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Cars are shipped worldwide in various ways. The two main methods are by Ro-Ro and by container. Very exclusive cars are sometimes transported by air freight, and land transport often takes place by road transport. 

Want to know what the best transport method is for your car and how SCL Rotterdam can assist you? Read more aboutour company or inquire directly about the costs!

When transporting cars in sea containers, safety and quality are of utmost importance. At SCL Rotterdam, we ensure that each vehicle is loaded and unloaded safely. Below you will find useful information about the dimensions of sea containers and how we guarantee maximum efficiency and safety.

Dimensions of Sea Containers

20ft container

• Width: 2.35 meters
• Height: 2.39 meters
• Door opening: 2.29 meters wide x 2.28 meters high In a 20ft container, we typically load 1 vehicle

40ft container

• Width: 2.35 meters
• Height: 2.39 meters
• Door opening: 2.29 meters wide x 2.28 meters high In a 40ft container, we typically load 2 to 3 vehicles

40ft High Cube (HC) container

• Width: 2.35 meters
• Height: 2.69 meters
• Door opening: 2.29 meters wide x 2.58 meters high In a 40ft HC container, we typically load 2 to 4 vehicles

45ft High Cube (HC) container

• Width: 2.35 meters
• Height: 2.69 meters
• Door opening: 2.29 meters wide x 2.58 meters high In a 45ft HC container, we typically load 2 to 5 vehicles

Safe and efficient loading 

When loading cars into sea containers, we always aim for maximum safety and efficiency. Our experienced logistics engineers ensure that each vehicle is placed and secured correctly, taking into account the specific dimensions and weight of each model.

Quality and expertise 

At SCL Rotterdam, we believe in custom solutions and personal attention for every shipment. If you have any questions about how many cars can safely fit in a container, or about specific transport requirements, our experts are ready to advise you. Feel free to contact us for a tailored consultation.

The cost of importing a car from Canada depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle and the exact location. As an indication, importing a regular passenger car from the East Coast of Canada (via Montreal) costs approximately USD 1250.00, and from the West Coast (via Vancouver) it costs around USD 3000.00.

Note, this estimate excludes road transport to the door, import duties, VAT, BPM, and registration costs!

Do you want more information about importing a car from Canada? Read more on our page about importing a car from Canada, or calculate the costs for your car directly!

The cost to import a car from Dubai depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle and the exact location. As an indication, importing a regular passenger car from Dubai typically costs around +/- USD 2000.00, but the costs can fluctuate depending on changes in freight rates within the transport sector.

Please note, this estimate excludes door-to-door road transport, import duties, VAT, BPM, and registration costs!

Would you like more information about importing a car from the United Arab Emirates? Read more on our page about importing a car from the United Arab Emirates, or directly calculate the costs for your car!

Ro-Ro (roll-on-roll-off) shipping is generally safe but has specific considerations. Vehicles are often stored outdoors on the terminal grounds before and after shipment, exposing them to weather conditions in the port. The loading and unloading process of a Ro-Ro ship is relatively quick: hundreds of vehicles must be loaded and unloaded in a short time frame. During such operations, accidents can occasionally happen. Furthermore, cars are parked very close to each other, and it sometimes happens that a door can hit another car when getting in or out. Unfortunately, theft also occasionally occurs with Ro-Ro shipments. Our advice is to avoid shipping any belongings inside the car (often this is not allowed).

In contrast, with container transport, vehicles are safely stored inside a warehouse, where our own staff loads the car into the container. After loading, the container door is locked and sealed, minimizing the risk of anything happening to the car.

While container transport offers more control and safety, Ro-Ro can be more practical for larger vehicles. Our experts are happy to advise customers on the best option for their specific situation.

The cost of importing a car from America depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle and the exact location. As an indication, importing a regular passenger car from the East Coast of America costs an average of about +/- USD 1750.00, and from the West Coast, this costs an average of about +/- USD 2500.00.

Please note, this estimate excludes door-to-door road transport, import duties, VAT, BPM, and registration fees!

Do you want more information about importing a car from America? Read more on our page about importing a car from the United States, or directly calculate the costs for your car!

To import a car, you will almost always need at least the following documents:

• The original registration certificate / title / CoC
• A copy of the purchase invoice

Depending on your situation, you may need additional or different documents. For example, are you moving and need to import the car as part of your household goods? Then read on our page about importing your car as part of your household move! Or, are you importing a European car from a non-EU country and want to receive exemption from import duties? In this case, an EUR.1 document is required.

Feel free to contact one of our import experts to ensure you have the correct documents. We are happy to help! We are available every weekday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Call us at +31 (0)10 427 7723, or email sales@sclrotterdam.com. We are happy to assist you further.

The cost of transport insurance mainly depends on the value of the vehicle, the shipping method, and the insurance coverage. When you ship your car with SCL Rotterdam, we are happy to advise you on a suitable insurance option from our insurance agent.

Read more about transport insurance, or directly calculate the shipping costs for your car and receive free advice on transport insurance options.

The cost of importing a car from Germany depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle and the exact location. Via road transport, we can pick up vehicles anywhere in Germany for a few hundred euros. Please note, this estimate excludes VAT (if applicable), BPM, and registration costs!

Do you want more information about importing a car from Germany? Read more on our page about BPM and Dutch registration, or calculate the costs for your car directly!

The costs for importing a car from Japan can vary greatly. Many cars from Japan are shipped via Ro-Ro. The prices for Ro-Ro shipping from Japan typically range between USD 1200 and USD 2000 for a regular passenger car. Often, the seller in Japan (usually large auction houses) can offer shipping at a competitive price included with the sale of the car.

Note, this estimate excludes import duties, VAT, BPM, and registration costs! Do you want more information about importing a car from Japan? Read more on our page about importing a car from Japan, or directly calculate the costs for your car!

A car is considered a classic by customs if it is at least 30 years old at the date of import and is in original condition. This latter point can sometimes be a matter of debate: when is a car considered original, and who decides this?

Over the years, SCL Rotterdam has imported thousands of classic cars, and our experts are happy to advise you on the do’s and don’ts! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We are undoubtedly just as enthusiastic about your dream car as you are, and there is a good chance that we have imported the model before and can provide you with some useful tips!

The average sailing time from a port on the East Coast of America to a port in Europe is approximately 14 days. The actual sailing time depends on the route and the ports the container ship stops at: the more ports, the longer the journey. You can compare it to a local train and an express train: the local train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam follows the same route as the express train but may take an hour longer!

Would you like more information about importing a car from the United States to Germany or another European country? Read more on our page about importing a car from America, or calculate the costs for your car directly!