Last updated: 23 October 2026

The Baltic Sea is one of Europe’s busiest and most beautiful seas, with archipelagos, medieval port cities and, in winter, ice. Small container “feeder” ships and passenger-freight ferries link Germany with Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Here’s how to explore the Baltic by cargo ship.

Big ocean container ships unload in Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Rotterdam, and smaller feeder ships carry containers on to Baltic ports. Some feeder ships take a few passengers. There are also ro-pax ferries, which carry trucks and passengers on regular schedules.

Popular Baltic ports

• Finland: Helsinki, Kotka, Rauma
• Sweden: Gothenburg, Stockholm, Gävle
• Estonia: Tallinn (Muuga)
• Latvia: Riga
• Lithuania: Klaipėda
• Poland: Gdańsk, Gdynia
• Denmark: Aarhus, Copenhagen

How much does it cost?

A one- to two-week feeder voyage typically costs €700–€1,800 per person. Ro-pax ferry crossings are far cheaper. See how much cargo ship travel costs.

Summer or winter?

Winter voyages in the Gulf of Bothnia or the Gulf of Finland can be unforgettable, with ships pushing through ice. See best time for cargo ship travel.

Starting from the UK

Travel to Hamburg by train, or use the overnight ferries from Harwich, Hull or Newcastle to the Netherlands. Read freighter travel from Hamburg.

Tips

1. Pack warm layers, even in summer.
2. Bring a camera for the archipelagos.
3. Check Schengen rules: UK citizens can stay up to 90 days in 180.
4. Combine sea and rail to explore the region.

More European voyages: Mediterranean freighter voyages, Iceland without flying et exploring Europe by ship.

Foire aux questions