International car shipping is one of those subjects where a five-minute explanation from someone who does it beats a five-hour read from someone who doesn’t. Most of what’s written about it online is either generic freight-industry filler or forum guesswork from people who’ve shipped exactly one car and had a bad experience.
So let’s do it properly. What international car shipping actually involves, the difference between RoRo and container, the documents that genuinely matter, what it really costs, transit times by route, how to spot a bad forwarder, and how to do it without losing your car or your money.
This is written from the seller’s side of the transaction — we export vehicles for a living — but it’s aimed at the buyer, because you’re the one carrying the risk and you’re the one who needs to know where the traps are.
And because we have fourteen Camaros in stock, they’re all listed at the bottom.
What International Car Shipping Actually Involves
First, the shape of it. Moving a car between countries involves more parties than most buyers realise:
- The seller or exporter — owns the car, prepares the sale documents.
- The freight forwarder — books the space, handles documentation, coordinates the load.
- The shipping line or carrier — owns and operates the vessel.
- The customs broker — clears the car through export and import formalities.
- The destination agent — the forwarder’s counterpart at the far end.
- The receiving buyer — you, arranging collection and registration.
Every one of those is a handoff, and every handoff is a place where things can go wrong. The whole art of international car shipping is reducing handoffs and using people who’ve done it before.
There are also two structural arrangements:
Port to port — you’re responsible for getting the car to the departure port and collecting it from the arrival port. Cheapest, most hands-on.
Door to door — the forwarder handles inland transport at both ends as well as the ocean leg. More expensive, far less work.
Most private buyers want door to port at minimum, and door to door if they can afford it. Most trade buyers want port to port because they have their own inland logistics.
The Two Main Methods: RoRo vs Container
There are only two methods that matter for a normal car.
RoRo — Roll-on, Roll-off
RoRo is what it sounds like. A specialised vessel with internal ramps and decks, the car is driven on at the origin port and driven off at the destination. See Wikipedia: roll-on/roll-off.
Advantages: cheapest per vehicle, simplest booking, quickest to arrange, no loading equipment needed.
Disadvantages: the car is exposed on an open deck to salt air and weather; it’s handled by terminal drivers who may not be gentle; you can’t load anything alongside it; and some ports have no RoRo capability at all.
RoRo is also usually restricted to running, driving vehicles. A non-runner may be refused or charged extra.
Container Shipping
The car goes inside a steel box. See Wikipedia: intermodal container.
Advantages: fully enclosed and protected from weather, salt and casual handling; you can load spare parts, wheels, tools or a second vehicle alongside; some destination ports only handle containers; damage rates are lower.
Disadvantages: more expensive for a single vehicle, requires loading equipment and a crew who know what they’re doing, and destination container terminals are often slower to clear.
Flat Rack and Breakbulk
For vehicles too tall or too wide for a standard box, a flat rack container (a platform with end walls) is used. It’s more exposed than a container but still crane-loadable. Breakbulk — lifting a car onto a general cargo vessel — is rarer and more expensive.
Air Freight
Technically possible for cars via freighter aircraft. Costs several times ocean freight and is used for genuinely urgent or extremely high-value vehicles. For anything normal, forget it.
Which Method Should You Choose?
Straight decision rules:
- One running car, tight budget, common route: RoRo.
- One car, higher value, or delicate: container.
- Two or more cars: container, almost always cheaper per vehicle.
- A car plus parts, wheels or tools: container.
- A non-runner: container.
- Destination port with no RoRo: container.
- Oversized vehicle: flat rack.
Run the numbers before assuming RoRo is cheaper. For two vehicles, a shared 40ft container frequently beats two RoRo bookings.
Container Shipping in Depth
Since container is where most of the complexity sits, here’s how it actually works.
Sizes
Standard intermodal containers come in 20ft and 40ft lengths, with a high-cube variant adding around a foot of internal height — useful for SUVs and trucks.
- 20ft — one standard car.
- 40ft standard — two cars nose to tail, or one large SUV.
- 40ft high-cube — two cars comfortably, or one tall vehicle with clearance.
With racking equipment, some forwarders fit three smaller cars in a 40ft box. That requires specialist equipment and isn’t universal.
Side-Opening Containers
A side-opening container has doors or a full-length opening down one side rather than only at the end. For cars, this is far easier to load — the vehicle is driven or forklifted in sideways, with room to work, rather than squeezed through an end door.
For low-slung sports cars and anything with limited ground clearance, side-opening is the difference between a clean load and a scraped bumper.
Securing the Vehicle
Inside the box, the car is chocked and lashed to floor anchor points. Wheels are chocked fore and aft so the car can’t roll, and straps pull it down and forward against the anchor points so it can’t shift.
This matters more than people think. A car that shifts in heavy weather damages itself and anything loaded next to it. Ask any forwarder how they secure vehicles — the answer tells you whether they’ve done this before.
Loading Photos
Before the container is sealed, you should receive photographs of the loaded, secured vehicle. This is the single best quality signal in the industry. A seller or forwarder who documents the load is one who’ll be able to prove what happened if anything goes wrong.
If a forwarder can’t or won’t send loading photos, treat it as a warning.
Consolidation
One container can carry multiple vehicles, or a vehicle plus a shipment of parts. Sharing a container spreads the freight cost, which is exactly why trade buyers consolidate. See container striker cars for how we handle it.
RoRo in Depth
RoRo vessels are enormous floating car parks with ramps. You book a slot, deliver the car to the terminal by a cut-off date, and it’s driven aboard and parked by terminal staff. On arrival it’s driven off and you collect it.
Practical points:
- You need a running, driveable car.
- Fuel level rules apply — usually a small amount, check with the forwarder.
- Cut-off dates are strict. Miss them and you wait for the next sailing.
- The car is on an open deck. Expect salt and dust. Wash it on arrival.
- Personal effects in the car are often allowed but uninsured and sometimes prohibited — check.
RoRo is efficient and cheap. It’s also less controlled. If your car is valuable or has a fragile front lip, think about a container instead.
The Documents You Actually Need
This is where most first-timers get lost. Here’s the real list.
Bill of sale — the core document. Names buyer, seller, vehicle, VIN, price and date. A bill of sale is what establishes the transaction. It does not require a title.
Commercial invoice — the seller’s invoice, used by customs to value the goods for duty.
Bill of lading (B/L) — issued by the carrier, it’s the contract of carriage and the document that entitles you to collect the cargo. See Wikipedia: bill of lading. Treat it like cash.
Export declaration — in the US, filed electronically through AES for vehicles. Your forwarder or broker handles this.
Certificate of origin — sometimes required, sometimes needed to claim preferential duty rates under a trade agreement.
Import declaration / customs entry — filed at destination by your broker.
ISF (Importer Security Filing) — for US imports, filed before loading. Not relevant if you’re importing elsewhere, but US-bound buyers need it.
Title or salvage certificate — helpful, but not mandatory. Customs works from the bill of sale.
Insurance certificate — if you’ve bought marine cargo cover.
Dangerous goods declaration — if the car has fuel, a battery, or has been drained in a particular way.
The key insight: a state title is a domestic registration document, not a customs document. Customs cares about accurate export paperwork and the VIN. That’s precisely why shipping a no-title car internationally works perfectly well.
Incoterms Explained Simply
Incoterms define who’s responsible for what. See Wikipedia: Incoterms. The ones you’ll meet:
- EXW (Ex Works) — you collect from the seller’s premises. Maximum work for you.
- FOB (Free On Board) — the seller gets it to the port and loaded. You pay from there. Common and fair.
- CFR (Cost and Freight) — the seller pays freight to your port. You handle insurance and import.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) — as CFR plus insurance. The classic export term.
- DAP (Delivered At Place) — the seller delivers to your address, you clear import.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) — the seller handles everything including duty. Maximum convenience, highest price.
For private buyers, CIF or DAP is usually the sweet spot. For trade buyers, FOB.
Export Process — Step by Step
From the US, exporting a car looks like this:
- Agree the sale and sign a bill of sale with the VIN.
- Pay the deposit as agreed.
- Appoint a forwarder — yours or the seller’s.
- Forwarder books space on a vessel or in a container.
- Export declaration filed through AES.
- Vehicle delivered to the loading yard by the cut-off.
- Loading — driven on for RoRo, lashed in for container.
- Loading photos sent before sealing (container).
- Container sealed / vehicle loaded, bill of lading issued.
- Vessel departs.
- B/L and documents forwarded to you or your broker.
- Tracking passed on so you can follow the vessel.
From deposit to departure is usually one to three weeks, depending on vessel schedules.
Import Process — Step by Step
At the destination end:
- Appoint a customs broker before the vessel arrives.
- Receive the documents — B/L, invoice, bill of sale.
- File the import entry with your customs authority.
- Pay duty and VAT/taxes as assessed.
- Customs inspection if selected.
- Receive the release.
- Collect from the port or arrange inland delivery.
- Register the vehicle locally.
- Insure it.
- Fix the small stuff every used car needs.
Never leave the import side to the last minute. A car sitting at a port accrues storage charges fast.
Costs — The Full Breakdown
Let’s be concrete. International car shipping costs come from:
- Ocean freight — the base rate. Varies hugely by route and method.
- Terminal handling charges (THC) — at both ends.
- Documentation fees — B/L, export filing, certificates.
- Customs broker fees — at both ends.
- Import duty — a percentage of value, set by your country.
- VAT / GST / sales tax — often the largest single line.
- Port storage — if you’re slow to collect.
- Inland transport — to and from ports.
- Marine insurance — a small percentage of value.
- Registration and compliance — local fees, inspection, sometimes modification.
- Currency and banking — wires and conversion.
A rough planning figure is 15–30% of the vehicle price for freight and destination fees combined, but this varies enormously by route and country. Get a real quote.
Freight doesn’t scale much with engine size, which is why high-value cars are cheaper to ship proportionally.
Transit Times by Route
Indicative ocean transit, port to port:
- US East Coast → West Africa: 3–5 weeks
- US East Coast → Europe: 2–3 weeks
- US Gulf → Caribbean: 1–2 weeks
- US West Coast → East Asia: 3–5 weeks
- US West Coast → Middle East: 3–5 weeks
- Europe → West Africa: 3–4 weeks
- Europe → Middle East: 2–3 weeks
- US → East Africa: 4–6 weeks
Add a week either side for inland transport, customs and port handling. Build slack in.
Insurance
Marine cargo insurance is optional in most cases and worth it on higher-value or multi-car shipments. It typically costs a small percentage of the insured value and covers loss and damage during the ocean leg.
It generally does not cover:
- Poor packing or securing (if negligent)
- Inherent vice — mechanical failure during transit
- Delay (usually)
- Rust on RoRo decks, often
Get the policy wording and read the exclusions. If you’re shipping one mid-value car on RoRo, many buyers skip it. If you’re shipping three cars in a container, take it.
Choosing a Freight Forwarder
The forwarder makes or breaks the shipment. Questions to ask:
- How many vehicles have you shipped? Not “how much freight” — vehicles.
- How do you secure a car in a container? They should describe chocks and lashing.
- Will I get loading photos? Yes, as standard.
- What’s included in your quote and what’s billed at destination? Vague answers are a red flag.
- Who is your destination agent? Named, not “we have partners.”
- Can you give references? Two or three, from your region.
Red flags: quotes dramatically below everyone else’s; no loading photos; no named destination agent; pressure to pay a large deposit upfront; no company registration details.
Common Mistakes
- Wiring a deposit before seeing real photos or a start-up video.
- Not checking your own country’s import rules before buying.
- Booking the cheapest forwarder and paying for it later.
- Assuming RoRo is always cheaper without running the numbers for two cars.
- Leaving the import broker appointment to the last minute.
- Underestimating destination handling time.
- Not asking for loading photos.
- Sending the bill of lading to the wrong party.
- Under-declaring value and getting caught.
- Forgetting the fuel level rules.
Scams in International Car Shipping
A short list, because this market has predators.
The phantom forwarder. Takes your money, books nothing. Verify registration, phone number and references.
The deposit scam. Seller wants 50% upfront by wire or crypto, then goes quiet. Smaller deposits are safer; inspect-on-arrival terms are safer still.
The inflated quote. Everyone else quotes $1,800, they quote $4,500. Sometimes they’re just expensive; sometimes they’re pocketing it.
The document scam. Fake bill of lading. Verify the B/L number with the shipping line directly.
The bait car. Photos of a car they don’t have. Ask for a dated photo and a start-up video.
The “port fee” shakedown. Sudden extra charges after the car has left. Get the full cost breakdown in writing first.
The VIN switch. Car arrives and the VIN doesn’t match. Check it on the ground before paying the balance.
Shipping a Car With No Title
This is our speciality, so let’s be clear: a car without a title ships internationally exactly like any other car.
Customs works from the bill of sale, the invoice and the VIN. A state title is a domestic registration document. It has no bearing on customs law. Export a no-title car and nobody at the border will ask for a pink slip.
What you get from us with every car:
- Bill of sale with full VIN, price and party details
- Export documentation prepared as standard
- Coordination with your forwarder, or an introduction to one we trust
- Photos and a start-up video on request
- Loading photos before the container is sealed
- Bill of lading forwarded on booking
- Tracking as soon as it’s issued
Our export striker cars page covers the process in detail, and container striker cars covers the container side. For the wider picture on buying a vehicle with no title, see buy a car with no title and overseas no title vehicles.
Restricted and Regulated Imports
Your destination country’s rules decide whether you can import a specific car. Check before buying.
Age restrictions. Many countries limit how old an import can be — commonly 5, 8 or 15 years. Some ban older cars entirely.
The US 25-year rule. Cars over 25 years old can be imported to the US under a simplified route.
Emissions and safety. Some countries require compliance testing or modification.
Left-hand vs right-hand drive. LHD markets (most of Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, continental Europe) are natural destinations for US cars. RHD markets (UK, Australia, NZ, South Africa, Japan, India, Kenya) may restrict or ban LHD imports.
Duty structures. Vary from 0% to over 100%, sometimes by engine size.
Pre-shipment inspection. Some countries require an inspection certificate before the car can be exported to them.
Confirm all of this with your own customs broker. Rules change.
Left-Hand vs Right-Hand Drive
Most cars we sell are left-hand drive, which suits most of the world: the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, most of Africa, and much of Asia.
RHD markets — the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Pakistan — sometimes restrict LHD imports or require conversion. Conversion is possible but costly.
If you’re in an RHD market, check the rules before you fall in love with a car.
Shipping Multiple Cars
Consolidation is the single biggest cost lever in international car shipping.
Two cars in one 40ft container frequently cost less per vehicle than two separate RoRo bookings. Three cars, even more so. Add spare parts, wheels or tools to the same box and the saving grows further.
Trade buyers do this as standard. If you’re buying a second car, ask for a combined quote before deciding.
Tracking Your Shipment
Once loaded, your bill of lading carries a reference number. Most carriers let you track the vessel’s progress with it. You can also follow the vessel by name on public AIS trackers.
Get the vessel name and the B/L number from your forwarder. That’s enough to know where your car is at any moment. Delays become visible well before arrival, which gives you time to adjust.
When Something Goes Wrong
Damage in transit. Photograph everything on collection, before leaving the port. Report to the carrier and insurer immediately. This is where loading photos earn their keep.
Delay. Common and usually weather or congestion related. Chase the forwarder, don’t panic.
Port storage charges. Accrue daily. Collect promptly.
Customs hold. Usually a documentation issue. Your broker resolves it.
Missing documents. Chase the forwarder hard. Never release the B/L to a party you don’t trust.
VIN mismatch. Happens rarely. Verify before paying the balance.
Every Camaro We Have in Stock
Fourteen Camaros, every one a no-title striker car with an intact, checkable VIN, every one ready to ship internationally. From $2,800.
The ZL1s — Seven Supercharged Monsters
The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE at $3,500 with 39,000 miles — 650hp and an extreme track package.
The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe at $3,500 with 39,000 miles.
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at $5,000 with just 17,000 miles.
The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe 2D at $5,000 with 31,000 miles.
The 2021 Camaro ZL1 at $5,500 with 26,000 miles.
Plus two at $5,000 each: the 2022 ZL1 and the 2022 ZL1.
The SS and LT1 — The V8 Sweet Spot
The 2023 Camaro SS at $3,000 with 27,000 miles.
The 2023 Camaro SS at $5,500.
The 2016 Camaro 2SS at $3,000 with 27,000 miles.
The 2018 Camaro LT1 at $4,000 with 24,000 miles.
The 2022 Chevrolet Camaro LT1 Coupe at $5,000.
The RS and the Cheapest One
The 2022 Camaro RS at $5,000 with 21,000 miles.
And the cheapest car we have: the Chevy Camaro Striker car at $2,800.
Full write-up on cheap Camaro for sale.
Other Vehicles That Ship Well
Trucks and performance cars carry the best value relative to freight cost, because freight doesn’t scale with engine size but resale value does.
Muscle: the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Demon at $5,000, the 2020 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat at $4,500, the 2025 Ford Mustang GT at $5,000. See cheap Hellcat for sale and cheap Dodge Charger for sale.
Trucks and SUVs: the 2021 Dodge Ram at $6,000 and the 2024 GMC Sierra 3500.
Supercars: the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray at $6,000 or the 24 Vette Z06 Coupe 1LZ at $6,500. See cheap supercars for sale.
JDM: the 2020 Nissan GT-R at $5,000.
German: the 2021 Audi RS 7 at $5,000 or the 2019 BMW M5 at $3,500.
Two wheels: the 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade at $2,000.
Wider market at affordable striker cars and the full inventory.
International Car Shipping — FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car internationally?
Freight plus destination fees typically run 15–30% of the vehicle value, varying hugely by route, method and country. Get a real quote.
Is RoRo or container cheaper?
RoRo is cheaper for a single car. Container is cheaper per vehicle for two or more, and safer for anything valuable.
How long does it take?
Ocean transit is 2–6 weeks depending on route. Add a week either side for inland transport and customs.
Do I need a title to ship a car internationally?
No. Customs works from the bill of sale, invoice and VIN.
Can I ship a non-running car?
Yes, in a container. RoRo usually requires a running car.
Can I put parts in the container?
Yes, and it’s a common reason buyers choose container over RoRo.
Do I need insurance?
It’s optional. Recommended for higher-value or multi-car shipments.
Who arranges the export paperwork?
The seller or your forwarder. In the US, an AES filing is required for vehicle exports.
What’s a bill of lading?
The carrier’s contract of carriage and the document that lets you claim the cargo. Treat it like cash.
What are Incoterms?
Standard trade terms defining who’s responsible for what. CIF and DAP are common for private buyers.
Can I track the shipment?
Yes, via the bill of lading and public vessel tracking.
What if my country restricts the import?
Check before buying. Age, emissions, drive side and duty rules all vary by country.
How many cars fit in a container?
One in a 20ft, two in a 40ft, sometimes three with racking.
What’s the deposit?
$1,000 in USDT or Bitcoin. See deposit wallets.
Can I inspect before paying the balance?
Always.