From Foshan to Rotterdam: How Skylink Manages Container-Loaded Door Deliveries

For a European importer, a door order does not really arrive when the container is stuffed at the plant - it arrives when it clears the port and the doors are still intact. Skylink plans the whole journey from the loading bay near Foshan to destinations such as Rotterdam, Hamburg or Algeciras.

Planning the Load Before Production Finishes

Container planning starts early. Our export team works out how many doors, frames and accessories fit in a 20ft or 40ft container from the bill of materials, so the customer knows the shipping cost before production begins. Empty carton volume is optimised, and long frames are separated from leaves so the load cannot rub against itself.

Packing for the Ocean

Every door leaf and frame is packed in a five-layer export carton with foam corner protectors. Glass panels and hardware sets are packed separately and marked, so they can be identified at destination without opening every carton. This is sea freight, not a warehouse shelf: condensation, shifting loads and rough handling are all planned for.

Loading, Photography and Documentation

On loading day, the QC and warehouse teams build the container like a stable stack: heavy items at the bottom, empty space filled, cartons strapped so nothing moves in transit. The buyer receives a loading photo set and the packing list, plus the CE/CPR documentation and test reports that a European customs or building-control handover may require.

Lead Times and What to Expect

Production lead times start at 25 working days, after which sea transit to Northwest Europe adds its own schedule. Buyers ordering project doors in batches should plan around the longer lead time rather than rush the final packing stage - the pre-delivery inspection is what keeps damage claims low.

What the Buyer Receives on Paper

Beyond the doors themselves, each container ships with a paper set that a European project handover expects: a numbered packing list tied to the loading photos, CE/CPR declarations, test reports for units, and a multilingual installation guide or 3D installation tutorial for the door type. This reduces time spent on site when the building-control authority asks for the file.

If Something Arrives Damaged

Because every load is photographed before sailing, a damage claim can be settled quickly: the buyer sends photos on arrival, our engineers compare them against the loading set, and replacement parts or units ship with the next container to the region.

To get a freight estimate for your door programme, send the door list and target port to the Skylink export team - we come back with a load plan and a lead time.