Freight Forwarding Germany โ United States
Ocean and air freight from Germany's North Sea ports to US gateways. Machinery, automobiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and precision instruments with full US customs clearance.
Origin & Destination Ports
Primary gateways our partner network uses on this corridor. We can route through alternates for capacity, weather, or cost.
Origin Ports โ Germany
- Port of Hamburg
- Port of Bremerhaven
Destination Ports โ United States
- Port of New York/New Jersey
- Port of Baltimore
- Port of Savannah
- Port of Houston
Regulatory Snapshot
Snapshot of clearance and duty rules. For your specific HS code, request a personalized assessment.
Customs clearance
Shipments from Germany to the USA require ISF 24 hours before departure. Required documents: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, CBP Form 7501. German goods are EU-origin โ no Section 301 tariffs apply. Steel products may be subject to Section 232 tariffs (25% on steel, 10% on aluminum) with some EU product exclusions under negotiations. Pharmaceuticals require FDA registration. Medical devices require FDA 510(k) clearance or PMA documentation. Machinery may require FCC compliance for embedded electronics. Dual-use items may require EU export license and BIS import review.
Tariff & duties
German goods are assessed at US MFN tariff rates as EU-origin goods. No Section 301 tariffs apply. No USโEU free trade agreement is in force (TTIP negotiations were suspended in 2016). MFN rates: machinery 0โ3.9%, automobiles 2.5% (passenger cars) and 25% (trucks/light commercial vehicles โ Section 232 tariff under 232 auto investigation has been discussed), chemicals 0โ6.5%, pharmaceuticals 0%, medical devices 0โ3.7%, electrical equipment 0โ3.9%. Steel and aluminum are subject to Section 232 (25% steel, 10% aluminum) with some exclusions.
Quick facts
- Machinery & Engineering Expertise
Germany exports the world's finest industrial machinery and engineering equipment. We manage oversized machinery logistics including flat-rack containers, OOG routing, and factory-to-facility delivery across the USA.
- No Section 301 โ EU Origin
German (EU) origin goods are not subject to US Section 301 tariffs. Section 232 steel/aluminum tariffs may apply, but most German manufactured goods enter at standard MFN rates with no additional trade action surcharges.
- Frankfurt Air Cargo Hub
Frankfurt Airport is Europe's largest air cargo hub. Suaid Global books priority lift on all major carriers (Lufthansa Cargo, United, DHL) for German-origin air freight to US destinations, with transit times of 2โ4 days.
- What we move on this lane
Machinery & Equipment, Automobiles & Auto Parts, Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Electrical Equipment, Optical & Precision Instruments, Medical Devices
Related Shipping Routes
Frequently asked questions about Germany โ United States
How long does shipping from Germany to the USA take?
Ocean freight from Germany to the USA takes 12โ20 days. Hamburg or Bremerhaven to New York takes approximately 12โ14 days on direct North Atlantic services. To Savannah or Baltimore: 14โ18 days. To Houston or Gulf ports: 16โ20 days. Air freight from Frankfurt to major US cities takes 2โ4 days โ Frankfurt is Europe's largest cargo airport with multiple daily US flights.
Are German goods subject to Section 301 tariffs?
No. Section 301 tariffs apply exclusively to Chinese-origin goods. German goods (EU origin) are not subject to Section 301. They may be subject to Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum products (25% on steel, 10% on aluminum), with some product exclusions available under specific petitions. Most German manufactured goods โ machinery, chemicals, electronics โ enter at standard MFN tariff rates.
Is there a free trade agreement between the EU and the USA?
No. The USโEU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations were suspended in 2016 and have not been resumed in a comprehensive form. German and other EU goods pay standard US MFN tariff rates. The EU and US have negotiated sector-specific mutual recognition agreements (MRA) for certain regulated products, but no comprehensive FTA is in force.
What are the main German goods shipped to the USA?
Germany's top exports to the USA include: industrial machinery and machine tools (Germany is the world's second-largest machinery exporter), automobiles and parts (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi have major US sales), chemicals and pharmaceuticals (BASF, Bayer, Merck), electrical equipment and components (Siemens, Bosch), optical and precision instruments, and medical devices. The USA is one of Germany's largest export markets.
What Section 232 tariffs apply to German steel and aluminum?
Under Section 232 tariffs imposed in 2018, German (EU) steel is subject to a 25% tariff and aluminum to a 10% tariff when imported into the USA. The EU and USA have negotiated a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA) framework, but quotas and tariff treatment have changed multiple times. Some specific German steel products have received product exclusions. Our customs team monitors the current status for each product type.
How are pharmaceutical shipments handled from Germany to the USA?
Pharmaceutical imports from Germany require FDA establishment registration, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) compliance documentation, and for regulated drugs, FDA pre-approval. Temperature-controlled shipping is standard for biologics and temperature-sensitive APIs. Air freight is the preferred mode for most pharmaceutical cargo. Suaid Global provides GDP-compliant pharmaceutical freight management with temperature monitoring and chain-of-custody documentation.
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