Sea freight between the Netherlands and the United States runs both ways on the same lane, with the paperwork mirrored. Exporting, the US wants its cargo data before the box is even loaded in Europe. Importing, the EU wants the same: an ENS before the box loads in the US. Either direction, a clean shipment needs a bill of lading, the right advance filing, correct HS codes and an agreed Incoterm. A transatlantic sailing to the US East Coast is roughly two to three weeks.
US container ports and their LOCODEs
From the Netherlands the natural gateways are on the East and Gulf coasts; the West Coast is reachable but slower via Panama.
| Port | LOCODE | Coast |
|---|---|---|
| New York / New Jersey | USNYC | East |
| Norfolk (Port of Virginia) | USORF | East |
| Savannah | USSAV | East (South Atlantic) |
| Charleston | USCHS | East (South Atlantic) |
| Baltimore | USBAL | East |
| Miami | USMIA | East (South Florida) |
| Houston | USHOU | Gulf |
| Los Angeles | USLAX | West |
| Long Beach | USLGB | West |
Los Angeles and Long Beach are the country's two largest container ports, but for a box leaving Rotterdam they sit at the far end of a Panama routing; New York/New Jersey is the largest East Coast gateway and the usual choice from the Netherlands.
Who sails the lane
The transatlantic trade is served by the big alliances and MSC. Which carrier actually moves your box, and on whose vessel, depends on the alliance sharing the service. The booking carrier owns your bill of lading regardless. For the full picture of carriers and alliances see Container Shipping Lines.
Transit time, each way
To the US East Coast, count on roughly two to three weeks port to port; direct Rotterdam–New York services sit at the short end, transhipment adds days. To the West Coast via Panama it is closer to four to five weeks. Inbound from the US East Coast to Rotterdam runs in a similar two-to-three-week band, but the schedule is not a mirror of the export leg: it is a different service with its own rotation and transhipment, so plan the import on its own timetable. Treat all of these as planning ranges, not guarantees.
Exporting to the USA: the three filings
This is where an export to the USA stands or falls. Three filings run in parallel, each due 24 hours before the cargo is laden at the European port:
- AMS, the advance manifest, filed per bill of lading (carrier files the master, the NVOCC files each house bill).
- ISF 10+2, the importer security filing at house-bill level.
- FMC compliance for the NVOCC carrying the shipment.
Miss one and the result is not a fine months later but a "do not load" before the box sails, plus penalties. The full mechanics, the ten ISF data elements and the deadlines are on our guide Usa Import Filings.
Importing from the USA: ENS under ICS2
The import direction has no AMS, ISF or FMC; those are US export filings. The EU has its own mirror: an ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) under ICS2, the EU's advance cargo-security system. For deep-sea containers it is due 24 hours before loading at the US port, the same pre-loading logic as AMS. The carrier files the master-level ENS (mandatory since 4 December 2024) and the forwarder files the house-level data (since 1 April 2025). On arrival in Rotterdam the goods clear for import, or move inland under a T1 to be cleared at destination, and import duty and VAT are settled; the whole inbound chain is on Importing Into The Netherlands, and ICS2 itself on Customs It Systems.
The Incoterm decides who clears
Who arranges the US import clearance, and who carries cost and risk where, follows the Incoterm. Note the customs-law point: an Incoterm never moves a legal obligation that customs law fixes. The exporter on the EU export declaration (EX-A) must be EU-established, so "the US buyer sorts the export paperwork" does not hold up however the invoice reads.
Common mistakes
- Filing AMS and ISF against departure instead of loading, and missing the 24-hour mark.
- Forgetting the house-bill AMS when there is a consolidation: the master filing does not cover it.
- Routing to the West Coast out of habit when an East Coast port is faster and cheaper from Rotterdam.
- Letting "EXW, buyer handles it" leave the EU export declaration unfiled.
How Nexport Logistics handles it
Exporting, we book the transatlantic sailing, file the AMS, ISF and FMC side on time, build the B/L, check the HS codes and clear the EU export. Importing, we arrange the carrier, see to the ENS under ICS2, and clear the goods in Rotterdam or move them under a T1 to your door. You follow the shipment in the Nexportal portal either way. Shipping a container to or from the USA? Email info@nexportlogistics.nl and we will set it up to load clean.
Related: Usa Import Filings · Importing Into The Netherlands · Container Shipping Lines · Incoterms · Customs It Systems · Container Dimensions