The UK is one of our headline export markets, and mainland Europe is a natural extension of the same shipping lanes and documentation experience. But the UK and EU are two separate regulatory environments post-Brexit — different tariff schedules, separate customs declarations, and their own quirks. This guide covers both, and what to check before you commit to a shipping date.
Shipments to the UK route to Felixstowe or Southampton — the UK's two largest container ports and the standard entry points for furniture cargo from India. Sea freight transit runs roughly 20-30 days from India's west coast ports, depending on routing and any transshipment. UK demand for our range skews toward hotel and hospitality FF&E for refurbishment and new-build projects, alongside institutional furniture for education-sector procurement.
Since Brexit, the UK sets its own tariff schedule independent of the EU — the UK Global Tariff. Duty rates on furniture vary by HS code and specific product classification, so we recommend checking the buyer's specific product classification against the UK government's trade tariff tool rather than assuming a flat rate applies across all furniture categories. Import VAT applies on top of duty at the point of import, in addition to any applicable customs duty — your UK-based customs broker or freight forwarder can confirm the current rate and how it applies to your specific shipment.
European orders typically route via Rotterdam, Hamburg or Antwerp — the three largest container gateways into the EU, each with strong onward rail and road connections across the continent. Sea freight transit runs roughly 20-28 days from India, broadly comparable to UK transit times. EU customs duty on furniture typically falls in a 0-5.6% range depending on tariff classification, though the exact rate depends on the buyer's specific product code — this is worth confirming before finalising pricing, since it materially affects the buyer's landed cost.
Wood packaging material — pallets, crates, dunnage — used in any shipment to the EU or UK must comply with ISPM-15, the international standard requiring heat treatment or fumigation of wood packaging, stamped with a visible compliance mark. This is strictly enforced at both EU and UK borders: non-compliant wood packaging can result in a shipment being held, treated at the importer's cost, or in some cases rejected outright. We use only ISPM-15 certified wood packaging on every export order as standard practice, not an optional upgrade — it's worth confirming this explicitly with any supplier before shipping to either market, since it's a common and entirely avoidable cause of border delays.
| Market | Port | Sea Transit | Duty Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Felixstowe / Southampton | ~20-30 days | Per UK Global Tariff — check HS code |
| Mainland Europe | Rotterdam / Hamburg / Antwerp | ~20-28 days | ~0-5.6% (EU, per classification) |
We quote FOB (Free on Board) from an Indian port as standard, meaning the buyer arranges and pays for freight from that point. CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) to the buyer's destination port is also available, where we arrange freight and insurance to the named port. For buyers who prefer a fully managed door-to-door process, DAP (Delivered at Place) and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms can be arranged on request — DDP in particular suits first-time importers who want to avoid handling destination customs clearance themselves, at a correspondingly higher quoted price that reflects us carrying that risk and administrative load.
Furniture ships efficiently by FCL (Full Container Load) — cargo stays in a single dedicated container from factory to destination, minimising handling and damage risk compared to consolidated LCL shipments. Most UK and EU institutional and hotel furniture orders are large enough to fill a full container on their own; smaller orders can be consolidated, at the cost of slightly higher handling risk and less control over the exact departure schedule.
Standard terms apply: 30-50% advance deposit, balance due against Bill of Lading copy. Letters of Credit are accepted and worth considering for larger first-time orders into either market, since they add a settlement-risk safeguard for both sides on an unfamiliar trading relationship. Pricing is quoted in USD as standard, though GBP or EUR quotes can be arranged on request for buyers who prefer to avoid currency-conversion exposure.
Manufacturing lead time is the standard 4-6 weeks for custom institutional or hotel furniture orders, regardless of destination. Add sea transit (20-30 days UK, 20-28 days EU) plus destination customs clearance, which varies more by country and current border volume than by the shipping leg itself. Working backward from a project deadline, we recommend allowing 10-12 weeks total from order confirmation to on-site delivery for both markets, with additional buffer for a first order into either market until you have a track record with that specific port and customs process.
The Royal Safe Company exports institutional and hotel furniture to the UK and mainland Europe, with FOB/CIF/DAP/DDP terms and ISPM-15 certified export packaging on every order. Contact sales@royalsafeco.com with your destination port, product list and quantities for a routing and duty-specific quote.
UK orders route to Felixstowe or Southampton. Mainland European orders typically route to Rotterdam, Hamburg or Antwerp, depending on the buyer's inland destination and freight forwarder routing.
Sea freight to the UK typically takes 20-30 days. Mainland European ports typically run 20-28 days. Add manufacturing lead time and destination customs clearance on top of transit time.
EU customs duty typically falls in a 0-5.6% range depending on tariff classification. UK duty is set independently under the UK Global Tariff — check the buyer's specific HS code via the UK government's trade tariff tool. Import VAT applies in both markets on top of duty.
ISPM-15 requires wood packaging (pallets, crates, dunnage) to be heat-treated or fumigated and stamped with a compliance mark before export. Both the EU and UK enforce it strictly — non-compliant packaging can be held, treated, or rejected at the border. We use only ISPM-15 certified wood packaging on every export order.
FOB from an Indian port and CIF to the buyer's destination port as standard. DAP and DDP can be arranged on request for buyers who want us to manage the full door-to-door logistics chain.