Bremerhaven — the car import centre of Europe
Bremerhaven is the unrivalled centre of European vehicle imports. The BLG AutoTerminal is the largest RoRo terminal in Europe — approximately 1.3 million vehicles pass through it every year (2024). Importers bringing in cars from the USA, Japan, South Korea or Australia very often choose Bremerhaven as the port of entry.
Beyond vehicles, Bremerhaven is an important hub for the wind energy sector — turbines and components for offshore farms are handled here in large volumes. The port also serves major container services to and from Asia and the Americas via the Eurogate terminal.
Importing a car via Bremerhaven — customs procedure
Importing a vehicle from the USA or Japan via Bremerhaven requires several customs and homologation formalities:
Customs formalities: A customs declaration filed in the ATLAS system (HZA Bremen, code DE002452), payment of duty (10% for passenger vehicles from outside the EU, HS 8703 — MFN rate, may vary depending on trade agreements), VAT (19% in Germany or 23% in Poland under T1 transit), and potentially excise duty for new vehicles.
Homologation: Importing a vehicle from outside the EU requires individual type-approval in the destination country (technical inspection, adaptation to EU standards). Without homologation the vehicle cannot be registered.
Typical costs: Customs agency fee 150–300 EUR, port charges and handling 100–200 EUR, transport Bremerhaven to destination 400–800 EUR (vehicle transport).
Eurogate terminal Bremerhaven — Germany's second largest
Eurogate Container Terminal Bremerhaven is one of the largest container terminals in Europe with a throughput capacity of approximately 3 million TEU (with a planned increase to 4 million TEU following modernisation). It is a key hub for THE Alliance services (Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming, ONE) on Asia routes.
The terminal operates 24/7 in operational mode, however truck gate hours are usually limited to weekdays and Saturdays. Current hours are available on this page.
FAQ
How does the import of a car from the USA via Bremerhaven work?
The car arrives by RoRo vessel at the BLG AutoTerminal in Bremerhaven. The customs agency files a declaration with Zollamt Bremerhaven (code DE002452), duty is settled (10% MFN for HS 8703) along with VAT. The vehicle is then transported to the destination country (by car transporter or driven if it carries temporary plates). In the destination country it undergoes a technical inspection and individual type-approval before registration.
How does Bremerhaven differ from Hamburg for container importers?
Hamburg is larger and has more connections, but Bremerhaven offers shorter terminal handling times at the Eurogate terminal for certain THE Alliance services. Customs clearance costs are comparable. The decision is best made based on which carrier and service handles your cargo.
What is the customs office code for Bremerhaven?
Bremerhaven is served by Zollamt Bremerhaven, code DE002452. Always verify the code is current in the EU Customs Office List before using it in an official declaration.