International Boat Shipping & Cradling Services

Boat shipping services from a freight forwarder that knows the water

Buying a boat in the US to keep abroad, relocating your yacht, or bringing a vessel home? Every boat is a different shape, and every route has its own rules. As an international freight forwarder based in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, Faster Freight matches your boat to the right vessel and carrier, compares rates across our carrier network, and coordinates each step so you deal with one team instead of five.

We ship bass boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, sailboats, catamarans, pontoons, jet skis and other personal watercraft, as well as large motor and sailing yachts. Send us the length, beam and height and we will recommend the method that balances cost, safety and timing.

How we ship boats overseas

There are four main ways to move a boat by sea. The right one depends on the boat's size and weight, whether it travels on a trailer, and the ports at each end.

• RoRo boat shipping

  Your boat rolls onto a roll-on/roll-off vessel on its own trailer or on a cradle mounted on a roll trailer, and stays in a covered deck for the voyage. Often the most economical choice for trailerable boats.

• Flat rack shipping

  For boats too wide or tall for a closed container. The boat sits in a cradle secured to a flat rack container, which is lifted onto a container ship. Widely available on most trade lanes.

• Shipping a boat in a container

  Smaller and narrow-beam boats, jet skis and tenders can ride inside a 40-foot high cube container, sometimes loaded at an angle on a custom frame. Fully enclosed and lockable.

• Yacht transport ships

  Larger yachts are lifted on deck (lift-on/lift-off) or floated onto specialist yacht carriers. Used when a vessel is too big for standard RoRo or flat rack shipping.

Compare boat shipping methods

Door-to-door boat transport

We can collect your boat from your home, marina, dealer or storage yard anywhere in the US and move it to the departure port by truck, including oversized loads that need permits. See our domestic trucking services for how inland transport works.

At destination, our overseas partners can clear customs and deliver to a marina, boatyard or private address. Bringing a boat into the US works the same way in reverse, with US customs clearance handled through our customs brokerage service.

1. QuoteSend dimensions, weight, pickup and destination.
2. PlanWe pick the method, port and sailing, and arrange a cradle if needed.
3. Pick upYour boat is trucked to the departure port.
4. ShipPaperwork filed, boat loaded and secured for the voyage.
5. DeliverCustoms clearance and final delivery at destination.

US ports we ship boats from

We ship boats through major ports on the East, Gulf and West coasts. As a Florida-based forwarder, we work especially often through Florida ports for routes to the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

• Miami, FL
• Port Everglades, FL
• Jacksonville, FL
• Tampa, FL
• Savannah, GA
• Charleston, SC
• Baltimore, MD
• New York / New Jersey
• Houston, TX
• Galveston, TX
• Long Beach / Los Angeles, CA
• Seattle, WA

Don't see your nearest port? Ask us. The best departure point depends on your boat's location, the shipping method and the destination.

Preparing your boat for shipping

Good preparation protects the boat and can lower the cost, because most carriers price on overall size.

• Remove or lower antennas, radar arches, outriggers and towers to reduce height.
• Remove personal belongings and loose equipment, or secure them inside.
• Reduce fuel to the level the carrier allows and disconnect the batteries.
• Secure hatches, canvas, cushions and covers, and remove the drain plug as instructed.
• Shrink-wrap boats shipping on open flat racks or deck space.
• Take dated photos of the boat from all sides before pickup.

Export and import documents for boats

Typical paperwork for exporting a boat from the USA includes the original title (or US Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation for documented vessels), a bill of sale, a copy of the owner's ID, and Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed through AES when required. Trailers usually need their own title. Destination countries add their own rules on duties, taxes and registration.

We review your documents before the boat moves, so it is not held at the port. Find common forms on our shipping documents page.

How much does it cost to ship a boat overseas?

There is no flat price for boat shipping. Your quote depends on:

• Dimensions and weight: length, beam and height, including the trailer or cradle.
• Shipping method: RoRo, flat rack, container or yacht transport ship.
• Route: departure and arrival ports and sailing frequency.
• Extras: cradle, inland trucking, shrink-wrap, crane fees and cargo insurance.

Send us your boat's details and we will compare options across our carrier network and come back with a clear, itemized quote.

Why ship your boat with Faster Freight

• One point of contact. Trucking, cradling, ocean freight, documents and customs are coordinated by one team.
• Every method available. RoRo, flat rack, container and yacht transport, so we recommend what suits your boat rather than what we happen to sell.
• Exports and imports. Boats leaving the US and boats coming in.
• Established since 2005. A Florida freight forwarder and a division of STG Freight Services, Inc., with heavy and oversized cargo experience through our heavy equipment shipping and ocean freight forwarding teams.