Car Shipping to Cape Town, South Africa
Table Bay, next to Cape Town's city centre in the Western Cape. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Cape Town, 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 Cape Town
Cape Town is one of South Africa's main container ports, managed by Transnet National Ports Authority. It has two main basins: Ben Schoeman Dock, which holds the container terminal, and Duncan Dock, which holds the multipurpose, fresh produce, liquid bulk and cruise terminals. Strong south-easterly winds regularly halt operations in the port.
Area served: The port serves Cape Town and the Western Cape, with rail and road links inland to other South African centres.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Cape Town
Cape Town has no dedicated car terminal. Transnet Port Terminals runs its car terminals only at Durban, Gqeberha and East London. Vehicles arriving on RoRo ships are handled at the Multipurpose Terminal in Duncan Dock, a general cargo terminal with almost 1.8 km of quay that also handles fruit, grain, steel, timber and other breakbulk. The Cape Town Container Terminal in Ben Schoeman Dock has six deep-sea berths along a 1,137 m quay dredged to 15.5 m, with a capacity of about 1 million TEU a year. In the week to 20 July 2025 it handled 19,931 TEU, its highest weekly volume since March 2019.
- Port authority
- Transnet National Ports Authority
- Vehicle handling
- No dedicated car terminal. RoRo vehicles use the Multipurpose Terminal, Duncan Dock
- Container operator
- Transnet Port Terminals (Cape Town Container Terminal)
- Container terminal
- Six deep-sea berths, 1,137 m quay, 15.5 m depth, about 1 million TEU capacity
- Weekly container record
- 19,931 TEU (week to 20 July 2025)
Shipping a Car from the UK to Cape Town
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Cape Town: 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 4-6 weeks port to port, sailing from Felixstowe, London Gateway, Liverpool and Southampton. Lines on the route include MSC.
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 South Africa, see our South Africa shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to Cape Town
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 15 Nov 2026 | MSC Joy | MSC |
| 13 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 19 Nov 2026 | MSC Sara Elena | MSC |
| 15 Oct 2026 | Liverpool | 26 Nov 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | MSC |
| 16 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 26 Nov 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | MSC |
| 17 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 26 Nov 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | MSC |
| 22 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 26 Nov 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | MSC |
| 24 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 26 Nov 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | MSC |
| 24 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 3 Dec 2026 | MSC Ana Camila III | 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.