Europe to China Shipping: Why Italy Has No Direct Route
Published on March 21, 2025
Are there direct sailing routes from Italy to Tianjin?
Several clients have recently asked me whether there are faster direct sailings from Italy to Tianjin. Based on our hands-on cargo experience, there currently are no direct sailings from Italy’s main ports to Tianjin Port. Transshipment is typically via Singapore or Shanghai. Even direct sailings to Shanghai are only about 3-5 days faster than to Tianjin.
The primary reason for the long transit times right now is the Red Sea route disruption. Shipping lines are largely rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, adding 10-15 days to overall transit times. As a result, shipping from Italy’s main ports to Tianjin generally takes about 50 days.
So for our client friends, the only thing we can really do is: place orders early and book space early — everything else is wishful thinking. For certain types of cargo, the China-Europe Railway Express may be worth considering as an alternative.
Has anyone encountered faster shipping options for imports from Italy? Please share in the comments.