How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car to Africa?

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car to Africa?

Shipping a car overseas can be quite the process. Shipping a car to Africa, especially, can be even more of an ordeal if you are unprepared.

Africa is far away, and there are many complex rules to evaluate. You also have to make sure your shipment has all the proper paperwork.

This article will walk you through the steps you need to know before shipping your car. As always, the best thing to do once you have this information is to get help from an expert.

Popular Hauling Methods

There are three methods for dispatching a car overseas: roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) moving, exclusive container shipping, and shared container shipping. Open and enclosed auto shipping is used primarily to transport motorcars to the shipyards if the vehicle’s owner cannot do it themselves.

RoRo Dispatching

“RoRo” is a form of shipping where vehicles are driven onto a ship, transported to their destination, and then driven off the boat on their way to their destination. You have probably done RoRo moving personally or at least seen it done if you have ever been on a Ferry ride.

With RoRo moving, you can choose fixed departure dates. You do not have to wait for other automobiles to help populate the ship. Think of ordering RoRo sending like selecting a flight.

• You select a destination.
• You choose the departure time.
• You will receive an expected arrival date for picking up your motorcar.

Although cars using RoRo shipping are tied down at designated spots within the hold of a cargo ship, automobile owners who want to minimize the potential for damage to their motorcars should consider using container hauling. Your container will be locked, if not sealed, during the vehicle’s trip.

• Shipping a car from the U.S. to Africa via RoRo typically costs $1,200–$3,800, with West African ports like Lagos or Tema running cheaper than Southern Africa destinations.
• Ocean transit to Africa averages 3–6 weeks port to port; Southern African routes take longer due to additional routing distance and port congestion variability.
• Every African shipment requires a U.S. Customs export title clearance, power of attorney, and marine cargo insurance, with destination-country import duties and VAT assessed separately at arrival.

Exclusive Container Moving

Exclusive container shipping is a form of transportation overseas in which your vehicle is locked and sealed in a moving container all by itself. At the designated port of entry, your shipping container will be unsealed and unlocked. Then, you or a representative or worker of the automobile logistics company you contract will drive the car to its destination.

Suppose you require a specific departure date for your automobile, such as if you want to ship it to Africa before Christmas. In that case, it makes logistical sense to use exclusive container hauling.

Once your motorcar is loaded into the container, the container can be loaded onto the ship. Once the boat is complete, it can depart.

Shared Container Hauling

Shared container shipping is similar to exclusive container sending. However, other cars will be transported in the same container as yours. This means that, unlike exclusive container moving or RoRo hauling, selecting a specific departure date for your vehicle may not be possible.

A container will not be loaded onto a ship until it is complete. The only exception is if the container is not meant to be filled, like with an exclusive container moving.

With shared container shipping, however, your car will be one of many in the container.

Differences Between RoRo, Exclusive, And Shared Container Hauling

The first main difference is one of practicality. Some places where RoRo shipping is not offered will be more likely to be able to accommodate container moving. Whether or not RoRo shipping is offered at your desired port depends on the port and your logistics company.

The second main difference depends on your vehicle's interior. With RoRo shipping, leaving items in the car is discouraged. The automobiles are tied down in designated places in the hold of a ship, but beyond that, they are as accessible as any motorcar parked in a car park back home.

To ensure the safety of your valuables, you can either remove them from your vehicle first or ship them using container shipping.

You can leave valuables in your vehicle when moving containers. Nevertheless, it may be better to clear out your vehicle if you use shared container shipping since other autos will occupy the same space.

Those automobiles may be offloaded at different ports, meaning that your motorcar may be exposed at some points in the journey. Of course, with exclusive container dispatching, you have nothing to worry about since your container will be locked and sealed.

The third main difference depends on your car's working condition. If your vehicle is non-operational, you will need to use container hauling. RoRo shipping is only usable if your car is in proper working condition.

The Cost of Importing a Vehicle

The only thing that matters the most is the cost. Importing a motorcar to Africa doesn’t have to be expensive. Before you commit to anything, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• How much protection does your automobile need?
• Is your car operational?
• Are you limited in time?
• How difficult is the route to your vehicle’s destination?
• Do you need to order open or enclosed auto-hauling to the shipyard?
• Do you want to purchase marine insurance?

There are many factors involved.

Here’s the deal

Vehicle shipping prices are incredibly competitive. The best logistics companies will do whatever it takes to get you the best price.

Remember that prices tend to fluctuate depending on things like the price of gas, insurance, timing, and more.

Cost Generalities

RoRo is the cheapest form of sending, followed by shared container moving and exclusive container shipping.

It would be best to consider shared container shipping to balance security and cost. You share the costs of a container with other clients, receive the benefits of dispatching a vehicle by container, and avoid the risks of using RoRo shipping. We also recommend purchasing marine insurance. Even if you do not need it, it is essential in the rare off-chance that something goes wrong.

You’ll need to contemplate this too…

Depending on your vehicle's operational status, you may not have a choice regarding your shipping options, as RoRo applies to operational cars only.

After all, you can’t roll on or roll off a car that doesn’t drive in the first place.

One more thing

Cost-wise, consider spending at least $1500 or more on importing your automobile from America to Africa. That cost will be for the route only. You will still need to transport your vehicle to and from the shipyards.

Marine insurance is another cost that you should consider. Using open or enclosed auto-sending or having a driver transport your motorcar to its final destination will also cost more.

Ancillary Costs

You will need some paperwork before you can ship your vehicle overseas. This paperwork is required to clear US customs and may cost you some money to compile.

1. Original Title: To export your motorcar, you must submit your automobile's original title of your car to US Customs. You must be released from your auto if you have a lien on your auto. If you have a lease or a loan on your car, you must pay it off before shipping the motorcar.
2. Vehicle’s Bill of Sales: Before shipping the auto, you must prove to US Customs that you own it. For this, you must provide the Bill of Sales, showing that you are the vehicle's current owner. You do not need an original; you can give a duplicate instead.
3. International Passport or an Employer Identification Number: If you are a US citizen and want to ship an automobile overseas, you must have an Employer Identification Number, which you can acquire from the IRS. A copy of your passport will be sufficient if you are not a US citizen.
4. Power of Attorney form: The hauling company will need power of attorney to ship our vehicle. They will need to make decisions that may affect your car.
5. Shipping form: A dispatching form is essential to provide the automobile logistics company with your vehicle’s intended journey details. A shipping form will commonly have the moving details and contact information for you and someone waiting at the vehicle’s destination.

Costs Dependent on Country

Depending on the country in Africa to which you plan on shipping a car, you may be subject to laws and regulations that can increase the shipping price.

You may be required to pay additional taxes, but at the same time, you may be able to take advantage of tax breaks. The best course of action is to contact the Department of Commerce (or its equivalent) in the nation where you intend to ship your vehicle and ask about import costs and tax responsibilities.

The customs process can be stressful. We don’t recommend you tackle it unless you are experienced with shipping codes and classifications and understand how to navigate it without violating the law.

It pays to hire an expert.

Auto logistics companies are experienced with the shipping process. They know what papers to file, how to classify your automobile and country-specific rules.

This kind of experience is worth a lot and can save you a lot of legal headaches.

The risk of “Denied Parties.”

Although rare, you may not be able to ship a vehicle to a specific country if that country is on a Denied Party-list, which you can learn about by contacting US Customs. Countries that are in civil war, state sponsors of terrorism, unrecognized nationally as states, or failed states may be more likely to be on that list.

Now you’re ready to make the right choice.

You now know the basic requirements regarding the shipment of a vehicle from America to Africa. The rest will depend on your motorcar, your status as a US resident, and the country to which you intend to ship your automobile.

The auto-shipping process doesn’t have to be scary. Take the time to research the country you are shipping to and ensure you understand the customs process's specifics.

If all else fails, hire an experienced auto logistics company to help ship your car to Africa.

Trust the best

A-1 Auto Transport has been shipping cars around the globe for decades, and we continue to offer some of the best prices in the industry.

Don’t leave your shipment to chance, give us a call and we will walk you through the entire process, provide you a fair quote, and put your mind at ease.