New Zealand: your import and export partner
for air & sea freight
Despite the long distance, New Zealand is an important trading partner for Germany in the Pacific region. Traditionally centred on agriculture, its economy has developed into a modern, advanced economy with a high standard of living.
Surrounded by the sea and far from many of the world’s major trade routes, New Zealand has long depended on ships and aircraft to connect its foreign trade over great distances. Much of its population and economic activity is concentrated on the North Island. Stats NZ estimated the country’s resident population at around 5.36 million at 30 June 2026. Auckland is its largest urban centre and a major international transport gateway.
Against this background, Sea, Air, Transport & Service works with established local partners in Auckland. Their knowledge of local conditions and their logistics network support connections across both the North and South Islands. Auckland has a major international airport and an important seaport, making it a key starting point and destination for imports and exports.
A complete service for transport to and from New Zealand
For transport to and from New Zealand, you can draw on the coordinated services of Sea, Air, Transport & Service. Our work extends beyond Auckland: we also organise shipments to and from other New Zealand destinations, through Auckland or via another suitable gateway. Alongside imports and exports, we arrange international removals for people relocating to or from New Zealand. Our automotive experience also supports vehicle shipments with New Zealand as their origin or destination. We coordinate the transport arrangements and relevant customs procedures according to the goods and shipment requirements.
How to contact us
Our team will be pleased to advise you on transport to or from New Zealand. Contact us using the enquiry form, by telephone or by email. We will review your requirements and respond with the next steps. If you already have details of your shipment, we can prepare an individual quotation. Tell us what you are planning.
New Zealand’s economy: historical trade context
- New Zealand is an advanced economy. The earlier country overview cited per-capita income above US$40,000 and compared its prosperity with Germany; this is historical context rather than a current income ranking;
- despite its remote geographical position, New Zealand has a strong foreign-trade orientation. In 2015, exports were valued at about US$34.2 billion and imports at US$36.3 billion;
- agricultural products have traditionally been important exports, including lamb, sheep and beef, dairy products, apples, kiwifruit and timber. The earlier overview identified China, Australia, Japan and the United States as major customers;
- imports include petroleum, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles and electronic equipment. China, Australia, Japan, the United States and Germany were identified as major suppliers in that historical overview;
- the earlier overview described Germany as New Zealand’s largest EU trading partner, with German exports exceeding €1 billion a year, mainly machinery and motor vehicles. It recorded a lower value of German imports from New Zealand, about 70% of which consisted of food and agricultural products. These figures describe the historical trade structure, not a current statistical assessment.
Selected airports and seaports in New Zealand
| Airport / seaport | IATA code / UN/LOCODE | City |
| Auckland Airport | AKL | Auckland |
| Christchurch Airport | CHC | Christchurch |
| Queenstown Airport | ZQN | Queenstown |
| Wellington Airport | WLG | Wellington |
| Port of Auckland | NZAKL | Auckland |
| Port of Tauranga | NZTRG | Tauranga |
| Port of Wellington | NZWLG | Wellington |
01. Need a quotation?
Benefit from our experience with transport to and from New Zealand.
Our partner network and carefully planned arrangements support an individual solution for your shipment.
02. What do you need?
New Zealand: your freight forwarder for imports & exports
As an international freight forwarder, SATS Group coordinates your shipments between Germany/Europe and New Zealand. The trading relationship is complementary despite the distance: Germany and the EU supply products such as machinery, vehicles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals while New Zealand supplies agricultural goods including dairy products, meat, fruit and wine. Whether you are planning an import or an export shipment, we can coordinate the transport chain through to the final delivery address.
Transport options for New Zealand
- Sea freight: A main option for containerised goods and project cargo. Gateways include Tauranga, Auckland and Lyttelton for the South Island. The existing route overview gives an indicative 35–50 days from Northern Europe; actual transit depends on the selected sailing, transshipment and operating conditions and must be confirmed for your shipment.
- Air freight: For urgent or high-value shipments, air transport through Auckland Airport offers a faster alternative to sea freight. We check suitable connections against the cargo, deadlines and capacity.
- Multimodal solutions: Where required, we combine sea or air freight with collection and delivery by road through to the agreed address.
Customs & documents
The free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand entered into force on 1 May 2024. It reduces or removes duties on many eligible goods. Preferential treatment is subject to the product-specific rules of origin and the appropriate claim and evidence, rather than applying automatically to every shipment. The customs process therefore needs careful preparation. For consignments of EU-originating products above €6,000, an EU exporter making out a statement on origin must normally be registered in REX and include its REX number. Other origin-claim arrangements and the requirements for the reverse direction must be checked separately. We coordinate customs clearance, origin information, the commercial invoice and packing list for the relevant shipment.
From a single pallet to project cargo, SATS supports the New Zealand route with a transport plan tailored to your goods, deadlines and delivery requirements.