International Removals
Container shipping to USA
Shipping Container UK to the United States from £1900*
Get a cost for shipping containers to the United States from the UK – best rates for 20ft & 40ft containers
Moving to the USA and need to ship your belongings? Our container shipping service to the USA combines the best prices with the best customer service for both expats going home and new migrants. Whether you’re looking to ship containers to New York, Los Angeles or anywhere in the USA, our door-to-door service is here to help.
The costs for shipping a container from the UK to USA typically starts at around £1,900 for a shared container (LLC), while costs for a full container service (FCL) rise to around £5,540 for a 20ft container and £7,900 for a 40ft container. Prices for a standard house move to the United States depend on the volume of your household belongings and the level of service you’re looking for, combined with the region of the US you’re moving to. Our experienced moving team can help you decide what size container is best for your move.
Delivery times to the USA typically range from around 6-8 weeks for a full container load by sea and around 8-12 weeks for a shared container (also called groupage). Container delivery to the USA by air freight is around 7-14 days. These times can fluctuate depending on how busy the port is, any American public holidays, your specific delivery address and the weather.
Other aspects you may need to consider include packing, inventory, customs clearance and delivery to your address but professional shipping companies to the USA like PSS handle all of this for you. For 40 years, our shipping services to the USA have helped families with all of their removal needs from cars, small shipments of furniture, tea cartons and personal effects to complete home removals including the kitchen sink!
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How Much Does Container Shipping UK to USA Cost?
Containers to the USA from £1,900*
The cost of shipping containers from the UK to USA will vary depending on a few factors such as container size and the exact location you’re shipping to in the United States. For example, a remote address may cost more than major areas due to the extended shipping time, and a 20ft container will be cheaper to ship than a 40ft container. Inland areas may also cost more than those closest to ports.
View an estimate of the pricing below or get in touch with our team for an exact quote.
Typical Shipping Container Costs to the USA in 2026
In as little as 6-8 weeks
(Costs last updated May 2026)
| Container Size | Move Type | Cost |
| Groupage | 5 Large Boxes | £416 – £485 |
| Groupage | 10 Large Boxes | £437 – £590 |
| Groupage | 1 Bed House | £1900 – £2300 |
| 20 ft Container | 3 Bed House | £5540 – £6540 |
| 40 ft Container | 4 Bed House | £7900 – £8900 |
*Actual shipping costs vary depending on where in the UK you are and where in the United States you are shipping to.
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Shipping your container to the USA 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.
How can we help? Call 0800 988 3711
Our friendly team are on hand to answer any questions.
What Does Our Shipping Container to USA Service Include?
- Door-to-door container shipping to USA and all major cities in the United States
- 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 the USA if required
Full or Shared Shipping Container to the USA
At PSS, we offer two different ways of shipping containers to the United States from UK alongside our two shipping container size options of 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 the USA 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 USA 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 the US.
Our shipping container to the USA service is designed for household goods e.g. furniture and other personal items of those moving to cities or towns in the United States. If you’re looking to ship commercial goods, we recommend you get in touch with a commercial freight forwarder.
Container Shipping to USA cost calculator
Want to know how much it will cost to send your belongings to the USA? Our free online Cost Calculator will help you estimate the cost of the move.
How Long Does Shipping Containers to USA Take?
UK to USA shipping times range from 7-14 days for air freight and between 8 and 12 weeks for a shared container by sea. These are approximate sea freight shipping times to port only. You will need to allow additional time for customs clearance and final delivery to your destination.
Transit times can vary depending on the shipping option used and the end destination in the United States. Shared (part-load) container shipping takes longer than a sole-use container load, as different customers’ shipments need to be consolidated to fill a single container. However, as one of the UK’s leading companies for shipping to the USA, PSS have regular sailings every week, so we will aim to ship your belongings on the next available container.
Average UK to USA Container Shipping Times
| Port | Full Container Load (FCL) | Shared Container (Groupage/LCL) | Air Freight to USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2-4 weeks | 7-10 weeks | 7-14 days |
| Orlando | 2-4 weeks | 7-10 weeks | 7-14 days |
| Chicago | 2-4 weeks | 7-10 weeks | 7-14 days |
| Los Angeles | 4-6 weeks | 7-10 weeks | 7-14 days |
Customs Clearance in the USA for Container Shipping
As part of our USA shipping service, we take care of everything for you from door to door. This includes exporting your container from the United Kingdom and importing it into the United States.
If we pack your container for you, then our team will make sure all your items are packed and shipped according to United States customs requirements. We’ll also compile a customs inventory on your behalf and advise you of what other shipping documents and customs forms are required.
We appreciate that the customs process can be confusing and even overwhelming if you’re managing it on your own, which is why we strive to take the weight off your shoulders by handling it for you.
For a full list of restricted and prohibited items for air freight to the USA, see our detailed guide here or contact our team.
*Please note that our shipping quote includes basic customs clearance but not taxes, import duties and other customs charges such as any quarantine fees.
Shipping Containers UK to USA FAQs
Below are answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about overseas container shipping from the UK to the USA. 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 the USA from the UK take?
Shipping times to the USA 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.
| Sea Freight Full Container | Sea Freight Shared Container | Air Freight to USA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Shipping Times | 6-8 weeks | 8-12 weeks | 7-14 days |
NB: These are approximate air freight and sea freight shipping times to the destination port only. You will need to allow additional time for customs clearance and final delivery to your destination.
How much does container shipping to the USA cost?
| Move Type | Container Size | Cost(GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bed House | Shared Container | £1900 -£2300 |
| 3 Bed House | 20 ft Container | £5540 – £6540 |
| 4 Bed House | 40 ft Container | £7900 – £8900 |
The cost of shipping containers to the USA 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 are for a full international removal shipping 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 does not provide a full range of shipping services.
Cheap container shipping rates from the UK to the USA
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 / ocean freight rates with leading international shipping companies.
We are confident that we can offer you the cheapest rate to ship your container to the USA from the UK and you can be certain your belongings will be in safe hands.
To get an accurate container shipping rate we suggest you book a free home or video survey as they will be able to calculate the cost of shipping based on the volume of goods you will be sending.
How much is marine insurance or shipment protection?
We highly recommend you take out shipment protection cover 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, simply 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 vehicles declared value.
- Self-Pack (you pack) consignments cover costs 5% of the total insurable value you declare.
- Baggage/Air freight 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.
| 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.
Other sizes of container are available upon request – contact us for more details.
Shared or part load (LCL) shipping containers to the USA
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 the USA so the shipping 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 the USA
For shipping larger amounts such as a full household removal to the USA, 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 the USA.
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.
Which container shipping company do you use for sea freight to the USA?
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 the USA, you can be assured that your possessions will be taken care of and that you will receive a reliable ocean freight service.
Also as members of many accredited organisations, such as The Movers Traders Club, we are able to negotiate very favourable rates and pass these savings onto you.
Customs clearance when importing your container into the USA
As part of our USA 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 the United States.
Our shipping freight 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 for customs duties.
We recommend you carefully read the FIDI Customs Guide for the USA so that you are aware of the customs process and what you can and can’t ship to the USA.
In particular, check the list of prohibited and restricted items, and the conditions for duty / tax free entry into the USA.
Which USA Shipping Ports Do You Deliver To?
PSS International Removals will be able to ship containers to all locations in the USA.
Popular destinations for USA Container Shipping include:
- Los Angeles,
- Chicago
- Miami
- Dallas
- Philadelphia
Although shipping containers to the USA may seem like a stressful process, our extremely helpful team, with years of experience will make it feel easy.
