Affordable Cost Of Shipping A Container To United Kingdom
Published by Chris Townsend
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Container To United Kingdom?
There’s a need for you to ship a container overseas but you have no idea how. We, your friends from Three Movers, are willing to assist you. We will guide you in understanding this complex operation from start to finish. Our freight forwarder available to assist you in your shipment process to ensure a smooth and worry-free transaction.
Factors That Affect the Cost
When relocating internationally, there are a few main factors to consider, such as:
- The volume/weight of the items to be shipped: This refers to the number of items you will be hauled. The more items you want to ship, the more it’ll cost. This is also applicable to the weight.
- The type of transport: Sea freight cost cheaper but take time to reach the destination. Air freights are faster but will be more expensive. Land transport is significantly cheaper than the previous two options but is only available to countries connected by land.
- Distance: This is one of the obvious factors. The farther it will be from the point of departure, the higher it will cost.
- The destination port: UK Port fees can vary depending on the port you choose. In the UK, there are 5 major ports you can ship to. There is Felixstowe, Southampton, London, Immingham, and Liverpool.
- Peak season: The peak season for 2021 in most countries is August to October as people are getting ready for back-to-school and the holiday seasons. Relocating within this season will affect the total cost of your shipment.
Which Size of Shifting Container Works Best for Me?
There are two types of load modes to choose from. If you want to fill the whole container, you can opt for the Full Cargo Load option (FCL). If your items aren’t enough to use the full size of the container, you can share with other customers and opt for the Less Than Cargo Load option (LCL).
If you decided that the Full Cargo Load is for you, you can choose between the 20ft and the 40ft containers. The 20ft can fit approximately 3 bedrooms’ worth of items. The 40ft will fit double that amount.
Average Shipping Rates
FCL is best for transporting lots of boxes, pallets and anything which will require a full container up to 45,000lbs.
Full Container Load (FCL) Rates | |
|---|---|
| 20 ft Container | $245 |
| 40 ft Container | $295 |
LCL is more affordable way to transport.
Less Than Container (LCL) Rates | |
|---|---|
| LCL | $40/CBM |
| Personal Effects | $335 |
| Household Goods | $445 |
International house moving to United Kingdom services - quick, easy and cheap.
International House Moving Costs | |
|---|---|
| Partial House (2000Lbs & Less) | $325 |
| 1 Bedroom (3850 Lbs) | $1370 |
| 2 Bedroom (4500 Lbs) | $1985 |
| 3+ Bedroom (8750 Lbs) | $2330 |
International auto transport services to United Kingdom via RoRo and container ships. Ship cars, trucks, suvs, atv's, boats, RV's, heavy equipment and more.
Container Car Shipping | |
|---|---|
| Sedan via RORO | $895 |
| SUV via RORO | $940 |
| Sedan (Container) | $1250 |
| SUV (Container) | $1320 |
Understanding the Different Types of Freight Transportation
You have a variety of freight transportation modes to choose from. You can use the land freight option since this is the cheapest option available. However, this is only available for countries connected by land.
Since you are shipping to the UK, your best options will be either via sea or air. If your shipment isn’t urgent, sea freight transportation is about five times cheaper than air freight transportation.
However, if you want your shipment to arrive faster, air freight transportation can guarantee that. With that in mind, the air freight transportation option can be expensive.
Additional Shipping Costs
When hauling internationally, there are additional costs to be considered. This is normal and to be expected. They are:
- Custom duties: You can be charged Customs Duty on all goods sent from outside of the UK if your shipment is either excise goods or worth more than £135.
- Container inspection fees: The container inspection fee for the UK is approximately £10.
- VAT: VAT is charged on items sent from outside the UK except for gifts worth £39 or less.
- Inland delivery charges: It depends if you availed a courier to deliver the shipment to your doorstep. If not, this might not apply to you.
- Insurance: Insurance is to ensure that you are well-protected when shipping a container. This will cover whatever damages and/or unexpected accidents your shipment will incur.
What’s Next?
You are now well-informed about the basics of shipping to the UK. Now, you can contact Three Movers for a free quote. You can fill the web form or call us at (888) 202-0036.
Frequently Asked Questions
There will be a lot of documents that are important to your international shipping when you are shipping goods overseas. Below is a list of the most essential documents you need to acquire during the whole process:
• Commercial and Proforma Invoices
• Shipper’s Letter of Instructions (SLI)
• Automated Export System (AES) Filing
• Shipping Under a Letter of Credit
In events where you will ship certain products, you will need to acquire a special license, government permission, customs clearance or some additional documents. Check out the list of documents you might need:
• Health Certificate
• Ingredients Certificate
• Inspection Certificate
• Pre-Shipment Inspection certificate
• Phytosanitary Certificate/quarantine certificate
• Radiation Certificate
• Electronic Export Information
• Certificate of Health or Sanitation
• Generic Certificateof Origin
• Dangerous Goods Certificate
• Fisheries Certificate
• Fumigation Certificate
• Halal Certificate
• Dock Receipt and Warehouse Receipt
• ISPM 15 (Wood Packaging) Marking certificate
• Product manual or Product catalog
• Certified Engineer’s Report
• Chartered engineer’s certificate
• Product specification certificate
There are few specific items you are not allowed to ship to the UK. Below is a list of prohibited/restricted items in the UK:
• Flick and Gravity Knives; knives with blades that open automatically by operation of a spring device, or released by gravity or centrifugal force
• Indecent or Obscene Material
• Offensive Weapons
• Asbestos
• Counterfeit coins and banknotes
• Counterfeit or pirated goods
• Goods bearing false origin statements
• Goods infringing a trademark
• Goods infringing a copyright
• Lottery Material
• Prison-made goods
• Stamps (fictitious) including dyes and plates for manufacture
• Video senders; equipment capable of transmitting video images
• Eggs
• Straw
• Soil
• Investigational Drugs
• Animal Hair and Wool
• All products containing the biocide dimethyl fumarate (DMF)
• Non-perishable foodstuff weighing more than 10 kg to private individuals
• Products containing meat or milk products including Whey Protein for personal consumption
• Shipments subject to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
• Live Animals (including insects, fruit flies/drosophila melanogaster, and nematodes)
• Plants of Mangifera sp (Mangoes), Solanum melongena (Aubergine/Eggplant), Colocasia sp (Patra leaves), Momordica sp (Bitter gourd), and Trichosanthes sp (Snake gourd), originating in India.
• Hides, skins, and apparel from the following animals: Castor Canadensis, Lutra Canadensis, Canis Iatrans, Canis lupus, Lynx Canadensis, Felis rufus, Martes zibellina, Procyon lotor, Ondatra zibethicus, Martes pennant, Taxidea taxus, Martes Americana, and Mustela ermine are prohibited from certain countries.
• Seeds and beans from Egypt
All goods sent from outside the UK will be charged Customs Duty if they’re either excise goods or if they are worth more than £135. You’ll need to pay on the price paid for the goods, postage, packaging, and insurance.
• Non-excise goods worth £135 or less: no charge
• Gifts above £135 and up to £630: 2.5%, but rates are lower for some goods
• Gifts above £630 and other goods above £135: The rate depends on the type of goods and where they came from.
Shipping taxes and duties are imposed by the government to protect local industries, making imported products more expensive than locally produced ones. Shipping duties are a kind of shipping tax. They can vary but they will always be charged.
Yes! This ensures that you and your cargo are safe and well-protected from damages, loss, and other unprecedented circumstances that may arise during the shipment process. It is recommended that you get insurance for business transactions like international shipping. Even if you refuse to get insurance for your cargo, the container rental company will require you to insure their box.
Yes, it is possible! You can track your cargo while it’s intransit. All you need is your container number, bill of lading, booking number, and the shipping line.
Yes. You are required to be there to sign off your delivery for the completion of the shipment process.
You will need a lot of space when you’re getting a home delivery for your containers. The containers are 8’ wide so a minimum of 10’ clearance is required. The recommended clearance for the two most popular container sizes are listed below:
• 20’ container: 50’ straightway clearance
• 40’ container: 110’ straigtaway clearance
It is recommended that you have an overhead clearance of 17’ to ensure that there is enough space when the truck drops off your container. Make sure that the area is free of any overhead debris such as wires and branches.
