Get a cost for shipping containers to Portugal from the UK – best rates for 20ft & 40ft containers
Moving to Portugal and need to ship your belongings? Our container shipping service to Portugal combines competitive pricing with reliable, personal customer service, supporting both expats returning home and those starting a new life abroad. With decades of experience, our shipping services to Portugal have helped individuals and families move everything from a few boxes and personal effects to full household removals.
Shipping costs to Portugal can start from around £290 for a small shipment of boxes, while a shared container service typically begins at approximately £2,020. For whole house moves, prices typically start at £3,150, depending on your home’s size and the level of service required. Transit times generally range from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on whether you choose air freight or sea freight. Air freight is faster and ideal for urgent or smaller shipments, while sea freight is more cost-effective for larger shipments. Delivery times may vary due to port activity, your final delivery address, weather conditions, and Portuguese public holidays.
Other important considerations include professional packing, detailed inventories, customs clearance, and delivery to your new home. By choosing an experienced shipping company to Portugal, such as PSS, you can have all of these elements handled on your behalf, helping make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible.
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Costs of Shipping a Container from the UK to Portugal
Container shipping from £2,020
The cost of shipping a container from the UK to Portugal will vary depending on a few factors, such as the container size you need and the exact location you’re shipping to. For example, shipping to remote areas may cost more than to major areas due to longer transit times, and a 20ft container is cheaper to ship than a 40ft container.
You can view an estimation of the pricing below or get in touch with our team for an exact quote
Shipping a container to Portugal costs 2026
(Prices last updated October 2026)
| Shipment / Move Size | Cost |
| 2-3 Large Boxes | £290 – £332 |
| 5 Large Boxes | £444 – £505 |
| 10 Large Boxes | £625 – £695 |
| 1 Bed House | From £2,023 |
| 3 Bed House | From £3,150 |
Don’t take our word for it! – See our customer reviews on Portugal removals…
Shipping your container to Portugal is easy with PSS
STEP 1
Home Survey or Quote
Get an online quote in 60 seconds or book a FREE home survey.
STEP 2
Help and Advice
Your dedicated Account Manager can help answer your questions and tailor your shipping requirements.
STEP 3
Quick and easy collection and shipping
Whether you are shipping your house contents boxes or furniture you will have our professional packing service.
STEP 4
Customs clearance & delivery to your new home
On arrival our agents will take care of customs clearance and deliver to your door.
What Does Our Shipping Container to Portugal Service Include?
- Door-to-door container shipping to Portugal
- Both part and full load services available
- A dedicated Move Manager
- Assistance with any required documentation
- Export-quality packing materials
- Choice between self-pack or a professional packing service
- Advice on customs requirements
- Customs clearance on arrival
- Storage in the UK or Portugal if required
Full or Shared Shipping Container UK to Portugal
At PSS, we offer two different ways of shipping containers to Portugal from the UK, alongside the two shipping container size options (20ft and 40ft). We’ve explained the differences below and offered some advice on how to choose the best option for your circumstances:
For smaller shipments, we provide a shared part load shipping container service, also referred to as LCL (less than container load). Your belongings will be arranged together with those of other customers shipping to Portugal and the pricing will be split depending on volume of the belongings.
For customers shipping a larger amount, e.g. a full household removal, we offer a full container load (FCL) shipping to Portugal service. We’ll provide a full container for your use only and we’ll deliver it to your home, where our expert packers will load it and custom seal it before it’s sent off to Portugal.
Our shipping container service to Portugal is designed for household goods, such as furniture and other personal items, for those moving to Portugal. If you’re looking to ship commercial goods, we recommend contacting a commercial freight forwarder.
"Why choose PSS International in October 2026?"
- Free home survey
- Family run business for over 40 years!
- We only handle Overseas Removals
- Members of BAR Overseas Group
- BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme
- FIDI Global Alliance (Worldwide Moving Association)
- FAIM Accredited (Removal Quality Assurance Standard)
Container Shipping to Portugal cost calculator
Want to know how it will cost to send your belongings to Portugal? Our free online Cost Calculator will help you estimate of the cost.
FAQ Guide for shipping containers from UK to Portugal
Below are answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about overseas container shipping to Portugal. There is a lot to consider with international moving which is why we allocate you a Move Manager to guide you through the whole shipping process.
How long does shipping a container to Portugal from the UK take?
Shipping times to Portugal can vary depending on the shipping option used and the end destination. Shared (part-load) container shipping takes longer than a sole-use container load, as different customers’ shipments need to be consolidated to fill one container.
| Dedicated Load (FCL) | Part Load (Groupage) | Air Freight |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 7 days | Up to 3 weeks | Up to 10 days |
NB: These are approximate sea freight shipping times. You will need to allow additional time for customs clearance and final delivery to your destination.
How much does container shipping to Portugal cost?
Container shipping costs to Portugal will vary considerably according to a number of factors such as exactly when and where you are from and too. Also the amount of packing required for your shipment.
To get a quick estimate you can use the container shipping cost calculator on this page.
Our shipping quotes cover a full international removal service, including packing, door to door delivery and customs clearance. Beware of cheap shipping rates that are only a basic port to port service, which will mean additional packing costs and other fees.
Cheap container shipping rates from the UK to Portugal
We are also members of MTC (the Movers Traders Club), which provides us with economies of scale and allows us to negotiate the best sea freight rates with leading international shipping companies.
We are confident we can offer you the lowest rate to ship your container from the UK to Portugal.
To get an accurate cost, we suggest you book a free home or video survey.
How much is shipping insurance or shipment protection?
We highly recommend that you purchase shipment protection coverage or a marine insurance policy for your container.
We provide a very flexible shipment protection cover through Basil Fry & Company, the UK’s leading insurance broker for international removals and shipping:
- Our policy is quick and easy to set up. Complete our Shipment Protection valuation form with the items you would like to cover and their values.
- Removal (we pack) consignments cover costs 3% of the total insurable value you declare.
- Vehicle shipments cover costs 2% of the vehicle’s declared value.
- Self-Pack (you pack) consignments cover costs 5% of the total insurable value you declare.
- Baggage/Airfreight consignments, which are owner packed, will cost 5% of the total insurable value you declare.
What size or volume shipping containers do you provide?
Shipping containers come in two standard sizes 20ft and 40ft.
Our consultants will be able to advise you on what size meets your requirements.
We also have various shipping options to meet your needs including part load or shared containers.
If your belongings are shipped by road freight the dimensions of the lorry/van can vary considerably.
| Size | 20ft Container | 40ft Container |
| Cubic Capacity (Volume) | 1050 cu ft (29.73 CBM) | 2100 cu ft (59.47 CBM) |
| Internal Length | 19′ 3 (5.87m) | 39’5 (12m) |
| Internal Dimensions | Width 7’8 (2.33m) Height 7’9 (2.35m) | |
| Door Dimensions | Width 7’8 (2.28m) Height 7’5 (2.26m) | |
| Weight | 2225kg | 3950 kg |
| Cargo Weight | 21700 kg | 26500 kg |
*Exact container dimensions and available volume may vary.
Shared or part load (LCL) shipping containers to Portugal
For smaller shipments we provide a shared or part load shipping container service. Your goods will be grouped together with those of other customers shipping to Portugal so the costs can be shared based on how much you send.
This is sometimes referred to as groupage or LCL (Less than Container Load).
This method of shipping is very economical, but you may need to allow for increased shipping time as the contents of the container will need to be consolidated from different customers.
Sole use or full container load (FCL) to Portugal
For shipping larger amounts such as a full household removal to Portugal, we can provide a container for your sole use.
We will arrange for the container to be delivered to your home where we will pack it and it will be customs sealed before heading to the port to embark for Portugal.
This method of shipping has a number of advantages since you can fill your container with all your belongings.
As you have a full container for your sole use, it is also secure, economical, and there are no delays in shipping. Once it is full, it can go directly to the ship for loading.
For dedicated road freight to Europe, you may also have the same crew for packing and unloading which can also be an advantage.
Which container shipping company do you use for sea freight to Portugal?
PSS International Removals are accredited by BAR and FIDI. We therefore only use accredited container shipping companies such as Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd and One to transport your belongings. This ensures the highest level of service.
By using the best international shipping companies for your move to Portugal, you can be assured that your possessions will be taken care of.
For European road transport, our team will take care of your belongings at every step of the process.
Customs clearance when importing your container into Portugal
As part of our Portugal shipping service we will take care of everything for you from door to door. This includes exporting your container from the United Kingdom and importing into Portugal.
Our shipping quote includes basic customs clearance but not taxes, import duties and other customs charges such as any quarantine fees.
If we pack your container for you then we will compile a customs inventory on your behalf and we will also advise you of what other shipping documents are required.
With the UK leaving the European Union, customs requirements including customs documentation, customs charges, processes, duties and taxes are subject to change.
They will also depend on whether you are a UK citizen, have residential status or are an expat/citizen from Portugal.
We recommend you check the FIDI Customs Guide for Portugal which details the customs requirements for non-EU citizens.
We, therefore, recommend you check the latest customs requirements for importing your belongings in our FIDI Customs Guide for Portugal.
Your PSS Move Manager will also be able to advise on the latest customs requirements for Portugal.
Shipping container services for goods or personal effects to Portugal
Our container shipping service to Portugal is designed for household goods, furniture and other personal effects for people moving to Portugal.
If you need to ship commercial goods to Portugal from UK we recommend you contact a commercial freight forwarder.
Container Shipping Ports in Portugal
We ship to all ports and onward destinations in Portugal from the UK.
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