Car delivery by container ship from the USA

Shipping cars from the US to Europe by container ship is a safe and widely used way to transport cars, motorcycles and other machinery. Although the process may seem simple at first glance, the actual delivery times for cars from the US depend on a number of factors: the port chosen, the speed of loading, the ship’s route, and the weather conditions on the Atlantic Ocean.

Influence of weather conditions on transport time

The length of the journey is highly dependent on weather conditions. High winds, heavy swell, storms or tropical cyclones (especially in autumn and winter) can slow down the speed of the ship or force it to change its route.

This can cause actual delivery times to differ from those planned, and in some cases can take up to several weeks.

Container ship – short facts

• Average length of a container ship: ~400 m
  (equivalent to 3-4 football pitches stacked on top of each other)
• Average width: ~50 m
  (about half the width of a football pitch)
• Capacity: up to 20 000 containers at a time

US ports and car delivery times

Elizabeth, New Jersey (NJ)

Nearest US port to Europe

• Loading speed: medium
• Delivery time to Klaipeda: 4-6 weeks
• Distance to Klaipeda: ~6 500 km

Savannah, Georgia (GA)

Top US port for car exports

• Loading speed: fast
• Delivery time to Klaipeda: 5-6 weeks
• Distance to Klaipeda: ~7 000 km

Houston, Texas (TX)

• Loading speed: medium
• Delivery time to Klaipeda: 5-7 weeks
• Distance to Klaipeda: ~8 300 km

Indianapolis, Indiana (IN)

Port without direct access to the ocean

• Loading speed: slow
• Transportation: by rail to Elizabeth (NJ), then by boat
• Delivery time to Klaipeda: 8-10 weeks
• Distance to Klaipeda: ~7 300 km

Los Angeles, California (CA)

The furthest US port to Europe

• Loading speed: medium
• Delivery time to Klaipeda: 10-12 weeks
• Distance to Klaipeda: ~9 500 km

What is important to know when choosing a US port?

• The fastest shipping times from the USA are via Elizabeth (NJ), Savannah (GA) and Houston (TX).
• The popularity of these ports means more demand and often higher prices at auction.
• Sometimes it’s worth choosing a more distant port to save on the cost of a car, even if it will take 2-4 weeks longer to transport.