The US and Italy share a strong economic tie. The US is Italy’s top trade partner outside the European Union, with over 90 billion USD of total trade value in 2022. The leading US exports to Italy were crude petroleum, vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures, platinum, precious metal scraps, packaged medicaments, hormones, and gas turbines. How can shipping from the US to Italy be organized?
Shipping from the US to Italy – means of transport
Ocean freight from the US to Italy
Ocean freight is the most popular shipping method among importers all around the world. It has two advantages – the price and carrying capacity. Shipping goods via sea or ocean is relatively cheap. Furthermore, it allows for moving enormous quantities of products. However, this method of shipping is relatively slow. The average ocean freight transit time from the US to Italy is 30 days. You should select your delivery method according to your needs.
When you select sea freight, you have to choose between FCL and LCL. It is important to know the difference. FCL stands for Full Container Load and means that one exporter/importer uses the whole container. On the other hand, LCL (Less Container Load) refers to using only part of the container while the rest of the space is taken by another sender/recipient.
Main cargo seaports in the USA:
- Port of Los Angeles (USLAX) – located in San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro and Wilmington neighborhoods of Los Angeles
- Port of Houston (USHOU) – one of the world’s largest ports and serves the metropolitan area of Houston, Texas. It is the busiest port in the US in terms of foreign tonnage and the second busiest in the US in terms of overall tonnage
- Port of New Orleans (USMSY) – the fourth-largest port in the United States, located on the Mississippi River about 100 miles upriver from the Gulf of Mexico
- Port of Long Beach (USLGB) – a container port located 3 km southwest of Downtown Long Beach
Main cargo seaports in Italy:
- Port of Genoa (ITGOA) – a multi-service port located in the city of Genoa, one of the busiest ports of the region, competing with Marseille and Barcelona
- Port of Trieste (ITTRS) – the most important commercial port in Italy with a trading volume of 62 million tones, located in the Adriatic Sea in Trieste
- Port of Gioia Tauro (ITGIT) – the largest port in Italy in terms of container shipments, located near the Straits of Messina. It is ranked 6th on the Mediterranean coastline and 9th in Europe when it comes to container throughput
Airfreight from the US to Italy
If your shipment is urgent, air freight is the way to go. Shipping via cargo airplanes is the fastest way of transporting goods and the best way to ensure the safety of delivery. Due to those factors, air freight is best if you ship a small consignment of perishable and valuable goods. Airfreight is frequently used to transport vehicles, jewelry, luxury items, food, and flowers. An estimated transit time should take around 2-4 working days.
Main cargo airports in the USA:
- Memphis International Airport (MEM) – the primary international airport serving Memphis, Tennessee, the world’s second-busiest cargo airport
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) – major cargo hub. In 2020, it ranked as the United States third-busiest airport and the world’s fourth-busiest airport by cargo traffic.
- Louisville International Airport (SDF) – the second-busiest airport in the United States in terms of cargo traffic and the fourth-busiest for such in the world
- Miami International Airport (MIA) – Florida’s busiest airport by total aircraft operations and total cargo traffic and is the second busiest by total passenger traffic
Main cargo airports in Italy:
- Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) – the busiest airport in the country, the eleventh-busiest airport in Europe and the world’s 49th-busiest airport
- Milan-Malpensa (MXP) – Italy’s largest airport in terms of freight and cargo
Shipping from the USA to Italy – costs
Shipping costs depend on various factors, such as the cargo’s type and size, the shipping method, the chosen forwarder, and a few other aspects. Because of this, we recommend comparing offers from several freight operators. Shiphub.co allows you to receive a quote that will help you choose the best forwarder for you.
