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Knowing what affects container shipping costs is important when organising your move. That way, you can budget efficiently and even save money on your move! That is why we have put together this page, which is our breakdown of international container shipping costs as well as information regarding factors that affect the overall cost. Sirelo is here to help you move with a smile. ☺
When it comes to sending all your precious belongings to your new home, the question “How much does it cost to ship a container overseas?” likely springs to mind. Fortunately, you’re on Sirelo and we aim to help get you some answers on that matter!
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that an international move is a huge step and doesn’t come cheap! Furthermore, it’s important to prepare for your move by understanding the international moving costs involved, especially when it comes to container shipping costs which will be a big factor.
To help you start planning and budgeting for your relocation and to answer your burning questions about the cost to ship a container overseas, we have put together the average cost of international container shipping to popular locations across the world.
| Destination | Cost |
| Canada | $11280 – $13080 |
| France | $9260 – $10480 |
| Ireland | $5205 – $6215 |
| New Zealand | $1865 – $2095 |
| Singapore | $2220 – $2875 |
| UK | $8185 – $9195 |
| USA | $8730 – $11475 |
The best way to gauge the cost of shipping a container is to request quotes from removalists! Click below and receive up to 5 removalist quotes tailored to your needs.
| Destination | Cost |
| Canada | $20865 – $23505 |
| France | $17160 – $19080 |
| Ireland | $9945 – $11030 |
| New Zealand | $3435 – $4100 |
| Singapore | $4040 – $4585 |
| UK | $15675 – $17495 |
| USA | $16405 – $19435 |
There’s a lot to plan when moving a 40ft shipping container overseas. Why not make it easier and hire a professional to provide and move a shipping container?
These are merely price estimates based on the port-to-port transportation of a full container load of household items worth $75,000. Furthermore, these amounts are based on the average value of the contents of a three-bedroom house in Australia, all being shipped from Sydney to major ports in each country listed.
When it comes to shipping container removals, it’s possible to go DIY. However, you’ll quickly find yourself running into difficulties with transport or worse damaged goods!
If you want a shipping container for moving house and easy transport, hiring a removalist is the best option to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible! Just click below to receive up to 5 container shipping quotes from removalists today.
As we previously mentioned, several factors influence international container shipping costs. Below, we highlight and explain the main five influences so you can get the best container shipping costs for your move:
As you can see from the beginning of this page, a big influence on price is the size of the shipping containers. If you’re going to bring a lot of furniture and personal items, then the cost will be much higher as you’ll need to take up more space in a container or a bigger sized container.
Unfortunately, there’s not much that you can do to change the distance between where you live and where you’re moving lest you happen to be on the cusp of grasping how to manipulate plate tectonics.
However, it’s still worth bearing in mind that distance will have an impact on the cost of shipping a container overseas. Thus, you’ll find that moving to New Zealand is cheaper than moving to the USA.
You might be surprised that there is some nuance to the point about distance. This is due to the popularity of different routes. It doesn’t make the distance cheaper, but competition and frequency will drive down the cost of shipping a container overseas.
Furthermore, every port will have different customs duties and import taxes. So, make sure that you’re aware of how much you will be expected to pay once your belongings arrive.
Moving in the summer is peak moving season due to school closure and thus it’s a lot more expensive as that’s when most people want to move! Choosing to ship your belongings will be cheaper in the winter but may take longer due to weather conditions.
There are different ways that a container can be shipped overseas and, ultimately, this will influence the cost. If your belongings are being shipped door-to-door, then you can expect that they will end up in a truck or train at some point in your move. However, there are two main ways that your belongings can be shipped internationally:
Shipping by air is the fastest option, however, with speed comes a higher price. If you’re prepared to pay a much higher price for your belongings to arrive quickly, then this may be a good option for you. Furthermore, it’s really only an option for a smaller removal.
This is the cheapest and most common way of shipping containers overseas. If you’re in no hurry for your belongings to arrive, then we recommend you take this option. You should be aware that it is much slower to ship containers and can take weeks if not months for your belongings to arrive. However, this is the best option for a big house move.
There are ways that you can save money on your move and lower the amount of international container shipping costs that you’ll have to pay. The biggest way to save money is by making sure you have the right sized container! You may want to transport your entire household or only a few pieces of furniture. Either way, if you know what size container you actually need will save you from overspending on container space that you don’t need.
When you hire an international removalist, the most common sized containers are 20ft and 40ft. Of course, we wouldn’t be surprised if that flew over your head, when have you ever encountered a container in your life? Below, we cover the sizes of shipping containers, so you are prepared for your move!
As you can see below, a 20ft container holds around 33 cubic metres, which is about a three-bedroom household:
Size: 6.1m x 2.4m x 2.6m
Total volume: 33.0 m³
Total shipping load: 24,850 kg
In comparison, a 40ft container fits almost twice the volume of belongings and holds a volume of 76 cubic metres. If you want to transport a house with four or more bedrooms and perhaps a car, then a 40ft container will be better value for you. Look at the image below for a better idea:
Size: 12.2m x 2.4m x 2.6m
Total volume: 76.0 m³
Total shipping load: 30,200 kg
Most removalists offer LCL, short for ‘less than a container load’, which is when you only pay for how much space you use up in a shared shipping container. This is a much more cost-effective way to use a container to transport a smaller volume of belongings overseas.
However, it is a little more expensive per cubic meter so it will only work out cheaper if transporting a few pieces of furniture, less than 15 cubic metres. Furthermore, it may take longer to arrive at your destination as the removalists will wait to fill the entire container before transporting it.
On the other hand, FCL, short for ‘full container load’, is when you pay for the entire container. There will be a flat rate for this, and you have access to the entirety of the container. However, you may not need an entire container all for yourself and you could waste money on space you don’t use.
There’s one further caveat to shipping a container overseas, and that is the delivery option. Not to overwhelm you, but there are three possible options. Fortunately, if you avail of shared container shipping, this will not be a factor for you as your items will need to be collected and brought to the container for shipping.
⚠️ Be aware: the following options come with different costs, which will become evident as to why when we explain!
That was a lot to take in. However, now you’re well versed in the costs of shipping a container overseas. In case you’re still in need of some advice, we recommend reading the articles that we have linked for you below.
We wish you great success with shipping a container overseas! 😊
