Luxury Yacht Shipping - How It WorksLuxury Yacht Shipping - How It Works

During the lifetime of your luxury boat, you can find yourself in a situation where you need to transport it. But the first incident may occur as the yacht is being purchased.

People from other parts of the world, such as Europe or Asia, will occasionally purchase a luxury motor yacht to mostly operate it on North American seas and vice versa.

There are also times when you might wish to "seasonally migrate" your yacht to the Caribbean or the Mediterranean to make the most of the year's seasons and take advantage of the best conditions.

Many yacht owners would prefer to avoid spending weeks or even months traversing the ocean unless it was absolutely necessary to travel from here to there. What's more, a circumnavigation of the globe by motor yacht is not possible for every vessel.

So working with a yacht transport company to transport your luxury ship might be helpful in this scenario.

Yacht owners can enjoy their boats to the fullest at one site, hand them off to the transport operator, and then fly to the next destination to meet their boats. Many yacht transporter services claim to reduce the owner's workload and protect the yacht from damage.

Here is everything you need to know about how luxury yacht shipping works.

The Costs of Yacht Shipping

There are several different factors that go into calculating the cost of shipping yachts and boats, such as:

• The precise location of the vessel. It also matters whether or not it will need to be lifted out of the water and secured in a cradle before being moved.
• When calculating the overall length of your yacht or boat, be sure to factor in its trailer or cradle's proportions. This will have an impact on the price of shipping.
• The transport mode required to ship a yacht, such as a water-to-water service, a roll-on-roll-off ship, or a lift-on-lift-off ship.
• The country of the final destination.

Shipping a Yacht or Boat Overseas

Most yacht shipping companies will require the unit's overall dimensions, which should include the cradle or trailer, regardless of whether the boat or yacht is floating in the water, resting on a cradle, or being transported on a trailer.

It is the standard procedure for origin ports to be equipped with the necessary facilities and resources to receive and handle international boat shipments of varied sizes.

The point at which your boat will set sail from the United States may change depending on your vessel's location, the type of service you desire, and the location of your chosen destination.

US Departure Ports

In the event that you need to transport your boat across either the Atlantic or the Pacific, the following are some of the most common ports of departure in the United States:

• Jacksonville, FL
• Norfolk, VA
• Baltimore, MD
• Charleston, SC
• Houston, TX
• Oakland, CA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Port Hueneme, CA

Popular Destinations

Meanwhile, when boat owners transport their vessels overseas, here are some of the most popular destinations:

• Germany
• UK
• Italy
• France
• Spain
• Oceana
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Middle East
• UAE
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia

Yacht Shipping Methods

Lift on Lift off, Roll on Roll off, and Semi-Submersible shipping are the three most common methods for transporting a boat or yacht across international waters.

Roll-on-roll-off

Customers that bring their boats to the marina on trailers opt for roll-on-roll-off service the vast majority of the time.

The boats are rolled onto the deck of the ship for shipping using the roll-on, roll-off method, and then they are rolled off the ship at their final destination.

Cradled boats can also be carried in this manner. The shipping business will typically offer a rolling flat rack for the transporting company to simplify the loading and unloading process of the cradle.

Roll-on roll-off service typically has a height limit of 15 feet, though this might vary from service to service.

Lift-on-lift-off

When loading larger boats, rather than using the roll-on, roll-off loading method, it may be necessary to use a crane to hoist them onto the ship's deck and then secure them using blocks and straps. This method is known as lift-on-lift-off.

Because they are kept on the ship's upper deck for the entire journey, this service has no height restriction.

The company that operates the crane will charge you an additional fee for this service at both the beginning and the end of the journey.

Semi-submersible vessels

Semi-submersible boats or yachts are designed to pull larger super boats and yachts out of the water and then lower them back in once they have arrived at their destination.

This process is reversed when the semi-submersible boat or yacht leaves the water.

The boats will be positioned on the carrier vessel once the deck has been lowered below the water level. After ensuring that everyone is prepared, the ship lifts out of the water, and divers moor the boats.

Importing Yachts to the USA

The procedure for bringing a boat into the United States is very much like that for sending it abroad. When transporting a boat from a foreign country to the United States, the same procedures outlined above are used.

The most common ports of arrival for imported goods are also the most common ports of departure for sent goods.

Although Europe is the primary source of imported boats and yachts, some American companies also purchase vessels from Oceania, Asia, and the Middle East.

Conclusion

It would be best if you had a professional yacht transporter with years of experience safely transporting your beloved luxury yacht, as transporting a luxury vessel may become complicated.

Whether bringing the boat into the United States or transporting it overseas, working with a trustworthy yacht shipping company can make a difference.

A-1 Auto Transport provides many services for any type of vehicle transport, including yacht transport.

You will not have to worry about a thing when your yacht is in the hands of our experienced delivery crew.

If you want a yacht transporter you can depend on, visit our website to see the services we provide and get a quote for yacht shipping.