Sea and container freight
Containers from China, Europe and the Gulf through the port of Poti, and across the Caspian on the Alat–Aktau and Alat–Turkmenbashi ferries. 20 and 40 ft, full or shared.
Azerbaijan has no ocean port, so a container bound for Baku comes off the ship at Poti on the Black Sea and covers the rest by truck or train. Gulf cargo travels overland through Iran from Bandar Abbas to Astara. On the Caspian, ferries link the port of Alat with Aktau, Kuryk and Turkmenbashi.
What the service includes
- Booking the container and the space on the ship
- Loading at the seller’s warehouse, or receipt into a shared container at our Yiwu warehouse
- The bill of lading and all the paperwork at the port
- Transfer of the container at Poti to a truck or a rail flat wagon
- Customs clearance at Alat or at the Baku terminal
- Delivery to your door and return of the empty container
Container sizes
| Container | Inner size, L × W × H | Door, W × H | Volume | Payload | Euro pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 33 m³ | up to 24 t | 11 |
| 40 ft | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 67 m³ | up to 26 t | 24 |
| 40 ft high-cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | 2.34 × 2.58 m | 76 m³ | up to 26 t | 24 |
Reefer, open-top and flat-rack containers are booked on request.
Full or shared container
| Full container | Shared container | |
|---|---|---|
| When it pays | From 15 m³ | From 1 to 15 m³ |
| Price | Per container | Per m³ or per tonne, whichever is greater |
| Departure | A sailing every week | Two containers a month from the Yiwu warehouse |
| Loading | Sealed at the seller’s warehouse | At our Yiwu warehouse; 7 days of storage free |
Ports and ferries
| Port | What comes through | On to Baku |
|---|---|---|
| Poti and Batumi, Georgia | Containers from China and Europe | 2–3 days by truck, 3–5 days by train |
| Alat, the Port of Baku | Ferries from Aktau, Kuryk and Turkmenbashi: trucks, wagons, containers | 72 km to our terminal; we have an office at the port |
| Bandar Abbas, Iran | Containers from Jebel Ali | Overland through Iran to the border at Astara |
Routes, transit times and prices
Transit time is door to door. The price is where a quote starts for carriage from the point named to the Baku terminal; the exact figure depends on the weight, the size and the date.
| Route | What is carried | Transit time | Price | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Shanghai–Poti–Baku, a 40 ft container | 45–55 days | from $4,400 / container | Once a week |
| China | Shared container from the Yiwu warehouse | 50–60 days | from $165 / m³ | Two containers a month |
| Europe | Hamburg–Poti–Baku, a 40 ft container | 28–35 days | from €3,600 / container | Once a week |
| UAE and the Gulf | Jebel Ali–Bandar Abbas–Astara, a 40 ft container | 12–16 days | from $3,100 / container | Once a week |
Documents you need
- The bill of lading: the original or a telex release
- The contract, the commercial invoice and the packing list
- A certificate of origin, if there is one
- The fumigation mark (ISPM 15) on wooden packaging
- The safety data sheet (MSDS) for dangerous goods
Frequently asked questions
Why does a container from Shanghai take 45–55 days?
The ship takes 38–45 days from Shanghai to Poti with one transhipment. Discharge at the port and the run across Georgia add 4–6 days, customs in Baku 1–2 days. If you need the goods sooner, the train from Xi’an takes 18–25 days.
How is a shared container priced?
Your cargo is measured and weighed at the Yiwu warehouse. A cubic metre and a tonne cost the same, and you pay for whichever is greater. The smallest lot is charged as 1 m³.
How do I track the container?
Every container gets one of our waybill numbers. The tracking page logs loading on the ship, arrival at Poti, the border crossing, customs and delivery separately.
What if I cannot unload the container in time?
The truck waits 48 hours at your warehouse free of charge. Each day after that is charged at $60. If you have no room, we can strip the container at our terminal and keep the goods in the warehouse.
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Describe your cargo and get a price within 2 working hours
From where to where, what it is, its weight and its size: those four are enough. The freight desk answers on weekdays, 09:00–18:00.
Call centre: every day 09:00–20:00