Shipping cars to West Africa becomes hassle-free when you work with a reliable and experienced shipping partner like AFL. For car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa you must be aware of the import rules and regulations of the country. Otherwise, you might end up paying extra charges on your vehicle shipments or delayed car deliveries. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the entire process along with suggestions on best practices to ship your car to Cape Verde, West Africa.
Cape Verde: An introduction
Located on the coast of West Africa, Cape Verde is a beautiful island country in the central Atlantic ocean. Before you ship your vehicle to this beautiful archipelago, you must be well-informed about the customs rules and regulations of the country. Cape Verde is a global tourist destination with hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. The island country consists of ten volcanic islands which are a major attraction for tourists. The annual goods trade between the US and Cape Verda stands at $12 Million. The US exports vehicles worth $1 Million annually to the island country and the number is expected to rise in the coming years.
The process of car shipping to Cape Verda, West Africa
Car shipping to West Africa is where AFL outranks its competitors primarily because we know the region well and have built reliable local connections in the past two decades. This is why we have simplified the process so that you can enjoy a hassle-free shipping experience. The shipping process contains the following steps:
- In the first step, we ask you about your shipping requirements. We have a dedicated team to assist you in making these decisions. We may ask you about the size & type of your car, delivery address, desired mode of transportation, condition of the car, and the destination port.
- Once the shipping requirements are clear, we complete the documentation work for shipping your vehicle. Improper documentation leads to higher costs of shipping and we tend to avoid that. We also book your shipment on a vessel heading towards your desired destination port.
- In the final step, we ship your vehicle to the destination port. Once it reaches there, we inform you and request you to receive the vehicle after the necessary verification process.
Available options for car shipping to Cape Verda, West Africa
For car shipping to Cape Verda, West Africa, you get two options. The two options are RoRo shipping and container shipping. We have explained the pros and cons of each shipping method below so that you can make a well-informed decision.
RoRo Shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa
The most economical method for car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa is RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) shipping. In this shipping method, your car is driven onto a vessel and then tied to the deck. The RoRo vessel then transports your car to the destination port. Once the vessel reaches the destination port, it is unloaded in a similar fashion.
For this shipping method, your car must be functional with enough fuel left in the tank. Since hundreds of cars are shipped simultaneously in a single vessel, the shipping cost per vehicle is reduced. Apart from being economical, this method also allows you to ship oversized vehicles as space is not a constraint in this mode of shipping.
RoRo vessels deliver your car shipments to West Africa without any delays since these ships follow a schedule like that of an airline. The only requirement for this method is that your car should be operational as a driver from the company will drive the vehicle onto the ship. So, if you own a non-running car, container shipping is your best bet.
Container Shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa
In container shipping, your vehicle is loaded into a container which is then sealed. The sealed container is then loaded onto a container ship which transports it to the destination port. Container shipping is comparatively expensive as it adds an extra layer of security for your vehicles and they are not exposed to the atmosphere.
Moreover, you can also ship non-running cars with this shipping method. There are different sizes of containers available and you can choose according to your shipping needs. Container shipping is further divided into two categories which we have discussed below.
LCL or Shared Container Shipping
In LCL (Less than Container Load) or shared container shipping, we charge you for the space only your car consumes in the container. The rent is divided among all the customers sharing that container. Normally, three to four cars are shipped in a normal-sized container. Moreover, you can ship some luggage in the trunk of your vehicle. Make sure that you don’t have any expensive items in the car.
This shipping method is cost-effective when compared to the other option in container shipping. Shared container shipping is suitable to ship normal use cars to West Africa. The only downside of using this option is that you have to face unexpected delays sometimes. The delays are justified because the shipping company loads a container onto the ship only when it has the required number of cars in it. This problem can be resolved by employing a private container shipping method which we have discussed below.
FCL or Private Container Shipping
In FCL (Full Container Load) or private container shipping, you face no delays as you are the only one renting the entire container. Another advantage of using this option is that you can ship as much luggage as the container can accommodate along with your car. Or, you can ship your own three to four cars in a single private container. Once you have filled the container with your vehicle and other cargo, it will be shipped on the first ship that departs to your destination country. Private container shipping is the most expensive option out of all the options we have discussed. Therefore, it is more suitable for shipping luxury or antique cars to Cape Verde, West Africa. The fast shipping time and the option to add as much luggage as one wants to make private container shipping an attractive option for luxury car owners.
Cost of car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa
The cost of car shipping to Cape Verde varies between $1700 to $3300. This is merely an estimate and the actual cost of shipping depends on many factors including shipping method, shipping distance, origin and destination ports, shipping season, and type of vehicle. Since the RoRo shipping method is the cheapest, you can save costs by choosing this option. In container shipping, private container shipping is the priciest option you can choose for car shipping to Cape Verde. If you opt for our door-to-domestic port shipping service, the overall shipping costs will increase. You can choose to save this cost by driving the vehicle yourself to the origin port in the USA.
Time Required for shipping cars to Cape Verde, West Africa
Car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa can take 17 to 28 days depending on the shipping method, shipping season, and the shipping distance. Shipping distance here refers to the distance between the origin port in the US and the destination port in Cape Verde. You can expect another 10 days for documentation of your shipment. If you choose our door-to-domestic port services, you should expect 5 to 7 extra days. The shipment can get even more delayed if your documentation is not done properly. When you work with AFL, we make sure that your documentation is complete in all respects so that you can enjoy a smooth and fast shipping experience.
Requirements for Shipping to Liberia, West Africa
There are specific documentation rules and regulations for importing vehicles to Cape Verde. You can contact the US Customs and Border Agency for getting customs information for exporting vehicles to the West African Island. For car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa, you’ll need the following documents:
- Passport
- Residence Permit
- Cape Verde Entry Permit
- Bill of Sale (for new cars only)
- Original Title of vehicle showing model, make engine, and chassis number.
- Insurance certificate
- Diplomatic Exemption granted by Cape Verde Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for diplomats)
Find the Right Company for Car Shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa
Choosing the right company for car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa can save you money, effort, and time. AFL specializes in shipping cars to West Africa due to decades of experience and industry knowledge. Moreover, AFL is an NVOCC services provider. A Non-Vessel Owning Common Carrier (NVOCC) company doesn’t own the vessel and instead books your car shipment on the most economical vessel. NVOCC service providers can ensure economical shipping as we book large chunks of spaces on such ships.
Our dedicated customs experts make sure that your documentation is proper and complete in all respects. Doing this ensures that you don’t get any penalty from the Cape Verde customs and your shipments reach the destination port on time. Finally, our door-to-domestic port services ensure that you can relax at home while our company picks up the vehicle from your doorstep.
Frequently Asked Questions about car shipping to Cape Verde, West Africa
How can I prepare my car for shipping to Cape Verde?
You can follow some simple steps for preparing the car. Make sure that the fuel tank is filled to 25% of its capacity and not more than that. Do not leave any expensive items in the trunk or anywhere else in the car. Finally, your car must be functional if you want to ship a car via the RoRo shipping method.
Does AFL offer door-to-domestic port shipping services?
We understand that you have other commitments and might not be able to drive the vehicle to your nearest port. In this case, AFL offers you its door-to-port shipping services whereby our representative will pick up the car from your doorstep and deliver it to the nearest port.