A CNC machine, a pergola, three pallets of stock. Too big for a courier, too small for a container. We consolidate it, ship it to Koper, clear it and deliver it.
Most Alibaba purchases fall into that gap: too heavy for a courier, too small for a container of their own. LCL — less than container load — is the answer. You buy space in a shared container and pay only for the cubic metres you occupy.
We consolidate cargo at the main Chinese ports and ship it straight into the Port of Koper, the shortest sea route from Asia into Central Europe. Your goods clear customs in the country they land in, without crossing three borders first.
We also take on what importers underestimate: the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, HS classification, duty and VAT, and CE conformity on machinery. You give us the supplier's contact and the order details.
LCL is priced per cubic metre (CBM), with a minimum of around 1 CBM. The freight is only part of the bill — compare the landed cost. • Sea freight: per CBM or per 1000 kg, whichever is greater • Koper charges: terminal handling, deconsolidation, documentation • Import duty: typically 0–6% on machinery, by HS code • Import VAT: 22% on goods, freight and duty • Inland delivery: by distance and the offload equipment needed We quote all of it up front as one number, so there is no surprise invoice when the container arrives.
Most import problems are created at the order stage, not in transit. • Agree FOB rather than EXW — the supplier then delivers to the Chinese port and handles export clearance • Ask for crated dimensions and gross weight, not the product's • Insist on ISPM-15 heat-treated, stamped wooden packaging, or it can be refused at the EU border • For machinery, get the CE declaration of conformity before you pay the balance • Get the invoice and packing list in English, with the HS code stated • Never pay 100% up front — 30% deposit and 70% against the bill of lading copy is normal
For goods bound for Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Italy or Hungary, routing through Koper is shorter and usually cheaper than Hamburg, Rotterdam or Antwerp. • 5–7 days shorter sea transit from Asia • No trucking the length of Europe after discharge • Customs cleared in the destination country, in your language • Direct services from all major Chinese ports • Lower terminal handling charges than the North Range
Pay only for the cubic metres you occupy. Weekly sailings from Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Qingdao and Tianjin.
Machinery, pergolas, garden and solar structures, furniture. Crated and out-of-gauge cargo is routine.
HS classification, duty and VAT calculation, and clearance at Koper. AEO-certified processing.
We deal with the factory or their forwarder directly, arrange collection and check the packing will survive the sea.
Bonded and commercial warehousing at Koper if you cannot take delivery straight away.
Delivery across Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Italy and Hungary. Tail-lift or crane for heavy pieces.
Anything from about 1 to 15 CBM. Below 1 CBM a courier or air freight is often cheaper; above 15 CBM your own container usually wins — and we will tell you when you reach that point.
Yes, machinery is one of the most common things we move. We need the crated dimensions, gross weight and the CE declaration of conformity. A machine that falls under the Machinery Directive and is not CE marked cannot legally be placed on the EU market, so tell us early and we will check before anything ships.
About 40–50 days door to door: a week for collection and consolidation in China, 28–35 days at sea to Koper, then clearance and inland delivery. A full container is faster because it skips deconsolidation.
Yes, at customs clearance in Koper. VAT is 22% and duty typically 0–6% by HS code, both calculated on goods plus freight plus insurance. If you are VAT registered, the import VAT is generally recoverable in your next return.
That is common. We take over at the Chinese port under FOB terms: their forwarder delivers to the terminal and handles export, and we handle the sea leg, clearance and delivery. It usually works out cheaper than letting the supplier arrange the whole move.
Not automatically. Carrier liability under the bill of lading is limited by weight and far below the value of most machinery. We offer all-risk marine cargo insurance at a small percentage of the invoice value, and recommend it for anything you would not want to replace yourself.