Ocean & Air Freight Shipping From Italy to the United States

Italy and the United States have a long history of economic cooperation. Their trade relationship covers a vast range of industries, with Italy exporting goods like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and food products to the United States on a regular basis. 

The United States is considered the largest non-EU market for Italian exports. In 2022, Italy shipped over $68.2 billion worth of goods to the U.S., with packaged medicaments being the top exported product. 

If you need to ship goods from Italy to the United States, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s your complete guide to your ocean and air freight shipping options. 

What Are the Options for Shipping Freight From Italy to the United States?

You can ship goods from Italy to the United States by sea or air. 

Ocean Freight From Italy to the United States

Ocean freight is highly flexible and can ship any type of cargo. It also offers shippers two options for container shipping: less-than-container load (LCL) and full-container load (FCL). 

LCL is used by shippers transporting small volumes of goods. Their cargo will be consolidated with shipments from other shippers and shipped together in one container. That way, each shipper only pays for the space their goods occupy. 

FCL is where a shipper rents the space in an entire container for their goods alone. While more expensive than LCL, it can be economical for those transporting larger volumes of goods. 

Air Freight from Italy to the United States

Air freight is the fastest but most expensive way to ship goods from Italy to the United States. Because of its speed and security, it’s best for shippers of time-sensitive, perishable, and high-value goods. 

Unlike ocean freight, air freight cannot ship all types of cargo. It has strict rules on what you can and cannot ship and limits on the size, weight, and volume of shipments. 

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cargo From Italy to the United States?

The cost of shipping cargo from Italy to the United States depends on a couple of factors, which 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 Italy to the United States:

How long does it take to ship cargo from Italy to the United States?

The time it takes to ship goods from Italy to the United States largely depends on the selected international shipping mode. 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 Italy to the United States?

Ocean freight from Italy to the United States takes 15 to 50 days. 

How long does it take to ship cargo by air from Italy to the United States?

Air freight from Italy to the United States takes only 2-8 days. 

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

Customs Clearance in Italy and the United States

Goods that are exported to the United States will need to first go through the customs clearance process. This should be easy as long as you prepare and submit the following: 

• 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

Please check out our full documents list for examples of these customs clearance requirements. 

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

When choosing between ocean and air freight, you need to consider your needs, priorities, and cargo requirements. Below, we outline some pointers to help you decide. 

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is right for you if you value cost efficiency and flexibility. It can accommodate all types of goods and offers two options for container shipping. 

Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping

You should ship via LCL if your cargo is: 

• Small in size and quantity 
• Lightweight
• Suitable for consolidation with cargo belonging to other shippers 
• Not delicate, fragile, or high-value 
• Not requiring special handling or movement 

Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping

FCL might be better for you if your cargo is: 

• Large in size and quantity 
• Heavy or overweight
• Not suitable for consolidation with cargo belonging to other shippers 
• Delicate, fragile, or high-value 
• Requiring special handling or movement 

Air Freight

If you need your cargo to arrive in the United States fast, you should definitely use air freight. An air freight shipment from Italy to the U.S. only takes up to 8 days to complete, making it great for time-sensitive cargo. 

Shippers of high-value goods also like air freight because of its heightened security protocols. The rules in airports are much stricter, helping guarantee the protection of valuable cargo. 

Before choosing air freight, though, there are two things you should know. The first is its cost. Air freight is significantly more expensive than ocean freight. Second is its limitations on your cargo's nature, size, weight, and volume. You can’t ship everything by air as there is quite a list of restricted and prohibited goods. 

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo ports of origin in Italy

Port of Gioia Tauro

The Port of Gioia Tauro is the king of containers in Italy. It is located on the Mediterranean Sea in Southern Italy and boasts modern infrastructure and automation technologies. The port ranks 9th in Europe for container handling. 

Port of Genoa

The Port of Genoa is a gateway to Northern Italy and a critical link for the country’s trade with America. It handles a diverse range of cargo, from containers to vehicles, and sees about 2.7 million TEUs per year. 

Port of Trieste

The Port of Trieste is located at the head of the Adriatic Sea. It specializes in handling liquid bulk and containerized cargo and boasts a Free Trade Zone that attracts businesses and investments worldwide. 

Cargo ports of arrival in the United States

Port of New York and New Jersey

The Port of New York and New Jersey is the third-largest port in North America. It is a maritime giant, handling over 7 million TEUs annually, most of which are heavyweight containerized cargo. The port mostly handles the shipment of automobiles and raw materials. 

Port of Savannah

The Port of Savannah is home to North America's largest single-terminal container facility. It handles 4.35 million TEUs of containers per year and specializes in handling heavy machinery, automobiles, and agricultural products. 

Port of Houston

The Port of Houston is located in the heart of Texas. It is among the largest and busiest ports in the U.S., handling over 3 million TEUs per year. The port is a center for containerized cargo, with over 200 terminals. 

Air Freight from Italy to the United States: An airport guide

Airports of origin in Italy

Milano-Malpensa Airport

The Milano-Malpensa Airport is northern Italy’s largest international airport. It is located 49 kilometers northwest of Milan and serves Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, and the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport handles a whopping 506.73 thousand metric tonnes of cargo per year. 

Roma-Fiumicino Airport

The Roma-Fiumicino Airport is located in Fiumicino, Italy, and is the primary international airport serving Rome. It’s hailed as the busiest airport in the county, the 9th busiest in Europe, and the 46th busiest in the world. The airport handles 68.8 thousand metric tonnes of cargo per year. 

Bergamo-Orio Al Serio Airport

The Bergamo-Orio Al Serio Airport, also known as the Milan Bergamo Airport, is Italy's third busiest international airport. It handles over 45.37 thousand metric tonnes of goods per year and is a hub for Ryanair, AeroItalia, AlbaStar, MyAir, Ernest Airlines, Gandalf Airlines, Azzurra Air, MiniLiner, and Trawel Fly.

Airports of arrival in the United States

Memphis International Airport

Memphis International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. It leads other U.S. airports in total cargo tonnage, handling over 4.2 million tonnes of goods annually. The airport is a FedEx hub, accounting for 98% of its total cargo. 

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is in the US state of Alaska. It transports 80% of all goods shipped by freighter aircraft over the Pacific. The port handles over 2.6 million metric tonnes of goods per year. 

Louisville International Airport

The Louisville International Airport is one of the most popular airports for cargo traffic. It houses the UPS Wordport, which handles over 5 billion pounds of cargo annually. The airport sees 2.3 million tonnes of annual cargo traffic.