If you're moving back to Germany from the Canary Islands, or relocating your home for work or a change of life, at Horizont Atlantic we organise your international removal from the Canary Islands to Germany from start to finish. We've spent more than 15 years moving homes and offices from the islands to Europe and the rest of the world, with our own base in Tenerife (El Mayorazgo) and an office in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. We combine sea freight from the Canary ports, road delivery to any German city and the export and import customs clearance, which we handle ourselves so you don't have to wrestle with the paperwork. We pack, transport, clear customs, insure and deliver, reassembling your home at the other end.
What's the route and how long does it take?
The real logistics between the Canary Islands and Germany rely on sea freight. Your belongings leave our base in Tenerife or Gran Canaria fully packed, are loaded at the Canary port (Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Las Palmas) and travel by sea to a mainland or northern European port. From there, the final delivery is made by road to the exact address in Germany, whether that's Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart or anywhere else.
The indicative transit time is several weeks door to door. It's not a fixed figure: it depends on the option you choose (groupage or a dedicated container), on how often the sailings run, on customs clearance and on the delivery point within Germany. That's why we always give you a realistic, tailored estimate based on your dates, rather than a promise we can't keep.
- Collection and packing at your home in the Canary Islands.
- Consolidation and loading at the Canary port, with export clearance.
- Sea crossing to a European port.
- Import clearance and road delivery to your home in Germany.
If you have a genuine urgency, there's the air freight option for smaller volumes, much quicker though more expensive. We'll explain when it's worth it and when it isn't.
Customs and paperwork
This is the point that raises the most questions, and also where we help you most. The Canary Islands sit outside the EU customs union and VAT area, so a removal from the islands to Germany is not a simple domestic move: there's an export clearance in the Canary Islands and an import clearance in Germany. The key thing: we take care of that paperwork and guide you through it step by step.
For home removals due to a change of residence, the transfer of personal belongings regime usually applies, which in most cases lets you move your household goods without the burdens of a commercial import, provided the conditions are met and the correct documentation is submitted. We don't make up tax figures: every situation is different and it's customs that determines them, so what we do is handle the clearance and advise you on what you need.
- Valued inventory of everything being moved.
- Identity/residence document and proof of the change of address.
- Customs forms for export (Canary Islands) and import (Germany).
- Additional supporting documents if vehicles, works of art or special items are travelling.
We prepare the documentation with you before the removal sets off, to avoid hold-ups or extra costs on arrival.
Options: groupage, container or air
Not every removal needs the same thing. We choose the option based on your volume, your budget and how much of a hurry you're in:
- Sea groupage: your removal shares a container with other shipments. It's the most economical option, ideal for small flats or medium volumes. In return, the timings depend on the container being filled and on the scheduled sailings.
- Dedicated container: a whole container just for you. It's the fastest, most direct option by sea, with less handling of your things, and it pays off for whole homes or removals with a lot of volume.
- Air freight: for urgent needs or smaller shipments you need as soon as possible. It's the quickest route, at a noticeably higher cost, so we keep it for the essentials.
If the dates for leaving your home in the Canary Islands and moving into your home in Germany don't line up, we offer interim storage in the Canary Islands: we store your belongings safely until everything is ready to ship. That way you're not reliant on both ends matching to the day.
Who it's for: the German community in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are home to a well-established German community, especially in Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In the south of Tenerife it's common in areas such as Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, El Médano and the municipality of Arona; in the north, around Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava. In Gran Canaria there's a strong presence in the south: Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, San Agustín and Meloneras, as well as the capital.
We regularly work with people in situations like these:
- Returning to Germany after years living on the islands.
- Work relocations for professionals and their families.
- Changes of residence for personal or retirement reasons.
- Second homes being closed up or moved.
Whatever your case, we tailor the service: from a full home removal with complete packing to moving a more modest volume by groupage. We also move offices and business premises with the same logistics.
What our all-in service includes
Our offer is turnkey: we're with you at every stage so the distance between the Canary Islands and Germany doesn't turn into stress.
- Volume assessment: a visit or video call to measure precisely and quote with no surprises.
- Professional export packing: materials and techniques designed for a long sea crossing, protecting furniture, appliances and fragile items.
- Dedicated container or groupage, whichever suits you best.
- Sea or air transport from the Canary port.
- Customs clearance for export and import, handled by us.
- Goods insurance so you can travel with peace of mind.
- Delivery, unpacking and assembly at your new home in Germany.
- Interim storage in the Canary Islands if the dates don't match.
With our own base in the islands and years of international removals behind us, we control the operation from start to finish rather than subcontracting everything blindly.
How to request a quote and get started
The first step is always a volume assessment. You can tell us what you want to move through a visit to your home in Tenerife or Gran Canaria, or by video call if you'd prefer something quicker. With that information we prepare a clear quote that sets out the option, indicative timings, customs handling and insurance, with no hidden items.
From there, we coordinate the collection dates in the Canary Islands, the sailing and the delivery in Germany, and keep you updated on the status of your removal. Our aim is for you to arrive at your new home and find your furniture assembled and in place, with customs already sorted. Tell us your destination city and your approximate dates and we'll advise you on the best option for your case.
Frequently asked questions
Browse the tabs to resolve all your questions.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to help!
The indicative timing is several weeks door to door, since the bulk of the journey is made by sea from the Canary port to Europe and then by road to your address in Germany. It's not a fixed time: it depends on whether you choose groupage or a dedicated container, on how often the sailings run, on customs clearance and on the delivery point. If you're in a hurry, the air option cuts that time considerably. We give you a realistic estimate based on your specific dates.
There's no single rate because every removal is different. The price depends above all on the volume being moved, on the option (groupage is the most economical, a dedicated container costs more but is faster and more direct, and air is the most expensive route, reserved for urgent cases), on the destination city in Germany and on added services such as full packing, insurance or interim storage. That's why we always start with a volume assessment, by visit or video call, so we can give you a fixed quote with no surprises.
As the Canary Islands sit outside the EU customs union and VAT area, the removal goes through an export clearance in the Canary Islands and an import clearance in Germany. We handle both procedures and advise you throughout. For removals due to a change of residence, the transfer of personal belongings regime usually applies, which in many cases makes it easier to move your household goods if the documentation is submitted properly. You'll need a valued inventory, your identification and proof of the change of address, plus specific supporting documents if vehicles or special items are travelling. We don't give tax figures because those are set by customs on a case-by-case basis.
Groupage shares a container with other shipments: it's the most economical option and fits small flats or medium volumes well, in exchange for slightly more variable timings because it depends on the container being filled. A dedicated container is a whole container just for your removal: it's more expensive but faster, more direct and with less handling of your things, ideal for whole homes or large volumes. During the assessment we recommend the option that best balances your budget and your timings.
Yes. We offer goods insurance so your belongings travel covered throughout the sea crossing and the road delivery. The packing we do is export packing, designed specifically to protect furniture, appliances and fragile items on long journeys. Before you book, we explain the cover and how your inventory is valued, so you know exactly what protection your removal travels with.
Of course. Most of our clients don't travel with their removal. We pack at your home in the Canary Islands, load, handle the export and import customs clearance, transport by sea and deliver by road to Germany, where we deliver, unpack and assemble. All you have to do is be available for the collection and the delivery, or nominate a contact person. If your departure and arrival dates don't coincide, we store your things in our interim storage in the Canary Islands until everything lines up.
Why choose us?
Request a quote
Online tracking
After over 15 years repeating the same processes countless times, we set out to create an intuitive, functional tool.
- We optimise the time to upload and sign documents
- We make online tracking easy
- We simplify payments and invoicing
We provide moving services to the following towns:
