Ocean & Air Freight Shipping from Canada to Portugal

Canada and Portugal are proving to be strong trade partners. In fact, in 2021, Canada exported a total of $273 million worth of goods to Portugal, with the top exports comprising air and spacecraft, corn, and soybeans. The trade between the two countries continues to grow by an average of 4.1% per year.

If you are a Canadian market looking to export your goods to Portugal, here’s everything you need to know about ocean and freight shipping.

What Are the Options for Shipping Freight From Canada to Portugal?

To ship goods from Canada to Portugal, you can engage either ocean freight or air freight. 

Ocean Freight From Canada to Portugal

Ocean freight is an economical shipping option for goods from Canada to Portugal. It can get goods from point A to point B at a lower cost but with longer transit times that can take several months. 

In ocean freight, shippers have two options: less than container load (LCL) and full container load (FCL).

In LCL, goods belonging to several shippers are consolidated and shipped together in one container. This makes the shipping fee much lower but can also shorten the transit time. 

On the other hand, in FCL, the shipper gets the whole container all to themselves, which makes it perfect for shipping large or heavy goods. Because the entire container belongs to a single shipper, the shipping fee may be more expensive. However, transit times will be much faster. 

Air Freight from Canada to Portugal

Air freight is the best shipping option for goods that must get to Portugal in a strict timeframe. Goods reach their destination within a few days, ensuring safer handling and transport. Air freight, however, comes with more limitations compared to ocean freight. It may not be suitable for larger and heavier goods. 

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From Canada to Portugal?

The cost of shipping cargo from Canada to Portugal depends on various factors. These include: 

• Your choice of ocean or air shipping
• Your preference for door-to-door, port-to-port, port-to-door, or door-to-port shipment
• Your consignment’s weight, volume, and size
• Weight and size limits

Use our online freight costs calculator to get an estimate of your shipping costs. The table below provides the current cost for shipping a standard 20-foot container from Canada to Portugal:

How long does it take to ship cargo from Canada to Portugal?

The time it takes to ship goods from Canada to Portugal is largely dependent on the international shipping mode selected. However, the following factors also play a role:

• The season (peak or low) during which you ship
• Whether the shipment route is direct
• The popularity of the trade lane
• Geopolitical instability
• Incidents that might occur at ports

How long does it take to ship cargo by sea from Canada to Portugal?

On average, it takes 15 to 50 days to ship cargo from Canada to Portugal. 

How long does it take to ship cargo by air from Canada to Portugal?

Shipping from Canada to Portugal takes roughly 2 to 8 days, much faster than ocean freight. 

For the most accurate estimate, we recommend using our transit time calculator.

Customs Clearance in Canada and Portugal

Before your goods can be imported into Portugal, they must go through customs authorities. This process shouldn’t be difficult, provided that you have prepared and completed the following customs documents: 

• A commercial invoice
• A packing list
• A certificate of origin
• A letter of credit or other payment terms (depending on the contract between the parties involved)
• A bill of lading for ocean freight or an Airway Bill for air freight

To better understand these documents, check out our complete list here.

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

Before deciding to ship with either ocean or air freight, you first need to know your shipping goals and priorities. Here are a couple of pointers to help you make the right decision.

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is best if you’re shipping large amounts of goods or goods that are large, oversized, and overweight. Containers come in a range of sizes, so you’re likely to find one that can accommodate your shipping needs. 

However, ocean freight can take a while to come to fruition, but that’s offset by its cheaper shipping fees.** 

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

LCL shipping is best for smaller goods that aren’t delicate or fragile. Because consolidation is involved, you can choose this option only if your goods aren’t easy to break when shipped with other cargo.

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

FCL shipping, on the other hand, is a good option for large, oversized, and overweight shipments. This is because the whole container is yours to use, and you don’t have to worry about goods belonging to other sellers being shipped with yours. 

Because of that, you can also ensure that your goods are safer when shipped via FCL, making it ideal for delicate or fragile cargo.** 

Air Freight

If you need your goods to arrive in Portugal quickly, then air freight is your best bet. With this shipping option, you can also enjoy more secure shipping. However, you need to know what types of goods are allowed on air freight, as there may be several limitations.

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo ports of origin in Canada

Port of Vancouver 

The Port of Vancouver is the largest in the whole of North America. It’s the main port that helps trade between Canada and other parts of the world, strategically positioned between ocean trade routes.

Port of Prince Rupert

The Port of Prince Rupert was built as an alternative to the Vancouver port. It mainly handles the shipment of natural resources, such as wheat, barley, and lumber.

Port of Saint John 

The Port of Saint John is the largest in East Canada. It has connections with 500 ports worldwide and can handle 28 million metric tonnes of cargo annually.

Cargo ports of arrival in Portugal

Port of Lisbon

The Port of Lisbon is Portugal’s main seaport, handling most of the country’s trade. It is also the busiest port in the country, handling 3,500 vessels and 13,200,000 tonnes of cargo.

Port of Aveiro

The Port of Aveiro is a river port that handles Portugal’s trade of paper pulp, fish, liquid chemicals, cement, and metal products. Every year, it handles 1,000 vessels and 3.5 million tonnes of cargo.

Port of Leixoes

The Port of Leixoes is one of Portugal’s most important ports. It mainly caters to the northern region, handling 20% of the international trade in Portugal. It sees 2,500 vessels per year and handles 15,650,000 tonnes of cargo.

Air Freight from Canada to Portugal: An airport guide

Airports of origin in Canada

Toronto Pearson

The Toronto Pearson International Airport is one of Canada’s main transport hubs. It is located in Ontario, Canada, and serves the Toronto metropolitan area. The airport handles 303,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

Vancouver International

The Vancouver International Airport is located in Richmond, British Columbia. It serves the city of Vancouver, as well as its lower mainland. The airport handles 232,600 tonnes of cargo per year.

Montreal Trudeau

The Montreal Trudeau International Airport is located in Quebec, Canada, and is the only Transport Canada-designated airport that serves Montreal. Every year, it handles 81,400 tonnes of cargo. 

Airports of arrival in Portugal

Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon Portela Airport)

The Lisbon Airport, also known as the Humberto Delgado Airport or Lisbon Portela Airport, is located near the Lisbon city center. Situated in Portugal's capital city, it is the main airport in the country.

Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport

The Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, also known as the Porto Airport, is in Porto, Portugal. It handles a significant chunk of the country’s cargo operations, serving as a hub for cargo providers like Ryanair, EasyJet, TAP Air Portugal, and EasyJet Europe. 

Faro Airport

The Faro Airport, also known as Gago Coutinho Airport, is located near Faro, Portugal. Most of its flights are for tourists bound for the resort region Algarve, but it also handles a lot of cargo imports and exports.