Car Shipping to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
In Treichville in southern Abidjan, on the Ébrié Lagoon, linked to the Atlantic by the 2.7 km Vridi Canal. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Abidjan, handling the whole UK side for you: car sourcing, tax-free supply where the car qualifies, buying on your behalf, inspections, collection and delivery to the UK port, UK customs clearance and loading onto the ship.
About Autonomous Port of Abidjan
Abidjan is one of the largest ports in West Africa and carries about 75% of Côte d'Ivoire's foreign trade. It handled 46.6 million tonnes and about 1.7 million TEU in 2025, helped by a second container terminal (TC2) with a 16-metre draught that opened in late 2022. The port opened in 1951 once the Vridi Canal allowed deep-sea ships to enter the lagoon.
Area served: The port is a gateway for landlocked Burkina Faso and Mali, which accounted for most of its 3.9 million tonnes of transit traffic in 2025, and also serves Niger.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Abidjan
Abidjan has a dedicated ro-ro terminal, Terminal Roulier d'Abidjan (TERRA), which handles ro-ro ships and their cargo on a single site. TERRA handled 39,854 vehicles and 22,617 TEU in 2021 and was awarded Bureau Veritas's Green Terminal label in 2022. Containers go through Abidjan Terminal and the newer TC2, run by Côte d'Ivoire Terminal.
- Port authority
- Port Autonome d'Abidjan
- Ro-ro terminal
- Terminal Roulier d'Abidjan (TERRA)
- Annual throughput
- 46.6 million tonnes and 1,697,131 TEU (2025)
- TC2 draught
- 16 metres
- Opened
- 1951
Shipping a Car from the UK to Abidjan
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Abidjan: sourcing the vehicle, tax-free supply from the selling dealer where the car qualifies, collection from any UK address, UK customs clearance and export documentation, and loading onto the ship by RoRo or container. Current carrier schedules show 1-4 weeks port to port, sailing from Felixstowe, London Gateway, Liverpool and Tilbury. Lines on the route include MSC and Grimaldi.
Any import duty and taxes are paid by the importer, whoever clears the car. We can arrange customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent, quoted separately, or work with an agent of your choice. For costs, the full sailing schedule and everything else about exporting to Côte d'Ivoire, see our Côte d'Ivoire shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to Abidjan
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 1 Nov 2026 | MSC Coruna | MSC |
| 13 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 1 Nov 2026 | MSC Coruna | MSC |
| 14 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 1 Nov 2026 | MSC Coruna | MSC |
| 14 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 25 Oct 2026 | MSC Marta | MSC |
| 15 Oct 2026 | Liverpool | 1 Nov 2026 | MSC Coruna | MSC |
| 16 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 1 Nov 2026 | MSC Coruna | MSC |
| 17 Oct 2026 | Tilbury | 9 Nov 2026 | Grande Luanda | Grimaldi |
| 22 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 8 Nov 2026 | MSC Fiammetta | MSC |
Our Other Services
UK Car Sourcing & Supply
We source any new or used vehicle from any manufacturer in the UK, through our network of franchised dealers, car auctions, classified listings and private sellers, then inspect, purchase and export it to your country.
Buy a Car in the UK on Your Behalf
We check, view and buy the UK car you've found, from a dealer or a private seller, then ship it to you, protecting you from the pitfalls of paying an unknown seller from overseas.
Tax-Free & VAT-Free Vehicle Supply
We find new and VAT-qualifying used cars from VAT-registered dealers who will sell them free of UK VAT for export, which takes a sixth off a VAT-inclusive price. The saving comes from the dealer, not as a refund from us: we are not VAT registered. We arrange the export and give the dealer the proof it needs.
New / Used Car Export
We export new and used cars from the UK every week, sourced from our dealer, auction and trade network or supplied by you, given a multi-point inspection before shipment and shipped worldwide by RoRo or container.
Pre-Purchase Inspections
Before you commit to a car, we check its DVLA, MOT and recall records and run a paid UK history check, then view it, compare it with its logbook and send you photos and a video. A full mechanical inspection by an independent inspector can be added, quoted separately.
Government Pre-Shipping Inspection
Where the destination country requires a pre-export roadworthiness inspection, we arrange it with the approved inspection agency before the sailing so the vehicle is not held up on arrival. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Collection & Delivery
We collect any vehicle from any UK address and deliver it to the departure port at £1 per mile, driven on DVLA plates or moved on a carrier, timed to meet the booked sailing.
Secure Vehicle Storage
Vehicles wait with us in a secure compound between purchase and sailing, so there is no rush to move a car the day you buy it and nothing accumulating in storage charges at the port. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
Paintwork Reconditioning
Where a car would arrive the better for it, we can recondition the paintwork before it ships — worth doing while the vehicle is with us rather than paying to sort it out after it lands. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Customs Clearance
We make export declarations directly on the UK customs system and prepare every document needed at the UK port of exit, including the Bill of Lading, export certificate and DVLA export documentation.