Book freight forwarding Alicante:
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Logistics in Alicante: port, airport and a strong industrial hinterland

Alicante has around 360,000 inhabitants and serves as the capital of the province of the same name. Tourism shapes much of the local economy, and the city's close ties with the UK are obvious at Alicante–Elche Airport, which is one of the busiest in Spain for British travellers. Tourism also drives freight transport: hotels, restaurants, property developers and retailers along the coast need furniture, fittings and stock throughout the year.

The Port of Alicante handles containers, bulk goods, and ro-ro traffic right next to the city centre. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is also based in the city and brings an international professional community with it.

Inland, the province is one of Spain's most important manufacturing regions. Elche and Elda are known for footwear, Ibi for toys, and Alcoy for textiles, while the Vinalopó valley adds food and wine production. For these industries, reliable deliveries of materials, components, and packaging are part of daily business, and so is sending finished products abroad. A direct lorry from the UK keeps both directions simple and avoids splitting consignments across several operators.

The route from the UK to Alicante

Alicante is a long-distance destination, so the choice of route matters. After crossing from Dover to Calais or taking Le Shuttle from Folkestone, one option runs through France to the Spanish border at La Jonquera and then down the AP-7 along the coast via Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellón, and Valencia. The alternative leads via Bordeaux and Irun to Madrid, from where the A-3 and A-31 continue south-east via Albacete to the Mediterranean.

Which way is quicker depends on the collection point in the UK, the time of year, and current traffic, and we plan each job accordingly. The A-7 runs parallel to the coastal motorway, and the A-70 ring road takes traffic round the city to the port and the industrial areas.

Import formalities for Spain

As an EU member state, Spain requires an import declaration for goods arriving from Great Britain, and the UK requires an export declaration when they leave. Make sure that both the exporter and the importer hold valid EORI numbers. When the vehicle passes Dover or the Eurotunnel terminal, GVMS connects the declarations with the vehicle via the Goods Movement Reference. Please note that DAGO Express does not handle customs clearance; your customs agent should complete all these steps before the goods are collected.

Freight forwarder for your UK to Alicante transports

DAGO Express coordinates road freight through a network of more than 50,000 vehicles in 38 countries, and over 15,000 businesses already use it. Every cross-border run is handled by verified partners who hold a valid EU licence and, where the goods call for it, an ADR licence. On a route of this length, a breakdown cannot be ruled out, so if it happens, a replacement vehicle takes over the load and the goods keep moving. Your shipment is monitored 24/7, including weekends and bank holidays.

Goods are insured through the Schunck Group for up to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, and valuable consignments can receive additional cover at short notice. You receive a tracking link straight after booking and email updates once the goods have been collected and delivered. With the DAGO ShipperHub, regular shippers keep all orders, ETAs, KPIs, and real-time reports in one portal, export them to PDF or Excel, or connect their ERP via API.

Getting a price takes seconds: enter the postcodes, dimensions, and weight in the online calculator. You can also book through the DAGO app or ask for a quote by email. From Alicante, onward transport to Murcia, Andalusia, Portugal, and other European countries is part of the same network.