Shipping times and costs from United Kingdom to South Africa

Shipping from
United Kingdom
Shipping to
South Africa
Shipping times
1 - 3 Days by air
16 - 22 Days by sea

1 Bedroom flat

Shipping costs by air £12,074 - £13,346
Shipping costs by sea £6,339 - £7,007

3 Bedroom house

Shipping costs by air N/A
Shipping costs by sea £9,752 - £10,779

5 Bedroom house

Shipping costs by air N/A
Shipping costs by sea £14,629 - £16,169

The cost of shipping is all dependent upon how much you need to ship, and how far. Read up on all you need to know about international shipping to your chosen country.

Please note: the prices listed here are meant as an estimate only. The best way to get a comprehensive, tailored quote is to fill out our form and be matched with a supplier.

Shipping Container Costs to South Africa

South Africa is a land of jaw-dropping natural beauty and cultural diversity. The “Rainbow Nation”, situated at the southernmost point of Africa, contains over 57 million people and 11 official languages. It’s blessed with some gorgeously warm weather, over 1,600 miles of magnificent coastline and a huge variety of landscapes. There’s the green mountains of Drakensburg, the vast desert plains of Karoo, the colourful flowers of the Cape Floral Region and the stunning beaches all along the coast. South Africa’s choice of cities is just as varied, ranging from laidback Durban and Port Elizabeth to the central business hubs of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Then of course there’s beautiful Cape Town on the southwest coast, which is overlooked by the iconic Table Mountain. No doubt, South Africa has got a lot to offer.

Different shipping options

If you’re thinking of moving to South Africa then you’ve probably got some furniture that needs to move with you. However, you need to decide how you’re going to get your stuff down there. International shipping comes in two forms: air freight and sea freight. Air freight gets the job done quickly. Cargo planes offer a speedy service that will take just two or three days from almost anywhere around the world. Unfortunately, air freight is also the much more expensive option, so it’s helpful for last-minute moves but not ideal if you’re trying to keep costs down. Sea freight is significantly slower and it will take at least several weeks, but it’s generally about five times cheaper than air freight. As long as you plan your move well in advance, you can choose sea freight without worrying about the time it takes. Container ships also have a much better carbon footprint than cargo planes, so you’ll be doing the world a favour, too.If you do go for sea freight, your belongings will travel in either a 20ft container or a 40ft container. You don’t need to worry about filling the whole container; if the total volume of your cargo is less than about 15 cubic metres, you can share the use of a container with other people. This is called Less Than Container Load, or LCL. The majority of our shipping suppliers provide a door-to-door service, which means they’ll collect your belongings from your old home and bring them all the way to your new one.

Major shipping routes

The largest container port in South Africa is the Port of Durban, situated halfway down the east coast of the country. The Port of Durban is massive and it deals with the majority of South Africa’s trade, so it’s well connected by road and rail to the rest of the country. If you’re moving to anywhere on the west side of South Africa, your belongings will probably be shipped to the Port of Cape Town. This is another big container terminal and it’s located on one of the busiest trade routes in the world. Once your container reaches land, it will go by truck or train to your new South African home.

South African customs

The final hurdle is getting your container through South African customs, but your shipping company will help you with that. You are expected to create an inventory of everything you’re bringing into South Africa, describing the contents of your container in detail and declaring the value of each item. If your inventory is dissatisfactory then customs officials can physically inspect your container and charge you extra ‘examination fees’. See below for an idea of what’s prohibited or restricted by South African customs. Customs clearance generally takes 7-10 days, and it cannot take place until the owner of the goods is in South Africa to present the necessary documents. You are entitled to one duty-free shipment of goods into the country, but any further shipments require special permission. As long as your household goods are used, at least one year old and intended to be used again in your new South African residence, they can be imported duty-free. Check out South Africa’s official customs website for more information.

Shipping Container Options

20Ft Shipping Container

Dimensions:
33 Cubic Meters
5.9m x 2.35m x 2.39m (l x w x h)

Price: £9,752 - £10,779

Get a quote for a 20ft container
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  • Boxes
    16 x medium boxes
  • Kitchen
    1 x american fridge, 1 x small fridge, 3 x kitchen appliances
  • Bedrooms
    1 x wardrobe, 1 x double bed, 1 x single bed, 2 x lamps
  • Lounge
    1 x sofa, 4 x chairs, 1 x table, 1 x armchair, 1 x television
  • Various
    1 x motorbike, 4 x bicycles

Please note that this is an estimate and is intended for rough guidance only.

40Ft Shipping Container

Dimensions:
67 Cubic Meters
12.03m x 2.35m x 2.39m (l x w x h)

Price: £18,530 - £20,481

Get a quote for a 40ft container
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  • Boxes
    28 x medium boxes
  • Kitchen
    1 x american fridge, 1 x small fridge, 3 x kitchen appliances
  • Bedroom
    1 x wardrobe, 1 x double bed, 1 x single bed, 2 x lamps
  • Lounge
    1 x sofa, 4 x chairs, 1 x table, 1 x armchair, 1 x television
  • Various
    1 x car, 1 x motorbike, 4 x bicycles

Please note that this is an estimate and is intended for rough guidance only.

Car shipped by sea freight

Max Dimensions: 5.75m x 2.2m x 2.2m (l x w x h)

Base Price: £3,019 - £3,336

Quarantine & Taxes: £1,000 - £2,500

Price: £11,852 - £16,029

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Unusual Restricted Items

Cigarettes
Cigarettes weighing over 2kg per 1000
Fireworks
Fireworks are subject to restrictions.
Counterfeit Items
All counterfeit products are strictly prohibited.
Drugs and Narcotics
Habit-forming drugs and narcotics in any form
Automatic Weapons
Weapons & firearms are subject to restrictions.
Goods Breaking Copyright Laws
Goods breaking copyrights laws are banned.