Freight

Your car is purchased, what’s next? Imports101 now organize customs and freight to ensure your vehicle gets here as quickly as possible. There are two methods of sea transport:

Ro-Ro Car Carrier $1550-$2000
Cars can be driven onto Ro-Ro vessels which are like floating car parks. Ro-Ro stands for “roll on roll off”. This freight method is aimed specifically at vehicles that are mobile and easily driven on and off the carrier. The charges for Ro-Ro vary depending on the CBM of the vehicle. Big vehicles cost more and small vehicles cost less, with vehicle weight generally having no bearing on the cost. We have used an average sized vehicle (R33 Skyline) for our price chart below.

Container Freight $2000-$2500
Containers can be used to transport vehicles however the charges are generally a little higher than Ro-Ro. One 20Ft container is loaded with a single vehicle which is strapped to the sides to stop it moving during transit. The cost of a container is a flat rate so the size of the vehicle is unrelated to the cost. Container freight is usually used for higher value vehicles, very large vehicles or vehicles with expensive performance accessories.

Some dealers load multiple vehicles into containers to save money but there is high risk of damage if a vehicle is dislodged during transit. IMPORTS101 does not recommend multiple cars be shipped in containers.

Freight Costs

The freight costs displayed on the Quick Reference Cost Chart above include the sea freight itself and the compulsory customs clearance charges that are necessary for a vehicle to be processed and cleared for release into Australia. It is possible there may be other small charges if the vehicle needs cleaning or transport at the docks. If a vehicle does not drive it can sometimes incur a small fee to be unloaded from a Ro-Ro.

Compulsory costs: (averages)

• Sea freight $ 1000 AUD
• Customs and Port Fee’s $ 550 AUD

Possible extra costs: (averages)

• Vehicle cleaning $ 100
• Dock transport $ 35
• Immobile charge $ 140