How do windows and doors from our warehouse travel thousands of miles to reach the United States? We explain how the transportation of windows from Europe to the US works in practice.
Importing windows from Europe to the US and transporting them seems complicated at first. However, it is a smooth process, especially if you get help from a window supplier who takes on some of the responsibilities.
From this article, you’ll learn:
- how the safe transportation of your order will proceed step by step,
- how to save on transportation,
- to whom you can delegate part of the duties,
- what you should prepare when receiving the goods.
Transportation of windows from Europe to the US: preparations in Lithuania
If you’re wondering whether it pays to import European windows to the US, read our article, which gives reasons why you should decide to do so.
Once you have selected and ordered the products, the seller (such as Vindors) completes your order within a few weeks. Then they prepare the goods for container loading, secure and pack them on the appropriate carriers so that they arrive at their destination intact.
It’s time to contact the shipping company, which determines the cost of transportation. Prices are constantly changing, so to estimate your expenses you can go to our price list. With special offers, you can save double.
The order should be skillfully completed because when ordering a container it is best to fill it fully. This is usually a better option than LCL (less than a container load) transport when goods are packed with so-called general cargo. The windows are put into special crates, and these are placed inside the container.
Much depends on the value of the order, however. To choose the most favorable option, use our price list.
Check window prices for your project
Transportation of windows from Europe to the USA: documents needed for clearance
After packing the goods properly, contact the shipping company. You should provide it with the necessary documents, without which customs clearance is not possible.
These include:
- commercial invoice (it is worth having a translation in English),
- packing list (inventory of goods with their net/gross weight),
- registration documents of the company – importer and exporter (NIP, REGON, EORI, which you will obtain after submitting an application to the Fiscal-Customs Electronic Services Platform),
- authorization for the customs agency.
However, these are not all the documents needed to transport windows by container. You can read about them in detail here. There is a checklist prepared for you with all the necessary documents.
Professionals such as Vindors can help you with transportation preparations. We will do the export customs clearance (in Lithuania). Your shipment will also be insured for sea transportation all the way to your designated port.
Ocean trip
The container is transported to the port by rail or truck. The shipping company determines the approximate date on which the container is loaded and the goods set sail. This can take place over a period of several days, as the sailing date depends on the available space on the ship.
If the goods have been properly loaded, the shipowner approves the container as ready for shipment. It takes several days between approval and the container’s departure. The duration of the voyage itself to New York is about 3 weeks. This is the time of the trip itself, not the total travel time from the warehouse in Europe to your destination.
When the container arrives at the port, the shipowner should contact you or your customs agent on the US side directly – Vindors recommends a professional you can trust.
What should you keep in mind when receiving goods?
- Decide whether you want to use an agent recommended by Vindors or another (arranged on your own).
- Take care of the documents you need to give to the agent.
- Check on the spot if the quantity and quality of the packages are correct.
- Take photos of the goods in the packages and after opening them in case there are possible damages.
Transportation of windows from Europe to the USA: pickup and delivery in the United States
Since the windows are already in the US, you will be responsible for the next steps. What are they?
- Pick up the goods from the port on your own within the prescribed period (usually 48h-72h after the container arrives at the port).
- Paying the customs duty applicable in the US (make sure to check with the customs agent what the applicable rate is).
- Pay taxes applicable in the buyer’s country.
- Arranging and paying for transportation from the port to the investment/warehouse site.
- Paying port handling costs:
For less-than-container-loaded (LCL – in OSB boxes) transportation, this will be an estimated 3 USD to 6 USD per ft³ of goods.
There are two ways to deliver a container:
- Pickup by a shipping company.
- Delivery of goods directly to the investment site.
Collection by the shipping company must be arranged on your own. If you have trouble finding a suitable company, ask your customs agent on the US side. They should help you with this, as well as guide you through local customs fees and state-specific tax.
It is important to pick up your goods as soon as possible after unloading them at the port. The penalty for holding the goods at the port for a day can be several hundred dollars. Therefore, contact in advance a shipping company that will deliver the goods directly to the construction site as soon as they are unloaded from the ship. You may have to wait up to several days for the ship to unload at the port.
The second way, which is to deliver the goods directly to the project site, is usually a much more expensive option than port-to-port transportation. At Vindors, this is more affordable, as we offer transportation up to 186 miles from the port for a 2,000 USD surcharge.