Shipping Boat to the Med

[Gordon J]

My wife and I are still weighing options for getting our boat to the med this spring. An interesting option came up today -- ship the boat on a container ship. The beauty of the idea is that I live near Norfolk Virginia and wouldn't have to move the boat 1000 miles to Fort Lauderdale, from where most other boat transport companies begin their trip. I could be at the container port in two hours.

Has anyone here heard of this, or know of anyone who shipped their boat by container carrier? Experiences?

Thanks
Gordon

 

[Fletcher500]

As you probably know, there are specialized yacht transport ships that do this.

Some break bulk ships will also transfer a few large boats on their top decks, in addition to the regular cargo they are carrying.

In our case, our current boat was shipped from Asia to SoCal on a container ship. I can't give you much detail about it, because I was not involved in the transaction. I would think its fairly common and the crews on these ships have solid processes in place to manage it.

Are you finding the container ship price to be cheaper than the regular yacht transporters?

 

[Gordon J]

We are finding them not necessarily cheaper, but being able to ship from our home in Virginia would be a big plus over taking her 1000 miles to Fort Lauderdale.

 

[YogiBear]

I work in a Container Terminal and yachts come in fairly regularly on container ships. We have special lifting equipment for yachts and machinery. We have never damaged a yacht. However container freight rates are at their highest levels in years and the shipping lines will base their rate on number of container slots used and lost. If the boat is 40' long and 8' wide then it is the size of a container. Also the height will affect the number of slots used. You will also need a cradle manufactured. Normally we load the cradle onto flatrack containers then load the boat and lash it. Discharge is opposite process. For the loading you will need to hire divers to ensure the slings are positioned correctly under the hull.

 

[YogiBear]

Also the option is to pre-load to a flatrack on cradle. What are the dimensions of your boat?

 

[markpierce]

Had a container ship transport my boat from Hong Kong builder to California home waters. Boat was heavily covered with diesel soot.

 

[PM]

One comment,

Expensive.

pete

 

[Gordon J]

Dimensions

Also the option is to pre-load to a flatrack on cradle. What are the dimensions of your boat?

53 feet overall and 16 foot beam. Bottom of keel to tip of antennas is 26 feet.

 

[mcarthur]

That's very similar to our. Have a look also at RORO vessels - your boat is inside away from sea and smoke, on a MAFI trailer, and the craning occurs from dockside not on the ship. Pricing is by cubic meter, so pull down everything possible. Car and truck sellers don't like damaged or dirty vehicles, so the ships do a good job usually of taking care of your baby.

 

[South of Heaven]

What's your length and breadth?

 

[Gordon J]

See previous post for dimensions

What's your length and breadth?

53 x 16 x 26 feet high

 

[Fletcher500]

That's very similar to our. Have a look also at RORO vessels - your boat is inside away from sea and smoke, on a MAFI trailer, and the craning occurs from dockside not on the ship. Pricing is by cubic meter, so pull down everything possible. Car and truck sellers don't like damaged or dirty vehicles, so the ships do a good job usually of taking care of your baby.

Roll on Roll off "RoRo's" are used for boat transport? Thats news to me. I have never sailed on one, but I have watched them load and unload cars and other vehicles.

Regarding soot and dirt accumulation during the transport, shrink wrap takes care of that.

 

[YogiBear]

53' long practically excludes on deck stowage on a container ship. The container bays are 40' long plus about 8-10' between each bay so loading on deck would mean an overhang both ends or the bow invading the next bay forward. Underdeck stowage would be athwartship. you would have to reduce height as much as possible by lowering antennas etc.
Still need a cradle fabricated according to hull form.
Shipping line will price freight based on 24 containers lost plus loading and unloading costs. current 40' freight cost is $4-6k per 40' so you are looking at a huge bill.
RORO could be an option but you have the cost of cranes to lift boat out of the water and onto MAFI. Cradle still required.

 

[YogiBear]

check out Peters and May, they have service to the Med from Baltimore sometimes.

 

[Gordon J]

check out Peters and May, they have service to the Med from Baltimore sometimes.

Yup. Have done. From Lauderdale only. Cheaper, but to me not worth the 1000 mile slog down the ditch.

 

[Gordon J]

So far much Che per

check out Peters and May, they have service to the Med from Baltimore sometimes.

I have been collecting quotes. Seems container ship may be cheaper than how you are characterizing it.... By a large margin. But still more expensive than Peter's and May.

Thanks,
Gordon

 

[skyhawk]

how long does this whole process take....from the decision to make it happen to calling around to pick a service, to setting a load date, etc....all the way to splash in Euro waters?

 

[Gordon J]

I am told a ship is leaving Norfolk on 20 April, bound for Malta. Probably three to four weeks between loading and unloading I am told.

 

[ScottC]

I assume you've researched visas, duty, permits, taxes, time limits, regulations, re-import duties(?) to the US, etc., etc., etc.


I don't know about any of the above things in detail, but I've encountered enough stories on this forum and elsewhere over the years to understand that this stuff can be a great challenge. Obviously, it would be optimal to understand all this stuff as thoroughly as possible before you load your yacht onto a cargo ship!!


Good luck with the research and making your wonderful-sounding dream come true!!


Edit: I have looked into the reverse of what you're doing - shipping my boat to the US ($13k one way) to do the great loop over 1 1/2 years...and then back to Europe. Not impossible, but the regulations/time limits/duties/etc. (mostly on the US side) can give one pause...

 

[garychurch]

Yacht transport from US to Med can be as much as $1000 per foot. Although I am sure you could find it for less.

However you may want to thoroughly check out the costs and regulations of operating in the Med.

I had great plans that quickly changed when I began learning of high costs and regulatory red tape virtually everywhere I wanted to go in the Med.

 

[ramkay]

My GB32 cost $22K from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona, Spain back in 2017 with sevenstar yacht transport, so you have to figure at least $30K. If it's for one season only, my advice is to go down to the med and lease for 2 months at less than that. Good luck.

 

[JSK55]

I'm in the shipping biz and can tell you that container shipping lines really dislike handling deck cargo such as boats. If it'll fit on a standard flat rack 40'L X 8'W then they will quote a rate. If it displaces other cargo the cost will reflect that, as stated earlier. That said, Container Lines will deal with builders on regular volume commitments but in my experience the "One-off" opportunities from an owner trying to move a boat is rarely entertained. These ships are on pretty tight sailing schedules and loading out sized cargo on container ships can present challenges like getting cranes and divers scheduled appropriately and timely. Good luck, but I would think your best bet is moving the boat to FL and have the yacht transport guys move it. Just my two cents...

 

[Chris Collman]

Just a thought ..........

If you find the costs of shipping your own boat to the Med prohibitive. It may be of interest to let you know that I have a President 47 built in 1992 which we have owned since 2009 and moored here in Menorca. We are thinking of selling a share in her or sadly selling outright - or we might charter her for a season. Covid has caused us to change our plans as we normally rent our farmhouse hre in the summer and live on the boat - but this year without any summer bookings for the house, we are having to look at alternatives- just a thought !

 

[BandB]

I am told a ship is leaving Norfolk on 20 April, bound for Malta. Probably three to four weeks between loading and unloading I am told.

Wifey B: Boat is the easy part? Who is planning on going with you? Where do you intend to boat in Europe? Things are really still very much limited due to the pandemic. We're hoping they open up by Mid May which would also be your time table, but no guarantees.

 

[Cartouche]

My wife and I are still weighing options for getting our boat to the med this spring. An interesting option came up today -- ship the boat on a container ship. The beauty of the idea is that I live near Norfolk Virginia and wouldn't have to move the boat 1000 miles to Fort Lauderdale, from where most other boat transport companies begin their trip. I could be at the container port in two hours.

Has anyone here heard of this, or know of anyone who shipped their boat by container carrier? Experiences?

Thanks
Gordon

Saw this on the news today. Hope all goes well for you. I am sure the owners of theses boats are rethinking their respective transportation decisions

https://www.dw.com/en/norway-coast-guard-saves-crew-from-ship-at-risk-of-capsizing/a-57114384

 

[BandB]

Saw this on the news today. Hope all goes well for you. I am sure the owners of theses boats are rethinking their respective transportation decisions

https://www.dw.com/en/norway-coast-guard-saves-crew-from-ship-at-risk-of-capsizing/a-57114384

Well, he's safe there. They only shuttle boats around Europe. They have two ships and shuttle from Turkey to Norway, making three runs a week with stops in Croatia, Greece, Malta, Italy, France, Mallorca, Gibraltar, England, The Netherlands, and Germany. Starclass Yacht Transport is the name they operate under.

 

[Giggitoni]

Would it be possible to hire a captain and deliver your boat to Fort L?