Shipping an Overlander vehicle, motorhome or motorhome bus | How much does that cost?

We (Malou and Chris) from Wereldreizigers.nl, shipped our 2022×4 vehicle to Baltimore in the early 4 United States to go overlanding in, among others, the US and Canada† We also considered moving the camper to Australië of South Africa to ship, but the corona restrictions in those areas made it very difficult in 2022. We still have the offers!

So what does it actually cost, shipping a car or camper to the US? And what does it cost to those other countries or continents† And how do you arrange something like that? Because putting your vehicle on the boat is easier said than done. Such a trip requires quite a bit of preparation in terms of preparation.

Also, shipping our 4×4 motorhome not really standard because it does not fit in a sea container due to the height of three meters. But what is possible? So a lot of research…

Also read: Overland in America and Canada | All about VISA and ESTA
Also read: Overland in America and Canada | Insure your vehicle

In this series of articles I therefore take you through the orienting and preparatory process of our overland journey to the American continent. I'm trying to find out if our 4×4 camper might still fit in a sea container, and if not what options are left.

Over the past few weeks, I've been doing research and asked for countless quotes. I have listed the various options and results in this article, including the average cost. And because we were initially looking for options to ship for a trip to different parts of the world, I've included those options in this article, not just the US.

This is how you can do it with a 4×4 overlander, camper or #vanlife camperbus immediately see what your options are and what it might cost you. Anywhere in the world!

Also read: #vanlife DIY | Which campervan do you choose if you are 2 meters tall?

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Shipping RV / Van / Overlander

To be able to travel in your own vehicle on another continent, it will in most cases have to be shipped first. There are various options for this and below I have made an overview of all options. In short, you can ship your vehicle by boat, or by transport in a cargo plane.

You can read the details per type of transport below.

Transport by plane

Yes, it is also possible to transport your 4×4, camper, overlander, van or truck to another continent by plane. Even a huge expedition truck fits in a freight vehicle. However, the costs of this are so high that I don't think it's worth investigating really. It's not the target audience for Wereldreizigers.nl =) Correct me if I'm wrong!

Transport by sea container

If your RV or overlander vehicle fits in a shipping container, this is a good and popular option. Your vehicle is safely locked and locked in a steel box and you have full control over the loading and unloading of the vehicle if desired. Loading and unloading is possible at many logistics companies in the Netherlands, you can be there yourself if desired.

Many 4×4 roof tent overlanders fit in a 20ft (20 foot) shipping container. The larger/longer vehicles usually fit in a 40ft (40ft) shipping container.

There is also a possibility to be transported in a sea container for (motorhome) vans that are slightly higher. This is possible in a 'high-cube' sea container, which is 30 centimeters higher than a regular sea container.

To find out what fits and what does not fit in a sea container, we first take a good look at the dimensions of the sea containers.

20ft sea container

A 20ft sea container is six meters long. Many 4×4 overland vehicles (excluding trucks) are less than six meters long and therefore fit perfectly in a 20ft sea container. Do you have protruding parts, raised your 4×4 vehicle and/or a large roof tent? Then it is good to know exactly what the dimensions of your vehicle are before you even consider shipping it. You must of course be sure in advance that your vehicle will fit in the sea container.

Dimensions 20ft sea ​​container:

• Exterior: L 6,06 x B 2,44 x H 2,59 meter.
• Inside: L 5,89 X B 2,35 X H 2,39 meter.

Suitable for: Many 4×4 vehicles, overlanders and small camper vans. Think of Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rover Defender, various Jeeps, Volkswagen T1 / T2 / T3 / T4 / T5 vans, Mercedes Vito and many other brands and types, as long as the height remains below 2,39 meters and the vehicle is no longer than 6 meters.

There is hardly any normal vehicle in the Netherlands wider than 2,35 meters, except for buses and large motorhomes. However, they do not fit in a sea container anyway, so more on that later.

40ft sea container

The 40ft container is no less than 12 meters deep and can ship two vehicles of a maximum of 6 meters, or one vehicle longer than 6 meters, possibly supplemented with extra material (such as a roof rack or trailer) and/or other items.

Dimensions 40ft sea ​​container:

• Exterior: L 12,2 x B 2,44 x H 2,59 meter.
• Inside: L 12,02 X B 2,35 X H 2,39 meter.

Suitable for: Many 4×4 vehicles, overlanders and small camper vans. Think of Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rover Defender, various Jeeps, Volkswagen T1 / T2 / T3 / T4 / T5 vans, Mercedes Vito and many other brands and types, as long as the height remains below 2,39 meters and that be taller than 6 meters.

40ft High-Cube Shipping Container

The 40ft High-Cube sea container is comparable to the regular 40ft container, but the High-Cube variant is 30 centimeters higher.

Dimensions 40ft High-Cube shipping container:

• Exterior: L 12,2 x B 2,44 x H 2,89 meter.
• Inside: L 12,02 X B 2,35 X H 2,69 meter.

Suitable for: the higher dimensions of the 40ft High-Cube sea container make the container not only suitable for 4×4 overland vehicles and small (homemade) camper vans, but also for many factory campers in the middle segment that are often just a bit higher than 2 meters 40 and are longer than six meters. There are also factory campers in the more luxurious segment that fit in these sea containers. However, the maximum width of 2,35 meters must also be taken into account, which can also be a challenge in this case.

✔️ Advantages shipping sea container

• Safe, your vehicle is in a sealed steel box.
• Loading at a logistics company in the Netherlands, possibly even close to home.
• You can take other items with you in the sea container.
• Provided you can share the container costs with someone, it can be the cheapest option.

❌ Disadvantages shipping sea container

• Cumbersome loading and unloading. Also in the country of destination you first have to go to a logistics partner for unloading. The container may not be opened in the port.
• Generally more paperwork and customs issues.
• When only one vehicle per container, it is the most expensive option.

Tips for loading / unloading sea containers

Important tip from a reader with experience: The door frame height of containers is about 11 centimeters lower than the height on the inside.

So even if the inside is, for example, 2,39 meters, you will not be able to get a car of 2 meters 30 'without fuss'. Also because the threshold ensures that you usually drive in at an angle.

What you could do, for example, is to completely deflate the tires and re-inflate them once inside. Or that you take the wheels off and roll in on the brake discs. It also helps to have a long ramp so that the angle you enter is minimized.

What does transport by sea container cost?

To give you an idea of ​​the costs for shipping your vehicle by sea container, I have made a simple overview below with the average prices that you can expect per continent. The prices below are all calculated assuming that the sea container is loaded on a container ship in Rotterdam or Antwerp.

Side note 1: Below you see average prices for a one way† However, there is a fierce price war going on for sea containers in 2021 and 2022, which makes it difficult to say accurately what exactly it will cost. I therefore leave the price war out of consideration because this is (hopefully) temporary. I'll just go with the quotes I've received before.

Side note 2: There is also a considerable price difference in shipping to the east coast or west coast of America. I therefore assume the average price of the most common route (east coast). This is based on the average prices I received through the quotes I requested.

Side note 3: What is also not included in the prices below is that you can in principle share containers with other travelers. If you send a 40ft container, you can possibly store several cars in it, which could potentially significantly reduce the costs per vehicle.

How much does shipping to Canada cost?

• 20ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Canada: +- 1200 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Canada: +- 1700 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Canada: +- 1900 euros

How much does shipping to the United States cost?

• 20ft sea container | Rotterdam / Antwerp – United States: +- 1400 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – United States: +- 2100 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – United States: +- 2300 euros

How much does shipping to South Africa cost?

• 20ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South Africa: +- 2000 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South Africa: +- 2400 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South Africa: +- 2600 euros

How much does shipping to Central America cost?

• 20ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Central America: +- 1800 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Central America: +- 2200 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Central America: +- 2400 euros

How much does shipping to South America cost?

• 20ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South America: +- 2400 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South America: +- 2900 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – South America: +- 3100 euros

How much does shipping to Australia & New Zealand cost?

• 20ft sea container | Rotterdam / Antwerp – Australia and NZ: +- 3800 euros
• 40ft sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Australia and NZ: +-4500 euros
• 40ft HC sea container † Rotterdam / Antwerp – Australia and NZ: +- 4800 euros

Now that you know approximately what transport by sea container should cost, anywhere in the world, let's look at the other option: RoRo.

Also read: Traveling with the motorhome? These are the camping options

Transport by RoRo ship

Does your 4×4 / overlander / camper / van / truck not fit in a sea container of any size? Or do you just want the simplest solution? Then you can still choose Roll on Roll off, in other words RoRo† RoRo ships are in fact oversized ferries that can bridge oceans. The inside of a ship like this looks like a huge multi-storey parking garage.

What is RoRo?

RoRo stands for Roll on, Roll of† In essence, this method of shipping simply focuses on vehicles and not on the transport of containers. The vehicles must be able to independently drive / roll off the ship, which is also where the name Roll On, Roll off comes from.

Roll on Roll off Shipping is the simplest and in most cases also the most economical way of shipping single vehicles. Your vehicle will be driven directly onto the ship and secured on one of the various car decks in the ship (which are wind and watertight).

Roll-on-roll-off ships can handle almost all types of vehicles: motorcycles, cars, 4×4s, RVs, trucks, buses and expedition trucks.

RoRo shipping has the advantage that due to a simpler process, no additional transport is required from a warehouse to a port in a container and vice versa. So you have no extra costs for a logistics partner who arranges the loading and unloading of the sea container for you.

Normally, port and customs procedures are also less complex, making RoRo shipping not only more efficient but also cheaper, unless of course you can share a container with several people.

✔️ Advantages shipping via RoRo

• No container, so you no longer need a logistics partner for loading / unloading / moving.
• Fast and efficient loading and unloading, just drive on and off. Vehicle often already available on the same day of unloading.
• Picking up at destination is easy – the cars are parked in the harbor after unloading. You pick up your keys with your paperwork and you can leave.
• In most cases the cheapest option.

❌ Disadvantages shipping via RoRo

• More chance of damage and/or theft – your car is (albeit anchored) loose on a (dry) deck of a ship. In principle, anyone can access it, you don't have a steel box as protection.
• You have to deliver the car yourself in Rotterdam or Antwerp, so possibly not close to home.

What does transport via RoRo cost?

To find out exactly what you will lose for shipping your vehicle, you will: the volume of your vehicle on the centimeter have to calculate. You do this simply by measuring the length, height and width of your vehicle (in meters) and multiplying them together. The result of this sum is the volume of your vehicle.

For example: L 6.0 x B 2.0 x H 3.0 = 36m3

Note: Protruding parts such as mirrors, antennas and winches do not have to be included in the calculation. Roof racks, cases and roof tents must be included in the volume calculation. Because people regularly try to cheat with volumes, many vehicles are checked for dimensions on site. Make sure that you remove as many protruding parts as possible preventively to save volume costs.

Then you multiply the total volume of your vehicle by the freight rate of the destination. To give you an idea, I have listed the average RoRo rates that I could find on the internet and received via quotations below.

• Rotterdam / Antwerp – Canada: +- 50 euros per m3
• Rotterdam / Antwerp – United States of America: +- 50 euros per m3
• Rotterdam / Antwerp – South Africa: +- 75 euros per m3
• Rotterdam / Antwerp – Central America: +- 65 euros per m3
• Rotterdam / Antwerp – South America: +- 80 euros per m3
• Rotterdam / Antwerp – Australia and New Zealand: +- 110 euros per m3

If I use the example above (the 36m3 vehicle), and send it to the United States would ship via RoRo, this would cost me about 36×50 euros (= 1800 euros), excluding any port surcharges / customs fees and vehicle insurance. For the same vehicle to South Africa this would be 36×75 (= 2700 euros).

Note: Keep in mind that there are usually around 400 to 800 euros in port surcharges and customs costs, depending on your destination.

What additional costs can I expect?

With only shipping to another country or continent, you are not there yet in terms of costs. In every country and/or port you come to you will have to pay port fees and customs fees. It is also mandatory to insure your vehicle separately for the trip at sea (marine insurance). The company that will ship your vehicle will offer you this insurance.

Port and Customs Fees

These costs vary widely and mainly depend on the port. In the US and Canada you usually get away with about 400 euros to total port and customs costs. In South Africa and New Zealand you should rather think of about 800 euros.

Maritime Vehicle Insurance

Since you are shipping your vehicle by sea, your regular vehicle insurance will not cover the trip. When you transport a vehicle by sea, you therefore have to deal with a (often mandatory) maritime insurance. This does not cover damage or defects to your vehicle that may occur during the trip, but only the total loss of the vehicle. This means that if the ship were to sink, for example, you are insured against it. All other damages are at your own risk, unless agreed with your current insurer.

A maritime vehicle insurance costs about 300 euros for vehicles up to 50.000 euros. Those who prefer to be insured up to 100.000 euros about 450 euros lost. These costs are also per one way.

Other information

Why ship your overlander or camper?

As you have read, shipping your overlander vehicle, camper or camper van to the other side of the world is a costly process. You will probably have doubts whether this is the solution for you. In addition to the costs for shipping, you will also have to deal with customs costs, port fees and maritime insurance.

So the question you will have to ask yourself is this: is shipping your vehicle worth the money?

Also read: Self-build motorhome | 5 things we'll do differently next time

If you look at shipping purely cost-wise instead of renting something on the spot, it can be said on average that when you travel longer (more than three months), shipping is cheaper. Every week or month that you stay longer on the other side of the world is then a profit.

In addition, you know your own vehicle like no other. You know what the vehicle can or cannot do and you have probably also furnished it completely to your liking and taste with gadgets and features that you find important. You may also be someone who, like us, works on the internet as true Digital Nomads, whereby Branding is also not unimportant. Your own vehicle with your name and logo on the other side of the world, that is also worth something.

Also read: DIY bus camper | The 7 camper features you want too

So you will have to weigh up for yourself which is more important. Comfort, convenience, costs, benefits, disadvantages, and so on. Sometimes renting is simply the better option! Take a critical look at your own situation and make the decision that feels right.

How long can your vehicle stay in America?

As a tourist, you can drive your vehicle tax-free in North America (US, Canada and Mexico) for 12 months without complying with strict US rules and regulations. A Carnet of passage,  or technical adjustments are not necessary for this. If you want to stay in these countries for more than 12 months, you will have to pay tax for the vehicle and have the vehicle inspected.

I want to ship my vehicle, where can I go?

Now that you know the approximate cost of shipping your vehicle to all corners of the world, you can start requesting quotes. I approached several companies for this article and requested several quotes. In terms of price, it was reasonably similar, however, with one company everything is included (port fees, customs, insurance) and with another not. Sometimes the price per cubic meter works off a few euros.

It is therefore important to request several quotes yourself and to compare them well with each other. Below are some companies that allow you to transport your vehicle by sea, in no particular order:

1. ivssuk.com – Worldwide – go to website
2. Belgaco.com – Worldwide – go to website
3. Sea-Bridge.de – Worldwide – go to website
4. SCL Rotterdam – Worldwide – SCL Rotterdam
5. Schumachercargo.com – Worldwide – go to website
6. Roroshipping.nl – Africa – go to website
7. Portofrotterdam.com – Europe – go to website
8. Rorousa.com – Worldwide – go to website

Conclusion – what am I going to do myself

Now that I know the advantages and disadvantages of the different options and what the associated costs are, I choose the RoRo option when shipping our vehicle. With a height of three meters, our 4×4 camper will not fit in a sea container, unless we remove the demounting unit from the car and load it loosely in the container. In addition, there are all kinds of new challenges, because you can't just move the 800 kilo descaling unit. The demounting unit will therefore have to be loaded separately with a forklift, which greatly increases the risk of damage. In addition, it is quite a hassle to put on and take off the demounting unit, it is not a caravan.

However, what are the main two main reasons is the price and the convenience. For a single vehicle of the dimensions we have, RoRo shipping is simply the most economical. We can also simply pick up the vehicle in the port after unloading the ship and drive it off immediately. This is all a lot more complicated with a sea container.

In short, I'm out. And hopefully after reading this article you will also have a better idea of ​​the possibilities, perhaps you have already made a choice!? If you have any questions or comments, feel free to put them in the comments.

Greeting!