Auto Ship Transport: Shipping A Car By Boat

Shipping your car overseas is an expensive and a major move that cannot be taken lightly. Hence it is vital to know as much as possible about auto-ship transport before embarking upon the venture. The shipping price will be much higher than domestic transportation which will not require a cargo ship. Before you choose your company, compare quotes from various companies as you will get to save as much as $500 when you do your research well. Also, you can consider the following points to further reduce the cost of shipping.

Before the Adventure

Certain things are unique to shipping that you as the car owner will have to take care of and they are as follows.

• Take care to empty your fuel tank till it reaches the specified amount as it will also make the car lighter for transportation and safer. The lighter weight will also reduce your bill amount as it is the volume that matters when it comes to shipping.
• Make a note of any scratches or dents in the car prior to the journey.
• Empty the car of your personal belongings even if they are insured.
• Take the necessary insurance that your car requires. For example, an expensive or an antique car might require special or extra insurance coverage while an old car can do with just the basic coverage.
• Take US Customs clearance prior to shipment and you are also required to have a clean and free Title with no liens. You will also need an MSO (manufacturer's Statement of Origin) and a Salvage Certificate.
• The shipper will also have to give details such as social security number, passport number, and federal tax number.

Choosing the Transportation

Containerized shipping is the most preferred type of auto-ship transport as it is reliable and economical. A 40’ container can carry as much as 6 six if they are small to medium size.

Roll on and Roll off (RORO) is another kind of shipping where the cars are secured inside the ship. This kind of shipping is not preferred when you have to move from the West Coast to the East Coast as the route will take one via the Far East and thus take a longer time for delivery. Choose this kind of shipping only if you want it to go from the East Coast to the Gulf countries or from the West Coast to the Far East. When you need to ship the car along the coast you can choose land transportation which will be cheaper.

Choosing the Insurance

All Risk - This will cover any kind of damage and comes with a deductible and hence is the more expensive one. It is prudent to ensure only for the actual value of the car as you will have to show proof of the value when you need to claim insurance.

Total loss only - This is another insurance choice for auto-ship transport and is cheaper than All-risk. However, you will get to claim only if your car disappears while in transit or there is a total loss of your cargo.