Africa
Container Shipping from the UK to South Africa
Durban is the continent's busiest container port, with Cape Town serving the Western Cape and Port Elizabeth the automotive belt.
Container shipping from the UK to South Africa runs full container load to Durban (ZADUR) and Cape Town (ZACPT). There is no scheduled less than container load service to South Africa at present. Sea transit is 20–28 days port to port and air freight 2–4 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in South Africa are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in South Africa
Full container load and groupage both go to Durban and Cape Town. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Durban or Cape Town
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Southampton.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to South Africa 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 South Africa
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 South Africa are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,650.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,600.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £88.00 | 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 South Africa?
Mining and industrial machinery, automotive components, construction plant and materials, medical devices, and general retail stock move through Durban and Cape Town.
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 South Africa?
South Africa charges VAT at a standard rate of 15%, charged on the customs value plus duty plus a 10% notional uplift. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–30%, with higher protective rates on finished goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
South Africa adds a notional 10% mark-up to the customs value before calculating VAT on imported goods, so the effective VAT cost sits above the headline 15%. The consignee must hold a SARS importer code, and certain categories — including used goods and some textiles — need an ITAC permit obtained before the goods ship.
What are the import restrictions in South Africa?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into South Africa?
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 South Africa shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to South Africa take?
Sea freight runs about 20–28 days port to port, and air freight 2–4 days airport to airport. Cape Town is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 20 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 South Africa?
We move cargo through 2 ports in South Africa: Durban (ZADUR), Cape Town (ZACPT). Full container load goes to Durban and Cape Town. We have no scheduled groupage service to South Africa 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 South Africa?
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 South Africa — 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 South Africa lane?
Johannesburg is inland and served by road and rail from Durban, so cargo for Gauteng always carries a long domestic leg. Quote the door move rather than the port move if that is where the goods are going. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes machinery and mining equipment, automotive components, chemicals and industrial inputs.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near South Africa — each one works as an origin or a destination.
Nigeria
Import & export · Lagos (Apapa)
LCL from
£92.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lane
Kenya
Import & export · Mombasa
LCL from
£93.00
per cubic metre
24+ days
View lane
Egypt
Import & export · Alexandria
LCL from
£69.00
per cubic metre
12+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to South Africa? 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.