We ship every car from Portugal to one of five US ports: Baltimore, Newark, Savannah, Houston or Long Beach. Standard service is RoRo; container is available and recommended on cars above $60,000. Ocean freight, marine insurance, customs and port fees are in the landed price. Inland transport from the port to your door is quoted separately.
RoRo or container
RoRo (roll-on, roll-off). The car is driven onto a vessel built for vehicles, lashed down on a deck and driven off at the US port. It’s what manufacturers use for new cars. Fast, cheap, reliable. The car must run and drive. Nothing can be stored inside the car, and the interior is accessible to port staff. Our standard service for cars up to $60,000.
Container. The car is loaded into a 20-foot container (sole use) or shares a 40-foot container with one or two other cars. Sealed at origin, opened at destination. Protects against weather, handling and theft of loose items. Costs more and can take a week or two longer because of consolidation. Recommended above $60,000, for non-running project cars, and for any car where you want parts or spares shipped with it. Standard for Long Beach.
| RoRo | Container (shared 40′) | Container (sole 20′) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical ocean cost (in landed price) | $2,000–$2,500 East/Gulf, $2,600–$3,600 West | $1,500–$2,000 per car | $2,700–$3,500 |
| Car must run | Yes | No | No |
| Spares inside the car | No | Yes | Yes |
| Exposure | Covered deck, open to handling | Sealed | Sealed |
| Our default | Up to $60k | Over $60k, Long Beach | On request |
Marine cargo insurance is included in both cases at the full purchase value, all-risk.
Ports and transit times
Departure: the nearest European RoRo port to the car (Lisbon, Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, Genoa). Some sailings route via Antwerp; this is normal and doesn’t change your price.
| US port | Transit from Portugal | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 3–4 weeks | Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Ohio Valley. The busiest RoRo port in the US. |
| Newark, NJ | 3–4 weeks | New York metro, New England. |
| Savannah, GA | 3–5 weeks | Southeast, Florida, Carolinas, Tennessee. |
| Houston, TX | 4–5 weeks | Texas, Gulf states, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona by road. |
| Long Beach, CA | 5–7 weeks | West Coast, Nevada, Arizona, Pacific Northwest. Container only. |
Add 3–7 business days for customs clearance after docking. Full payment to car cleared at the port: 6–10 weeks in total, depending on sailing schedules and port.
Other ports (Charleston, Jacksonville, Miami, Norfolk, Tacoma, Oakland) on request.
From the port to your door
Pick up yourself. The port releases the car to you with the clearance documents. Bring ID, the release paperwork we send you, a battery jumper and a full tank’s worth of patience; port pickups take an hour or two. The car has temporary export plates from Europe or none at all, so plan a trailer or a transit permit from your state.
We deliver. Open or enclosed transport from the port to your address. Pricing from our carriers:
| Distance from port | Open | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|
| Under 300 miles | $300–$500 | $600–$900 |
| 300–1,000 miles | $500–$1,000 | $900–$1,600 |
| Over 1,000 miles | $900–$1,400 | $1,500–$2,000 |
Enclosed is our recommendation on anything over $40,000 or with fresh paint. Quoted and agreed before the car ships; you pay the carrier’s price with no markup.
What’s in the landed price
- European export: registration cancellation, export declaration, transport to the departure port
- Ocean freight to your port, RoRo or container as listed
- Marine insurance, all-risk, full value
- US customs duty at the rate in effect on the entry date
- Licensed customs broker: entry, HS-7, EPA 3520-1, CBP 7501 and 3461
- US port handling, terminal fees, documentation, MPF and HMF
Not included: inland transport, state sales tax, title and registration fees, storage if you don’t collect the car within 5 business days of release.
FAQ
Can I track the ship?
Yes. You get the vessel name and bill of lading number; any public vessel tracker shows it.
Will the car arrive dirty, with a dead battery?
RoRo cars arrive with port dust and sometimes a low battery after 4 weeks at sea. We disconnect batteries where possible. Container cars arrive as loaded. Either way, the car was inspected and photographed at loading and is insured in between.
Can you ship personal items in the car?
In a container, yes, limited to parts and accessories for the car (declared on the invoice). In RoRo, no; the carrier removes loose items.
Can I ship to Canada through you?
Not at this time.