Value-Added Logistics

We provide flexible short-term warehousing in Rotterdam and partner facilities. These allow goods to be stored safely for days or weeks between collection and shipping. Our facilities are secure and can handle standard storage. You can drop off goods on short notice and pick them up later when you’re ready to ship. We’ll advise on optimal storage duration so goods don’t stay longer than needed.

With consolidation (also called groupage), Bluegate combines multiple smaller shipments from one or more customers into a single container or truckload. This is ideal when your shipment doesn’t fill a container by itself (LCL – Less Than Container Load). We collect your cargo and batch it with other LCL cargo headed to similar destinations. The combined load is then booked as FCL (Full Container Load) to the destination port. This lowers your cost because you only pay for your share of the container.

Cross-docking is the process of moving goods straight through our warehouse without long-term storage. When your shipment arrives (by truck or container), we unload it and immediately reload it onto the outbound carrier bound for the final destination. This minimizes handling and warehousing time. For example, if your cargo arrives at 10am, we can have it prepped and dispatched on the afternoon truck out, rather than storing it overnight. The service includes quick inspection and possibly minor sorting to ensure the right goods go out together.

In our warehouse we offer pick-and-pack services for orders that consist of multiple items. This means we can pull (pick) individual products from your inventory and pack them together for shipment. We also provide palletizing services: our team will stack and secure your goods on Euro-pallets or industrial pallets. We can handle standard pallet sizes (typically 120x80 cm) up to common height limits (around 2–2.5 meters) and weight limits (usually up to ~1000–1200 kg per pallet, depending on regulations). Pallets are typically shrink-wrapped or banded to keep the load stable.

When loading a sea container, Bluegate’s team carefully plans and executes the stuffing process. We optimize the layout: for a 20-foot container you can typically fit about 10-11 standard Euro-pallets, and a 40-foot container holds about 24 Euro pallets . We pack the heaviest items on the bottom, distribute weight evenly, and make sure nothing exceeds the container’s maximum payload. Once loaded, we use lashing systems to secure the cargo.

Lead times vary by service and route. For warehousing and value-added processes (palletizing, labeling, etc.), we can often handle your cargo within 1–2 business days of receipt. For cross-docked shipments, we can turn goods around the same day if they arrive by late morning (for example, arrive at 9am and depart by 4pm).

Our pricing is typically based on the services used and cargo characteristics. We charge for warehousing per pallet per day. Handling services like palletizing, wrapping, labeling have per-unit fees. Consolidation or cross-docking fees depend on the complexity (such as number of transfers or consolidations).

Yes. In addition to Rotterdam, we work with a network of trusted warehouse partners across Europe, from Sofia to major hubs such as Milan and Barcelona. This allows us to position your cargo closer to suppliers or ports when needed and choose the most practical location for consolidation and export preparation.

In addition to daily storage charges per pallet, warehousing services typically include handling costs such as inbound and outbound pallet handling and container loading or unloading. Once we receive your shipment details, we provide a clear breakdown of the expected costs so you know exactly what to expect before planning the shipment.