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Vehicle shipping (excluding the Darien Gap)

If you need to get your car to South America to start your trip, or you want to get your vehicle back to your home country after you're done with your traveling, this article has the information you're looking for.  

Shipping from Buenos Aires to the United States

Like the options for the Darien Gap above, you can chose between a RORO or container service.

Below are a few options for companies and prices from Buenos Aires

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RORO

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K-Line

K-Line has ships sailing about twice a month to Jacksonville (among other possible destinations). Their agent (Capricorn) in Buenos Aires is very helpful but does not speak English. '''

Beware! Really think twice about leaving anything in your car - we put our belongings in boxes that had two padlocks and one regular lock and bolted the boxes to the inside of our car. Despite these precautions, when we received our car the boxes were gone.

Costs

  • All costs in USD
  • Shipping fee: $600/vehicle
  • Document fee: $50
  • Terminal fee: $7/meter cubed (vehicle volume)
  • Wharfage fee $8.35/vehicle
  • Bill of Lading fee: $35

Contact information in Buenos Aires'

  • CAPRICORN ARGENTINA S.A
  • Reconquista 672 3rd floor - B(C1003ABN)
  • BUENOS AIRES,ARGENTINA
  • PHONE: (0054) 11 5031 4015
  • FAX: (0054) 11 5031 4015
  • email:  operaciones@capri-arg.com.ar
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NYK

NYK has ships sailing twice a month to Baltimore, Houston and Tampa. The ships take about 20 days to reach the US. The car must be empty during the shipping (customs requirement). However, they are not used to dealing with individuals shipping their cars (they deal with large shipments) so aren't very helpful with the details.

Costs:

Shipping costs depend on the height of the car:

  • Up to 1m60m, $835
  • From 1m60cm to 2m, $970
  • Above 2m, $1020

Additional costs:

  • The car can sit at the sending and receiving docks for up to 5 days without any additional fees
  • $70 terminal handling fee per car in Buenos Aires, plus $7 per cubic meter
  • $45 plus IVA for Bill of Lading
  • $50 terminal handling fee in the US, plus additional $50 for a car or $90 for an SUV, plus wharfage fee if $2.25 per every 2000 pounds (with a minimum charge of $25)

Contact information (both speak English)

Address

San Martin 483 (5th floor), cross street is Lavalle, Buenos Aires

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Container Shipping

If you have some extra cash after your trip and want to treat you and your car right, you can send it through Argentina International Moving by container and have it delivered to your door. Contact Noelia for a quote, as costs depend on locations, but included below are the price options for shipping a Honda Element from Buenos Aires to Miami Florida.

Costs

  • Option 1 - "Door to door" services:
  • Picking up the automobile
  • Loading into a 20' container
  • Customs in Argentina
  • Ocean freight to Port Everglades
  • Customs Clearance in the United States of America
  • Delivery in Tampa, FL
  • Price : US$ 5.040,75

Option 2 - "Door to warehouse" services:

  • Picking up the automobile
  • Loading into a 20' container
  • Customs in Argentina
  • Ocean freight to Port Everglades
  • Customs Clearance in the United States of America
  • Price : US$ 4.390,75

Contact information (speaks English)

Noelia Oviedo
argenmove@argenmove.com.ar
+54 11 4325-0500 x107

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Shipping from Costa Rica to the United States

If shipping to the US, you can't ship things inside the vehicle, only the vehicle itself. This is a policy of Seaboard Marine due to DEA enforcements in the US.

If using Seaboard Marine on the Costa Rica side and JP Reynolds on the Florida side, you have to have a customs broker in CR to sort out the aduana, shipping etc.

First contact the company in the US and in CR. You just need your title, copy of passport and Costa Rican car permit. The cost of the customs broker in Costa Rica was about $300. The RORO is about $650. The broker on the US side is $250 plus a $35 fee for customs.

In Puerto Limon, contact Customs Broker Fabio Rodovi. He speaks some English but speaking Spanish helps.
His contact information is:

Fabio Madrigal
JOMAR Asesores Aduaneros
Cell: (506) 813-8585
Tel/Fax: (506) 758-4840
fabiorodovi@yahoo.com

In Miami, contact Carroll, the customs broker at JP Reynolds:

J.P Reynolds Co.
2801 N W 74TH AVE
SUITE 201
MIAMI, FL. 33122
Carroll J Quant
Import Supervisor
Ph: 305-592-9916
Fax: 305-592-9948
carroll@jpreynolds.com

In Florida, contact Suzette, the customs broker at Crowley Auto Transport:

Crowley Auto Transport
6601 Lyons Road
SUITE 201
COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073
Suzette Cardozo
Import Supervisor
Ph: 800-467-3066
Web site: Car Shipping

Thanks to Jennifer and Matthew for the Costa Rica shipping information

Also check out SeaRates.com for additional international shipping options

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Comments

#1 Updated info needed for shipping car from Buenos Aires to Canada

Submitted by Moe on Wed, 06/01/2011 - 17:18.

Hi there,

We finished our fantastic journey from Toronto to the end of the PanAm (Isla Chiloe) and are now in Buenos Aires arranging to ship our car (Subaru Outback) back to Toronto in a container.

We have agents who are responsive (which is great) but the cost is far more than we expected (over $7,000) plus they now say it is extremely difficult to ship our personal effects back in the car (or if we did so, it would be another $1,600).  

Anyone have any recent experience with this (if not to Canada, to US)?  

We are wondering if we should try to sell our car instead.  We hear that really we can only do that by selling to other foreigners here.  Any recent experience with that too? 

 

#2 $7000!?!

Submitted by Kristin on Wed, 06/01/2011 - 17:38.

That seems crazy - I would suggest you go RORO, it will be MUCH cheaper.  Just don't leave anything in your car - it will get stolen (as our stuff did).  We didn't leave anything valuable in the car just in case, but it still sucked.  When we got quotes for container shipping about 1.5 years ago, it was over $5000 so I don't think that's ever a cheap option.  

Selling the car in Argentina to Argentinians isn't an easy option - if you can find other roadtrippers (post in our our forums) that would be much easier.  Selling to someone who will be taking the car back out of Argentina on their trip isn't so impossible.  

#3 RoRo services

Submitted by samericaxplorer on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 14:17.

SamericaXplorer (Miami), has been providing shipping logistics and advise  to moto adventurers and caravan riders all along the americas, whenever is crossing the caribbean or the darien gap from S.A. or N.A. to many destinations.

Mainly we use RoRo service between Panama & Colombia or viceversa, as well other ports covered by the same route as far as California and Tacoma Washington on the North bound and Brazil and Argentina on the south bound RoRo service.

There are  other RoRo routes along the West Coast of S.A. , N.A. East Coast and East of S.A.. Options are many.

Our service cover 1-1 logistics , including customs procedures and contact with many agents on each country.

Contact me at

Gaston E. /SAMX

samericaxplorer[at]gmail.com

#4 Hi Gaston,  Can you offer

Submitted by Widenbruck on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 01:02.

Hi Gaston, 

Can you offer anything from Florida to Cartagena for late October? A container is a must (20' or shared 40'). It is for a T3/Vanagon VW Westfalia camper. Pricing, schedule, etc. 

Thanks in advance. 

Chris

#5 Selling a tourist vehicle abroad

Submitted by samericaxplorer on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 14:30.

Selling a tourist vehicle is not an easy task, unless the VAN could be sell it as 'used vehicle' in Argentina, Chile allow importation of used recreational campers if you think that is an option. The buyer should nationalize the vehicle paying duties and other formalities. You should end the temporary permit for the vehicle at customs in the current country you are right now.

If the plan is selling the vehicle to another tourist, that is doable but a little work must be made. First both you and the buyer must meet between borders. Urguay and Argentina for ex. , because you must exit the country with your vehicle (exiting and finishing temp. entry). Before everything is finished you must send the title to Canada or U.S so, the new owner gets new registration and plate.

It is simple and not so simple

#6 Shipping from lower South America to Europe, Asia or Australia

Submitted by Jon124 on Sat, 10/08/2011 - 17:03.

This might be of interest to people who would like to ship from South America To Europe, Australia or Asia. My friends had there land rover and trailer container shipped from Montevideo (Uruguay) to Rotterdam (Holland) for $1800 (all included). I recently recieved a quote to ship my truck to Western Australia for $2800 (All included). This is good value in my opinion. Its the cheapest quote i've had by far. My friends said the company was very professional and they speak very good English. It's only a 4hr car ferry ride from Buenos Aires. I'm not sure about shipping to North America. They probably have ships stopping in Florida on route to Europe.

Here is the website. http://www.uruvan.com.uy

Contact Susana: susanalittera@uruvan.com.uy

#7 more information?

Submitted by Kristin on Fri, 10/21/2011 - 14:36.

Hi Jon,

Could you give us more information about contact information, shipper name, prices, websites etc?  We'd love to add more information on this option to the shipping page.

Thanks!

#8 K-Line Updates

Submitted by Rockandroll on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 07:34.

As of December 2011:

The K-Line agent ( operaciones@capri-arg.com.ar) does speak (some) english!

The shipping fee (BA to Florida) is $1,900

They only ship to Jacksonville Florida.

#9 I am trying to find out on shipping a car from US to Santa Marta

Submitted by astrategies01 on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 09:31.

Good Morning:

I am trying to find out info on shipping a car from US to Santa Marta Colombia or close by?

Can you point me in the direction of the best company and any tips for best value?
 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

#10 Hi, Depending on your place

Submitted by samericaxplorer on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 18:19.

Hi,

Depending on your place now in the US , I would recommending shipping RoRo , either from Houston, Galveston or Tampa to Sta. Marta or Catagena a few kilometers away.

Houston January 17 ------Jan 26 Sta. Marta

Houston  January 21  -----Jan 27 Cartagena

Tampa  January 20 -------Jan 28 Sta. Marta

Galveston TX January 20------Jan 25 Cartagena

Houston February 15---------Feb 26 Sta. Marta

Tampa February 18----------Feb 26 Sta. Marta

 

Thse are the closest shipments for Jan-Feb 2012.

Get in touch with us and we could coordinate with you your shipement and clarify your intentions

Thx

Gaston

samericaxplorer@gmail.com

 

#11 2nd Round of more questions?

Submitted by astrategies01 on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 10:09.

Shipping from Galveston? Around 04-28-12: To preferable Santa Marta or Cartegena,

1. Then is it unloaded and stored? Who keeps keys and notifies us?

2. What would all costs and fees be and how does it work?

3. Is there an issue if I am financing it and its not 100% paid off, only have bill of sale?
On export or import?

4. Where do you go and pick up?

5. Any special insurance needed or paperwork to be completed?

6. Is there any fees or additional issues to be wary of etc we should know? Times delays, etc., possible?