Shared Container Shipping to USA, Canada and Australia from the UK

On long-haul routes — UK to USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand — shared container shipping wins on the balance of cost, protection and personal-effects allowance. RORO is an option but exposes the car to weeks of open-deck handling and is more rigid on cargo content. A shared 40ft high-cube container from Felixstowe or Liverpool moves your vehicle inside a sealed steel box for the entire 14 to 50-day voyage.

Weekly shared container service from Felixstowe and Liverpool to USA ports:

- East Coast: New York, Baltimore, Charleston, Jacksonville. 14 to 21 days. From £1,750.
• Gulf: Houston, New Orleans. 18 to 24 days. From £1,850.
• West Coast: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland. 28 to 40 days (via Panama). From £2,200.

Vehicles 25 years or older are exempt from DOT and EPA — perfect for British classics and JDM cars re-exported through the UK. Newer vehicles need a Show or Display exemption or full federalisation, which is rarely cost-effective. See the USA import guide.

Shared container service to Canada via Halifax, Montreal and Vancouver. 14 to 28 days. From £1,800.

Vehicles 15 years or older (model year, not first registration) are exempt from Transport Canada CMVSS. Newer vehicles must clear the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection. Quebec and BC enforce additional emissions tests.

Fortnightly shared container service to Australia via Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. 35 to 50 days. From £2,200. Most consolidations use 4-car R-Rak frames inside a 40ft high cube.

Key points for Australia:

- SEVS approval required for non-RAW vehicles (cars not on the standard register).
• Asbestos certification mandatory — every vehicle must be screened.
• Biosecurity inspection at the wharf — vehicles must be spotlessly clean.
• GST 10% + 5% duty + LCT for luxury vehicles over the threshold.

Fortnightly shared container service to New Zealand via Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Lyttelton. 38 to 50 days. From £2,300. Includes VTNZ entry certification.

See the Australia import guide.

- Japan — Felixstowe to Yokohama. 35 to 45 days. From £2,200. Right-hand-drive UK cars are a perfect fit.
• India — Felixstowe to JNPT (Mumbai) and Chennai. 28 to 38 days. From £2,000. Heavy duty regime, mostly used for personal-import classics.
• Pakistan — Felixstowe to Karachi. 28 to 38 days. From £2,000. Returning-resident scheme allows lower duty.
• Sri Lanka — Felixstowe to Colombo. 30 to 40 days. From £2,000.
• Thailand — Felixstowe to Laem Chabang. 32 to 42 days. From £2,100.

- Allow for the consolidation window. Long-haul shared containers close out every 7 to 14 days; book early to hit your target sailing.
• Use the 25-year and 15-year rules. USA and Canada respectively become much simpler once the vehicle qualifies as a classic.
• Insure agreed value. On a 35 to 50-day voyage the marine premium for agreed-value cover is small.
• Know your destination paperwork. SEVS for Australia, RIV for Canada, EPA/DOT exemption form for the USA.
• Use the cost calculator. Our cost calculator includes long-haul ports and country duty rates.

Request a free quote or read the wider shipping costs guide. North America and Oceania pricing is detailed on our car shipping costs hub.