Car Shipping to Tacoma, USA
On Commencement Bay at Tacoma, Washington, at the southern end of Puget Sound. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to Tacoma, 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 Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma has run its marine cargo business jointly with the Port of Seattle since 2015 as the Northwest Seaport Alliance, which handled 3,156,598 TEU in 2025, down 5.5% on 2024. Automobiles are among Tacoma's main imports, and the alliance recorded 269 ro-ro vessel calls in 2025.
Area served: The Pacific Northwest, with rail links to the US Midwest.
How Vehicles Are Handled at Tacoma
Car carriers berth at East Blair One (EB1) in Tacoma, a 26-acre auto and break-bulk terminal with a 1,200 ft berth, 51 ft of water and an on-dock rail spur, used by carriers including EUKOR, Hyundai Glovis, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, K Line, MOL and NYK. Imported vehicles are processed at the 146-acre Marshall Avenue Auto Facility, operated by Auto Warehousing Company with near-dock rail. Auto volumes at NWSA and Port of Tacoma facilities were 274,186 units in 2025, down 18.8% on 2024; no separate Tacoma-only figure is published.
- Ro-ro berth
- East Blair One (EB1), 1,200 ft, 51 ft MLLW
- Auto processor
- Auto Warehousing Company, Marshall Avenue Auto Facility (146 acres)
- Auto units
- 274,186 (2025, NWSA and Port of Tacoma facilities)
- Ro-ro vessel calls
- 269 (2025, NWSA)
- Containers
- 3,156,598 TEU (2025, NWSA)
- Cargo operator
- Northwest Seaport Alliance (with the Port of Seattle)
Shipping a Car from the UK to Tacoma
We handle the whole UK side of an export to Tacoma: 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 4-5 weeks port to port, sailing from Southampton. Lines on the route include Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
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 USA, see our USA shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to Tacoma
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 14 Nov 2026 | Theben | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
| 24 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 26 Nov 2026 | Morning Lily | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
| 7 Nov 2026 | Southampton | 6 Dec 2026 | Lake Tazawa | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
| 17 Nov 2026 | Southampton | 16 Dec 2026 | Morning Laura | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
| 3 Dec 2026 | Southampton | 2 Jan 2027 | Tirranna | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
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.