Complete Guide to Shipping a Car from the USA to Nigeria

1. Complete Guide to Shipping a Car from the USA to Nigeria Nigeria is a developing country and having cars shipped from the USA to Nigeria is quite a common occurrence. According to the ITA, the market share of imported cars in Nigeria from the USA was 73% in 2018. Now whether you are purchasing a new car from the USA, won one in an auction, moving to the country or you buying a used car, an international car shipping expert could help you make the daunting process easier. For now, let us walk you through the things that you must know before the car is shipped from a USA port to get you started. Decisions You Need to Make Before Shipping a Car You will be required to make a few important decisions and take care of some necessary tasks before the departure of the vehicle from the USA: Choosing a Preferred Shipping Method Depending on the port that you will be importing your car to, you will have to pick between RORO (Roll On/Roll Off) and container shipment methods. Let us discuss both the options in brief to help you make an informed decision. 1.RORO Shipping– Being one of the most affordable methods for shipping a vehicle overseas, most of the car manufacturers tend to opt for this method. As the name suggests, the car will be driven onto and off the ship while being tied up to the deck while it is in transit. For your car to qualify for the RORO, it must meet the following requirements: •There should not be any fluid leakage or biohazard present in the car •It must have all the tires and they should be inflated •It must move through its power •There must not be any missing windows or broken glasses

2. •Its trunk, hood, and doors must be able to close securely and safely •It must not have any significant autobody damage •There should not be any airbags deployed 2.Container Shipping–The containers are usually available in different sizes including 20’, 40’GP, 40’HC and 45’ options. While a 20-foot container is used to hold a single car, the other 3 options can be used if you are looking for more cost-effective solutions in this category as they allow you to share the container space and charges. For example, depending on the car model, a 40’HC (high cube) container can hold up to 4 cars, where two cars are loaded and secured to the container floor and two cars are loaded on top using wooden ramps or hung with cables onto the lug nut studs and the hooks in the container. The biggest advantages of opting for this method are that you can ship even a salvage car that is not running and you can include any additional belongings (that are not considered contraband) in the vehicle or trunk of your vehicle that you need to ship. If you load goods inside your car, or inside the container itself, make sure to declare them by item type and value so they are declared to US Customs when filing the EEI (Electronic Export Information, also known as AES filing). However, there are following noticeable differences between sharing a container and getting an exclusive one: •Shared Container Shipping– The shipping cost of your container could be divided among up to 4 vehicles, depending on the size of the container. The major disadvantage of this method is that you will have to wait until the container is filled for it to be shipped. Therefore, there is no guarantee of the departure and arrival date. •Exclusive Container Shipping – If you want to give your vehicle a special treatment, then an exclusive container is the way to go. It is preferred by those importing rare, expensive or exotic vehicles like Ferraris, Bentleys and Aston Martins, or if you have enough cars and goods to ship your own container, such as 2 cars and goods, 3 cars and goods, 4 cars and goods or 4 cars only. Complete Documentation of the Shipment The vehicle will have to go through a US customs inspection before its departure and you must ensure that there is a proper paperwork in place for that. It is recommended that you provide two certified copies of all the required documents. Also ensure that documents are prepared no less than 72 hours before the time of the vehicle’s departure, otherwise, U.S. Customs and Border Protection would not approve them. Additional Information You Must Know Before Shipping a Car to Nigeria Certain guidelines have also been drafted by the Nigerian authorities regarding the import of vehicles which you need to keep in mind. The prominent ones among them are: •The car must not be older than 15 years from the date of manufacturing. •It must not be a right-hand driving car. •The consignee is Nigeria must have FORM M before the shipment of a new car. •There must be a clear title of ownership without any liens on the title. •The tank of gas must not be filled more than 1/4th of its capacity.

3. While all of the information mentioned in this article can help you understand the starting points of shipping a car from the USA to Nigeria, partnering with an international car shipping professional to take care of everything would ensure that everything is done perfectly and the shipping process is made hassle-free for you. So, hire an expert and get your car imported with convenience and safety!