Americas
Shipping from United States to the UK
Transatlantic sailings to the East Coast in around a fortnight, plus West Coast coverage, with NVOCC partners at every major gateway for onward rail and truck delivery.
Container shipping from the UK to United States runs full container load to Los Angeles (USLAX), Long Beach (USLGB) and New York / New Jersey (USNYC). Less than container load runs to Los Angeles and New York / New Jersey. Sea transit is 12–30 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in United States are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in United States
Full container load and groupage both go to Los Angeles, Long Beach and New York / New Jersey. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Los Angeles, Long Beach or New York / New Jersey
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Southampton.
- UK door
- UK loading warehouse
- Los Angeles or New York / New Jersey
Consolidated first at our UK loading warehouses: Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Essex, Glasgow, Manchester or Newcastle.
Get a price for United States
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 United States are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,750.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,800.00 | 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 United States?
Machinery and industrial equipment, scientific and medical devices, aerospace and automotive components, spirits and branded consumer goods, and household effects move through New York, Los Angeles, Savannah and Houston.
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 United States?
United States levies no federal import VAT or sales tax, though state sales tax may apply when the goods are resold, and two federal fees apply on every entry. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–20% under the HTSUS, varying widely by commodity code, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
The absence of import VAT makes the US look cheap on paper, but two other charges apply on every entry: a Merchandise Processing Fee and, on sea freight, a Harbor Maintenance Fee. The requirement that actually bites is the Importer Security Filing — ISF, or 10+2 — which must be lodged at least 24 hours before the vessel loads in the UK. Miss it and the penalty is US$5,000 per shipment, assessed regardless of whether the goods were otherwise compliant.
What are the import restrictions in United States?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into United States?
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 .
United States to the UK shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to United States take?
Sea freight runs about 12–30 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. New York / New Jersey is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 12 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 United States?
We move cargo through 3 ports in United States: Los Angeles (USLAX), Long Beach (USLGB), New York / New Jersey (USNYC). Full container load goes to Los Angeles, Long Beach and New York / New Jersey. Groupage runs to Los Angeles and New York / New Jersey. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for United States?
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 United States — 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 United States lane?
US import filings are made before the vessel sails rather than on arrival, so the paperwork deadline on this lane sits earlier than most. Inland delivery away from the coast is often the larger share of the cost — worth pricing alongside the ocean freight rather than after it. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes industrial machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, aerospace and automotive components.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near United States — each one works as an origin or a destination.
Canada
Import & export · Vancouver
LCL from
£85.00
per cubic metre
10+ days
View lane
Brazil
Import & export · Santos
LCL from
£92.00
per cubic metre
20+ days
View lane
Mexico
Import & export · Veracruz
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping from United States? 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.