Europe to China Shipping: Why Italy Has No Direct Route
Published on March 21, 2025
Is there a direct shipping route from Italy to Tianjin? Recently, several customers have asked me whether there is a faster direct vessel from Italy to Tianjin. Based on our operational experience, there are currently no direct sailings from Italian base ports to Tianjin Port. Transshipment is typically via Singapore or Shanghai. In fact, a direct sailing to Shanghai would only be 3-5 days faster than to Tianjin. The main reason for the long transit times now is that the Red Sea route is blocked, so shipping lines are essentially rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This adds 10-15 days to overall transit times compared to before, meaning shipments from Italian base ports to Tianjin take about 50 days. So, dear customers, the only thing we can do is: place orders early and book space early — everything else is futile. For some cargo, you might want to consider the China-Europe Railway Express.
Has anyone encountered faster vessels when importing by sea from Italy? Please share in the comments.
In-Depth Analysis
This article provides a deeper analysis based on the video content.
Is there a direct shipping route from Italy to Tianjin? Recently, several customers have asked me whether there is a faster direct vessel from Italy to Tianjin. Based on our operational experience, there are currently no direct sailings from Italian base ports to Tianjin Port. Transshipment is typically via Singapore or Shanghai. In fact, a direct sailing to Shanghai would only be 3-5 days faster than to Tianjin. The main reason for the long transit times now is that the Red Sea route is blocked, so shipping lines are essentially rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This adds 10-15 days to overall transit times compared to before, meaning shipments from Italian base ports to Tianjin take about 50 days. So, dear customers, the only thing we can do is: place orders early and book space early — everything else is futile. For some cargo, you might want to consider the China-Europe Railway Express.
Has anyone encountered faster vessels when importing by sea from Italy? Please share in the comments.
Summary
The above is a detailed introduction on the reasons for long shipping times from Europe to China. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Votrich International Freight for consultation.