Shipping from UK to US: The Complete Guide

If you are considering shipping from the UK to the US, then read this guide.

It covers everything that will make shipping easy and cost-effective.

Let’s dive right in.

Options for Shipping from the UK to the US

When you need to the US from the UK, there are two main options that you will have to choose from.

Here are the main options for shipping your cargo to the USA from the United Kingdom.

Ocean Freight

You can decide on using ocean freight which involves shipping your goods via sea vessels to the United States of America.

Air Freight

You can also opt for the fastest means of transport which involves airlifting the cargo to the USA from the UK.

Ocean Freight from the UK to the US

Ocean freight is one of the options that you will use to move your cargo from the UK to the United States of America.

It involves loading your cargo into a container and then on a sea vessel or ship and transporting it to the USA.

In this case, you can either use a full container load or less than a container load depending on your cargo.

You should, however, note that you will use containers only when the cargo can fit well inside a container.

It is the cheapest mode of shipping your cargo and also the most convenient in terms of irregular goods.

Despite the low cost, you will have to wait longer for your cargo to arrive as the sea vessels are slow.

How LCL Ocean Freight Compares to FCL Ocean Freight from UK to US

When you opt for ocean freight, you can either decide to rent space on a container or use a whole container.

Implying that there are two main options that you can use when shipping your cargo in a container from UK.

Here is a comparison between the full container load and less than container load ocean freights.

Full Container Load (FCL)

You will use the full container load when you have cargo that can a whole container.

In this case, you will pay less and save more by hiring a whole container to fill up your goods.

There are different sizes of containers that you can use including the 20 ft, 40 ft, and high cube containers among others.

In this case, you will pay according to size of the container and not quantity of cargo inside the container.

It is also the best option that you will use when you need maximum security for your cargo.

Less than Container Load (LCL)

You will use less than container load (LCL) shipping when you have cargo that cannot fill up a container.

It is the most economical mode of shipping that you can use when the cargo cannot fill up a container.

In this case, you will pay for the space inside the container that your cargo will occupy.

Implying that, you will not have the whole container for yourself but share it with other people.

It is also the most affordable option of shipping small to medium size cargo from UK to United States.

Air Freight from UK to US

You can also opt for air freight which involves loading your cargo on a cargo plane for airlifting to US.

It is the fastest mode of shipping your cargo and you will have the cargo at hand within hours or a few days.

You should, however, prepare to pay a considerable fee because air freight is the most expensive shipping option.

Among the air freight services, you can opt for express shipping of cargo which is the fastest mode of shipping.

It involves chartering an aircraft that will deliver the cargo as soon as you get the clearance to move the cargo.

It also includes the door-to-door package, which involves shipping your parcel all the way to your doorstep.

Transit Time when Shipping from the UK to the US

Transit time is the period your cargo will take while on the ocean freight or air freight from the UK to the US.

Transit time of the cargo will depend on the mode of shipping the cargo and also the location for delivery.

In other words, the slower the mode of shipping and the further the location, the longer the transit time.

You will take less time to reach the Eastern part of the United States via container vessels from the United Kingdom.

For instance, you will wait for between 156 to 17 days to move your cargo from London to Philadelphia or New York.

On the other hand, you will have to wait longer if you are shipping cargo to the southern part of the UK.

For instance, you will wait for more than 24 days in case you are shipping from the UK to New Orleans.

Here are the main transit times when shipping to ports in US from ports in the UK.

From Ports in the UK to Ports in the US

Please note that the table above shows transit time for full container loads from the UK to the US

From Airport in the UK to Airport in the US

You will wait for a shorter period when you use the air freight to move your cargo from UK to US.

It is important to consider the time it will take for the customs department to clear your cargo.

Here is a table with details on the transit time from UK to US.

Custom Clearance Process when Shipping from the UK to the USA

When you are importing goods from the UK to the United States, you have to ensure that it passes customs clearance.

In other words, you have to make sure that the goods are clear to leave the United Kingdom and enter the United States.

First, you must know the right type of goods that will pass customs inspections without raising red flags.

Apart from that, you must have the necessary documents for transporting the goods to the US from the UK.

You might not be able to perform all the above requirements personally thus the need to hire professional freight forwarders.

The customs inspection process begins from the UK, where the customs officials in the UK will check the cargo.

Apart from that, they will also check the relevant documents and charge you the customs duty you ought to pay.

After clearance, your freight forwarder will send the necessary documents to the customs department in the US.

These documents will inform the US customs department of the cargo which is on its way to the United States.

US customs department will organize to receive the cargo for inspection alongside the necessary documents.

Finally, you will pay the necessary taxes and duties if everything checks out and move the cargo after clearance.

Documents for Shipping from the United Kingdom to the United States

When shipping to USA from the United Kingdom, you must have specific documents in your possession.

These documents will serve as the legal requirements for transporting your cargo from UK to the United States of America.

Here are the main documents that will help in clearing your cargo to enter the United States smoothly.

Commercial Invoice

You will have the commercial invoice which will describe the goods and the total cost of the goods.

It is a document that will also act as proof of the agreement between you and the supplier to import the goods.

Packing List

Among the documents, you must have a packing list with all the details of the goods you are importing to the USA.

The customs officials handling your cargo will crosscheck the goods they receive with the packing list during the customs inspection process.

Certificate of Origin

You will also have the certificate of origin in your possession to prove the source of the cargo you are importing.

This document will prove to the customs department that goods are coming from a supplier in the United Kingdom.

Letter of Credit

You should have a letter of credit which will show the payment terms between you and your supplier.

In this case, there may be different payment terms depending on the agreement you have with the suppliers and other parties.

Bill of Lading

You will have the bill of lading when shipping your cargo through the ocean freight from the UK to USA.

It is a document that you will get from the shipping agents who will be transporting the cargo to USA.

Airway Bill

You must also have the airway bill when transporting your cargo from UK to USA via air freight.

It is a document that you will receive from the air cargo handlers who will be transporting your cargo.

Considerations for LCL Shipping from the United Kingdom to the United States

Most of the cargo that reaches the United States of America often go through the ocean channel.

Depending on the size of goods, you may opt for the less than a container load mode of shipment.

Here are the main considerations that will dictate your choice for less than container load shipment.

Size of the Cargo

One of the most important factors that you will look at is the size of the cargo you are importing to the USA.

In case the cargo is small in size, then the best option for you is less than container load shipping.

Budget of Shipping

When you are working on a budget, you should consider using the less than container load mode of shipping.

Your budget must also coincide with the size of goods which will make more economic sense in comparison to others.

Time Considerations

Well, when shipping your goods to the USA from the UK, you will have to wait longer in case you are using LCL.

In other words, you will consider less than container load shipping when you can spare more time for the cargo handling process.

Privacy Considerations

You should know that the privacy of goods under less than container load shipment is minimal.

In this case, you will have to share space with other importers thus exposing your goods to numerous parties.

Considerations for FCL Shipping from the United Kingdom to United States

Instead of using the less than container load mode of shipping, you can opt for the full container load.

Here are the cases that should compel you to use the full container load mode of shipping.

Security of Cargo

One of the most important benefits of using the FCL shipping modes is the isolation of the cargo.

You will have more privacy and security for the cargo in a personal container when shipping from the UK.

Size of the Cargo

You will use the full container load (FCL) when shipping goods that can fill up a whole container.

Here, you will have to check the quantity of the goods against the size of the container and compare the costs.

Economic Value

You are also in a better position to hire a whole container to transport a great number of goods to the United States.

In this case, you will pay for the container and not the goods inside the container thus making more economic sense.

Type of Cargo

FCL shipping is very important when shipping cargo that is very delicate or are perishable and may expire soon.

For instance, you might need a special type of container such as a refrigerated container for transporting perishable goods.

Cargo Sea Ports of Origin in the United Kingdom

You can shop for any type of goods at any place in the United Kingdom and transport it to the USA.

During the shipping process, you will have to move the cargo to the nearest seaport in the UK.

Here are the main seaports that will serve you depending on your supplier’s location.

Grangemouth Sea Port

You can use this port when shopping around Glasgow or closer to Edinburgh which is the Scottish capital.

It has very good rail and road transport connections that can transport the cargo from your supplier to the port.

In case you have a supplier in Northern England or Scotland, then Grangemouth seaport is the suitable option.

It can handle a capacity of 250,000 TEU in a year and has a UN/LOCODE of GBGRG.

Felixstowe Sea Port

You will use this seaport when shipping cargo from the North-Eastern part of the United Kingdom.

With its location in London, you can simply get better services from the port that handles almost half of sea containers.

Being the 7^th busiest port in the UK, it has the capacity to handle 3.8 million TEUs in the year.

It has a UN/LOCODE of GBFXT with the main owners being the Hutchinson Port Holdings.

London Gateway Sea Port

You can also opt for the most technological and fastest rising seaport in the UK to ship your cargo.

It has the capacity of handling the largest containers easily with an annual capacity of 1.3 million TEUs.

The UN/LOCODE is GBLGP and the main owners are the DP world.

You can also transport your cargo to London Gateway through the advanced rail and road network system.

Southampton Sea Port

You can also transport your cargo through the Southampton seaport which is on the South Coast of England.

It has the capacity of unloading and loading four complete container vessels at the same time.

You should consider this port because it is a major cargo hub in the UK and can handle 1.9 million TEUs.

The owners of the Southampton seaport are the Associated British Ports and have UN/LOCODE of GBSOU.

Belfast Sea Port

You can also use the Belfast seaport which is just across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States.

In case you are shopping from Ireland or adjacent areas, you can ship your goods through Belfast seaports.

It has the capacity of handling 125,000 TEUs in a year with a UN/LOCODE of GBBEL.

Cargo Sea Ports of Arrival in the United States

As soon as you have the port of origin in mind, you must also look at the destination port of the cargo.

In this case, you will have to look at the various ports in the United States where you will receive your cargo.

Here are the main seaports in the United States of America where you can get the goods from UK.

Los Angeles Sea Port

With the location along the California seacoast, you can receive your cargo from the UK at the Los Angeles Sea port.

It is the largest seaport in USA stretching to about 70 km of the US California coast.

With the modern technological ability, Los Angeles Sea Port can handle about 20% of the cargo entering USA.

Your goods can be among the 9 million TEUs which the Los Angeles seaport handles annually.

It has a UN/LOCODE of USLAX with the main owners being the City of Los Angeles.

New Orleans Sea Port

You can also identify it as port NOLA which handles a capacity of 500.000 TEUs annually.

In case you are within the southern part of the United States, you can receive your cargo at this port.

It is located along the Mississippi River with numerous cargo cranes that can handle different container sizes.

The UN/LOCODE id USMSY and owned by the board of commissioners of the New Orleans Port.

Savannah Sea Port

It will serve you as the main container port in the US capable of handling cargo from the United Kingdom.

You will use this port when shipping from UK to the Midwest and Eastern states in the United States.

It has a UN/LOCODE of USSAV and can handle an annual capacity of 4 million TEUs.

Oakland Sea Port

You will use this port when shipping your cargo to San Francisco and the neighboring states.

The main location is along the San Francisco bay with 6 terminals and 33 cranes for handling 2.5 million TEUs.

You can also transport your cargo via train to California and the western part of USA from this sea port.

The UN/LOCODE is USOAK and the owners of the port are the City of Oakland.

Mobile Sea Port

It is the major sea port that will supply cargo to Tennessee and Ohio states among others.

You can use it import your cargo from the UK thus exploiting the annual container handling capacity of 500,000 TEUs.

It has a UN/LOCODE of USMOB with the main owners being Alabama State Port Authority.

Apart from the above ports in the United States, there are numerous other ports thar you can use.

Here are the other sea ports in the United States for receiving cargo from the United Kingdom.

• Atlanta Sea Port
• New York Sea Port
• Miami Sea Port
• Tacoma Sea Port
• San Francisco Sea Port
• Norfolk Sea Port
• Boston Sea Port
• Charleston Sea Port
• Houston Sea Port
• Seattle Sea Port
• Baltimore Sea Port
• Long Beach Sea Port
• Port Everglades Sea Port

Airports in the United Kingdom for Shipping Cargo to the United States

Well, depending on the urgency of the goods, and good budget, you can opt for the air freight.

You will handle the air freight better with information about the main airports in the United Kingdom.

Here are the main airports in the United Kingdom where you can get your cargo from.

Birmingham Airport

You can use the Midlands airport which is in central England to airlift your cargo to the United States.

It is the most convenient airport that you will use when shipping from suppliers around England.

The IATA code of Birmingham airport is BHX.

Glasgow International Airport

You can also use this airport which handles about 13,000 tonnes of cargo to airlift your cargo to USA.

It has an IATA code of GLA and will ship your cargo all the way to New York international airport.

You will use this airport when shipping cargo from Northern England and surrounding areas in Scotland.

Manchester International Airport

You may opt for the 4^th busiest cargo airport to ship to New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles airports.

It also has about 510,000 square feet of warehouses and offices with the IATA code of MAN.

Lufthansa cargo is the main air cargo handler that you can contact to ship your cargo to USA.

London Heathrow International Airport

You can use the UKs key airport cargo hub which occupies 12 km of space in the city of London.

It has an IATA code of LHR with the main operator being IAG cargo.

It serves different airports in the United States such as Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and New York among others.

Airports in the United States for Receiving Cargo from the United States

Apart from the knowledge on airports in the UK, you should also look at the airports in the USA.

Here are the main airports in the US where you can receive your cargo from the United Kingdom.

Los Angeles International Airport

You can receive the cargo at the world’s 10^th busiest cargo airport known as LAX.

In 2018, LAX was capable of handling of 2 million tonnes of cargo.

You can use it to receive cargo from Heathrow International Airport through Lufthansa Cargo.

Denver International Airport

You can use Denver international airport or DEN which can handle about 235,000 tonnes of cargo.

It receives cargo from London Heathrow International Airport with IAG Cargo being the main operator.

Houston International Airport

You can also identify it as the George Bush International Airport with a capacity of handling about 500,000 tonnes of cargo.

It will receive cargo from Manchester or London Heathrow International Airports and has the IATA code of IAH.

Cleveland International Airport or CLE

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is the largest airport in Ohio which you can use to receive your cargo.

You can use it via the logistics services such as FedEx to receive cargo from the United Kingdom to your doorstep.

San Francisco International Airport

You can also go through SFO or the San Francisco International Airport to receive cargo from the United Kingdom.

It is a major gateway from receiving cargo from Europe with a connection to London Heathrow airport.

Part from the above airports, you can also receive your cargo through other airports in USA.

Here is a list of the other airports which can serve you from the United Kingdom.

• Atlanta International Airport
• Boston International Airport
• Philadelphia International Airport
• Miami International Airport
• Seattle International Airport
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
• Cincinnati International Airport
• San Diego International Airport
• Charlotte International Airport
• Detroit International Airport
• Sacramento International Airport
• El Paso International Airport
• San Diego International Airport

Cost of Shipping Cargo from the UK to the US

The amount of money that you will pay for the shipment of cargo from the UK to the US will vary considerably.

There are quite a number of factors that affect the cost of shipping cargo from the UK to the USA.

With the help of a freight forwarder, you are in a better position to get the best prices for shipping.

They have the power and idea of negotiating prices while looking for the best option to ship cargo to different destinations.

You must also remember that the cost of shipping cargo is inclusive of many entities as you will see on the invoice.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Shipping from the United Kingdom to the United States

As soon as you receive your invoice, you will get a number of details on the invoice.

The details on the invoice are the services that your cargo will receive while on transit.

The rate of services that you get will depend on the nature of goods thus affecting overall prices.

In other words, these factors can either drive the cost of shipping up or reduce it considerably.

Here are the main factors that you should consider when looking at the cost of shipping from the UK to the USA.

Weight of the Cargo

You have to look at the overall weight of the cargo that you are shipping from the UK to the USA.

In other words, the heavier the cargo you are shipping the higher the cost of shipping.

Dimensions of the Cargo

It is also important to look at the dimensions of the cargo as it will affect the mode of packaging.

Regular dimensions are easy to package and less costly in comparison to irregular dimensions.

Volume of Cargo

You will look at the volume in terms of space that the cargo will consume on the cargo ship.

The greater the volume, the greater the space coverage, hence attracting higher charges.

Mode of Shipment

You should also look at the mode of shipping that you will be using and choose between air freight or ocean.

Among the two, you will pay more for air freights and less for sea freights depending on the speed.

Distance from Origin to Final Destination

You will also have a look at the distance between the point of origin to the destination.

In this case, the longer the distance between supplier and final destination, the higher the cost of shipping.

Cost of Shipping 40 ft Containers from the UK to the United States

When shipping 40 ft containers, the price may vary according to the factors in the previous section.

You should.

However, note that the cost of shipping falls within a specific range.

Here is a table with details on the maximum amount of money you can pay for shipping 40 ft containers.

You should know that the prices may vary according to the services that you receive.

LCL Shipping Cost from the United Kingdom to the United States

Less than container load shipping involves renting a space inside a container that your cargo occupies.

It is the most affordable mode of shipping you can use to transport smaller quantities of cargo.

Here is a table with shipping details from different ports in the UK to the USA.

Remember that the above costs might vary depending on the number of goods you have.

Cost of Air Freight from the United Kingdom to the United States

When you opt for air freight, you should be ready and willing to pay the high price.

It is the fastest mode of shipping cargo from the UK to the USA as you will get your cargo in a few hours.

Here is a table with all the details on the shipping from the UK to the USA via air freights.