International Boat Shipping

International boat shipping involves making a booking that suits your timeline, getting the right type of transporter to pick up your boat and setting the transportation arrangements to match the sailing schedule.

And of course, gathering all the necessary documentation to clear customs: Depending on your origin port and final destination, some or all of these can affect the rate and sail time.

Why Ship a Boat With Instant Shipping Liners?

As an industry specialist with over 25 years of experience and hundreds of boats shipped, we understand the intricate process and the detailed preparations that need to be made.

Whether it’s a 20 foot Nautique or 200 foot yacht, we offer a one stop shop service so that you can deal with just one service provider for all aspects of the move.

That is why it is important to discuss this with a professional boat shipping company and work out a plan that will make the relocation of your vessel overseas as easy and pain free as possible.

Below you’ll find a brief overview of the process and some common steps related to international boat shipping.

How it Works

Whether your boat or yacht is in the water, on a cradle or on a trailer, we first need to get the overall dimensions of the unit including the cradle or trailer.

Most origin ports have the necessary equipment and facilities to handle international boat shipments from the small to the very large.

Depending on your final destination, service requested and the location of your boat, it may depart from different locations across the USA.

Major Departure Ports in USA

• Jacksonville, FL
• Norfolk, VA
• Baltimore, MD
• Charleston, SC
• Houston, TX
• Oakland, CA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Port Hueneme, CA

Popular Overseas Destinations

Europe

• Germany
• UK
• Italy
• France
• Spain

Oceana

• Australia
• New Zealand

Middle East

• UAE
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia

How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Boat?

Boat shipping rates are based on quite a few factors including:

• The physical location of the boat and if it needs to be lifted from the water or needs a cradle built
• The overall dimensions of the yacht or vessel including the support trailer or cradle
• Required transport method, i.e. roll on roll off/ lift on lift off or water to water service
• Final destination country

Shipping a Boat Overseas: 3 Methods

Below is a short description of how each works.

Roll on Roll off Shipping:

Boats on trailers commonly use RORO as the main service option, as they simply roll onto the deck of the shipping vessel and roll off at final destination.

Boats on cradles can ship this way too, but the cradle is positioned on a rolling flat rack provided by the shipping line, and used to maneuver the unit into position on the vessel and off at final destination.

There is usually a height restriction for RORO service of 15ft but that can vary from line to line.

Lift on Lift off Boat Shipping:

Some boats are too big for RORO and may need to be lifted onto the deck of the ship by crane, where they are blocked and strapped into position.

This service has no height restriction as they are stored for the duration of the sailing on the upper deck of the liner. There are additional crane fees for this service at origin and destination.

Water to water via a semi-submersible vessel:

For larger super boats and yachts, there are specially built semi-submersible vessels that can take these boats literally out of the water and drop them back into the water at destination.

The carrier vessel drops it deck below water level and the boats move into position above the deck. Divers secure the boats into position and once they are all in place, the vessel rises from the water. This is an amazing process to witness.

Importing a Boat to the USA

Instant Shipping Liners is also a licensed boat importer for shipments coming to the United States. When importing a boat into the USA, the process we follow is similar. The same methods above are used when shipping from overseas. In this case, the popular destination ports are the popular departure ports for export. Most boats are imported from Europe, but we can also import boats from Oceana, Asia, and the Middle East. To start, fill out a quote form for specialty services and select boat shipping to the USA.

If you’re ready to ship your boat overseas, fill out our quote form at the top of the page and get a free shipping estimate or call us today and speak with one of our logistics specialists!