How To Ship A Boat Overseas?

Shipping a boat overseas is slightly complicated compared to inland transportation. It requires more planning including acquiring transport vessels large enough to carry other boats across the oceans. First off, there are legalities to consider. For persons living far from the coastal states, the inland transportation of the boat to the port needs to be addresses. Afterward, on arrival at the port, there are legalities to be followed in accordance with the United States Department of Transportation and the U.S Customs and Border Protection. With 20 years of experience in offering affordable overseas international auto transport services, A-1 Auto Transport Inc. has the best advice on how to ship a boat overseas.

Settle on a boat shipping company offering overseas shipping

You require an auto transport company that caters for all categories of boat shipping. A-1 Auto Transport Inc. specializes in both interstate and international boat transport services to various shipping locations around the globe.

A good boat transportation firm offering overseas shipping should be able to guide you through the particulars involved such as customs & clearance of automotive as depicted by the U.S Customs and Border Protection.

Understand the services needed for shipping a boat overseas

The process is long. You need inland transportation from your home to the harbor. International boat transport requires customs clearance and validation in addition to a bill of lading. Moreover, the boat hauling and shipping process itself requires services such as winterization and shrink-wrapping.

Decide on a cargo shipping port

Shipping a boat overseas requires services from a cargo shipping port. Normally, your boat shipping company will guide you through the busiest cargo shipping ports in the US. You can then make an informed decision on which port to use, based on which international shipping locations they serve from.

Ensure you have an active freight insurance policy

You need an insurance policy that covers your boat against damage while in transit on the sea. It needs to be as detailed as possible, disclosing the route used during the transportation and the shipping location.

Possible threats during the transportation process should guide you on what particulars to insure your boat against. The best way to take care of this is by having your moving company work hand in hand with your insurance company to square out the details.

Explore your shipping options

• Roll-on-Roll-off – this is one of the cheapest options for transporting your boat overseas. Your boat stays on top of the trailer all through the entire journey. It is convenient as it reduces the overall volume and space occupied by the boat during transportation. For persons on a tight budget, this option is ideal as no containment is needed during the journey. However, it is advisable to use shrink-wrapping on your boat as long journeys on the sea exposes your boat to the salt water and humid conditions.
• Flat Rack – This method is ideal for oversized boats. Customized cradles are loaded and strapped onto the boat in the flat rack and fastened onto the vessel.
• Submersion – This shipping option exclusively oversees the whole transportation process from the origin to destination. The boat is loaded from the water at the origin, transported to the harbor, loaded onto the vessel and transported and unloaded directly back into the water.
• Container – this is the most common overseas transportation option for most automotives including boats. It is however only ideal for boats of standard size, that is, 40 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 8 inches high.
• Lift on/Lift off – A crane is used at the harbor to hoist your boat onto the vessel and secure it, either directly from the water or from the dock after being unloaded from the trailer. At the destination, a crane is also used to get the boat off from the vessel onto a trailer or directly into the water.

Get a Quotation

Having settled on the auto transport firm to use, which port to make your transportation through, shipping options, and acquiring a freight insurance policy, then a quotation to give you a detailed financial obligation for the whole process is in order. A-1 auto transport provides clients with a detailed and comprehensive Boat transporting calculator to give you quotes in real time. It works for both inland and overseas transportation.

Make an appointment and track your shipping

Contact A-1 auto transport to make an overseas shipping appointment and utilize the GPS tracking services to watch over the progress.