Shipping from China to Greece by Sea & Air Freight

This year (2022), China and Greece celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. China-Greek relations prove profitable as countries establish firm business bonds throughout five decades since beginning of diplomatic ties. Greece has become China’s 4th largest trading partner among Central and Eastern European countries, and China is the 3rd largest trading partner. 
Both countries are ancient civilizations, which is the foundation of the cultural relationship.

As a leading China freight forwarder, we take this opportunity to share a full guide to shipping from China to Greece for those who import form China. We’ll cover as many aspects as possible, shipping methods, transit time, cost, how to decide the best way to ship, what an experienced freight forwarder can help with your China-Greece shipments, etc. 

Sea, air freight are the main shipping methods for cargoes between China and Greece.

Sea Freight from China to Greece

Sea freight is the most popular mode to have your goods shipped from China to Greece due to its low shipping cost and large shipping capacity. Shipments from China transported by sea take approx. 1 month time in the ocean before arriving in a Greek port. So if you decide sea shipping is your way, you’ll have to check your inventory and plan purchase order in advance in case your goods run out of stock. 

There are many types of sea shipments, and the more regular are FCL and LCL. 
FCL (Full container load): shipping a container filled with goods exclusively for one client from China to Greece. Shipping FCL is more cost efficient
LCL (Less than container load): Sharing a container with other clients who have cargo to the same destination, at the same time. Naturally, due to extra work (consolidation, de-consolidation, warehousing, paperwork, etc.), the final cost on each unit is higher than FCL, and shipping takes longer. LCL is a good choice for small business to start with. 

Besides FCL and LCL, we offer special container shipping as well, flat rack container and open top container for large & heavy cargo shipping, reefer container for cold-chain transportation. For large project, we also charter breakbulk ship and RO-RO ship. 

As one of the top China based freight forwarding companies serving Greece, we have overall coverage of both Chinese ports and Greek ports. Top Chinese ports are Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc.

Main ports in Greece

Piraeus
Port of Piraeus is the largest port in the Mediterranean, the 4th largest container handling port in Europe. 
It’s not only a gateway for goods into and out of Greece, but also a transshipment port for shipments to Europe, North and West Africa.
67% of Piraeus port is owned by China shipping line COSCO. Since COSCO’s taking over, Piraeus’s cargo volume has gone up a lot, and Piraeus is becoming China’s gateway into Europe and the Middle East under Belt and Road Initiative. 

Thessaloniki
The port of Thessaloniki is the 2nd largest container port in Greece. It is the largest port in the Greek region of Macedonia. As a free port, it also functions as a major gateway for the Balkan hinterland and southeastern Europe.
Container throughput of 2021 was 0.47 million TEU

If you are interested in shipping containers to a Greek port from China, contact us and get a shipping cost. 

Air Freight from China

When shipping from China to Greece, air freight is chosen for time-sensitive goods. Maybe you are having a pressing deadline, maybe the cargo to be shipped is perishable and can’t withstand the long transit time of 1 month by sea. Whatever the case is, we are paying higher the faster speed of shipment delivery. An air shipment from China usually takes 3-5 days to arrive in Greece.

Maybe your supply chain is well funded, instead of cost, you are more concerned about speed and security, like shipping high-value products or luxurious merchandise, then air shipping can guarantee that. 

However, a cargo plane has limited space, can’t transport some large items. And due to airlines restrictions and limitations, some products may be categorized into sensitive or dangerous goods. Whether it can be shipped or not, at how much price is unknown. 

You are free to contact our team for the more info, submit the shipment details and get a shipping quote from us. 

Main airports in Greece

Athens (IATA CODE: ATH)
As of 2021, Athens International airport is the 15th busiest airport in Europe and the busiest and largest in the Balkans. 

Thessaloniki (IATA CODE: SKG)
Thessaloniki airport is the 3rd largest airport in the country after Athens International Airport and Heraklion International Airport.

How long does it take to ship from China to Greece?

Generally shipping from China to Greece takes 21-35 days by sea, and 3-5 days by air. 
The actual transit time is subject to change, depending on the seaport/airport chosen, service and route, weather, and even seasonal change of shipping market, etc. 

China-Greece sea freight transit time

Container shipping transit time by sea from China to Greece (Piraeus, Thessaloniki)

POL (Port of Loading)	POD (Port of Discharge)	Transit time
Qingdao	Piraeus	28 days
Qingdao	Thessaloniki	33 days
Shanghai	Piraeus	25 days
Shanghai	Thessaloniki	28 days
Shenzhen	Piraeus	21 days
Shenzhen	Thessaloniki	25 days

FYI: Shanghai in East China, Shenzhen South China, and Qingdao North China, data from these 3 ports is enough to demonstrate the sea shipping time from China to Greece.
The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice on carrier.
Above transit time is for full container load shipping, port to port only, for LCL shipping time estimate, pls add 7-10 days.

China-Greece air shipping transit time

In most cases, an air shipment from China to Greece takes 3-5 days, in peak season, the transit time is likely to be longer. 
From some Chinese cities to Athens, direct flights are available, making airport-to-airport transport within a few hours, and cargo air shipped from China arrives on the same day of departure.
Direct flight routes:
Shanghai – Athens
Beijing – Athens

If you are looking for the fastest way of shipping from China to Greece, feel free to contact us. Besides, flight routes and space availability are subject to change. Submit the details, we’ll get back to you with a shipping solution and quote. 

Best way to ship from China to Greece

It’s hard to define what the best way is to ship goods from China to Greece. Because every shipment could be different, and shipping market is full of changes. However, the best shipping solution must meet these criteria.
1.    Speed: fast delivery (as fast as possible, before a pressing deadline if there’s one)
2.    Cost: within the planned budget, at the minimum cost
3.    Safety: to have your goods arrive in good condition
4.    Other customized requirements
We are expecting the info below to work out the best solution under the given circumstance. 
1.    The type of goods and its value
2.    How quickly you need your goods
3.    The load of your goods (size, weight, quantity) or simply share the packing list
4.    Supplier address (origin seaport/airport), delivery address(destination seaport/airport)
5.    Your budget
6.    Goods ready time
Submit the details to us, we’ll get back to you with a tailored China-Greece shipping solution and freight quote, and a stress-free shipping experience starts from here. 

How much does shipping cost from China to Greece cost?

In the past, shipping a 40ft container from China to Greece’s Piraeus port used to cost $1500, but the highest record after the pandemic reached over $15000. Similar cases happen to air shipping as well.

Shipping cost is an indispensable, and sometimes constitutes a large percentage of the final landed cost of imported goods from China to Greece. Knowing the shipping cost is essential to business. However, it’s impossible to provide a general estimate of shipping cost from China to Greece, as shipments come in many types and quantity, sea and air freight rates keep changing with time, affected by seasonal and strategic adjustment by carriers, as well as by relationship of supply and demand. One thing is sure, the faster you want your shipment, the higher cost you’ll have to spend on it. 

To get the latest shipping cost from China to Greece, fill the quote form, we’ll get in touch with you shortly.

Freight forwarder shipping from China to Greece

Everybody’s got his specialty and expertise. Why not use an experienced freight forwarder to handle all your China-Greece shipments? In this way, you got more time and energy to bring the best out of on your main business. 

And for us too, as one of the leading China based freight forwarders serving Greece, shipping and logistics is our job, we have the knowledge, expertise and experience to guarantee the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. 

With the right hands of a professional freight forwarding team, your shipments will be carried out as planned smoothly, avoiding delays or potential extra charges, making your freight management easier than ever. 

You can count on us, we are the very best freight forwarder you are seeking for all China-Greece shipment needs, we are the one shipping solution to all.

How to ship from China to Greece

Step 1: Contact a freight forwarder; a China based one is preferred.
You may reach out to a freight forwarder either from China or in your own country Greece. While a Greek forwarder is most likely to rely on a Chinese local shipping agent. So China based forwarder is preferred, as the majority of complexities and uncertainties of international cargo shipping lie in origin, not in destination.
More on “Why you should work with a local China freight forwarder”

Step 2: Get a shipping quote from China
Submit your shipment details and requirements, request for a shipping quote from your freight forwarder.

Step 3: Connect forwarder with supplier
Connect the forwarder with your supplier, start booking, coordinate preparation, trucking, loading, customs and shipping paperwork. 

Step 4: Get cargo insurance (optional)
It’s affordable and the best way to protect from damage or loss during the transport.

Step 5: Arrange customs clearance
Get prepared for shipment arrival and customs clearance.

Or you can simply rely on us for a one-stop door to door shipping solution from China to Greece.

Why us when importing and shipping from China to Greece

We are China based freight forwarder, specialized and experienced in international logistics for China-Greece import and export business. With years of hard effort on China-Greece trade lane, building networks of sea, air, railway and local connections, we are able to provide a stress-free one-stop shipping solution from China to Greece. Below are the characters that distinguish us from our competitors. 
1.    Quick Response, high efficiency
2.    Communication
3.    Professionalism, agility, accuracy
4.    Our logistics expertise, local and global connections
5.    Cost-saving
6.    Dedicated, focused
7.    Higher attention & tailored shipping solution
More on Why us when importing and shipping from China to Greece.

As one of the leading China freight forwarders serving Greece, we help build the connection between China and Greece, aiming to streamline your supply chain and make shipping from China to Greece easy. 

If you are interested in shipping from China to Greece (Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Athens, etc.), whether by sea or air, reach out to the best freight forwarder to ensure a stress-free experience. 
Contact us, get a shipping solution and quote for your China-Greece shipment.