Shipping your car from South Africa
We collect the car wherever it is, truck it to the port and ship it, usually from Cape Town. It lands in the UK and comes straight to our own site, where we unload it ourselves.
Collection anywhere in South Africa
You do not have to drive the car to the coast. We book a truck from your door, or the dealer’s yard, to the port. Most cars go to Cape Town, which is where we usually ship from.
Find the nearest port to your car
Straight-line distances, not road distances. Your quote has the real route.
Pick a town to see how far it is from Cape Town and which of the ports is closest. Or browse every town we collect from.
South African ports
South Africa has several ports that handle cars. We usually ship from Cape Town, and we will tell you if another works out better for your car.
| Port | Straight-line distance to Cape Town | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | Usual port | Container and RoRo services. This is where we usually ship from. |
| Durban | 1,270 km | One of the busiest ports in the country, with container and RoRo facilities. |
| Gqeberha | 660 km | Formerly Port Elizabeth. Container and RoRo facilities. |
| East London | 880 km | Mostly bulk cargo, with facilities for car shipments. |
Richards Bay also has a port, but it mostly handles bulk cargo such as coal, so it rarely comes into it for cars.
The sea route
From Cape Town the ship heads north, across the equator and up to a UK port such as Southampton or London. The sea passage is usually 4 to 6 weeks.
Door to door is typically 10 to 17 weeks, once collection, export clearance, customs, testing and registration are added. That is an estimate rather than a promise; ships run to their own schedules. Our timing guide shows where the weeks go.
Shared container or a 20ft to yourself
Shared container
How most cars we bring from South Africa travel.
- Your car shares the container with other cars we are bringing over.
- Splitting the container is what keeps the cost down.
- The car only. No boxes, no luggage in the boot.
- Suits most single-car imports.
A 20ft container to yourself
Usually chosen by people relocating.
- The container carries your things only.
- The car can travel with your household goods.
- Loaded once at your end, unloaded at our site.
- Pairs well with Transfer of Residence.
Both are priced in your quote. Tell us in the form if you are moving, and we will price it both ways if that helps you decide.
Unloaded at our own site
When the container lands, it is brought to Castle Donington and we unload it ourselves. The car is not left waiting on the quay for someone else to get round to it.
Our in-house HMRC CDS customs agents clear it, then it goes into our workshop and onto our own test lane. Storage is on site, so there is no shuffling between yards. The rest of the UK side is on the registration page.
Insured for the voyage
We arrange marine insurance for the sea passage. Keep your own insurance on until the car has been collected from you, then cancel it.
Track it in our customer portal
Our customer portal shows where the car has got to without sending an email or waiting for a call back, which helps when South Africa is an hour or two ahead of us.
Personal items in the car
In a shared container, the car travels empty. Take everything out, tags and toll tags included. If you want to send belongings, a 20ft container to yourself is the way to do it.
Shipping questions
Which port will my car ship from?
Usually Cape Town. If your car is closer to Durban or Gqeberha, we will tell you whether shipping from there works out better. Either way we arrange the road transport to the port.
How long is the car at sea?
The sea passage is usually 4 to 6 weeks. Collection and export clearance come before it, and customs, testing and registration after. Door to door is typically 10 to 17 weeks, but that is an estimate, not a promise.
Can I put things in the car?
Not in a shared container, because it carries other people’s cars too. If you take a 20ft container to yourself, for example when you are moving, your car can travel with your household goods.
Is the car insured on the way?
Yes. We arrange marine insurance for the voyage. Keep your own South African insurance on the car until it has been collected from you.
Which UK port does it land at?
It depends on the sailing. UK arrival ports include Southampton and London. From there the container comes to our site in Castle Donington, where we unload it ourselves.
Tell us about the car and we will price the whole import
Collection, shipping, customs, testing and registration, itemised in one quote. A person here writes it, and nothing is charged until you say go.
Ringing from South Africa? +44 1332 810442