Container shipping from Turkey to France
We buy your goods from Turkish factories and Istanbul's markets, check them and ship them to France by road via the Yalova–Sète ferry, or Kapıkule and the Balkans, or by sea to Marseille-Fos or Le Havre. Here are the route, the time it takes, the papers France asks for, and its duties.
- By road, by truckTime confirmed with your quote
- By sea from Turkey6–12 days
- Shared containerFrom one pallet
The route from Turkey to France
Trucks can reach France without crossing the Balkans: the DFDS ferry from Yalova to Sète sails five times a week. Containers sail to Marseille-Fos and Le Havre, and other trucks cross at Kapıkule.
The DFDS ferry from Yalova to Sète takes about 76 to 80 hours, five times a week, and one sailing a week leaves from İzmir. From Sète, trucks go on by road across France. Through Kapıkule, drivers reported waits of up to four or five days at times in October 2026.
Time confirmed with your quoteFrom Ambarlı in Istanbul, Gemlik, İzmit and Aliağa in İzmir to Marseille-Fos or Le Havre. A full container just for you, or space in a shared one.
About 6 days from Aliağa to Marseille, and about 12 from İzmit to Marseille and from Ambarlı to Le Havre, from carrier figures and schedule estimates. These lines don't use the Red Sea.
6–12 daysFor samples and urgent, light orders.
3–7 daysTimes are approximate, port to port or border to border, and don't include customs clearance.
Which container fits your goods?
Enter one carton's size and weight and how many cartons you have. We show the volume, the weight and how many cartons each way of shipping takes. The price comes in your quote.
One carton
120 cartons · 11.5 m³ · 2,160 kg
By air you'd be charged for 2,160 kg: the larger of the real weight and the volume weight (volume ÷ 6000).
Usually the best fit: a shared container. You pay only for 11.5 m³.
| Way to ship | Inside size | Max load | Your cartons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared container | You pay for the space you use | — | You pay for 11.5 m³ |
| 20 ft container | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m · 33.2 m³ | 25 t | All 120 fit35% full |
| 40 ft container | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m · 67.7 m³ | 27.6 t | All 120 fit17% full |
| 40 ft high cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m · 76.4 m³ | 28.5 t | All 120 fit15% full |
| 13.6 m truck | 13.6 × 2.45 × 2.70 m · about 90 m³ | about 24 t | All 120 fit13% full |
Sizes are typical and vary a little from one container or trailer to another, and some countries allow less weight on their roads. We work out the exact loading with your quote.
Papers: what we prepare and what France asks for
We prepare in Turkey
- Commercial invoiceEvery model, its quantity and price.
- Packing listWhat is in each carton, its weight and size, from the inspection.
- A.TR or EUR.1For France it's the A.TR, validated by Turkish customs, which lets industrial goods enter duty-free but isn't proof of origin; farm goods, coal and steel use a EUR.1 or invoice declaration instead.
What France asks of you
- French on labels and documentsFrench law requires French in a product's name, offer, presentation and instructions, and on invoices and in advertising. Clothes and textiles also need a fibre label in French. Meeting this is the duty of the importer and seller.Official site
- Recycling schemes: EPR number and TrimanAnyone making or importing covered goods, such as clothes, household linen, footwear, furniture, toys and household packaging, must join an approved scheme and hold a unique number from the agency ADEME. For clothes and footwear the scheme is Refashion. These goods also carry the Triman logo and sorting instructions.Official site
- EORI and French VAT numberEORI registration is required before any customs transaction, and each import declaration must show a valid French VAT number. With that number, import VAT (20% on most goods) is settled on the VAT return, not paid at the border. Since 1 January 2026, an importer outside the EU can't use a one-off fiscal representative's number for goods moving on to another EU country; it must register for VAT in France.Official site
Trade agreement and duties
Under the EU–Türkiye Customs Union, industrial goods and the industrial part of processed farm goods pay no customs duty with an A.TR. Farm goods, coal and steel fall outside it and get lower rates only with a EUR.1 or invoice declaration. Anti-dumping duties still apply, for example 4.8% to 20.9% on ceramic tiles; steel above its EU quota has paid 50% since July 2026, and the EU's carbon charge (CBAM) can apply to steel and aluminium goods.
Before you order goods for France
- France has banned PFAS chemicals in clothing, footwear and cosmetics since January 2026, and the ban covers imports; protective equipment is exempt. Ask the factory for test results before you order. Meeting this rule is the importer's duty.
- If you will sell through online marketplaces in France, they must obtain your unique number or declare for you, so have it ready before you start.
- Consumer goods need a responsible person in the EU, and some industrial goods need CE marking. Our inspection counts pieces, checks for faults and measures cartons, but it doesn't confirm legal compliance, so check that with your broker or adviser before you order.
How we ship your order to France
Send your request
The goods and the quantity, through the form below or on WhatsApp.
We send offers and samples
Supplier prices and photos of the goods, and samples if you ask.
We check and combine
We count the pieces, look for faults, measure and weigh the cartons, and send you a report with photos and video.
See an example reportWe ship it to France
And we send you the papers before the goods arrive, so your customs broker can start.
Questions about shipping goods to France
How long does shipping from Turkey to France take?
By road: a time we confirm with your quote. By sea: 6–12 days. By air: 3–7 days, for samples and urgent orders. Customs clearance in France comes on top.
Can I ship in a shared container?
Yes. A shared container starts from one pallet, and you pay for the space your goods take. Try the container tool on this page to see your goods' volume.
What papers does France ask for?
Labels and documents in French, a unique number and the Triman logo for goods under recycling schemes, and an EORI and French VAT number for clearance. We prepare the invoice, packing list and A.TR or EUR.1.
Who clears the goods in France?
You or your customs broker in France. We prepare the invoice, packing list and A.TR or EUR.1 and send them before the goods arrive; the duties are paid in France.
Can you combine goods from several suppliers into one shipment?
Yes. We receive the goods from every supplier at our Istanbul warehouse, check them and put them together in one shipment to France.
Get a quote for your shipment to France
The quote is free, with no obligation. It comes itemised: the price of the goods, our service fee and the shipping, each on its own line.
