Sea groupage to South Africa. Pay only for the space you use.
When your goods do not fill a container we ship them to South Africa as groupage: they travel with other exporters' cargo and you pay only for the cubic metres they take up.
South Africa, in a shared container.
Groupage (LCL, Less than Container Load) combines several shipments in the same container. We collect the goods from you or receive them at our Brescia hub, prepare them, handle export customs and deliver them to the consolidation warehouse. The main ports of arrival are Durban and Cape Town.
LCL consolidation
Your goods travel in a container shared with other loads: no empty space paid for, even for a few pallets or packages.
Ports of arrival
Arrival at Durban and Cape Town; from there delivery to the consignee or collection at the deconsolidation warehouse.
Rules on arrival
For the preferential duty under the economic partnership agreement between the EU and the SADC countries, proof of origin is needed, with an EUR.1 certificate or an origin declaration on the invoice.
Export customs in-house
Export declaration under simplified procedure at our warehouses in Brescia, as an AEO operator.
Packing and ISPM 15
At our Brescia hub we check, pack and label the goods; wooden pallets and crates are treated and marked to ISPM 15.
Dangerous goods in groupage
Dangerous goods can also travel as groupage under the IMDG Code, subject to the consolidator's acceptance: we start from the safety data sheet.
See also: Shipping to South Africa · Sea freight · Container guide · ISPM 15 guide · Customs · Request a quote
Other groupage countries: Egypt · Australia · China · All countries
In the glossary: Groupage · LCL · FCL · Consolidator · Bill of lading · ISPM 15
Groupage to South Africa, step by step.
Four steps, one contact.
Request
Weights, dimensions, number of packages and stackability: with these we calculate the chargeable volume.
Pickup and packing
Pickup at your premises or delivery to our Brescia hub, with packing if needed.
Customs and consolidation
Export declaration and delivery to the consolidation warehouse at the port.
Loading and delivery
Loading, deconsolidation at destination and delivery to the consignee in South Africa.
Groupage to South Africa.
How is the cost of groupage to South Africa calculated?
Groupage freight is charged on weight or volume, whichever is higher under the weight/measure (W/M) rule: usually 1 cubic metre equals 1,000 kg. Consolidation charges at origin and deconsolidation charges at destination are added, and we show them in our proposal.
When is a full container better than groupage?
When the volume approaches that of a container, a full container is often cheaper and reduces handling of the goods. With the shipment dimensions we compare both options for you.
What documents are needed for groupage to South Africa?
Commercial invoice, packing list with the weight and dimensions of each package and export declaration, which we prepare. For the preferential duty under the economic partnership agreement between the EU and the SADC countries, proof of origin is needed, with an EUR.1 certificate or an origin declaration on the invoice.
Do you ship dangerous goods as groupage to South Africa?
Yes, under the IMDG Code and subject to acceptance by the consolidator and the shipping line. We start from the safety data sheet to check class, packaging and labels. For firearms and ammunition we assess each shipment against the applicable authorisations.
