International pallet shipping from the UK with TCB Group covers pallet-sized loads to destinations worldwide by sea and air, with collection across the UK, packing and consolidation at our St Helens warehouse near Liverpool, customs clearance and delivery at destination. We run weekly direct sea freight from the UK to Singapore and a daily consolidated air freight gateway between Manchester and Singapore, with onward connections across Asia and Australasia. TCB Group is IATA accredited and a member of BIFA.
Sea freight quote · Air freight quote
How International Pallet Shipping Works
A pallet-sized load is too big for a parcel service but far too small to fill a container. International pallet shipping solves this by consolidating your pallets with other shippers’ cargo, so you pay only for the space your goods use. We collect from your premises, receive the pallets into our St Helens warehouse, check them against the paperwork and load them into a shared container or air consolidation. At destination, our partners clear each consignment and complete the international pallet delivery to the consignee’s door.
This is LCL shipping from the UK: less than container load freight, priced on the volume or weight of your pallets, and the basis of our LCL exports to Asia, Australasia and beyond. For a fuller explanation of how LCL is priced, see our LCL shipping guide and our freight consolidation page.
UK to Australia
For pallets to Australia, we combine our daily Manchester to Singapore air consolidation with onward connections from Singapore, or move them by sea through Singapore. Our own team in Singapore handles transhipment and customs coordination, so the pallets stay under TCB Group control for the whole route. In one recent job, two pallets of machinery spare parts for a UK materials handling company travelled on our air consolidation to Singapore and on to a distributor in Australia, faster than sea freight alone. Read the UK to Australia multi-modal case study and our precision instruments to Melbourne case study.
UK to Singapore and Asia-Pacific
Our weekly direct sea freight from the UK to Singapore gives international pallet shipping a regular departure into Asia, with onward connections across Asia and Australasia. Our daily air consolidation between Manchester and Singapore connects onward to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. We are particularly strong for pallet shipping to and from China, India, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia. See our air cargo hub in the UK.
UK to the USA
Our international pallet shipping covers the United States too: we ship pallet-sized sea and air freight from the UK to destinations worldwide, including the US, through our international partner network. Sea suits regular or heavier pallet loads, and air suits urgent consignments. Tell us the delivery address and timing, and we will quote the best routing.
UK to Europe
For Europe, road is usually the best fit for international pallet shipping. Our UK road groupage runs to Europe and back with daily and weekly departures, depending on the route, and UK to EU customs clearance is included. We represent European pallet delivery networks, with regular services to countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Switzerland and Austria. See our road freight services.
Collection and Packing
International pallet shipping starts with collection: we collect pallets from your premises or your supplier across the UK and bring them to our St Helens warehouse. Each pallet should be stable, wrapped or strapped, and labelled with the shipper and consignee details. Wooden pallets for international shipping must be heat-treated to the ISPM 15 standard. If your goods are not yet palletised, tell us and we will advise on packing. We can also hold pallets in temporary bonded storage while documents are completed or a consolidation is built. For collections, see our pallet collection page.
Customs and Documents
Our in-house customs team prepares the export declaration for every international pallet shipping booking from the UK. Each consignment needs a commercial invoice and packing list, and some goods need a licence, certificate of origin or dangerous goods declaration. You also need an EORI number starting with GB. GOV.UK sets out the process in its guide to exporting goods from the UK. At destination, our partners handle import clearance and delivery.
Transit Times by Lane
Transit times for international pallet shipping depend on the route, the departure you catch and customs at each end, so we confirm them with every quote. What we can give you is the departure pattern on each lane, which sets how quickly a pallet can leave the UK.
| Lane | Mode | Departures |
|---|---|---|
| UK to Singapore and Asia-Pacific | Sea | Weekly direct sailings from the UK to Singapore |
| UK to Singapore, Australia and Asia-Pacific | Air | Daily consolidated departures from Manchester |
| UK to Europe | Road | Daily and weekly groupage, depending on the route |
| UK to the USA and worldwide | Sea and air | Booked to suit the shipment |
Questions About International Pallet Shipping
What Counts as a Pallet-Sized Load?
A pallet-sized load is anything from a single pallet up to several pallets that fill only part of a container. Standard UK and Euro pallets, crates and cases all count. You pay for the space or weight your pallets use, not for a whole container.
How Long Does It Take to Australia by Sea?
It depends on the sailing, the transhipment in Singapore and customs in Australia, and we confirm it for your shipment when we quote. If time matters, our daily air consolidation through Singapore is much faster than sea freight alone.
Do You Ship Single Pallets?
Yes. International pallet shipping is built for single pallets as well as multi-pallet loads.
Can You Collect from My Premises?
Yes. We collect from your premises or your supplier anywhere in the UK and bring the pallets to our St Helens warehouse for consolidation.