Freight Rates Pakistan to Europe: FCL Shipping and Transit Times
Europe bought US$9.1bn of Pakistani goods in FY2025-26, and the EU alone takes almost 30% of everything Pakistan exports. Most boxes now reach Rotterdam or Hamburg in about 35 to 45 days via a transshipment hub. Get live prices, schedules and export clearance on one booking.
- Exports to Europe
- US$9.09bn
- FY2025-26, SBP
- EU share of exports
- 29.8%
- Pakistan's #1 market, 2025
- Fastest FCL sailing
- From 35 days
- Port Qasim to Rotterdam, via hub
- Textiles share
- 77.7%
- Of EU imports from Pakistan, 2025
Trade Snapshot: Pakistan → Europe
State Bank of Pakistan data for Pakistan's fiscal year; Eurostat (via the European Commission's DG Trade factsheet) and the UK Department for Business and Trade for the European side.
- US$9.09bn
- Pakistan exports to all of Europe, FY2025-26
- Flat on the year (-0.18%). Southern Europe grew 3.4% while Western Europe slipped.
- €8.68bn
- EU imports from Pakistan, 2025
- Up 4.2% on 2024. The EU runs a €5.17bn trade deficit with Pakistan.
- €7.1bn
- Exports entering the EU under GSP+
- 2024. Pakistan is the scheme's largest beneficiary, with an 87.9% preference utilisation rate.
- US$2.15bn
- Pakistan exports to the UK, FY2025-26
- The largest single European market, followed by Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.
Top shipping lines
Top shipping lines on Pakistan → Europe
Lines with published services on this lane. Select one to track a container with them.
Country context
Origin and destination country snapshot
Port activity and top partner mix from official trade and port statistics.
Pakistan
FY2025-26- Total exports
- US$30.1bn
- Down 5.9%, PBS provisional
- Textile exports
- US$17.9bn
- All markets, PBS
- Exports to Spain
- US$1.56bn
- Up 5.2%, fastest-growing big market
Where Pakistan's Europe exports go (Jul 2025 to Mar 2026)
- United Kingdom 23.6%
- Germany 18.1%
- Spain 17.2%
- Netherlands 16.0%
- Italy 12.8%
- France 6.0%
State Bank of Pakistan export data as reported by Dawn and Profit; shares computed against US$6.86bn of exports to Europe in July 2025 to March 2026.
Europe
2025- EU-Pakistan goods trade
- €12.2bn
- 2025, both directions
- UK goods imports
- £1.6bn
- From Pakistan, year to Q1 2026
- UK clothing imports
- £736.8m
- 46% of UK goods from Pakistan
What the EU buys from Pakistan (2025, by HS section)
- Textiles and textile articles 77.7%
- Hides, skins and leather 4.0%
- Vegetable products (incl. rice) 3.7%
- Prepared foodstuffs 3.1%
- Misc. manufactures (incl. sports goods) 2.6%
European Commission DG Trade factsheet (Eurostat Comext), May 2026; UK Department for Business and Trade trade and investment factsheet, July 2026 (ONS data).
Top Commodities Traded (Pakistan → Europe)
Eurostat via DG Trade (2025) for EU values; PBS for Pakistan's all-market textile figures (FY2025-26); UK DBT for UK values.
Knitwear & Readymade Garments
T-shirts, denim, knit and woven apparel. Pakistan exported US$4.97bn of knitwear and US$4.29bn of garments to all markets in FY2025-26; clothing is 46% of what the UK buys from Pakistan.
Home Textiles: Bedwear & Towels
Bed linen, towels and made-ups, US$3.11bn and US$1.06bn in FY2025-26. UK DCTS cut the duty on Pakistani bed linen, worth about £250m a year to the UK, by 12 points.
Cotton Yarn & Fabric
Greige and processed cotton cloth, US$1.67bn to all markets in FY2025-26. Textile fabrics are a third of UK goods imports from Pakistan (£525m).
Leather & Leather Goods
Hides, finished leather, jackets and gloves. €343m of EU imports in 2025, 4% of the total.
Rice
Basmati and non-basmati rice inside the EU's €323m vegetable products line. The new EU GSP regulation adds an automatic safeguard if rice volumes surge above their 10-year average.
Surgical Instruments & Sports Goods
Sialkot's surgical instruments, footballs and sportswear, part of the EU's €226m miscellaneous manufactures line in 2025.
Major Ports & Transit Benchmarks
Benchmarks are published schedule ranges; confirm the ETA on the live sailing before you book.
- Origins
- Karachi (SAPT, KICT, KGTL) • Port Qasim (QICT) • Lahore and Faisalabad inland depots
- Destinations
- Rotterdam • Hamburg • Antwerp • Valencia • Barcelona • Piraeus • Gdansk
- Carriers
- Maersk • MSC • CMA CGM • Hapag-Lloyd • ONE • HMM • COSCO • OOCL
Since India banned Pakistan-origin transit cargo in May 2025, most Europe-bound boxes leave Karachi and Port Qasim on a feeder or shuttle to Colombo or Salalah, then join a mainline service. Some westbound Europe loops returned to Suez in 2026 while others still sail round the Cape, and Houthi control of Bab el-Mandeb since September 2026 is a fresh risk, so routing is confirmed per booking.
Instant Rate Levels
Selected
Port Qasim → Rotterdam • 20' Standard
Transshipment • From 35 days • Colombo (PIKEX2 to EPIC, Malabar to AES)
Live all-in price on request
Ocean freight, BAF and local charges quoted against this week's carrier tariffs for your exact cargo. We don't print a sample range here because it would be stale before you read it.
Quick Compare
- Transit
- From 35 days
- Service
- Transshipment
What moves the price on Pakistan → Europe
- trending_upSuez or the Cape: on Maersk's ME11, Suez routing saves 19 days westbound between Salalah and Port Said, and the choice shows up in both transit and price.
- trending_upPublished tariffs have risen sharply: Hapag-Lloyd added US$1,500 per container from Karachi and Port Qasim to Europe from 1 August 2026.
- trending_upEU surcharges on top of ocean freight: ETS and FuelEU charges now appear per TEU on carrier tariffs into Europe.
- trending_upHub choice: Colombo, Salalah and Gulf hubs price differently, and Jebel Ali relays have been impaired since the Strait of Hormuz closed in March 2026.
Popular port pairs
Pakistan → Europe
Quick-launch rate requests for the main port pairs on this lane.
Why Choose Maalbardaar for Pakistan → Europe?
Licensed customs clearance • Live tracking • One team at both ends of the paperwork
The Right Hub for Each Box
Colombo, Salalah or a Gulf relay: we compare the transshipment options on every sailing so a routing change doesn't become a missed delivery window.
GSP+ & DCTS Paperwork
Origin documentation for EU GSP+ and UK DCTS preferences, checked before the vessel sails so your buyer gets the duty rate they priced in.
Export Clearance in Karachi
Goods Declaration on WeBOC, export proceeds on PSW, and telex or original bill release that fits State Bank rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does sea freight take from Pakistan to Europe?
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The fastest scheduled sailings reach Rotterdam in about 35 days from Port Qasim via a transshipment hub, and Hamburg in about 38 days. Sailings with more intermediate calls run 39 to 45 days. Actual time depends heavily on whether the vessel uses Suez or goes round the Cape.
Is there a direct ship from Karachi to Europe?
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Mostly not since May 2025, with a few exceptions such as WEC Lines' direct North West Europe service. India's ban on Pakistan-origin transit cargo made it hard for carriers to keep Karachi on combined India to Europe loops, so most cargo now moves on a feeder or shuttle to Colombo (CMA CGM, MSC) or Salalah (Maersk) and connects to a mainline service there.
Are ships using the Suez Canal again?
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Partly. Several Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Gemini services and CMA CGM's EPIC westbound returned to Suez during 2026, while some sailings, including many eastbound legs, still go round the Cape. Houthi forces taking the Bab el-Mandeb coast in September 2026 is a new risk, so routing is confirmed at booking.
Will Pakistan keep GSP+ after 2027?
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The new EU GSP Regulation (EU) 2026/1395 applies from 1 January 2027 to 2036. Countries that are GSP+ beneficiaries on 31 December 2026, including Pakistan, are treated as beneficiaries under the new rules until 31 December 2028, subject to the applicable conditions, and must then apply to continue. Access isn't automatic. Exporters claim the preference with a statement on origin made by a REX-registered exporter.
Does the EU deforestation regulation affect Pakistani leather, rice or cotton?
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Cattle hides and cattle leather that fall within the regulation's product codes are in scope of EUDR, with large and medium operators due to comply from 30 December 2026 and micro and small operators from 30 June 2027. Rice and cotton are not listed relevant commodities in Annex I. Non-cattle leather needs to be checked by tariff code, so confirm your HS code before shipping.
Is there a direct service from Karachi to North West Europe?
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WEC Lines announced a direct Pakistan to North West Europe connection, with its first Karachi sailing on 11 October 2025. COSCO also lists EPIC1, EPIC2 and IMEX services from Port Qasim to Europe, and OOCL's CIX1 connects Karachi to Europe via Colombo.
Does the UK give Pakistani goods lower duty?
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Yes. Pakistan is in the Enhanced Preferences tier of the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme, in force since June 2023. Bed linen and jeans, together worth about £350m a year of Pakistani exports to the UK, each gained a 12-point duty cut.
What does Pakistan export to Europe most?
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Textiles, by a wide margin: 77.7% of EU imports from Pakistan in 2025 (€6.75bn). Knitwear, garments, bed linen, towels and cotton fabric lead, followed by leather, rice, and Sialkot's surgical instruments and sports goods.
Can I get a telex release on an export to Europe?
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Maersk allows telex release for Pakistan exports only on a carrier master bill of lading with bank documents from an authorised bank, citing State Bank of Pakistan rules; it isn't available where a forwarder's house bill is involved. Other carriers apply similar conditions.
Still have questions?
For assistance, please visit our Contact Us page. Our team clears and forwards cargo on this lane every week.
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Figures on this page come from official trade statistics and carrier-published schedules, checked September 2026. Transit times are schedule ranges and vary by sailing; trade values are reported in US dollars for the period stated beside each figure. Maalbardaar is not affiliated with the shipping lines named here.