Marine Forwarding

Country guide

Shipping between the US and Germany

Europe · 19 port guides

In 2025 the United States exported $82.8 billion of goods to Germany and imported $155.8 billion from there. Germany was the 6th largest market for US exports and the 6th largest source of US imports.

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36 ports in Germany recorded in the World Port Index
US exports, 2025
$82.8BUp 9.4% on 2024 ($75.7 billion)
US imports, 2025
$155.8BDown 2.8% on 2024 ($160.3 billion)
Goods balance
$73.0BUS deficit
Export market rank
6thAmong destinations of US goods
Import source rank
6thAmong sources of US imports

Top goods each way

The five largest Harmonized System chapters by value in 2025, with each chapter's share of the total.

US exports to Germany

Aircraft and spacecraft (chapter 88) led US exports to Germany at $12.0 billion, 14% of the total. The top three chapters made up 38%.

  1. 88Aircraft and spacecraft$12.0 billion14.5%
  2. 30Pharmaceutical products$10.2 billion12.3%
  3. 87Vehicles and parts$9.1 billion10.9%
  4. 84Machinery and mechanical appliances$8.4 billion10.2%
  5. 27Mineral fuels and oils$6.7 billion8.1%

US imports from Germany

Machinery and mechanical appliances (chapter 84) led US imports from Germany at $30.3 billion, 19% of the total. The top three chapters made up 54%.

  1. 84Machinery and mechanical appliances$30.3 billion19.4%
  2. 87Vehicles and parts$27.3 billion17.5%
  3. 30Pharmaceutical products$26.1 billion16.7%
  4. 90Optical, medical and precision instruments$13.3 billion8.5%
  5. 85Electrical machinery and equipment$12.0 billion7.7%

Trade terms

The United States has no free trade agreement in force with Germany, according to the US Trade Representative. Check the duty rate for your goods before you ship.

The International Trade Administration covers the import rules and documents Germany requires in its Country Commercial Guide.

Through Norfolk-Newport News

The Census Bureau records trade by the US port it passes through. These are its 2025 figures for Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia, for trade with Germany.

Exports through the port, 2025
$3.2B3.9% of the US total with Germany
Leading export goods
Pharmaceutical productsHS chapter 30, $822.4 million
Imports through the port, 2025
$8.5B5.5% of the US total with Germany
Leading import goods
Machinery and mechanical appliancesHS chapter 84, $2.5 billion

Trade through Norfolk-Newport News

Ports in Germany

19 ports in Germany have a guide here, with depths and facilities from the World Port Index. In the index, Brunsbuttel Elbahafen records the deepest cargo pier of them, at 12.5 m.

Also recorded in the World Port Index for Germany: Brake, Brunsbuttel Canal Terminals, Busum, Butzfleth, Elsfleth, Gluckstadt, Helgoland, Husum, Itzehoe, Lubeck-Travemunde, Neuhaus, Neustadt, Oldenburg, Orth, Papenburg, Rendsburg and Wolgast.

Sources

  • US trade figures: US Census Bureau, International Trade API, HS2 total exports and general imports for calendar 2024 and 2025, retrieved November 4, 2026.
  • Port data: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, World Port Index (Pub 150), from NGA's UpdatedPub150.csv as captured by the Internet Archive on September 29, 2026.
  • Trade agreements: Office of the US Trade Representative, free trade agreements, checked November 3, 2026.
  • Import requirements: International Trade Administration, Country Commercial Guides, checked November 3, 2026.
  • Map: Natural Earth 1:110m land, public domain.