Cost Of Shipping A Container To Canada
Published by Chris Townsend
How Much Does Shipping a Container To Canada Cost?
Shipping a container to another country is an incredibly complex process with many moving pieces. You’ll want to work with a company experienced with this, like Three Movers. If you are shipping to Canada or other countries, we can help break down all the variables involved to ensure you make the right decisions. We can also take care of everything in your move so you don’t have to worry about anything.
Factors That Affect The Expense Of Logistics
Many different factors can affect the cost of shipping a container. However, five elements can be considered the most important. First, there’s the obvious factor of distance. The further away you are from dispatching something, the more it’ll command. Then, there are the charges related to the weight or volume of your freight. This will depend on the type of transportation method you choose to use. For instance, air freight focuses on weight, while sea cargo cares more about volume.
Another important factor is the transportation method itself. If the country is in the same landmass, you can ship by air, sea, or land using international moving pods. Each has different costs associated with it, with air freight being the more expensive but also the fastest.
Finally, you’ll have to consider the destination port and the time of the year. Depending on where you are shipping from and which part of Canada you are transferring
You’ll use one of their five major ports. Whether your cargo arrives through the port of Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax, Saint John, or Prince Rupert, you’ll have to deal with taxes and other port service fees. The time of the year is an essential consideration because the increase in demand with peak season can translate into a higher cost. The peak season is generally between August and October, depending on several factors.
Which Size Of Container Works Best For Me?
There are 16 different types of containers, but most of them are used for businesses or big companies. Most people use one of two: A 20ft or 40ft container. A 20ft has about 25-28cbm (cubic meters) of usable space, while a 40ft one has around 54-58cbm. The one you should choose will depend on your household size. It can accommodate the contents of a three-bedroom home, with a 40ft container holding double that. If you are moving a car, the 20ft option can fit it, but it won’t fit much of anything else.
The two load options available to you are Full Container Load (FCL) and less than container load (LCL). Using a receptacle just for yourself is the most cost-effective choice. Completely packing it will also protect your belongings. For individuals who cannot fill a receptacle, LCL service is available. If you select this setting, you and other users will share the same storage space.
Average Container Shipping Rates Estimates
FCL is best for transporting lots of boxes, pallets, and anything that requires a full container haulage to Canada of up to 45,000 lbs.
Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping Rates | |
|---|---|
| 20 ft Container | $855 |
| 40 ft Container | $940 |
LCL is a more affordable way to transport less than container load shipments to Canada.
Less Than Container (LCL) Shipping Rates | |
|---|---|
| LCL | $36/CBM |
| Personal Effects | $330 |
| Household Goods | $385 |
International house moving to Canada services are quick, easy, and cheap.
International House Moving Costs | |
|---|---|
| Partial House (2000Lbs & Less) | $385 |
| 1 Bedroom (3850 Lbs) | $1530 |
| 2 Bedroom (4500 Lbs) | $1840 |
| 3+ Bedroom (8750 Lbs) | $1970 |
International auto transport services to Canada via RoRo and container ships. Ship cars, trucks, SUVs, ATVs, boats, RVs, and heavy equipment.
Container Car Shipping | |
|---|---|
| Sedan (Container) | $1750 |
| SUV (Container) | $1860 |
| Sedan via RORO | $735 |
| SUV via RORO | $795 |
Understanding The Different Types Of Freight Transportation
There are three transportation modes: Land, Sea, and Air.
Land Freight: If you ship to Canada from the United States, you can ship by truck or train. These are the cheapest carrying options, but they are only available in cases where the countries are connected by land. The car is more flexible regarding schedule, but it has to deal with traffic. Train freight is unconcerned with traffic and tends to be more reliable timewise. It is also cheaper.
Ocean Moving: Shipping by sea is the slowest of the three options. However, this is the most cost-effective option if you are dispatching large cargo volumes or cargo of significant weight. It’s also around five times cheaper than air carriage.
Air Carriage: This option is best for those pressed for time. Sending through a cargo plane only takes a few days in most cases. However, it can be costly, mainly if you ship heavy items. Weight is a critical consideration when it comes to this method of transportation.
Additional Conveyance Prices
There are a few additional shipping costs that you need to consider:
- Custom duties
- Container inspection fees during customs clearance
- General Rate Increase
- Inland delivery charges
- Quarantine fees
- Insurance
Insurance is practically a must when shipping a receptacle. While this type of shipping is safer than ever, it’s still a long, complex process. You’ll want to ensure you are protected in case anything happens. Luckily, your insurance rates will be based on the monetary value of your items and not on the total weight or volume. Depending on what you are shipping, this would make your rates affordable.
What’s Next?
Now, you should be set with all the information you need to make an informed decision. The next and final step before starting your ship is to get a price quote. It’s important to get one to know for sure what you’ll be dealing with. We can offer you a reliable quote that’s also free. Fill out our web form or call us at (888) 202-0036.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is crucial that you include all the required documents with your shipment to ensure it isn’t delayed at the border, costing you time and money. There are four documents that you must include with every shipment when exporting goods into Canada. They are:
● Commercial invoice
● Bill of lading
● Manifesto or cargo control document
● Shipper's export declaration
The import permit is a document that has to accompany certain restricted items like pharmaceutical products.
When shipping items to the country, import duties, and tariffs are dependent on the items being imported. Items below $153 are duty-free. Items above that amount in value are charged based on the type of items they are. Tariffs range from less than 1% to 50% of the value of the item. Agricultural products usually have higher tariffs than other products. If you are a citizen of Canada, you can bring in $613 worth of goods duty-free.
It is vital that you get insurance for your cargo to protect yourself from loss due to damage, theft, abandonment, and mismanagement of cargo. Insurance will add to the overall cost of shipping but what insurance covers is more expensive than the premium you pay for it.
All modern shipping containers are built to be watertight and ventilated at the same time. This is because the containers are exposed to the elements of the sea during transportation and if water gets into the containers, damage to cargo might occur. However, older containers that have been used over time, tend to lose their seals and have holes. This is an important factor to note if you are purchasing a container. Shipping containers are also built to be aerated so livestock and items that require air, can be transported safely.
The maximum weight that can be loaded into a container begins at 44,000 lbs. for 20ft containers. For 40ft containers, the maximum weight goes up to 67,000 lbs. It is a good idea to check the tag on the door of the container for its declared maximum weight as the manufacturing method can determine the maximum weight a particular container can handle. For example, there are 40ft containers that max out at 44,500 lbs. instead of the expected 67,000 lbs. As a container ages, its braces and other parts age as well and that can affect its ability to carry its maximum weight.
Clearing of cargo depends on the port being used, the weather conditions as the winter make the clearing process slower, whether the shipment is LCL or FCL, the type of items in the shipment, the accuracy of documentation, and the country of origin of the cargo. The average clearing time for cargo in Canada is 2.6-3.7 days. It can be less than 24 hours or more than 4 days, depending on the particular situation.
FCL has shorter transit times because it is for a single client and the container is treated as one big cargo. This means that the documentation is singular. For example, there is a single bill of lading. There is also a single destination. LCL, on the other hand, has individual bills of lading for the different clients. There are also different destinations that the items will go to. All these things add up to make the transit times for LCL longer.
Yes, you can track your container while it is in transit. The service is provided by many shipping companies and we advise that you don’t accept international shipping without any form of tracking as this is a huge risk to the safety of your items.
A 20ft container occupies an area of 160ft square. This is divided into 20ft in length, and 8ft in width and height. So, creating a space of 30ft long, 10ft high, and 10ft wide will be enough to deliver a container to your home. For a 40ft container, a length of 45ft, a width of 10ft, and a height of 10ft are sufficient for delivery. It is important that you check to know if you need approval for a shipping container on your property. If your city or town doesn’t allow shipping containers on personal property, you can arrange for a storage service for your shipping container.
