Africa
Container Shipping from the UK to Gabon
Owendo moves Gabon's manganese and okoumé timber alongside the container trade; Port-Gentil serves the offshore oil industry and has no road out.
Container shipping from the UK to Gabon runs full container load to Owendo (GAOWE) and Port-Gentil (GAPOG). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Gabon at present. Sea transit is 19–25 days port to port and air freight 2–4 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Gabon are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Gabon
Full container load and groupage both go to Owendo and Port-Gentil. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Owendo or Port-Gentil
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Southampton.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Gabon at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say honestly which option is cheaper.
The FCL and LCL availability shown here is illustrative while we finish confirming our service map. Ask us and we will confirm what runs on this lane before you commit to anything.
Get a price for Gabon
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 Gabon are payable there and are not included.
Rates for Gabon are quoted per shipment rather than published — request a quote and we will come back with a firm figure for your route.
What can you ship to Gabon?
Sawmill and veneer plant, manganese mining and rail equipment, oilfield and offshore support cargo, rice and construction machinery move through Owendo and Port-Gentil.
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 Gabon?
Gabon charges TVA at a standard rate of 18%, charged on the customs value plus duty. Customs duty is separate and runs at 5%, 10%, 20% or 30% under the CEMAC common external tariff, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Gabon's ban on exporting unprocessed logs moved timber value-adding onshore, and sawmill and veneer plant now arrives regularly for the Nkok processing zone — which operates under its own incentive regime. Establish whether the consignee sits inside that zone before shipping, because the customs path differs.
What are the import restrictions in Gabon?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Gabon?
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 .
UK to Gabon shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Gabon take?
Sea freight runs about 19–25 days port to port, and air freight 2–4 days airport to airport. Owendo is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 19 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 Gabon?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Gabon: Owendo (GAOWE), Port-Gentil (GAPOG). Full container load goes to Owendo and Port-Gentil. We have no scheduled groupage service to Gabon 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 Gabon?
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 Gabon — 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 Gabon lane?
Gabon banned exports of unprocessed logs, which moved timber value-adding onshore and changed what the country imports — sawmill and veneer plant now arrives regularly. Confirm which port the consignee wants: Port-Gentil has no road link out. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes timber processing and sawmill equipment, manganese mining and rail plant, oilfield and offshore support equipment.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Gabon — each one works as an origin or a destination.
South Africa
Import & export · Durban
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
20+ days
Nigeria
Import & export · Lagos (Apapa)
LCL from
£92.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
Kenya
Import & export · Mombasa
LCL from
£93.00
per cubic metre
24+ days
Plan the rest of the move
Shipping to Gabon? 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.