RoRo, container and breakbulk shipping for new energy vehicles, used cars and heavy construction machinery.
Car exports differ from general cargo in three ways. The vehicle carries a traction battery or fuel and is therefore classified as dangerous goods. A full vehicle export requires an export licence, and a used car also has to go through transfer registration and deregistration. And whether the vehicle moves by RoRo, in a container or on a breakbulk vessel changes the booking, the lashing and the documentation completely. Get any one of the three wrong and the cargo stops at the terminal or at the border.
Full vehicle export for new energy vehicles, used combustion-engine cars and heavy construction machinery
Vehicle yards at the port and a RoRo vessel alongside: cars are parked in batches by lot, waiting to be loaded in booking order.
Dangerous goods classification for sea transport follows the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. Amendment 42-24 to the Code is mandatory from 1 January 2026 and creates separate entries for vehicles powered by lithium batteries. The old practice of declaring every electric vehicle under UN3171 no longer works, because UN3171 now covers only vehicles powered by wet batteries, metallic sodium or sodium alloys. Get the classification wrong and the booking, the declaration and the packaging all have to be redone.
| Vehicle Type | Power Source | Sea Transport Number | Declaration Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery electric vehicles (passenger cars, buses, light trucks) | Lithium-ion traction battery | UN3556 | Declared as Class 9 dangerous goods |
| Battery electric construction machinery | Lithium-ion traction battery | UN3556 | Declared as Class 9 dangerous goods |
| Plug-in hybrid | Internal combustion engine plus lithium-ion traction battery | UN3166 | Declared as dangerous goods; exemption conditions may be applied for |
| Hybrid electric, not chargeable from the grid | Internal combustion engine plus lithium-ion traction battery | UN3166 | Declared as dangerous goods; exemption conditions may be applied for |
| Combustion-engine vehicle, petrol | Fuel with a flash point below 38 °C | UN3166 | May be declared as general cargo once the tank is drained until the vehicle cannot run |
| Combustion-engine vehicle, diesel | Fuel with a flash point of 38 °C or above | UN3166 | May be declared as general cargo where the conditions are met |
| Vehicle powered by a lithium metal battery | Lithium metal traction battery | UN3557 | Declared as Class 9 dangerous goods |
| Vehicle powered by a sodium-ion battery | Sodium-ion traction battery | UN3558 | Declared as Class 9 dangerous goods |
The share of large vehicles and construction machinery keeps growing. Special-purpose vehicles such as street sweepers, water sprinklers and concrete pump trucks, and earthmoving machinery such as excavators, wheel loaders and bulldozers, follow the table above whenever they carry a traction battery. Machines without a battery are declared as ordinary machinery, but the handling and lashing requirements are no lighter for that.
Complete vehicles are classified by use: passenger cars fall under heading 8703, goods vehicles under 8704, and special-purpose vehicles such as sweepers, sprinkler trucks and concrete pump trucks under 8705. Earthmoving and lifting machinery, including excavators, loaders and bulldozers, falls under headings 8429 and 8426 respectively. Classification drives both the regulatory conditions and the export rebate rate, and the exact code is determined by the customs broker from the actual parameters of the vehicle.
The following vehicles are not permitted for export and have to be screened out before a supplier takes delivery of them: vehicles that have reached the mandatory scrapping standard or are within one year of the scrapping age; vehicles under mortgage, pledge or customs supervision; vehicles sealed or seized by a supervisory authority, a people's court, a people's procuratorate or an administrative enforcement department; vehicles obtained through theft, robbery, fraud or other criminal means; vehicles whose condition does not match the Motor Vehicle Register Certificate; smuggled or illegally assembled vehicles; vehicles without complete statutory certificates; vehicles that fail inspection; vehicles with unsettled road traffic violations or traffic accidents; and any other vehicle that laws and regulations prohibit from being traded or exported.
Used vehicles are declared in line with the customs declaration rules, with the vehicle identification number reported truthfully and the commodity name written in the form "used + make + engine displacement + model". Customs verifies the export licence through the online system. Used vehicle exports use the nationwide integrated customs clearance model, so the exporter may choose both the export declaration location and the port of departure. Within 2 months of completing export customs clearance, the exporter has to apply to the traffic management department at the place where the vehicle was registered, presenting the export declaration form and supporting documents, for deregistration. A used vehicle that has already cleared customs for export may not be returned to China, and this has to be explained to the overseas buyer before the contract is signed.
At the transfer registration step, the traffic management department endorses the Motor Vehicle Register Certificate with "transfer pending export" and issues temporary road plates whose validity matches the compulsory traffic insurance, up to a maximum of 60 days. Once a vehicle has been processed as transfer pending export, it may no longer be traded domestically or have its owner changed. The full declaration and clearance sequence is set out under customs brokerage.
Mainstream carriers took broadly the same position on vehicle bookings for 2026. Ordinary vehicles, machinery parts, and new vehicles and machinery without a battery may be declared as general cargo. Vehicles with a lithium-ion traction battery, whether battery electric, plug-in hybrid or conventional hybrid, may only be declared as dangerous goods. Vehicles with a non-lithium battery are declared under the corresponding dangerous goods number. Combustion-engine vehicles may be declared as general cargo but require a signed and stamped exemption letter of indemnity, or they are re-declared as dangerous goods. For damaged vehicles, only internal combustion engine units are accepted, all liquids must be completely drained, and other damaged vehicles are refused.
Under IMDG special provision SP961, a vehicle using fuel with a flash point of 38 °C or above may be exempted from part of the dangerous goods requirements where there is no leakage, the fuel quantity is within the prescribed limit and the battery is protected against short circuit. A vehicle using fuel with a flash point below 38 °C, petrol for instance, generally has to have its tank drained until the vehicle cannot run. Part of SP961 refers to vehicle spaces designated on a RoRo ship, and an ordinary freight container does not automatically count as such a space, so whether the exemption applies to a combustion-engine vehicle shipped in a container has to be confirmed case by case with the actual carrier rather than assumed. Where the exemption conditions are not met, the vehicle moves under UN3166 and the corresponding packing requirements.
Most RoRo operators require the traction battery to be at a state of charge between 30% and 50%, together with a battery condition statement, no fault warning lights and no unresolved safety recall. Different carriers, ship types and trade lanes may set a lower ceiling, so the current requirement of the actual carrier governs at the time of booking. On the day of loading, record the state of charge with an instrument photograph or a diagnostic log, because that is the only evidence available if the figure is questioned.
Booking confirmation, prior approval for the dangerous goods or the vehicle, and final permission to stuff the container are three different milestones. A booking confirmation does not mean the vehicle has been cleared to load. Dangerous goods and vehicle bookings normally need carrier approval two to three weeks ahead, and longer in peak season. The more complete the information submitted in one go at booking, the fewer rounds of review: model and dimensions, total vehicle weight, power type, battery capacity in kWh, state of charge, vehicle condition, battery and vehicle photographs, the UN38.3 test summary and the dangerous goods declaration.
Stuffing a container with a vehicle needs proper dunnage, support, lashing and securing, and a shipper who loads the box itself has to issue a container packing certificate. The verified gross mass has to come from the shipper, and a container without a valid VGM cannot be loaded. A valid VGM does not mean customs, dangerous goods and carrier approvals are also in place; the three run independently. A vehicle fleet moving by RoRo has to complete terminal delivery, vehicle inspection and handover in line with the operator's requirements, and the documents travelling with each vehicle have to match the declaration.
| Mode | Best Suited Cargo | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoRo vessel | Volume new energy vehicles, passenger cars, buses | Low unit cost, fast loading and discharge, low risk of cargo damage | Tight space, so slots have to be locked in early; hard requirements on state of charge and recall status; small and medium lots are hard to consolidate into a sailing |
| Full container | One to four vehicles, destinations without RoRo calls, high-value or blemished units | Flexible documentation, cargo kept separate, can share the box with other cargo, not tied to RoRo schedules | Needs a professional lashing and stuffing plan; dangerous goods and customs positions confirmed case by case; higher cost per vehicle than RoRo |
| Breakbulk vessel and flat rack | Excavators, loaders, sweepers, out-of-gauge or overweight machinery | Handles large pieces that will not fit in a box, strong lifting capacity | Charged per piece or by weight; handling terms and lifting capacity calculated case by case; sailing frequency less regular than a liner service |
These three modes do not replace one another. In a single order it is common to send passenger cars by RoRo, construction machinery on a breakbulk vessel and a few high-value sample units in containers. The choice rests on vehicle dimensions, lot size, the shipping services available at the destination port and the delivery date, not on a straight price comparison.
Port choice comes down to three things: how close the port is to the vehicle source, how dense the RoRo services are to the destination port, and whether the terminal accepts dangerous goods vehicles. Complete vehicles are heavy cargo, so the inland haulage cost from factory to port and the terminal cut-off time eat directly into the quotation. The same batch of vehicles shipped from different ports can differ noticeably in total cost.
National rules vary widely, but the sticking points cluster in four dimensions.
| Dimension | Requirement | Common Regimes |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle age | Most countries set a maximum age or a maximum period since first registration, and vehicles beyond it are not admitted | Rules differ by country; the destination country's current regulations govern |
| Certification and emissions | A vehicle needs local type approval or individual approval before it can be placed on the market, and has to meet emissions and safety rules | EU whole vehicle type approval, UKCA and individual vehicle approval in the United Kingdom, FMVSS and EPA in the United States, the age exemptions used by Canada and the United States, EAEU OTTC, GCC and Saudi SASO, SEVS and RVS in Australia, LCVM and CAT in Brazil |
| Left- or right-hand drive | Right-hand drive countries do not accept left-hand drive vehicles and vice versa, and whether a converted vehicle can be registered has to be confirmed first | Most Commonwealth countries are right-hand drive |
| Pre-shipment inspection | Some countries require inspection by a designated body before shipment and issue a certificate of conformity, without which the cargo cannot clear | SONCAP in Nigeria, PVoC in Kenya and similar programmes |
The same batch of vehicles can produce opposite admission outcomes in different destination countries, so an admission assessment before quoting and booking costs far less than dealing with the problem after the cargo arrives. The usual set of import clearance documents is a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and vehicle certification documents, and some countries additionally require consular legalisation or embassy stamping.
Buyers usually focus on price and condition, but what actually decides whether the shipment arrives in good order is the supplier's qualifications and ability to perform.
The vehicles carry lithium-ion traction batteries and are declared under UN3556 as Class 9. The UN38.3 test summary, the battery chemical safety data sheet, the battery capacity in kWh and the state of charge statement were submitted together at booking, and the container was stuffed only after carrier approval for the dangerous goods was granted. Stuffing used dedicated brackets and a lashing plan, with wheel chocks under the tyres and additional securing straps, and a container packing certificate was issued together with a verified gross mass declaration. Destination clearance required the GCC standard and the vehicle certification documents to be confirmed in advance.
The destination country's maximum vehicle age and pre-shipment inspection regime were checked first, and the contract was signed only once admission was confirmed. Third-party inspection was completed before export and the certificate of conformity obtained, and the export licence was applied for with the inspection report, the export contract and the Motor Vehicle Register Certificate, one licence per lot and no more than 20 vehicles under the same commodity code. The vehicles were endorsed as transfer pending export and delivered to the port terminal, declared under UN3166 for sea transport with a fuel exemption applied for, and deregistered within 2 months of customs clearance.
These are special-purpose vehicles whose dimensions and weight fall outside standard container types, so they moved on a breakbulk vessel. Unit weight, overall dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting point diagrams were provided before booking so the carrier could work out the lift plan, and the handling terms were agreed on an FIO basis and stated in the quotation. Spare parts and tools travelling with the vehicles were documented separately to avoid a mismatch between the cleared commodity name and the actual cargo.
Earthmoving machinery without a traction battery is declared as ordinary machinery, but because the height exceeds the internal clearance of a standard box, flat racks or open-top containers were used and working attachments were removed as needed to reduce the overall dimensions. Tracks and the slewing platform were each secured during loading to prevent movement and impact in transit. The destination applies EAEU certification requirements, so the admission documents for the equipment had to be confirmed in advance.
The vehicles carry both an internal combustion engine and a lithium-ion traction battery and are declared under UN3166. The RoRo operator required the state of charge to fall between 30% and 50% and asked for a battery condition statement, and confirmation that there was no unresolved safety recall. The state of charge was recorded with instrument photographs before loading, and the documents travelling with the vehicles were checked line by line against the declaration before delivery to the port.
Vehicles in this group come under closer scrutiny when the export licence is issued. The exporting enterprise has to submit an After-Sales Repair and Service Confirmation issued and seal-stamped by the vehicle manufacturer, covering the export destination country, the vehicle details and the service network that will provide after-sales support. Where this cannot be provided, the competent commerce department will not issue an export licence. Buyers should confirm before ordering that the supplier can obtain this document, rather than discovering after the vehicles have been taken in that the certificate cannot be issued.
The vehicles are battery electric passenger cars, so the traction battery makes them lithium-ion battery powered vehicles declared under UN3556 as Class 9. They shipped from the Nansha port area in Guangzhou in full containers, three to four units per box depending on model dimensions. Battery capacity in kWh, the state of charge statement, the UN38.3 test summary, the battery chemical safety data sheet and the dangerous goods declaration were all submitted to the carrier before booking, and the container was stuffed only after approval was granted, because a booking confirmation does not mean the vehicle has been cleared to load. Stuffing used dedicated brackets securing the front and rear axles, with wheel chocks and straps, and a container packing certificate was issued together with a verified gross mass declaration. Mexico is a left-hand drive market, imported vehicles have to meet the mandatory NOM standards covering emissions, safety and energy efficiency, clearance is declared by a local broker on a Pedimento, and a vehicle has to be entered in the REPUVE national vehicle register before it can be plated. Mexico also has a separate decree and origin requirements for used vehicles, so complete vehicle exports to Mexico normally follow the new vehicle route, and confirming this before quoting avoids a whole shipment being refused on arrival.
The drive side is settled first, by destination country. Right-hand traffic countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire use left-hand drive vehicles, so Chinese stock can be used directly without conversion. Several West African countries operate pre-shipment conformity assessment: Nigeria through SONCAP, and Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire under their own programmes. The certificate has to be obtained before shipment, because trying to complete it after arrival blocks clearance outright. The maximum vehicle age is checked first and vehicles beyond it are refused, a conclusion that has to be given before quoting. After third-party inspection the export licence is applied for, one licence per lot and no more than 20 vehicles under the same commodity code, with the declared commodity name written in the format of used plus make plus engine displacement plus model. Vehicles running on diesel with a flash point of 38 °C or above may be booked with the carrier as general cargo, while petrol vehicles have to have the tank drained until the vehicle cannot run, as the carrier requires. Two mid-size saloons fit in one container, secured with steel strapping over the wheel rims to the container floor rails, and tools and spare parts travelling with the vehicles are documented separately to avoid a mismatch in the declared commodity name. Deregistration is completed within 2 months of customs clearance.
The cargo consisted of mining dump trucks and wheel loaders, each over thirty tonnes deadweight and both out-of-gauge and overweight, so neither RoRo nor containers could take them and a breakbulk vessel was the only option. Cargo from Shandong was consolidated at Yantai and Qingdao, and from Tianjin at the port of Tianjin, both of which can handle large equipment exports. Unit weight, overall dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting point diagrams were provided at booking so the carrier could work out the lift plan and the dunnage requirements, and working attachments were removed as needed to bring the dimensions within the hatch opening and the ship's crane capacity. Handling is usually agreed on an FIO basis, with lashing and securing, dunnage and lifting charged separately, so it pays to establish exactly how far the quotation reaches before comparing totals. Most Caribbean islands drive on the left, but the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and similar places have mainly left-hand drive vehicles in practice, so the specific country governs. Some island ports have limited draft and large ships cannot berth alongside, so time has to be allowed for a feeder vessel or a transhipment connection. In Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa drive on the left with right-hand drive vehicles, so any trucks or buses in the consignment need the right-hand drive specification, a decision that has to be made when ordering rather than after arrival. Most construction machinery is not affected by drive side. Heavy pieces were insured separately and spare parts and special tools travelling with the machines were documented separately.
The difficulty in car exports is not the freight rate. It is aligning commodity classification, export documentation, the dangerous goods declaration and destination admission within a single shipment. When one forwarder is responsible for all four, the line of accountability when something goes wrong is clear.
Are new energy vehicles declared as dangerous goods or as general cargo?
As dangerous goods. IMDG Amendment 42-24 has been mandatory since 1 January 2026 and lithium battery powered vehicles use separate numbers: UN3556 for lithium-ion battery powered vehicles, UN3557 for lithium metal battery powered vehicles and UN3558 for sodium-ion battery powered vehicles, all in Class 9. Declaring ordinary lithium battery electric vehicles under UN3171 is no longer valid. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids with an internal combustion engine are generally classified under UN3166.
Does a fuel vehicle have to be drained before export?
It depends on the flash point of the fuel. Under IMDG special provision SP961, a vehicle using fuel with a flash point of 38 °C or above, which means diesel, may be exempted and shipped as general cargo where there is no leakage, the fuel quantity is within the prescribed limit and the battery is protected against short circuit. A vehicle using fuel with a flash point below 38 °C, which means petrol, generally has to have the tank drained until it cannot run. Part of SP961 refers to vehicle spaces designated on a RoRo ship, and an ordinary freight container does not automatically count as such a space, so whether the exemption applies to a fuel vehicle shipped in a container has to be confirmed case by case with the actual carrier.
What state of charge is required for the traction battery on an electric vehicle export?
Most RoRo operators require the traction battery to be at a state of charge between 30% and 50%, together with a battery condition statement, no fault warning lights and no unresolved safety recall. Different carriers, ship types and trade lanes may set a lower ceiling, so the current requirement of the actual carrier governs at the time of booking. An instrument photograph or diagnostic record taken on the day of loading is the evidence to fall back on if the figure is questioned.
How is a used vehicle export licence applied for, and how many vehicles can one licence cover?
A used vehicle export enterprise applies on the principle that whoever exports applies, through the enterprise portal of the unified platform of the Ministry of Commerce, and the provincial competent commerce department issues the licence. One licence covers one lot, for a maximum of 20 vehicles under the same commodity code, and the quantity applied for has to match the quantity actually declared and clear in a single operation. If the declared quantity is less than the quantity applied for, a new licence has to be applied for. The application materials include the licence application form, a legally effective export contract including after-sales service content with a Chinese translation where the contract is in a foreign language, the original or a scan of the Motor Vehicle Register Certificate, and an inspection report from a third-party testing body.
What extra requirements apply to nearly new vehicles registered less than 180 days ago?
From 1 January 2026, an application to export a vehicle registered less than 180 days, inclusive of 180 days, before the application has to be supported by an After-Sales Repair and Service Confirmation issued and seal-stamped by the vehicle manufacturer, covering the export destination country, the vehicle details and the service network providing after-sales support. Where this cannot be provided, the competent commerce department will not issue an export licence.
Containers or RoRo vessels for car exports?
Use RoRo where the lot is large, the models are uniform and the destination port has RoRo services, since the unit cost is lowest. Use full containers where one to four vehicles are moving, RoRo sailings to the destination are scarce, or the vehicles are high value or blemished and need to be kept apart, because documentation is more flexible and the cargo stays more independent. Use breakbulk vessels or flat racks for large construction vehicles and out-of-gauge or overweight pieces, which are loaded and discharged by ship and shore cranes. The three do not replace one another, and a single shipment often needs a combination.
Which Chinese ports are convenient for car exports?
The Haitong International Automobile Terminal at Waigaoqiao in Shanghai is the largest single complete-vehicle RoRo terminal in the country, with the Lingang Nangang terminal as additional capacity. The Haitong Taicang automobile RoRo terminal in Jiangsu is the largest dedicated RoRo terminal on the Yangtze main stem. The Nansha automobile port in Guangzhou is the RoRo hub for South China, and Yantai is the largest automobile export hub port in the north. Tianjin, Lianyungang, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Qingdao and Xiaomo in Shenzhen also handle complete vehicle exports. Port choice comes down to three things: how close the port is to the vehicle source, how dense the RoRo services are to the destination port, and whether the terminal accepts dangerous goods vehicles.
Where do destination-country import rules usually block cars?
Four dimensions account for most of it: the maximum vehicle age; certification and emissions requirements, including EU whole vehicle type approval, UKCA in the United Kingdom, FMVSS and EPA in the United States, EAEU OTTC, and GCC and Saudi SASO; left- or right-hand drive requirements; and pre-shipment inspection regimes such as SONCAP in Nigeria and PVoC in Kenya. The same batch of vehicles can produce opposite admission outcomes in different destination countries, so assessing admission before quoting and booking costs far less than dealing with the problem after the cargo arrives.
How can an overseas buyer judge whether a Chinese vehicle supplier is compliant?
Four things matter. Whether the supplier holds a used vehicle export filing and can apply for an export licence itself. Whether it can provide an inspection report from a third-party testing body and proof that the vehicle identification number matches the Motor Vehicle Register Certificate. Whether it has the repair technology and spare parts capability, which policy explicitly requires of exporting enterprises. And whether it can give an admission assessment for the target market at the quotation stage. Cargo sourced by clearing customs under someone else's qualification, or by misdeclaring used vehicles as new, leaves the final risk with the importer, and the vehicles may end up unable to be registered or even unable to clear customs.
What should be watched when booking a car export?
Keep three separate milestones in view: booking confirmation, prior approval for the dangerous goods or the vehicle, and final permission to stuff. A booking confirmation does not mean the vehicle has been cleared to load. Dangerous goods and vehicle bookings normally need carrier approval two to three weeks ahead, and longer in peak season. State the model, dimensions, weight, power type, battery capacity in kWh, state of charge and vehicle condition in one go at booking, and submit the dangerous goods declaration, the UN38.3 test summary, the battery condition statement and vehicle photographs as required. Stuffing requires a container packing certificate and a verified gross mass, and a container without a valid verified gross mass cannot be loaded.
What certifications are needed for cars exported to Mexico, and can Chinese used cars enter Mexico?
Mexico is a left-hand drive market. New vehicles have to meet the mandatory NOM standards, covering emissions such as NOM-041-SEMARNAT-2015, safety and energy efficiency, clearance is declared by a local broker on a Pedimento, and the vehicle has to be entered in the REPUVE national vehicle register before it can be plated. Used vehicles are governed by the decree determining the final conditions for the import of used motor vehicles, which has been extended to 30 November 2026 and requires a certificate of origin plus compliance with safety, emissions, energy efficiency and mechanical condition standards; vehicles five to nine years old qualify for a preferential 1% duty in the border and designated zones, ten years and older pay 10%, and declaration must be made at designated ports. The origin condition in that decree points to vehicles from within the USMCA region, which Chinese used vehicles normally do not meet, so complete vehicle exports to Mexico generally follow the new vehicle route. Whether individual model years or models qualify for an exception has to be confirmed case by case against the current announcement before signing. Vehicles exported from China on a new energy route also need the target market's charging connector and electrical safety requirements confirmed.
For vehicles going to Africa, is the steering wheel on the left or the right?
Both exist in Africa and it is decided country by country, not for the continent as a whole. Right-hand traffic, left-hand drive countries include Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Angola, Ethiopia and Sudan. Left-hand traffic, right-hand drive countries include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mauritius. China is a left-hand drive source, so exports to right-hand traffic countries can use Chinese stock directly, while exports to left-hand traffic countries need the right-hand drive specification. Right-hand drive vehicles add no extra procedure at the export licence or declaration stage, but stock is scarce, the choice is narrow and lead times are long, so sourcing the vehicles before confirming the order is safer than collecting payment first and looking for them afterwards.
Do Caribbean islands require right-hand drive vehicles?
Most Caribbean islands drive on the left, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda. Driving on the left does not automatically mean right-hand drive, however: the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands have mainly left-hand drive vehicles in practice, largely imported from the United States, and the United States Virgin Islands also drives on the left with left-hand drive. Confirm the drive side and local registration rules country by country when exporting to the Caribbean rather than treating the region as one market. Some island ports have limited draft and large ships cannot berth alongside, so the transport plan has to allow time for a feeder vessel or a transhipment connection.
What is normally included in a breakbulk quotation for large vehicles?
A quotation is usually made up of several parts: ocean freight, lashing and securing materials and labour, dunnage and trimming, lifting and handling, heavy lift surcharges, insurance, and discharge and de-lashing at the destination port. Handling terms make a large difference. Under FI the shipowner loads, under FIO both loading and discharging are for the cargo interest, and under FIOST stowage and trimming also fall on the cargo side. Quoting the same shipment on different terms can produce noticeably different numbers, so establish how far the quotation reaches before comparing totals. Removing and refitting working attachments, and the labour to restore equipment, are usually charged separately, and setting out the cargo condition at the quotation stage saves a round of argument.
How many cars fit in one container, and what are the loading requirements?
It depends on vehicle dimensions and container type. Mid-size saloons commonly load two to a 40-foot high cube, small cars can load three to four with dedicated brackets, and large SUVs and pickups load one to two in a 40-foot box, with the exact figure calculated from actual dimensions. Vehicles are secured to the container floor rails with steel strapping or dedicated brackets, wheel chocks are placed under the tyres, the suspension is compressed to reduce height where the model allows, and mirrors are removed or folded as needed. Vehicles with a traction battery are handled to dangerous goods requirements, and for fuel vehicles the flash point of the fuel determines whether the tank has to be drained. When stuffing is complete, a container packing certificate is issued and the actual weight is reconciled with the declared weight.
Planning a shipment or just comparing options? Contact our freight experts to get a tailored rate within 24 hours.
