Freight from Turkey to Iceland: Road, Sea and Air
Iceland is a North Atlantic island outside the EU and the EU–Turkey customs union, so cargo from Turkey passes through a North European port or hub before the crossing. This page covers the routing, Icelandic customs, the EFTA–Turkey free trade agreement and the documents involved.
Freight forwarder Turkey to Iceland: the basic routing
Freight from Turkey to Iceland is a two-stage move. Trucks or containers go from Istanbul to a North European port, and the cargo is then shipped across the North Atlantic. No direct Turkey–Iceland liner service is known, so transshipment in Northern Europe is the normal pattern.
Iceland is in Schengen and the EEA but not in the EU, so customs treatment differs from an EU destination such as Denmark or Germany.
Shipping from Turkey to Iceland: which mode fits?
Sea containers suit heavy, bulky and non-urgent goods and are the main mode into Reykjavik. Air suits small or urgent consignments into Keflavik. Road only covers the European leg, where trucks bring goods to a consolidation port such as Rotterdam, Hamburg or Esbjerg.
A common set-up is road to a North European port followed by an Icelandic feeder line, or an all-sea container with transshipment.
Road freight Turkey to Iceland: the European leg
Iceland has no road link, so a truck cannot drive there. The road leg runs from Istanbul through Bulgaria, Serbia or Romania, Hungary, Austria and Germany to a port such as Rotterdam, Hamburg or Esbjerg, where the trailer or the cargo is moved onto an Iceland service.
A planning range of about five to eight days applies to the road leg, then roughly four to eight days at sea. The total of twelve to twenty-five days door to door is an estimate only.
Border crossings on the way: Kapıkule, Ipsala and the EU entry
Trucks leave Turkey at Kapıkule towards Kapitan Andreevo in Bulgaria or at Ipsala towards Kipoi in Greece. Both are the external EU border where routine checks happen. After that the route is inside the Schengen area, with no routine goods checks between member states.
Because Iceland is outside the EU customs union, the goods either travel under transit or are cleared for export from the EU port, depending on how the contract is set up.
Sea freight Turkey to Iceland: Reykjavik and other ports
Reykjavik is the main container and general cargo port, with industrial ports at Straumsvik and Reyðarfjörður serving aluminium. Cargo from Ambarlı, Mersin or Izmir normally goes through Rotterdam, Hamburg or Antwerp and is then carried onto an Icelandic liner or feeder service.
Eimskip and Samskip are the shipping lines most often named for Iceland services, but this was not verified here. Ask which carrier and sailing will be used.
Container shipping Turkey to Iceland (FCL and LCL)
FCL fills a 20 ft or 40 ft container for one shipper, while LCL is consolidated in Turkey or in a European port. Total sea time from Turkey, including transshipment, is estimated at about three to five weeks, so FCL is usually better for scheduled supply of heavy goods.
Agree container type, port of discharge and free days in the quote. Reefer and open-top equipment need early booking because capacity on the Iceland run is limited.
Trailers and Ro-Ro to Iceland
Trailer and Ro-Ro services run from Northern European ports such as those in Denmark, Germany or the Netherlands to Iceland. The details of schedules and operators were not verified. A Turkish truck normally stops at the European port, and the trailer travels on without the tractor.
Check trailer dimensions, height and weight limits with the Ro-Ro operator before the cargo is loaded in Turkey.
Air freight Turkey to Iceland: Keflavik Airport
Keflavik International (KEF) is the main cargo airport. Istanbul to Keflavik freight capacity has not been verified, so shipments usually connect through a European hub. Planning time is about two to five days as an estimate, and chargeable weight, not actual weight alone, sets the price.
Air suits samples, spare parts and goods with a short shelf life. Check airline acceptance rules for dangerous goods and temperature control.
Customs clearance Turkey to Iceland
Goods are cleared on arrival by Icelandic Customs (Skatturinn) with a customs declaration backed by the invoice, packing list and transport document. Because Iceland is outside the EU customs union, EU transit ends at the European port or an export procedure applies.
Agree who files the Icelandic declaration and who pays import charges. Both parties should know the HS code and the customs value before the cargo leaves Istanbul.
Is there customs duty on goods from Turkey to Iceland? The EFTA–Turkey FTA
Iceland is not part of the EU–Turkey customs union. Instead, the modernised EFTA–Turkey free trade agreement, in force since 1 October 2021, removes duties on industrial goods that originate in Turkey, provided preferential origin is proven. Agriculture is covered by separate arrangements.
Transhipment through EU ports needs proof that the goods were not manipulated on the way. How this is applied in practice has not been verified, so check it with your broker.
Documents needed to ship from Turkey to Iceland
Prepare a commercial invoice, packing list and transport document, which is a bill of lading, air waybill or CMR for the ferry leg. Add an EUR.1 or an origin declaration under the EFTA–Turkey agreement instead of an A.TR, plus food safety or product standard certificates where needed.
- Commercial invoice with HS codes and Incoterm
- Packing list with weights
- Bill of lading, air waybill or CMR
- EUR.1 or origin declaration under the EFTA–Turkey FTA
- Customs declaration data for Icelandic Customs
- Product or food safety certificates where required
EUR.1 instead of A.TR for Iceland
A.TR is not used for Iceland. The preferential origin proof under the EFTA–Turkey agreement is an EUR.1 certificate or an invoice declaration, depending on the consignment value and exporter status. Issuing a wrong form can lead to the full tariff being charged, so choose it before dispatch.
Turkish customs or an authorised body issue the EUR.1. Keep the number on the invoice and send the document with the shipment.
Import VAT in Iceland on goods from Turkey
Iceland applies VAT on imports, collected on the customs value that includes freight and insurance. The standard rate was recalled from general knowledge and not re-fetched, so confirm it with a tax adviser before pricing your goods. Duty on industrial goods is zero only if origin rules are met.
SMETRD does not give tax advice. Check which party registers as the importer in Iceland.
How long does shipping from Turkey to Iceland take?
As a planning range, road to a North European port takes about five to eight days and the sea crossing four to eight more, so roughly twelve to twenty-five days door to door. All-sea containers with transshipment are estimated at three to five weeks, while air takes two to five days.
These figures are estimates, not commitments. Winter weather and port waiting can add days on the North Atlantic leg.
What affects the cost of shipping from Turkey to Iceland?
The mode, weight, volume and the chosen North European port are the largest drivers. Two handling stages, North Atlantic capacity, fuel, seasonal demand and cargo type also shape the quote. Because of the two-stage move, an Iceland price cannot be compared directly with a mainland EU rate.
For a quote, send the pickup address, the Icelandic delivery town, the goods description, HS code, dimensions and the Incoterm you want to use.
Steel, plastics, chemicals and paint to Iceland
SMETRD also trades steel, plastic raw materials, chemicals and paint. The EU steel regime and CBAM apply at EU borders, and whether CBAM extends to Iceland through the EEA was not verified. Iceland applies REACH and CLP through the EEA Agreement, with ADR for road and IMDG for sea.
Goods in transit through an EU port are generally not subject to EU safeguard duty, but the route should be checked case by case.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct shipping line from Turkey to Iceland?
No direct Turkey–Iceland liner service is known. Containers transship in a North European port before the Icelandic leg.
Do I pay duty on Turkish goods imported into Iceland?
Industrial goods originating in Turkey can enter duty-free under the EFTA–Turkey agreement if preferential origin is proven with the right document.
Do I need an A.TR certificate for Iceland?
No. Iceland is outside the EU–Turkey customs union, so an EUR.1 or an origin declaration is the relevant proof.
Which airport is used for air freight to Iceland?
Keflavik (KEF). Direct freight capacity from Istanbul is not confirmed, so cargo often connects through a European hub.
Can a Turkish truck deliver directly to Iceland?
No. The truck stops at a European port, and the trailer or container is shipped across the Atlantic.
Is cargo insurance needed on this route?
A separate policy is advisable. The goods are handled twice and spend time at sea, while carrier liability is limited.