Ocean and Air Freight Shipping From South Africa to Italy

FCL, LCL and Air freight forwarding: information and online quote

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Updated on 16 Sep 2021

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In 2019, iron, steel, vegetables, textiles, and vehicles were among the main product categories traded between South Africa and Italy. This page has been created to help businesses import these and other goods from South Africa to Italy more easily and successfully. The page includes details about air and ocean shipping, plus information on seaports, airports, customs clearance, and shipment durations.

What Are Your Options for Freight From South Africa to Italy?

Flags of South Africa and Italy for the tradelane with Shipa Freight

You have a choice of air or ocean shipping when importing from South Africa to Italy. Both have pros and cons, which we’ll cover below.

Ocean Freight From South Africa to Italy

Less than Container Load (LCL): Your freight shares a container with other goods when you choose LCL shipping. It requires logistics processes known as consolidation and deconsolidation, both of which can mean the LCL shipping process often takes longer than FCL.

Full Container Load (FCL): In FCL shipping, you pay for the use and transportation of a shipping container from South Africa to Italy. It’s typically the fastest way to ship ocean freight between the two countries, and is advantageous from a security perspective, as you can seal your container after stuffing.

Air Freight from South Africa to Italy

Air-freight shipping is the quickest way to import from South Africa to Italy, but it comes with a high price tag.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From South Africa to Italy?

Calculator to represent the cost of Shipa Freight's quotes

When you ask a freight forwarder for a shipping quote, they will take into account:

The seaport or airport in South Africa you’re shipping from
The seaport or airport in Italy you’re shipping to
What kind of cargo needs to be transported
Whether you need a port to port, port to door, door to port or door to door delivery
The volume and dimensions of your freight
How much your cargo weighs

The weight of your cargo not only impacts cost—it can influence your choice of air or ocean shipping:

If your freight weighs 35kg or below, you should ask international couriers for a quote. Freight forwarders don’t handle such light loads.
If your consignment weighs 35 kg to 100 kg, there’s unlikely to be much of a price difference between the ocean or air shipping quotes you get.
For goods weighing over 100 kg, ocean shipping is usually more affordable for most shippers than air freight.

How Long Does it Take to Ship Cargo From South Africa to Italy?

The quickest way to ship freight from South Africa to Italy is by air. Freight forwarders will almost certainly route your goods to airports in Rome or Milan. With various shipping processes and customs clearance protocols to be adhered to, you should allow five to eight days for your freight to ship.

Shipping a container from South Africa to Italy by sea takes more time. It’s an 8,800-kilometer journey from Cape Town to Genoa and cargo carriers move at an average speed of about 35 kilometers an hour. So for all ocean shipments from South Africa to Italy, you should allow between 15 and 30 days, whether you choose FCL or LCL.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Sea From South Africa to Italy?

The time required to ship freight between specific ports in South Africa and Italy is typically 15 to 25 days for FCL shipments, and 20 to 30 days using an LCL service. Some of the most commonly used routes are from Cape Town or Port Elizabeth to Genoa, and from Durban or Port Elizabeth to Venice.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Air From South Africa to Italy?

There is only one direct service from South Africa to Italy and that’s the passenger flight from Johannesburg to Rome. It means that your goods are likely to be shipped using indirect services.

You should allow five to eight days from your goods’ arrival at the airport of origin, to the completion of customs clearance in South Africa. This transit time is typical for air freight flown from Port Elizabeth or Cape Town to Rome, and from Johannesburg to Milan.

Customs Clearance in South Africa and Italy

All goods you need to export from South Africa to Italy will be subject to customs rules and regulations. The following documents will be required:

Commercial Invoice
Packing List
Certificate of Origin
Letter of Credit or other payment terms (which one depends on the contract between the parties involved)
Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight (Shipa Freight can supply this)

We’ve compiled a documents list page featuring examples of the above so you can take a closer look. Additional forms may be required, such as permits, certificates, or licenses.

Many shippers find customs clearance one of the most complicated aspects of international shipping. That’s why they’re happy to leave the task to a freight forwarder. This reduces the risk of avoidable delays to your shipment and will ensure your cargo complies with all South African and Italian shipping rules.

Should You Choose Ocean or Air Shipping From South Africa to Italy?

Ocean Freight

If you have a large, heavy, or awkwardly-shaped consignment to export from South Africa to Italy, or are working to a limited budget, ocean shipping could be your best choice. An ocean carrier can transport your cargo in a shipping container from South Africa to Italy.

Containers are usually 20ft or 40ft in length, and there are different types such as refrigerated, open-top, or ventilated containers. Most consignments will ship in a standard container, which, if you choose an FCL service, will be sealed at the point of origin in South Africa. Your container will remain sealed until it reaches your consignee, unless customs officials demand to inspect the goods in port.

If you choose LCL shipping, your sea freight will share a container with other shippers’ products. The container will be sealed in the port of origin once freight handlers have consolidated the goods. The pros and cons of both forms of ocean shipping are discussed in more detail below:

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

LCL shipping is a good choice if:

Your consignment comprises less than six standard pallets
Your goods aren’t required urgently
Your products can be safely shipped alongside others in a shared container
Air freight isn’t an option you can consider

LCL shipping isn’t an ideal choice if:

You need to be able to predict with certainty when your goods will arrive in Italy
You are shipping very valuable or fragile goods that aren’t suited to sharing a container
Your goods are perishable and unlikely to arrive in Italy in great condition after weeks at sea
You don’t want your freight moved or handled more often than necessary

Learn more about Less than Container Load on our dedicated page on LCL shipping.

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

FCL is a good shipping option if:

Your consignment is required in Italy by a certain date
You’re willing to pay for the use of an entire container, even if you might not fill it
Your goods are delicate, very heavy or awkwardly-shaped
You want your container sealed after stuffing, and for it to remain sealed until reaching your recipient

Learn more about Full Container Load on our dedicated page on FCL shipping.

Air Freight

Choosing air shipping to get your freight from South Africa to Italy is a good option if:
You have an urgent delivery date
Your freight takes-up three pallets at most
Your cargo has a short shelf-life and needs to reach your consignee quickly
Your goods are very valuable and require airport-levels of security
Your supplier and consignee are both based closer to an international airport than a seaport

Learn more about Air Freight on our dedicated page by clicking here.

Ocean Cargo Port Guide