Logistics & transporten
Transshipment
Transfer of goods from one vessel to another at an intermediate port during maritime transport, without passing through the hinterland.
Definition
Transshipment is the operation of transferring goods (typically containers) from one vessel to another at an intermediate port, without the goods leaving the port area. It is an essential link in hub-and-spoke maritime transport networks.
How it works
In a hub-and-spoke system:
- Large mother vessels serve major ports (hubs)
- Feeder vessels provide service to secondary ports
- Containers are transshipped from mother vessel to feeder (or vice versa) at the hub port
Major transshipment hubs
Ports with the highest transshipment rates include:
- Singapore: the world's leading transshipment port
- Tanger Med (Morocco): hub for the Mediterranean and West Africa
- Gioia Tauro (Italy), Algeciras (Spain), Piraeus (Greece)
- Colombo (Sri Lanka), Dubai (Jebel Ali)
Customs implications
In the EU, transshipped goods:
- Remain under non-Union goods status (not released for free circulation)
- May require a transit declaration if transshipment is not within the same terminal
- Are covered by the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) and must undergo risk analysis
Key watch points
- Transshipment adds delays (1-5 days depending on the port)
- Damage risk increases with each handling
- Traceability can be more complex (multiple B/Ls, vessel changes)