Ocean & Air Freight Shipping From the United States to Belgium

Belgium, an important member of the European Union, is a strategic gateway for United States goods to penetrate Europe. In fact, the Belgian-U.S. trade relationship is one of the most balanced in the world. The U.S. is Belgium’s largest foreign investor outside of the EU. 

The two nations share a long history of dynamic trade relationships, which spans vast sectors and fosters a resilient economic bond. In 2022, the United States exported $26.5 billion worth of goods to Belgium. The top commodities are packaged medicaments, accounting for $2 billion of exports. 

If you’re shipping goods from the United States to Belgium, you’ve come to the right place. This guide covers everything you need to know about your ocean and air freight shipping options, the customs clearance process, costs, transit times, and more.  

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

To ship goods from the United States to Belgium, you can use ocean or air freight. 

Ocean Freight From the United States to Belgium

Ocean freight is the most budget-friendly and flexible shipping option. Shipping any cargo to Belgium by sea is economically efficient. Additionally, you can choose between less-than-container-load (LCL) or full-container-load (FCL) shipping options.

LCL is the cheaper of the two and is used by those with small shipping needs. Here, cargo belonging to different shippers is consolidated in one container and shipped together. This helps achieve cost efficiency, with each shipper only paying for the space their cargo occupies.

FCL is for those transporting large volumes of goods. They rent the space in an entire container exclusive for their cargo, giving them more space to accommodate their shipping needs. FCL might be more expensive than LCL, but it’s well worth the price if space inside the container is maximized. 

Air Freight from the United States to Belgium

The second option for freight shipping from the United States to Belgium is air freight. It’s the fastest mode of international transport, and your goods can be delivered to their destination in a couple of days. This is why shippers of time-sensitive and perishable cargo prefer it. 

Those shipping high-value goods also appreciate air freight because of its security. Airports have stricter processes and rules, which help guarantee cargo safety during handling and transit.

Air freight isn’t without its disadvantages, though. The biggest drawback is its cost. Air freight is significantly more expensive than ocean freight. It’s also less flexible, unable to accommodate all types of goods and limiting their size, weight, and volume. 

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

The cost of shipping cargo from the United States to Belgium will differ based on the following: 

• 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

To determine your shipping costs, use our online freight costs calculator. Additionally, you can find the current cost of shipping a standard 20-foot container from the US to Belgium in the table below:

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

The transit time for goods shipped from the United States to Belgium is mainly determined by your selected international shipping method. However, other influencing factors include:

• The season of shipment (peak or low season)
• Whether the shipment route is direct or not
• The trade lane's popularity
• Geopolitical instability
• Possible incidents at any port

How long does it take to ship cargo by sea from the United States to Belgium?

Ocean freight from the United States to Belgium will take 15 to 50 days to complete. 

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

Air freight from the United States to Belgium is much faster, taking about 2 to 8 business days. 

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

Customs Clearance in the United States and Belgium

Once your U.S. goods land in a Belgian port or airport, they will need to go through the customs clearance process, for which you need the following 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

We have a full documents list you can look at for examples of these customs clearance requirements. 

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

Before deciding whether to ship by sea or air, consider the pointers we outlined below to make the right choice for your needs, priorities, and cargo. 

Ocean Freight

Ocean freight is ideal for those shipping on a budget. It’s also great if you need shipping flexibility, as it can accommodate all types of cargo and offer 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 your priority is to get your cargo from the United States to Belgium fast, then air freight should be your shipping method of choice. This is the fastest way to transport cargo internationally, with shipments from the U.S. to Belgium only taking 2-8 days. Because of that, shippers of time-sensitive and perishable goods usually opt for air freight. 

It’s also the most secure way to transport cargo, with stricter airport regulations and processes helping guarantee the safety of high-value goods. 

However, before you decide to ship by air, you have to know that it’s significantly more expensive than ocean freight. It’s also not as flexible, with restrictions on your shipments' nature, size, weight, and volume. 

Ocean Cargo Port Guide

Cargo ports of origin in the United States

Port of Miami

The Port of Miami is versatile and can handle a diverse range of cargo while managing cruise operations. It has been subject to transformative infrastructure projects that allowed it to expand its capabilities. Every year, the port handles a container volume of 1.2 million TEUs. 

The Northwest Seaport Alliance

The Northwest Seaport Alliance results from the merger between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Jointly, the ports handle over 3.38 million TEUs and generate over 4.3 billion dollars for the economy per year. 

Port of Savannah

The Port of Savannah is the largest single-terminal container facility in North America. It’s particularly renowned for its capacity to handle heavy goods, including machinery, cars, and agricultural products. The port is an essential gateway for trade between the U.S. and Europe. 

Cargo ports of arrival in Belgium

Port of Antwerpen

The Port of Antwerpen is the second largest port in Europe and a true world port. It's located in Antwerp City, Belgium, and boasts 300-liner services and 800 destinations for passengers and cargo. 

Port of Zeebrugge

The Port of Zeebrugge is the second largest port in Belgium. It’s in the Bruges municipality in West Flanders, Flemish, Belgium. The port handles large containers, bulk cargo, and vehicles and receives over 50 million tonnes of cargo per year. 

Port of Ghent

The Port of Ghent is the third busiest seaport in Belgium. It’s located in Ghent, East Flanders, Flemish. The port has an annual cargo tonnage of over 47.7 million tonnes of cargo. It sees an annual container volume of 530 TEU. 

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

Airports of origin in the United States

Chicago/Rockford International Airport

The Chicago/Rockford International Airport is the seventeenth largest cargo airport in the United States. It is home to the second-largest UPS North American facility and a hub for Amazon Air. The airport’s facilities have recently been expanded to improve its air cargo capacity. 

Tampa International Airport

The Tampa International Airport is the second largest cargo airport in the state of Florida and 26th in the United States. In 2019, the airport was subject to a capital program that invested $69 million in its cargo facilities. 

Miami International Airport

The Miami International Airport handles over 85% of the region’s imports and 80% of its exports. It’s the number one international freight airport in the United States. It was also the second in the world to be certified as a pharmaceutical freight hub by the International Air Transport Association. 

Airports of arrival in Belgium

Liège Airport

The Liège Airport is located in Grâce-Hollogne, five nautical miles west of Liège in Belgium. It primarily focuses on air freight, handling over 1.4 million tonnes of cargo annually. The airport is a hub for Challenge Group, ASL Airlines Belgium, and more. 

Brussels Airport

The Brussels Airport, also called the Brussels-National Airport or Brussels-Zaventem Airport, is located in Zaventem in Flemish Brabant, 6.5 nautical miles northeast of Brussels. The airport sees over 234,000 passenger and cargo aircraft movements. It’s a hub for Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, TUI Fly Belgium, and more.