Book freight forwarding Bari:
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Logistics in Bari: southern Italy's window on the Adriatic

Bari is the capital of Apulia and, with around 315,000 inhabitants, one of the largest cities in the south of Italy. Its port is a major passenger and ro-ro harbour on the Adriatic Sea, with ferry lines across the Adriatic to Albania and Greece. This position makes the city a natural link between Italy and the Balkans and keeps demand for haulage high all year round.

The regional economy combines agriculture and food processing with engineering, mechatronics, furniture production and a growing services sector. Apulia is known for olive oil, wine, durum wheat and fresh produce, and many of these products leave the region through Bari. The industrial area between Bari and Modugno hosts manufacturers of components and machinery, while Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport at Palese adds air cargo capacity on the northern edge of the city.

Every autumn the Fiera del Levante opens on the seafront, and further trade events use the exhibition grounds throughout the year. For exhibitors travelling from the UK, stands, display material and samples have to arrive on a set day. A direct run from the loading bay in Britain to the exhibition hall makes that deadline much easier to meet.

The route from the UK to Bari and customs procedures

The journey starts with the Channel crossing, either on the ferry from Dover to Calais or on Le Shuttle between Folkestone and Coquelles. From northern France, the vehicle heads south-east towards the Alps and enters Italy through the Mont Blanc or Fréjus Tunnel, depending on traffic and the loading point. Once in the Po plain, the route joins the A14 Adriatica at Bologna and follows the coast past Rimini, Ancona and Pescara all the way down to Bari.

It is a long run, so our planners take the Italian driving restrictions into account. Heavy lorries over 7.5 tonnes may not travel during set hours on Sundays, public holidays and certain summer days. For the final stretch, the A14 exits and the city bypass lead straight into the industrial areas.

Customs for goods between Great Britain and Italy

Because Italy belongs to the EU, every consignment from Great Britain needs an export declaration in the UK and an import declaration on the EU side. Both the sender and the receiver require an EORI number. When the vehicle passes Dover or the Channel Tunnel, the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) links these declarations to the lorry through a Goods Movement Reference. Please arrange the paperwork with your customs agent in good time before collection, as missing or incorrect documents lead to delays at the border.

Your freight forwarder in Bari for secure UK transports

Behind every booking stands a network of more than 50,000 vehicles in 38 countries, used by over 15,000 companies. Should a vehicle break down on the long road south, a replacement vehicle continues the job. International runs are carried out by verified partners holding a valid EU licence and, where dangerous goods call for it, an ADR licence. Shipments are monitored 24/7, weekends and public holidays included, and our processes are ISO 9001 certified.

Insurance through the Schunck Group covers goods up to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, and higher-value freight can receive additional cover at short notice. A tracking link arrives after booking, while emails confirm collection and delivery. The DAGO ShipperHub shows orders, estimated times of arrival and KPIs in real time, with reports that can be exported as PDF or Excel, and ERP integration via API.

To see what your consignment costs, open the online price calculator, enter the postcodes, dimensions and weight, and the figure appears in seconds. A quote by email or a booking in the DAGO app is equally possible. Beyond Apulia, the same network continues to Basilicata, Calabria and the rest of mainland Europe.