Overview: Shipping Cars Across Country

The first thing you want is when shipping cars across country is to have your vehicle prepared for shipping. All the dirt should be cleaned an;d all the personal items removed which are valuable. 

Once you compared the shipping quotes and choose a company to move your car with, you need to deliver it to the loading warehouse or directly to the ocean port. If you are not too far from a major ocean port or a big city you may just drop off your car yourself. In other case, you can engage any of the automobile transporters to do the job for you. Make sure that you pay for door-to-door delivery and note that the ultimate point is an export ocean terminal or loading warehouse of the overseas shippers. When it comes to export shipping, many of the transporters don't need to take the cars to the ports owed to congestions, time-consuming waiting lines and new TWIC card requirements . Ask your overseas shipper if they can produce the delivery as almost all of them have their preferred vehicle transport companies.

Make sure that you have on hand the original clean title for your vehicle. By "clean" I mean that it mustn't have any unsatisfied liens from the bank, credit union etc. It is a prerequisite issued by the US Customs that all motorized vehicles have to be cleared for export 72 hours before vessel's sailing date.

When Shipping cars across country car shippers can provide two options for you to get your car to another country: ocean container shipping or roll-on roll-off shipping. If you choose ocean container alternative then the overseas transporter will load and tie down your car inside the ocean container most probably with other freight or cars. This is a less costly and a reliable method because the shipping company will only bill you for space that your vehicle is occupying inside the container. Another positive moment is that  the container will be blocked and sealed for the whole duration of the overseas travel.

With roll-on roll-off (RO-RO) oversea shipping your car will be be required to be taken straightaway to the port and then made secure inside the special vehicle carrier ship. What it involves is the port longshoremen will drive it onto the vessel at the point of origin and then drive it off the vessel at the point of destination. Your car will not be placed inside a blocked container and it's open for anybody to get inside. Ro-Ro routes are also limited in the countries coverage so depending upon your origin & destination this alternative might not be obtainable for your country. Another note is that ports won't allow non-operable vehicle for roll-on roll-off transport service.

A few days after the vessel sails your international car shipping company will send back the original title to you along with their transportation bill of lading and directions on how to claim your vehicle at the place of arrival. It is always secure to get hold of the overseas port agent in advance to re-confirm the estimated arrival dates and get the documentation needed to accelerate the discharge and delivery process of your car.