baltimore	Genoa	21 Days
United States	Miami	Naples	15 Days
United States	New Orleans	Naples	18 Days
United States	New York	Genoa	25 Days
United States	New York	Naples	23 Days
United States	Norfolk	Genoa	21 Days
United States	Norfolk	Naples	17 Days
United States	Savannah	Genoa	20 Days
United States	Savannah	Naples	16 Days
United States	Houston	Naples	20 Days

From Asia

Country of Origin	Port of Origin	Destination Port	Duration
China	Ningbo	La Spezia	27 Days
China	Shanghai	La Spezia	29 Days
China	Shanghai	Genoa	33 Days
China	Shanghai	Naples	32 Days
China	Ningbo	Genoa	31 Days
China	Ningbo	Naples	31 Days
China	Shenzhen	Genoa	25 Days
China	Shenzhen	Naples	29 Days
China	Guangzhou	Genoa	32 Days
China	Guangzhou	Naples	31 Days
China	Qingdao	Genoa	40 Days
China	Qingdao	Naples	40 Days
China	Dalian	Genoa	41 Days
China	Dalian	Naples	41 Days
China	Xiamen	Genoa	44 Days
China	Xiamen	Naples	43 Days
China	Lianyungang	Genoa	45 Days
China	Lianyungang	Naples	44 Days
China	Nanjing	Genoa	40 Days
China	Nanjing	Naples	40 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	La Spezia	23 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Genoa	25 Days
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Naples	33 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Naples	31 Days
Indonesia	Jakarta	Genoa	31 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Genoa	31 Days
Indonesia	Surabaya	Naples	31 Days
Japan	Yokohama	Genoa	30 Days
Japan	Kobe	Genoa	37 Days
Japan	Kobe	Naples	37 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Naples	30 Days
Malaysia	Port Klang	Genoa	30 Days
Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	Naples	29 Days
Malaysia	Tanjung Pelepas	Genoa	29 Days
Philippines	Manila	Genoa	36 Days
Philippines	Manila	Naples	36 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Genoa	22 Days
Singapore	Singapore	La Spezia	17 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Venice	22 Days
Singapore	Singapore	Naples	21 Days
South Korea	Busan	Genoa	39 Days
South Korea	Busan	Naples	39 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	Genoa	27 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	La Spezia	25 Days
Taiwan	Kaohsiung	Naples	27 Days
Thailand	Laem Chabang	Genoa	32 Days
Thailand	Laem Chabang	Naples	32 Days
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Naples	30 Days
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City	Genoa	30 Days
Vietnam	Hai Phong	Naples	34 Days
Vietnam	Hai Phong	Genoa	34 Days

International Shipping to Italy by Air

The following information covers some of the main air freight routes for shipping to Italy. While the details here relate purely to airport-to-airport shipping legs, Shipa Freight also offers port-to-door and door-to-door transportation to any location within Italy’s borders.

When you are shipping smaller quantities of goods, or sending packages to Italy on a tight schedule, air freight can often be the best mode of transportation. Air freight services for shipping to Italy cost more than ocean transportation though. As such, you should consider the impact on profit margins for your business.

For high-value goods however, air freight may not only be affordable, but can also present less risk, due to the high levels of security applied to air transportation. Add to that the fact that your goods are in transit for a minimal period of time.

Air Freight to Italy: Busiest Routes

The five busiest routes bringing freight into the hands of Italian enterprises are…

• Paris(France) to Rome
• Madrid (Spain) to Rome
• Vienna (Austria) to Milan
• Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Rome
• Munich (Germany) to Milan

Air Freight Transit Times to Italy: The Longest and Shortest

Nowhere is far away when you are sending packages to Italy via air freight. However, the routes from South America and Asia involve the longest transit times. It takes around 13 hours to complete the route from Buenos Aires in Argentina, to Rome, and a similar length of time for freight shipped from Tokyo to Rome.

Intra-European routes are the shortest of course. In fact, some carriers offer services from Zurich and Geneva to Milan, with flights taking just 30 to 40 minutes end-to-end.

Trade Lanes and Transit Times for Air Freight to Italy

From America

Country of Origin	Airport of Origin	Destination Airport	Duration(Approx.)
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Rome	13 Hours
Brazil	Sao Paulo	Milan	12 Hours
Canada	Toronto	Milan	7 Hours
United States	Charlotte	Rome	9 Hours
United States	Dallas	Rome	10 Hours
United States	New York	Rome	8 Hours
United States	New York	Milan	7 Hours
United States	Miami	Milan	9 Hours
United States	Philadelphia	Rome	8 Hours
United States	Chicago	Rome	9 Hours
United States	Chicago	Milan	8 Hours
United States	Los Angeles	Milan	10 Hours

From Europe

Country of Origin	Airport of Origin	Destination Airport	Duration(Approx.)
Austria	Vienna	Rome	1 Hour
Austria	Vienna	Milan	1 Hour
Belgium	Brussels	Milan	2 Hours
Belgium	Brussels	Rome	2 Hours
Denmark	Copenhagen	Milan	2 Hours
Denmark	Copenhagen	Rome	2 Hours
France	Paris	Rome	2 Hours
Germany	Dusseldorf	Milan	1 Hour
Germany	Munich	Rome	1 Hour
Germany	Munich	Milan	1 Hour
Germany	Munich	Milan	1 Hour
Germany	Frankfurt	Rome	2 Hours
Germany	Frankfurt	Milan	1 Hour
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Rome	2 Hours
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Milan	2 Hours
Russia	Moscow	Milan	3 Hours
Spain	Madrid	Rome	2 Hours
Spain	Barcelona	Milan	2 Hours
Switzerland	Geneva	Milan	<1 Hour
Switzerland	Zurich	Milan	<1 Hour
United Kingdom	London Heathrow	Milan	2 Hours

From Asia

Country of Origin	Airport of Origin	Destination Airport	Duration(Approx.)
China	Shanghai	Rome	12 Hours
China	Beijing	Rome	10 Hours
China	Beijing	Milan	11 Hours
China	Shanghai	Milan	12 Hours
China	Nanjing	Milan	11 Hours
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Rome	12 Hours
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Milan	12 Hours
Japan	Tokyo	Rome	13 Hours
Japan	Tokyo	Milan	13 Hours
Singapore	Singapore	Rome	12 Hours
Singapore	Singapore	Milan	12 Hours
South Korea	Seoul	Milan	11 Hours
Thailand	Bangkok	Milan	11 Hours

Shipping to Italy with Shipa Freight

The routes on this page represent just a few of the options available through our extensive logistics and transportation network, covering 100 countries worldwide.

Unless your consignments are very small, (in which case you might wish to ship them by courier to Italy) the Shipa Freight platform, and the skilled, experienced logistics team behind it, is the perfect solution for your occasional or regular international freight shipments.

Our advanced technology helps to keep the shipping process simple and affordable for your business, while our support agents and specialists deliver the highest levels of customer care and support.Rather than take our word for it though, it’s easy to put our services to the test. Why not get started right now, by requesting your first Shipa Freight quote online?