In 2022, Turkey and Belgium’s bilateral trade was over $9.7 billion. The fact that the European Union is Turkey’s largest trade partner indicates that commercial relations, bilateral trade, and investments between Turkey and Belgium will continue to grow and get stronger. In this article, we will present the means of shipping from Turkey to Belgium, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each transportation method.
What does Belgium import from Turkey?
Belgium imports all different kinds of products from Turkey. The major product groups are consumer goods, transportation, intermediate goods, capital goods, textiles, and clothing.
The top imports from Turkey to Belgium are vehicles, machinery, nuclear reactors, and boilers. Often imported are also mineral fuels and oils. Belgium also imports iron and steel, as well as articles made of iron or steel, pearls and other precious stones, metals, coins, electronic equipment, and manmade filaments.
Shipping from Turkey to Belgium
Sea freight from Turkey to Belgium
Sea freight is a very popular means of transportation. It is often chosen because of its capacity (LCL or FCL) and low rates. It takes more time to ship goods this way than, for example, by aircraft. However, Turkey and Belgium are not that far away from each other. 6-7 days are the average time for a cargo ship from Turkey to Belgium.
Shipping lines operating the routes between Turkey and Belgium:
- Maersk
- Hapag Lloyd
- ONE.
Seaports in Turkey
- Port of Ambarli is the largest one in Istanbul.
- Port of Mersin is the largest container port in Turkey.
- Port of Izmir is the second largest cargo port in Turkey.
Seaports in Belgium
- Port of Antwerp is Europe’s second-largest cargo seaport, handling the world’s largest container ships daily.
- Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge is a large cargo seaport that handles a wide range of cargo.
- Port of Ghent is Belgium’s third busiest seaport.
Airfreight from Turkey to Belgium
It takes approximately 2-3 days to transport goods by airfreight, the fastest means of transportation. Therefore, it is the most convenient option for those needing their commodities delivered on short notice. It also guarantees high safety for the transported products. However, it is also the most expensive method of transportation, at least five times more expensive than sea freight.
Turkish Cargo, FedEx, or Lufthansa Cargo – you can use their services to ship cargo from Turkey to the EU (and, in this case, to Belgium).
Airports in Turkey
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport was named the best airport in Europe by ACI Europe.
- Istanbul Airport is one of the busiest airports in Europe.
- İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport.
Airports in Belgium
- Liege Airport is the biggest cargo airport in Belgium.
- Brussels Airport operates Turkish Cargo, which you can use to transport goods from Turkey to Belgium.
- Ostend–Bruges International Airport is mainly used for freight transport.
How much does it cost to ship from Belgium to Turkey?
Many freight forwarders offer different shipping prices. The price depends on where you want to ship your goods, their size and weight, and other aspects. To get the best offer, you can use ShipHub.co to compare and choose the best option. All you have to do is fill in the form and send it to us to receive quotes from multiple freight forwarders for free.
Summary
Choosing the most suitable means of transportation to ship goods depends on a few factors. If they are perishable, like, for example, food, choosing sea freight might take too many days, and the commodities might arrive stale. However, if you plan to ship a lot of cargo and time does not matter that much, sea freight is the better option because it can handle more cargo and is cheaper than airfreight. Aspects such as size and weight, type of product, and time need to be considered when choosing a transportation method.
