Oceania
Shipping from Australia to the UK
Regular services to and from Sydney and Melbourne, with customs support for Australia's strict biosecurity requirements on arrival.
Container shipping from the UK to Australia runs full container load to Sydney (AUSYD) and Melbourne (AUMEL). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Australia at present. Sea transit is 34–40 days port to port and air freight 2–4 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Australia are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Australia
Full container load and groupage both go to Sydney and Melbourne. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Sydney or Melbourne
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Australia at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Australia
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Australia are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £2,100.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £3,400.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £110.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Australia?
Machinery and mining equipment, construction plant and materials, scientific and medical instruments, spirits and branded consumer goods, and household effects move through Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Australia?
Australia charges GST at a standard rate of 10%, charged on the customs value plus duty plus freight and insurance. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–5% on most manufactured goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Duty is low, and the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement is progressively removing what remains against an origin declaration. Biosecurity, not tariffs, is what governs this lane. Australia inspects for pests and contamination more rigorously than almost anywhere: timber packaging must carry ISPM 15 marking, containers must be clean and free of soil and plant material, and a container that fails inspection is fumigated or re-exported at the importer's cost.
What are the import restrictions in Australia?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Australia?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Australia to the UK shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Australia take?
Sea freight runs about 34–40 days port to port, and air freight 2–4 days airport to airport. Sydney is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 34 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Australia?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Australia: Sydney (AUSYD), Melbourne (AUMEL). Full container load goes to Sydney and Melbourne. We have no scheduled groupage service to Australia at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Australia?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Australia — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Australia lane?
Australia inspects arriving cargo for biosecurity risk more closely than most destinations, and timber packaging, straw, soil residue and anything organic attract particular attention. Declaring packaging materials accurately at booking is the single best way to avoid a hold on arrival. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes machinery and industrial equipment, vehicles, motorcycles and parts, food, drink and specialty groceries.
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Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Australia — each one works as an origin or a destination.
New Zealand
Import & export · Auckland
LCL from
£115.00
per cubic metre
38+ days
View lane
China
Import & export · Shanghai
LCL from
£95.00
per cubic metre
32+ days
View lane
United States
Import & export · Los Angeles
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
12+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping from Australia? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.