Car Shipping to Bilbao, Spain
On the Abra bay in Biscay, northern Spain, with the main facilities at Santurtzi and Zierbena about 15 km west of Bilbao city. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Bilbao, 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 Port of Bilbao
Bilbao is one of Spain's largest ports and the main port of the Basque Country, with terminals for containers, bulk, forest products, vehicles, general cargo and passengers. It has 17 km of waterfront and is run by the Bilbao Port Authority within Spain's Puertos del Estado system.
Area served: Serves the Basque Country and northern Spain, and lies close to car plants in Vitoria, Pamplona, Valladolid and Zaragoza.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Bilbao
The port has RoRo facilities for car traffic, and Bergé operates vehicle and RoRo terminals there among its three Bilbao terminals, which have 256,000 sq m of storage. Bilbao is a smaller car port than others on Spain's north coast, handling 12,870 vehicles in January to August 2026. Brittany Ferries sails from Bilbao to Portsmouth and Rosslare and P&O Ferries runs a Bilbao to Zeebrugge freight service.
- Port authority
- Bilbao Port Authority
- Vehicle and RoRo terminal operator
- Bergé
- UK ferry link
- Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- Vehicles handled
- 12,870 (January to August 2026)
Shipping a Car from the UK to Bilbao
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Bilbao: 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 4 days port to port, sailing from Tilbury. Lines on the route include Ellerman City Liners.
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 Spain, see our Spain shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to Bilbao
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2026 | Tilbury | 16 Oct 2026 | Vanquish | Ellerman City Liners |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Tilbury | 23 Oct 2026 | Vanquish | Ellerman City Liners |
| 26 Oct 2026 | Tilbury | 30 Oct 2026 | Vanquish | Ellerman City Liners |
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.