Container Shipping Prices 2025

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20ft Container

40ft Container

Disclaimer: All figures shown are estimates. Actual rates may vary.

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International Container Sizes and Prices from South Africa

Depending on the volume of your belongings, you can choose between a 20ft or 40ft container. Use our calculator to estimate the cost of shipping containers internationally from South Africa.

Destination	20ft Container Cost (ZAR)	40ft Container Cost (ZAR)
Australia	R155,000	R235,000
Netherlands	R165,000	R225,000
New Zealand	R155,000	R235,000
UAE	R125,000	R195,000
UK	R155,000	R195,000
USA	R280,000	R380,000

Disclaimer: These figures are averages and are merely estimates.

Costs According to the Shipping Method

There are two main types of shipment arrangements: FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less than Container Load). The difference? In the latter, you’ll be sharing the space with other people.

• Full Container Load Shipping Costs (FCL): Costs range from R150,000 to R350,000. Ideal for large shipments. This is preferable if you have enough belongings to at least fill half of the container.
• Shared Container Shipping Costs (LCL): Sharing a container can cost between R3,500 and R6,500, suitable for smaller shipments. With Less than Container Load, you only use a portion of a container and only pay for the space that you use, thus saving you money on your container shipping cost.

Find The Cheapest International Shipping from South Africa

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Take a look at the best international container shipping companies and compare your options for moving a container to your destination.

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Container Shipping Cost Factors

• Volume of your move – Calculate the volume of your belongings. The higher, the more it’ll cost.
• Distance – As logical as it sounds, the further, the higher.
• Service – A port-to-port delivery can be cheaper than a door-to-door one.
• Transport – Air freight can be faster, but also expensive. By sea can be a cheaper but slower alternative.
• Budget – To keep your container shipping cost low, shipping by sea is by far the most popular mode of transport, given the cost.
• Seasonality – Summer sees higher demand and lower capacity, resulting in higher costs.

International Shipping Container Sizes

Not sure how much space you’ll need to ship your items? Here’s a comparison of what would fit in 20ft and 40ft shipping containers:

20ft Shipping Container Dimensions

The inside dimensions of a 20ft container are 6.1m x 2.4m x 2.6m. Suitable for 2-3 bedroom homes, with a volume of 33m³.

40ft Shipping Container Dimensions

The size of a 40ft shipping container is 12.2m x 2.4m x 2.6m.

It can hold up to 76 m³ of volume, which can be a right fit for those with a house larger than 3 bedrooms.

How to Pack a Container for Overseas?

• Prepare your belongings – Consider what you are going to bring and calculate the volume to choose the right container size.
• Ask for moving quotes – With an accurate volume, you will be able to request prices from companies and find the best service for you.
• Start packing – Wrap them in the proper materials to ensure protection on the shipment.
• Insurance – Get your belongings insured, as there’s always a chance of inconveniences.
• Shipping your car – Can’t bear to part from your four wheels? Factor in the cost of this alongside your container shipping prices.

What’s next?

We hope you found this page informative and that you have a better grasp of what container shipping prices entail. Keep reading to find the FAQs and more moving resources that may help you.