Shipping times and costs from United States of America to United Kingdom

Shipping Container Costs to United Kingdom

Shipping your belongings to the UK is easy – you just need to decide how you are going to do it. To receive free shipping quotes, simply fill in this quick form and our trusted suppliers will get back to you.

 

Sea freight or air freight?

The two main shipping options are air freight and sea freight:

Air freight:

• Quick - a cargo plane will take your things to the UK from anywhere in the world in just 2-3 days.
• Expensive - you pay a real premium for air freight, so it’s not great if you’re moving on a budget.

Sea freight:

• Cheap - sea freight typically costs about five times less than air freight, making it a much more affordable choice.
• Slow - container ships usually take several weeks to complete their journey, so be sure to plan your move well in advance.

 

Container shipping to the US

If you choose sea freight, you will use either a 20ft container or a 40ft container. However, you don’t need to fill the whole container; if the total volume of your cargo is around 15 cubic metres or less, you will share the use of a container with other people in a process known as Less Than Container Load (LCL). Most of our shipping suppliers provide a full door-to-door service, which means they’ll take your belongings all the way from your old house to your new one.

 

Major shipping ports

The five largest container terminals in the UK are:

• Port of Felixstowe (southeast England)

• Port of Southampton (south England)

• Port of Immingham (northeast England)

• Belfast Harbour (Northern Ireland)

• Port of Grangemouth (Scotland)

Your shipment’s port destination ultimately depends on where in the UK you are moving to. Once your belongings have reached UK soil, they will need to clear customs before travelling by truck and/or train to your new home.

 

UK customs regulations

The UK customs process might seem complicated, but our experienced shipping suppliers will guide you through it. Here's some basic advice:

• You are required to create an inventory (i.e. a packing list) of the items you are bringing into the UK, making sure you declare everything.

• If you’re coming from within the EU, you’re allowed to bring your household goods and personal effects into the UK duty free. If you’re coming from outside the EU, duty-free shipments are still possible, but you must have owned and used your household goods for at least six months prior to your move date (and intend to use them in future).

• Customs officials may physically inspect your container, so make sure you know exactly what isn’t allowed into the country (see below). Check out the official UK customs (HMRC) website for more information.