Car Shipping to Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Queen Salote International Wharf is in Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital, on the north coast of Tongatapu. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Nuku'alofa, 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 Queen Salote International Wharf, Nuku'alofa
Queen Salote International Wharf is Tonga's only deep-sea port and handles about 98 per cent of the country's imports, run by Ports Authority Tonga. A major rebuild of Wharf 1 and a 45 metre extension of Wharf 2, funded by the Asian Development Bank and Australia, was due to finish in 2026 and is expected to lift capacity from 30,000 to 45,000 TEU a year (2024).
Area served: Tongatapu is the main island; the Vava'u and Ha'apai groups are reached by inter-island shipping, and some Matson voyages call Vava'u directly.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Nuku'alofa
Queen Salote Berths 1 and 2 are multi-purpose and can take RoRo vessels up to 110 metres with 11 metre drafts. The container terminal can store up to 700 containers, with 63 reefer plugs.
- Multi-purpose berths
- Queen Salote Berths 1 and 2, RoRo vessels up to 110 m
- Container storage
- Up to 700 containers, 63 reefer plugs
- Share of imports
- About 98% (2024)
- Capacity after upgrade
- 45,000 TEU a year, up from 30,000 (2024)
- Operator
- Ports Authority Tonga
Shipping a Car from the UK to Nuku'alofa
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Nuku'alofa: 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.
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 Tonga, see our Tonga shipping guide.
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.