Whether your company is involved in shipping to Lithuania from the US, shipping from Lithuania to the US, or trading back and forth, the logistics can prove challenging. This is especially true in light of the surging trade war and the realignment of ocean freight alliances. So how can you find ways to save on costs without impacting service or disrupting your business? Let’s look at what’s involved and how you can make the most of it.
Going the other way, US exports to Lithuania were just $1.93 billion in 2024, making it the US’s 67th largest trading partner. By contrast, Canada was the largest, at $348.4 billion. Some of the top products imported by Lithuania from the US include oil and LNG, agricultural goods, vehicles, aerospace products, pharmaceuticals and apparel.
As an EU member country, Lithuania of course is impacted by the new 20% import tariff imposed by the Trump administration. Time will tell how the trade war will play out in both directions, as the EU enacts countermeasures. This is all the more reason to work with a knowledgeable NVOCC who can help you find efficiencies and work through issues with your Lithuania-to-US shipments.
Exported goods traveling by standard ocean freight go out of the Port of Klaipeda in Lithuania, the third busiest port on the Baltic Sea. They are ferried by feeder vessels to base ports like Hamburg and Bremerhaven in Germany and Amsterdam in the Netherlands, then transloaded for passage to the US East Coast. These feeder lines also make stops in places like Gdynia and Gdasnk in Poland, Riga in Latvia, and Tallinn/Muuga in Estonia, as well as several Scandinavian ports.
Shipping time from Lithuania to New York via ocean freight averages between 25 to 30 days, depending on carrier schedules and conditions. For other East Coast ports, transit times vary; here are a couple examples:
Ocean freight transit time from New York to Klaipeda ranges from 22-30 days, including transshipment from a base port in Western Europe. From Savannah, it can take from 24-32 days, from Charleston, 24-33 days, and from Miami, 24-34 days.
As of April 2025, shipping a 20-foot container from New York to Klaipeda is about $1,300–$1,600 for a 40-foot container. Going the other way is around two times more expensive due to the volume of import traffic to the US, running about $2,500 for a 20-foot container and $3,000 for a 40-foot container. But be careful with these estimates; container shipping rates can vary greatly based on prevailing market conditions.
You can save considerable time in transit by using an expedited service, which involves trucking your freight from Lithuania to one of the European base ports for the transatlantic voyage. Of course, this comes at a higher price – 30% to 50% above standard service – so it’s advisable to limit this to urgent or high-value cargo.
Expedited shipping to a base port in Germany or the Netherlands, and then via truck to Lithuania, can shave off about 10 days in transit for US-to-Lithuania shipping. The same is true of expedited shipments from Lithuania to the US.
There are several ways that shippers can optimize shipping to find cost savings in Lithuania-to-US trade:
One general recommendation for saving on ocean freight shipping, which certainly applies to this trade lane, is to “heavy up” your container loads as much as possible to optimize your shipping spend. The more weight you can put into each container – up to and beyond the standard 44,000 lb limit for over the road – the fewer containers you have to ship, up to 20% less. This is because carriers charge by the container, not by the weight. Easy math, great savings.
An experienced NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier) like I.C.E. Transport has relationships with specialized trucking companies with the right equipment and permits to legally move heavy containers over the road.
If you have recurring shipments, a long-term contract may offer more predictable pricing than fluctuating spot market rates. Generally, spot rates rise when capacity is tight and shippers are scrambling to book sailings. Capacity waxes and wanes with economic conditions and seasonality.
One way to lessen the blow from the new tariffs for Lithuanian exports to the US is to break out the cost of ocean freight on your commercial invoice. For example, if the shipment is valued at $25,000 and the ocean freight cost is $5,000, $30,000 could be listed on the commercial invoice. Without breaking out the freight cost, the entire $30,000 could be subject to the 20% EU duty rate by customs.
Another savings option is using high-cube containers, which hold more volume than a standard 20-foot or 40-foot container without a significant cost increase. You may also want to consider shipping by Less Than Container Load (LCL), which can be more cost effective for smaller volume shipments than Full Container Load (FCL).
However, LCL also comes with longer transit times due to the pre-vessel consolidation and deconsolidation requirements, so you have to factor that into your equation. Your logistics partner can walk you through the cost/benefit analysis.
A licensed NVOCC can net you savings in other ways when shipping between Lithuania and the US. For instance, because of their long-standing carrier relationships, they become aware of instances where carriers offer a discount on a shipping lane, such as when they need to return empty containers to a particular port.
They also know when carriers are offering lower rates for backhaul shipments to fill up space on return trips from the US to Europe.
Most importantly, an NVOCC secures discounted bulk rates with the ocean lines based on the aggregate volume of cargo they manage across many customers. They then make these discounted rates available to smaller volume shippers.
Beginning in February 2025, there was a major realignment of ocean carrier alliances. This is causing some short-term disruption, including transit delays and shifts in port and terminal calls. Also, the alliances are now more likely to allow members to partner with non-members, which can complicate scheduling and booking.
For shipments between Lithuania and the US, some ocean lines no longer have contracts with the same feeder vessel operators to transship cargo from Klaipeda to Rotterdam or Hamburg. This can extend transit times by a few days or even a week, although new carrier/feeder partnerships will inevitably form to address these issues.
The good news: an experienced NVOCC like I.C.E. Transport has strong relationships with alliance members and independent carriers. They can help shippers make alternate bookings to reduce costly delays.
As an EU member, importers are subject to the EU Customs Code regulations. This means goods are subject to EU import duties, VAT (21% in Lithuania), and compliance checks. Required paperwork includes a commercial invoice with declared values, descriptions and HS codes, a packing list, a Bill of Lading, a customs declaration, and a certificate of origin, if applicable. You’ll also need an import license for restricted goods like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, or certain food products.
Clearance typically takes 1-3 days, but delays can occur if documentation is incomplete or if the cargo is flagged for inspection. A licensed customs broker can help you pre-file declarations before cargo arrives.
With US-Lithuanian commerce impacted negatively by trade wars and other geopolitical events, the opportunity to economize on logistics is paramount. Partnering with an experienced NVOCC that understands the complexities of transatlantic shipping – and the particulars of the Lithuanian market – helps ensure smooth, cost-effective freight movements between the two countries.
I.C.E. Transport, a specialist in moving cargo into and out of Eastern and Central Europe for 35+ years, has the connections, expertise and tools to provide consistently dependable service in this trade lane at competitive rates. With an established office in Vilnius, Lithuania, you get the benefit of a native-speaking team with the local know-how to quickly manage any issues that may arise. We offer a range of services including door-to-door, port-to-door, heavy weight and oversize/break bulk, and transloading.
To learn more about the I.C.E. Transport difference – including our highly personalized approach for small and mid-sized shippers – contact us today.