Ocean and Air Shipping from the US to Norway

The United States exported $5.76 billion worth of goods to Norway in 2018. Fish, machinery, medical equipment, and electronics were among the items most often exported.

Whatever goods your business is seeking to export from the USA to Norway, you’ve landed in the right place.

This page is for experienced and novice shippers alike. It contains information and guidance designed to help businesses with the logistics of importing from the USA to Norway.

What Are Your Options for Shipping Freight From the USA to Norway?

Commodities can be shipped from the USA to Norway using air or ocean freight carriers. Whichever you choose, there are pros and cons which we’ll outline on this page.

Ocean Freight From the USA to Norway

Less than Container Load (LCL): If you’re content for your goods to share a container with products from other shippers, LCL could be your best choice. It’s likely to be the most cost-efficient way to import from the USA to Norway if you are shipping a smaller consignment.

Full Container Load (FCL): With this form of shipping, companies hire a full container and pay for it to be shipped by ocean carrier across the Atlantic to Norway. With FCL, there’s no obligation to fill your container, and it’s usually quicker than LCL.

Air Freight from the USA to Norway

Air freight is the quickest way to ship goods to Norway from the United States. Air freight transit times from the USA to Norway are measured in days (rather than weeks as with ocean shipping). But sending air cargo is the more expensive option.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From the USA to Norway?

The trans-Atlantic shipping lanes and flight paths between North America and Europe are well traveled. But calculating the cost of shipping freight from the USA to Norway requires a freight forwarder to assess several factors. They include:

• The nature of the goods being shipped
• The weight of the shipment
• The size and volume of goods
• How the cargo is to be transported—by air or ocean (FCL or LCL)?
• The distance from the point of origin to the destination
• The type of delivery that’s required (options include door-to-door, port-to-door, port-to-port or door-to-port)

The cost of shipping goods weighing under 100 kg varies little between air and ocean freight services. So businesses usually opt for the fastest solution. If your consignment is heavier than 100 kg, ocean shipping will usually work out less expensive than air cargo. If your goods weigh 35kg or less, you should seek the services of an international courier, as freight forwarders don’t typically handle such light loads.

How Long Does it Take to Ship Cargo From the USA to Norway?

If speed is your priority and cost is not a concern, air freight is your best option. Shipments usually take two to four days to reach Norway from most major airports in the USA.

The journey from seaports in the United States is much slower. You should expect shipments from ports on the eastern seaboard of the USA to take at least three weeks to complete. Shipment durations to Norway from locations elsewhere in the USA can be significantly longer.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Sea From the USA to Norway?

As an example of the transit time for ocean shipping between the USA and Norway, LCL freight shipped from the port of Charleston can be expected to arrive in Oslo after around 23 days.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Cargo by Air From the USA to Norway?

As a general rule, you should allow two to five days to ship air freight from the USA to Norway. Consignments can be delivered to Oslo from New York in two days. As regards shipments from West Coast airports, such as Los Angeles, four days is a more realistic transit time.

Customs Clearance in the USA and Norway

All commodities that ship from the USA to Norway will be subject to customs formalities in both countries. Many businesses find the whole process confusing and choose to hire a freight forwarder to manage the process. You should consider doing the same.

Forwarders can take much of the hassle out of international shipping, ensuring your consignment complies with regulations and avoids unnecessary delays.

Your freight forwarder will still need you to complete various documents that must accompany your shipment. These will almost certainly include:

1. A Commercial Invoice
2. A Packing List
3. A Certificate of Origin
4. A Letter of Credit or other payment terms (depends on the contract between the parties involved)
5. A Bill of Lading for ocean freight or Airway Bill for air freight (Shipa Freight will provide this for you)

You may also be required to supply additional paperwork—perhaps a permit, license, or certificate. If you’d like to carry out a closer inspection of the forms listed above you can do so on our documents list page.

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

Ocean Freight

Select this option and a freight forwarder will coordinate the port-to-port transit of your goods as sea freight in a container from the USA to Norway.

Shipping containers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. 20ft or 40ft-long containers that open at one end suit most goods. If the commodities you wish to ship require a non-standard container—such as one of a different size or equipped with refrigeration capabilities—your forwarder will advise.

A freight forwarder can also help you determine whether FCL or LCL ocean shipping is best for your consignment. It’s a decision that’s likely to be heavily influenced by the volume and weight of your cargo.

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

LCL could be your best option if any of the following apply:

• Your shipment is relatively small—no more than 14 CBM, which equates to six standard pallets
• Your goods aren’t required in Norway urgently
• You’re happy for your cargo to be shipped in the same container as other goods
• Air freight is not something you can consider

LCL might not be your best option if:

• Your consignment must be in Norway by a specified date
• Frequent movement and handling of your goods could damage them
• You are sending perishables that might not last the long journey time
• The goods you are transporting are very large or heavy

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

A full-container-load (FCL) shipment from the USA to Norway could be right for you if:

• Your consignee is expecting it in Norway by a certain date
• The volume of your freight is large—requiring at least half the load capacity of a 20ft container
• Your goods are delicate and not suited to sharing a container
• You want your shipping container sealed before transit from the United States (unless customs officials intervene, it will remain sealed until received by the consignee)

Air Freight

Air shipping is likely to be the best way for you to transport your goods if:

• They’re perishables like plants, flowers, or food
• They’re required in Norway urgently
• You want your insurance premium to be lower than ocean shipping
• Your cargo is valuable and requires airport-style security
• Your consignment is a small one, perhaps two to three pallets at most

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo Ports of Origin in the USA

Charleston

Port Facts:

• Served by 13 of the top-15 container carriers in the world
• A new container terminal is being planned for the North Charleston area of the port
• 37 crane movements per hour make this America’s most productive port

Owned By: South Carolina Ports Authority.

Annual Container Volume: >2.4 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: USCHS.

Tacoma

Port Facts:

• Joined forces with the Port of Seattle in 2015
• Is a crucial international Pacific Northwest trade hub
• Regarded by many as the Gateway to Alaska
• Ideal port if your supply chain involves the movement of goods from Renton, Lakewood, Buckley, and Olympia

Owned By: Port of Tacoma Commission.

Annual Container Volume: >2.1 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: USTIW.

Houston

Port Facts:

• The biggest container facility in the Gulf of Mexico
• Handles over 70% of ocean cargo moving through the Gulf
• Its two container terminals are Barbours Cut and Bayport
• A convenient major seaport for any supplier or manufacturer in Galveston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, or Dallas

Owned By: Port of Houston Authority.

Annual Container Volume: >2.9 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: USHOU.

Miami

Port Facts:

• Located on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay on the Miami River
• 7.4 million tonnes of freight is processed here annually
• Ninth-largest container port in the USA and the biggest in Florida
• Easy port access for suppliers in downtown Miami via a causeway over the Intercoastal Waterway

Owned By: Miami Dade County.

Annual Container Volume: >1.1 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: USMIA.

Long Beach

Port Facts:

• Second-busiest container port in the USA
• Occupies a 13-square kilometer site with 40 kilometers of waterfront
• Less than three kilometers from downtown Long Beach
• Generates a combined import and export value of nearly $100 billion per year

Owned By: City of Long Beach.

Annual Container Volume: >8.1 million TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: USLGB.

Other Ports in the USA In addition to the ports described above, you can also use the following gateways to dispatch a shipping container from the USA to Norway:

• New York
• Boston
• Seattle
• Savannah
• Oakland
• Atlanta
• San Francisco
• New Orleans
• Los Angeles
• Port Everglades
• Norfolk
• Baltimore
• Mobile

Cargo Port of Arrival in Norway

Oslo

Port Facts:

• Norway’s largest seaport with over 2,600 square meters of storage
• Over 50% of the population of Norway lives within three hours of the port
• Ideal port of arrival for shipments required in Oslo, Ulleval, Bjerke, or Lambertseter
• LCL shipments from Charleston can be completed in 23 days

Owned By: Oslo Ports Authority.

Annual Container Volume: >260,000 TEUs.

UN/LOCODE: NOOSL.

Flying Your Freight: Airport Guide

Airports of Origin in the USA

Dallas Fort Worth

Airport Facts:

• Cargo facilities occupy over 83,500 square meters of space
• A new Cargo City complex is planned for the airport’s west side
• Accessing the airport is easy as it’s served by five state highways and two railroads

Norway Airports Served: None.

Dallas to Norway Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: DFW.

Denver

Airport Facts:

• The second-largest airport in the world
• Processes over 235,000 tonnes of air cargo annually
• Nearest major freight hub for suppliers in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Cheyenne

Norway Airports Served: None

Denver to Norway Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: JFK.

Los Angeles

Airport Facts:

• Commonly referred to as LAX
• Located in the Westchester area of Los Angeles
• The majority of air freight is imported or exported on passenger aircraft
• In 2018, over two million tonnes of air freight was processed here
• Shipments to Oslo can be completed in four days

Norway Airports Served: Oslo.

Los Angeles to Norway Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: LAX.

Atlanta

Airport Facts:

• Also known as Hartsfield Jackson International Airport
• Handles over 625,000 tonnes of cargo annually
• Located 11 kilometers south of downtown Atlanta

Norway Airports Served: None.

Atlanta to Norway Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: ATL.

Philadelphia

Airport Facts:

• Located 11 km from downtown Philadelphia
• The airport is adjacent to the Maine to Florida Interstate 95
• Easily accessed from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Turnpikes
• 500 aircraft depart from the airport daily
• Six of the USA’s biggest markets (and four of Canada’s) are within one day’s drive

Norway Airports Served: None.

Philadelphia to Norway Cargo-Only Operators: None.

IATA Code: PHL.

Other Airports in the USA

Shipa Freight can also arrange for consignments bound for Norway to be flown by direct or indirect services from these other US airports:

• Miami
• San Francisco
• El Paso
• Charlotte
• Houston
• Chicago
• Seattle
• Cleveland
• New York
• Sacramento
• San Diego
• Cincinnati
• Boston
• Detroit

Airport of Arrival in Norway

Oslo

Airport Facts:

• Ranks as the second-busiest airport in the Nordic region.
• Situated 35 kilometers northeast of Oslo.
• Shipments from New York can be completed in two days and from Los Angeles in four days.

Connected Airports in the USA: New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami.

USA to Oslo Cargo-Only Operators: Cargolux.

IATA Code: OSL.

Ocean and Air Shipping From the USA to Norway: Why Shipa Freight?

Whatever the size of your business, Shipa Freight can make it easier for you to import from the USA to Norway.

We can take away the hassles of international shipping and the complexities of customs clearance. Our expertise spans both air and ocean shipping. And our online platform brings new simplicity to your supply chain, giving you total visibility of your shipping.

When we coordinate the transportation of your consignment from the USA to Norway, you also enjoy the following benefits:

• Quick quotes based on real-time freight rates
• Pay for your shipping quickly and easily by card online
• We handle customs complexities, while you focus on generating that next big international order
• A friendly support team is available to assist you 24/7
• We’ll ensure your consignment complies with all relevant shipping legislation