With offices in Ashdod, Haifa and Jerusalem, Sonigo specializes in shipping to and from Israel. Our mission is to make the shipping process as easy as we can for you and your family.
We know shipping to Israel can prove to be difficult and nerve-wracking; this is why we composed this simple overview, which will help familiarize you with shipping methods, regulations and terminology.
Sonigo covers all of the basic available shipping options and methods. These include:
Air cargo is more expensive than ocean freight, although air shipments arrive at their destination much faster. When time is critical and for shipments of value, including artwork, new appliances or electronics, shipping by air may be the preferred option.
The airport of entry is Ben Gurion Airport, which is located in Lod.
Most people and companies choose shipping their cargo to and from Israel by ocean freight. Although cost effective, this method is also substantially slower than shipping by air. There are other advantages: sea ports are designed to handle large cargo volumes and both commercial and personal imports are handled on a daily basis.
When shipping to and from Israel by sea, you can choose between shipping a full or partial container, where you pay for space you utilize within the container. Consolidated containers must be emptied at the port and shipments individually cleared through customs.
Ports of entry to Israel are located in Haifa, Ashdod, and Eilat, while Sonigo provides storage facilities in both Ashdod and Haifa.
As the name implies, this type of service includes pick-up and packing at your origin and concludes with the delivery and unloading at your destination. We recommend you choose door to door shipping when moving or relocating to Israel, for a worry-free removal experience.
While many foreign companies offer door-to-door shipping to Israel, they usually do not include “Destination Port Fees” in their “door-to-door” price. We cannot stress how vital it is to obtain port fees in writing before shipping to Israel. Since Sonigo is based in Israel, we know our way around the Israel Port Facilities and always include port fees within your estimate and in writing.
This shipping method is not suggested for individuals or small businesses, as the seemingly lower price does not include fees that you will ultimately need to pay (such as port fees and taxes).
This option is often offered to commercial importers who purchase goods on a “FOB” basis. Sonigo will calculate not only the price of sea freight and delivery to your door, but will also include Israeli Port Fees. For individuals with pre-packed goods, this option will save the cost of pick-up. You would actually drop the goods off at our warehouse. We’ll take it from there.
Much like the ‘Door to Port Shipping’ option mentioned above, this shipping method is not suggested for individuals or small businesses.
Shipping to and from Israel
When shipping to and from Israel, time in transit will vary depending on sea or air shipping, country of origin, full or consolidated container load, national holidays and forces majeure such as strikes, slowdown and other rare events.
We strongly advise to deliver all relevant documentation to us in a timely manner to avoid customs delays and allow for an efficient customs process. Commercial shippers should obtain all approvals from Customs before the shipment departs.
When shipping to Israel, try to avoid having your goods arrive during national holidays. Customs are closed on most holidays, and your shipment cannot clear without the authorization of a customs officer, therefore causing expensive storage charges. Please speak with one of our Shipping to Israel Specialists regarding your specific needs.
When shipping by air, please allow for 10-21 days door-to-door.
*Times in transit are based on estimates, and not guaranteed.
As a rule, all imports to Israel are subject to import duties. There are some notable exceptions.
Please download our informative sheet “Import Duties and Rights in Israel” for more information.
Commercial entities shipping to Israel should possess all of the relevant approvals, labeling requirements, and a pre-ruling from customs before the shipment leaves its origin.
When shipping, there are several things you need to know regarding destination ports, as reviewed below:
Port fees: Ports and facilities charge fees for their work. These fees are not all regulated, so you must have them in writing before shipping to Israel. Insist on getting your port fees in writing, as costs should be known ahead of time and not as a surprise.
Storage fees: All shipments must clear customs and be removed from the port before the allotted timeframe (see below) or you will have to pay storage fees. When shipping to Israel, you must consider these time periods and charges:
*Arrival and departure dates are counted when calculating the storage period.
Air Shipments: Storage of air shipments is billed according to weight, volume and time in storage. These charges can add up quickly, so time your shipment accordingly (We don’t want it arriving on the first day of a holiday, for example).
Full Container Sea Shipments: Full Container Sea Shipments are free of charge for the first 2 days, after which they are billed on a daily basis. Each week (from 2-5) shows a steady increase in the daily storage charge. There is also a separate charge for container rental (demurrage) that varies on shipping lines. These charges add up: the cost of keeping a container in storage for approximately two weeks exceeds the cost of unloading the container and re-loading the goods onto a truck. If you will not be ready to accept delivery on a full container load as soon as it clears customs, or if you will not be able to supply us the needed documents before the container arrives in Israel, please let your Shipping Specialist know before deciding on a full container rather than a consolidated shipment.
Consolidated Sea Shipments (LCL): Port Facilities usually allow 30 days of free storage on LCL loads. While bonded port warehouses are suitable for short-term storage (30-60 days) they are not designed for long term storage. Please ask your Sonigo Shipping to Israel Specialist about the option of storing goods in our clean, secure, private warehouse once your goods have cleared customs. It is well worth it.
Strikes/Slowdowns: since the privatization of Israeli ports, long-term strikes have become less frequent. However, short (2-3 day) strikes and “slowdowns” in work have become more frequent. This has caused for some additional fees, such as unplanned storage charges (see above) and “congestion” charges. Sonigo includes congestion as part of our charges; other companies may not do the same.
Customs/Security Inspections: Very few (approximately 4%) of shipments coming into Israel are inspected. However, most shipments to the United States, for example, are inspected.You should take the possibility that it may happen to you into consideration. An inspection will lead to additional charges that are not included in your estimate. If your shipper tells you there was a customs inspection, you can verify with customs that this did, in fact, happen.
We have assembled a few tips to help avoid this:
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