Imports and exports by air & sea freight
to and from South Africa
South Africa is one of the African continent’s major economies and offers a broad range of opportunities for import and export trade. It also serves as a gateway for southern Africa, with connections to neighbouring countries including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Solutions for exports, imports and international removals
Sea, Air, Transport & Service works with established partners in South Africa. Together, we develop and coordinate logistics arrangements for your requirements. Our partners are principally based in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, three important logistics centres in southern Africa. Durban, on the Indian Ocean, is a major container port and a key gateway for South African trade.
Johannesburg is a major economic centre and an international aviation hub. Its O. R. Tambo airport has an important role in African air freight connections.
Our door-to-door arrangements can cover the complete transport chain between locations in South Africa and your address in Germany, subject to the route and shipment requirements. We can assess imports, exports and international removals to and from South Africa. Our support extends beyond carriage to the relevant handling, documentation and customs procedures. Local partners contribute their knowledge of the regulations that apply to the goods.
Contact our team
We will be pleased to help with South Africa-related imports, exports, removals and relocation. Our team can assess suitable options once you explain your requirements. Contact us using the enquiry form or by email or telephone. We will review the details and prepare an individual quotation when the necessary shipment information is available. Draw on the international freight-forwarding experience of Sea, Air, Transport & Service for your South Africa route.
South Africa’s economy: historical trade context
- the earlier overview reported GDP of US$341 billion in 2014 and described South Africa as Africa’s second-largest economy after Nigeria at that time; this is not a current ranking;
- the reported 2014 per-capita figure was US$6,354.3. This figure is retained as historical data; it does not establish that South Africa had Africa’s highest per-capita income;
- foreign trade is important to South Africa’s economy. The foreign-trade ratio was reported at 57% of GDP in 2013, with raw materials and non-ferrous metals prominent among exports;
- Germany was a major trading partner in 2013. The earlier overview ranked it second as a supplier after China and sixth as a customer after China, the United States, Japan, Botswana and Namibia;
- in 2013, Germany exported goods worth €8.5 billion to South Africa and imported goods worth €4.7 billion;
- the stock of German direct investment in South Africa was reported at around €6.1 billion in 2013.
Selected airport references in South Africa
| Airport | IATA code / UN/LOCODE | City |
| King Shaka International Airport | DUR | Durban |
| O. R. Tambo International Airport | JNB | Johannesburg |
| Cape Town International Airport | CPT | Cape Town |
| Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (formerly Port Elizabeth Airport) | PLZ | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) |
01. Need a quotation?
Benefit from our experience with transport to and from South Africa.
Our local partner network supports a plan matched to your cargo, route and delivery requirements.
02. What do you need?
South Africa: your freight forwarder for imports & exports
South Africa is an important trading partner for Germany and the wider EU. The relationship includes machinery, vehicles, automotive parts and chemicals moving from Germany and Europe, with raw materials, mining products such as platinum and iron ore, other metals, vehicles and agricultural goods moving from South Africa. For these cargo flows, SATS acts as your freight forwarder to coordinate imports and exports between the two markets.
Transport options for South Africa
- Sea freight: Important gateways include Durban, Cape Town, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Ngqura and Richards Bay. The existing route overview gives an indicative four to six weeks from Northern Europe, with longer transits possible. Current sailings, transshipment and operating conditions must be confirmed for your shipment.
- Air freight: Urgent shipments can be planned through gateways such as O. R. Tambo International in Johannesburg and Cape Town International, including high-value goods, spare parts and samples.
- Multimodal arrangements: Where required, we combine sea freight and air freight with collection and delivery by road through to the agreed address.
Customs & documents
For customs treatment between the EU and South Africa, the EU–SADC Economic Partnership Agreement replaced the earlier TDCA trade arrangements. Eligible originating goods may benefit from reduced or zero duties, subject to the relevant tariff and origin provisions. Proof may take the form of an EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration under the agreement’s conditions; the correct form depends on the exporter and consignment. A complete commercial invoice, packing list, origin evidence and any product-specific certificates need to be prepared. We coordinate customs clearance and help identify the documents and procedures relevant to your shipment.
From raw-material imports to machinery exports, SATS supports the South Africa route from collection to delivery, with coordinated handling, clear documentation and transport-mode selection suited to your requirements.