In respect of International Shipping any motorized vehicles that require DMV registration (autos, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, jet skis, ATV’s) are considered by U.S. Customs (and Foreign Customs) as motor vehicles. International shipping cars (and other types of motor vehicles) from the USA overseas using any type of international ocean freight services is subject to special procedures related to U.S. Customs and safety issues. International shipping cars procedures (same as procedures on international shipping of other types of motor vehicles) using international ocean freight services make shipments containing motor vehicles slightly different from international shipping of general cargo.
Note: This web page does not cover procedures on importing cars to the USA. (It applies on other types of motor vehicles being shipped to the USA using international ocean freight services) Import procedures on international shipping cars to the USA govern by variety of special U.S. rules. As an U.S. OTI: International Ocean Freight Forwarder and NVOCC, AMID Logistics, LLC currently does NOT offer service on importing cars to the USA. Export only. International shippers, which may concern of shipping cars to the USA (Import cars to the USA) should search for an international shipping company, which specializes in shipping cars to U.S. Preferable in a country of origin.
YOU MAY SHIP CARS (OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES) FROM THE USA USING INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FREIGHT SERVICES IN TWO WAYS:
1. SHIPPING OCEAN FREIGHT RO-RO: RO-RO in respect of international shipping means "Roll On/Roll Off". RO-RO is a shipping term used in the international ocean freight shipping industry for shipping wheeled cargo, which is driven on and off the vessel: cars, trucks, boats on trailers, wheeled constriction equipment, railway carriages etc.
2. SHIPPING CARS FROM THE USA INSIDE OF CONTAINERS: Cars (and other smaller motor vehicles, such as motorcycles, boats, jet skis, ATV’s etc) will be loaded and secured in multimodal ocean freight containers.
Depending on value of shipped cars and routing of containers you may consider two options on international shipping cars inside of multimodal seafreight containers:
1. SHIPPING A SINGLE CAR IN CONTAINER: This option should be selected for international shipping of valued vehicles. Shipping single cars in containers has higher probability to reach the destination without damages during the transportation.
Shipping single cars in containers may be the only option if your origin and/or destination is landlocked cities. I.e. your container must be delivered to the port of departure or/and to the final destination by trucks and/or rail.
International shipping cars in entire containers has the advantage that your ocean freight bill of lading will be consigned to a single consignee/recipient of car(s). I.e. the shipper and consignee will eliminate possible problems, delays and additional costs related to consolidation/de-consolidation cars at the origin and destination.
2. SHIPPING CARS CONSOLIDATED IN CONTAINERS WITH OTHER VEHICLES. That means that an internationally shipped multimodal seafreight container will contain more than one vehicle. Consolidated cars may belong to one owner or to different owners.
Cost of international shipping cars consolidated in containers, per shipped car, is less expensive than shipping single cars in containers. However, international shipping of cars consolidated with other vehicles has higher probability to be damaged during the transportation (we always suggest consider an insurance on cars shipped consolidated in containers).
If a container contains vehicles that belong to different international shippers and/or cars consigned to different consignees, then the container may incure problems related to finalizing of international shipping documents at the origin or/and the destination, delays and be subject to additional costs due to consolidation/de-consolidation cars at the origin or/and destination.
Note: International shipping of smaller motorized vehicles (motorcycles, jet skis, mopeds, mopeds, ATV's etc) from the USA using international ocean freight will not be permitted to move as LCL sea freight. This is due to U.S. Customs Regulations. U.S. Customs will not recognize any international ocean freight carrier's container freight station (bonded warehouse) an exam site for the inspection.
Howevwer, it is permitted to ship auto parts using international LCL seafreight service. Yo may ship auto parts from the USA oversweas using the international LCL ocean freight service.
GENERAL U.S. CUSTOMS REQUIREMENTS ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CARS FROM THE USA USING OCEAN FREIGHT SERVICES
U.S. Custom regulations on international ocean freight shipments containing motor vehicles require the original title along with at least three copies (non-notarized) of the title, front and back to be submitted prior to the international shipment from the USA. These documents are considered as essential international shipping documents on shipping cars (other types of motor vehicles). It must accompany motor vehicles to the port of origin (international ocean freight carrier's Container Yard - CY or pier). If there are any liens against the vehicle, a notarized letter from the lien holder authorizing the export of the vehicle must also accompany the vehicle. However, motor vehicles with liens most likely will not be approved by U.S. Customs to the international shipment from U.S.
If owner of vehicle, as in the vehicle title, cannot accompany the vehicle to the port of departure, then the owner may issue a power of attorney to the person or company that represents the vehicle's owner before customs in the port of departure (international ocean freight shipping company, international ocean freight forwarder, quality loading warehouse on cars shipped from U.S. overseas etc).
Most customs over the world require that the original title(s) must be presented to the destination customs at a time of recovery of motor vehicles being shipped from the USA. If a vehicle had been sold to the consignee (recipient) and shipped using international ocean freight service, then bill of sale(s) should be presented at the destination as well. I.e. as soon as your motor vehicle had passed U.S. customs, in order to avoid possible extra charges at the destination due to lack of proper international shipping documents, we strongly suggest to international shippers to express mail all original documents to the consignee without delay.
If motor vehicles are shipping from the USA in multimodal ocean freight containers, then doors of the ocean freight containers must not be sealed and locked at a time when U.S. customs officers check the vehicles and its VINs inside of the containers. Easy access for U.S. customs officers to internationally shipped vehicles and to its VIN numbers (as a rule on the left side under windshields) must be provided. Otherwise, loaded ocean freight containers may be rejected to the international shipping from the USA by U.S. customs. Then it may be required to be returned to an international shipping company's loading dock for the reload.
Note: If you are loading and securing motor vehicles in multimodal ocean freight containers by your own, without involving an international shipping companie's quality loading dock, then, unless you are not a professional in loads of containers for the international shipping, we strongly recommend considering to hire a quality loading or moving company experienced in shipping cars from the USA oversea.
SAFETY, CUSTOMS AND OTHER ISSUES ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CARS FROM THE USA USING OCEAN FREIGHT SERVICES.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CARS RO-RO:
Unless a motor vehicle is not on the trailers (international shipping of boats on trailers for example) then the shipped RO-RO vehicle it must run and be filled with gas, but no more than 1/2 tank of gas (1/4 is recommended). Ignition keys must accompany vehicles shipped ro-ro.
Motor vehicles have to be in running condition to be accepted by ocean freight carriers to the international RO RO shipping (roll on/roll off). If a motor vehicle will be delivered fo the RORO shipment to a RO-RO ocean freight carrier's pier in not running condition, then extra charges related to towing of not-runners on/off RORO vessel apply.
Vehicles shipped RORO on trailers (shipping boats, jets, motorcycles on trailers) are subject to international shipping's safety requirements similar to international shipping cars in multimodal seafreight containers. See below.
IMPORTANT: If you ship cars or other types of motor vehicles from US using international RO-RO ocean freight service, then you CANNOT ship anything inside of it, except for factory installed equipment. International RORO ocean freight carrier will not be liable for any spare itens shipped RO-RO along with the vehicles.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CARS FROM THE USA INSIDE OF MULTIMODAL OCEAN FREIGHT CONTAINERS:
International shipping cars in containers, unlike shipping cars RO-RO, requires that: all fluids must be drained and fumes purged from the gas tank, the battery disconnected and the battery terminal cables secured. You may not leave keys inside of vehicles.
If you ship CARS IN CONTAINERS CONSOLIDATED WITH CARS THAT BELONG TO OTHER OWNERS, then you should not use salons and trunks of cars as an additional room for your international shipment. Shipping spare items inside of your car, except for factory installed equipment, may result to problems with U.S. and destination's customs. However, if you still insist to put something in salons or trunks of your cars, accept the risk of problems and allowed to do that by an international shipping company, then insure that VIN is not blocked for the view when a customs officer will match the VIN with the titles of your cars.
Note: If you are shipping smaller cargo from the USA, then we recommend considering our international Economy LCL Ocean Freight service.
If you ship CARS IN CONTAINERS THAT ENTIRELY BELONG TO A SINGLE SHIPPER, then you can use all spare room of your containers, including salons and trunks of your car to ship additional cargo along with your cars in containers. However, in this case, besides of original titles on shipping cars you must provide to customs complete valued packing/inventory list of all items that you ship in containers along with your cars.
AMID Logistics, LLC, as an international U.S. Freight Forwarder and NVOCC, may offer SERVICES FROM QUALITY LOADING WAREHOUSES (international shipping companies loading docks), which specialize in loading and securing cars and other types of vehicles in multimodal ocean freight containers for the international shipping from the USA overseas. International shipping companies loading docks may also complete all U.S. Customs formalities on shipping cars from US on behalf of shippers.
If an international shippers are going to pickup ocean freight containers from ocean carrier's container yards in purpose to load cars in the container by themselves then as U.S. NVOCC, upon approval, we may offer an ocean freight bookings from steam ship lines for international FCL ocean freight in order to ship the containers with cars overseas. Then shippers will be held responsible to complete all procedures related to pickups and return containers, loading and securing of shipped cars in the containers, U.S. Customs formalities on shipping cars etc. Any surcharges that for any reasons may be added by steamship lines to ocean freight prices confirmed in bookings scheduled for shipping cars from US will be on shipper's account.
If you are moving overseas from the USA, then you may compare shipping costs on shipping cars from US offered by international moving companies Vs. international ocean freight shipping companies (freight forwarders, NVOCCs). Most likely you may find that services from international moving companies appear more convenient than from an international shipping companies. However, if you understand how the international shipping cars industry works and compare shipping costs from an international moving companies to shipping costs from international shipping companies, then you will be able to save hundreds or even thousands dollars on shipping cars from the USA overseas.
Use our free 24/7 real-time international ocean freight price calculators starting by selecting your destination country.
1. LCL ocean freight (Less than Container Load): International shipping of boxed, crated and/or palletized cargo by sea. Consolidated ocean freight. The related link is http://internationalshippingusa.com/
2. FCL ocean freight (Full Container Load): International Shipping of entire seafreight containers with Household Goods and Personal effects (No motor vehicles). The related link is http://householdgoods.internationalshippingusa.com/
3. Commercial FCL freight. IMPORTANT!: Shipping rates and procedures are different from international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects. You must NOT use this pricing schedule on international shipping of Household Goods and Personal effects. The related link is http://containers.internationalshippingusa.com/
4. International shipping of cars and other types of motor vehicles (small boats, motorcycles, jets etc) consolidated in multimodal ocean freight containers. The related link is http://cars.internationalshippingusa.com/
5. International shipping RO-RO: Shipping cars, trucks, trailers, boats, heavy equipment etc from the USA overseas. The related link is http://ro-ro.internationalshippingusa.com/
