Mercator is a UK based freight forwarder handling shipments to the USA regularly. Our export freight forwarder team was recently tasked with this 40’ shipping container to the USA.
Working on behalf of the UK exporter, Mercator arranged the delivery of the shipping container to the export site for loading, haulage to London Gateway port, marine insurance, VGM (verified gross mass), UK export customs and sea freight to Charleston, USA. As the UK exporter sold the goods to their US customer on CIF incoterm (cost, insurance & freight), their responsibility for the shipment ceased once the shipping container landed at Charleston port in the USA, at which point the paperwork and shipment was handed over to the freight forwarder in the USA (as appointed by the US importer).
Sea freight to the USA can take as little as 7 days to New York (port to port), and can go up to 30 days if shipping to the West Coast – passing through the Panama Canal. This particular route, from London Gateway, UK to Charleston, USA, takes around 10 days port to port. If the consignment is a full container load, then you can add just a few days either side of the transit time for cut-off times set by the shipping line and relevant customs checks and submissions. For LCL to the USA, you could be adding up to a week either side for loading, unloading, customs and handling by the warehouses.
If you are looking to appoint a freight forwarder to the USA to handle your exports, then get in touch with our team for a quote. Whether your shipment is a simple FOB (free on board) shipment, or all the way to door in the USA (on DAP or DDP terms), we can handle the whole thing for you. We have a strong relationship with our partner freight forwarder in the USA, who we will liaise with for you to get your shipment delivered as to your requirements with minimal hassle.
You contact the team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and we will be in touch.
Shipping lines began re-routing their cargo ships back in December 2023 / January 2024, following attacks on commercial shipping vessels by Houthis. The re-routing has involved a 3,000 mile diversion around the Cape of Good Hope, in order to avoid the Red Sea and minimise risks on sea freight vessels and crew. This routing has lengthened transit times and, naturally, increased costs involved in sea freight shipping.
In the first half of 2025, there appeared to be a lull in the number of attacks by Houthis on commercial sea freight shipping vessels. Most shipping lines remained cautious and have continued to route around the Cape of Good Hope. However, the beginning of July saw some dramatic and violent attacks, resulting in the sinking of two bulkers, and the death of at least three seafarers.
Given the current climate, it looks likely that the majority of shipping lines will maintain their cautious approach, avoiding the Red Sea, keeping the current routing around the Cape of Good Hope and associated costs on sea freight.
If you are utilising sea freight for your shipments, either involving routing around the Cape of Good Hope, or traffic from the West, get in touch with our team to request a quote. We have established relationships with the major shipping lines and consolidators (for LCL shipping), teamed with our AEO status and ability to perform customs clearances at most UK ports, UK based freight forwarder Mercator is well placed to handle your sea freight requirements. You can get in touch by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and we will be in touch.
Whether you are shipping machinery that is used or new internationally from the UK, you will need to consider some important points before beginning the process.
Firstly by selecting the kind of shipping container equipment that is most suitable for your cargo. If you can get the machinery in a standard or high cube 20’ or 40’ container then these are the most readily available pieces of equipment for shipping. However, if the nature of the machinery means that it isn’t possible to load through just one end of the container, then a flat rack or open top shipping container might be the most suitable. An open top is useful when the cargo is out of gauge in height, whereas a flat rack will cater for out of gauge in height and or width.
Other considerations when shipping machinery include relevant paperwork such as commercial invoice for export, UK export customs clearance, certificate of origin (if required by your buyer at destination), and most importantly any export controls or sanctions at destination. Most of these points will either be handled by your UK-based freight forwarder (such as Mercator) or can be advised as to processes to complete these.
The above images are of two mini diggers which Mercator’s export team arranged for shipping from the UK. We organised the loading, lashing, draining of fuel and battery disconnection to prepare for export from the UK. Our team also handled the delivery to the Port of Felixstowe, loading onto the sea freight vessel and export ocean freight.
In this particular example, the machinery was used, so the draining of the fuel tank and disconnection of the battery was required to be able to ship the flat rack container and contents as non hazardous. For some destination countries, used machinery such as this will be required to be cleaned, free from dirt and debris. This is an important point to consider, and something we will be able to clarify with our agent at the destination country upon your enquiry.
If you are looking for a service for shipping machinery from the UK, please get in touch with our team who are well versed in handling out of gauge and unusual loads. You can get in touch with our export team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
UK based freight forwarder Mercator has an import team who regularly handle sea freight from South Korea to the UK. We were recently instructed to arrange this FOB shipment which included the sea freight of a full shipping container Busan through to Southampton port and onwards to the importer’s door.
In conjunction with our partner agent based in Seoul, we arranged the sea freight from South Korea to the UK. Once the container arrived in the UK, our import team completed the UK customs clearance, devann and delivery to the importer’s door on trucks with tail lifts due to restrictions at the unloading site.
There are weekly sailings from the major ports in South Korea: Busan, Incheon and Pyeongtaek, calling at various ports in the UK. Sailings of sea freight from South Korea to the UK ordinarily take around 35-40 days, however given the Suez Canal diversions, schedules are taking up to 55 days port to port.
If you have a shipment from South Korea to the UK, whether it is a full container, a single pallet for LCL or you wish to utilise air freight, then get in touch with our import team who will be glad to provide you with a quote. You can get in touch with our team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
Consolidated shipping is where a number of orders from different suppliers are combined in to one shipment. For example, if you were buying goods in the USA from more than one company, you could arrange to have all the orders delivered to a warehouse where they could then be consolidated and shipped together as one shipment.
By consolidating a shipment, you can streamline your delivery process, save money on shipping costs and even reduce carbon emissions.
Consolidated shipments can be sent via sea, road or air freight. In the case of sea freight, your consolidated shipment can be a number of orders that fill one whole container, or several pallets together as a LCL (less than container load) shipment. Mercator regularly handles consolidated air freight shipments from South Korea, and we have organised UK export consolidated shipments.
If you are in the process of organising a consolidated shipment for UK export or UK import, then get in touch with our team who will be glad to help you with a quote. Our team can be reached by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
If you’re a UK based manufacturer, you may have recently seen an increase in the demand for your goods overseas. Perhaps you haven’t exported your goods before, or have only done it a few times. It will seem like a daunting task, but that’s why it is a good idea to appoint a Freight Forwarder to handle your export shipment for you.
Mercator Cargo is a UK based Freight Forwarder, we have been running for over 20 years, and are still managed and run by the same family. We are a small team of experts in international shipping. Our dedicated export department can assist you in exporting your goods to almost anywhere in the world.
The Government has been saying for some time that international trade (particularly exports) will help the UK economy grow. Now is the perfect time to take that first step into the international trade arena and start exporting your UK manufactured goods. International trade can massively boost a small to medium sized company.
The UK has had a few exposed years in terms of media coverage, what with the London 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Royal Wedding and so on. As such, there is a greater demand in the world marketplace for UK branded goods.
According to the Office of National Statistics, the export market for the UK for the second quarter of 2013 has been the highest on record (at £78.4bn). If you think your company would like a slice of this huge potential, then perhaps it is time to seriously consider exporting your goods worldwide.
If you are in the stage of arranging some international sales, then it is always a good idea to also tempt your buyers by offering freight included (this can be seen as favourable as it would reduce their workload). We can offer a range of services, from just freight, to a full door to door service.
Give one of our sales team a call today to get a quote for your shipment – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
The biggest ever container ship is due to set sail on the waters in June this year. Rumoured to be taller than the 2012 Olympic Stadium and 400 metres long, it will be the largest vessel on the seas.
Named the Triple E, the new model of container ship will have holding capacity of 18,000 20 foot containers. Inside these 18,000 containers you could fit 863 million cans of baked beans, or 36,000 cars.
Currently, the largest container ship holds the equivalent of 12,500 20 foot containers. This is an increase in capacity of almost 50%. There are already discussions of an ever bigger vessel holding up to 30,000 containers.
The new Triple E ships are intended to run ocean freight services between Asia and Europe.
So what does this mean for the freight forwarding industry?
Bigger container ships are said to be more eco-friendly. Not only is technology becoming more advanced on these large container ships, but by carrying more cargo, the fuel footprint per tonne of cargo is reducing.
However, larger container ships bring their own problems, as ports are expected to either adapt to receive these bigger vessels, or the ships will call at other ports instead.
The Port of Felixstowe handles almost half of the UK’s container trade and has plans to increase its capacities by constructing a third rail terminal due to open later this year.
If you’re looking for a freight forwarder to handle your import or export sea freight, call us today – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
The freight forwarding port of Charleston, South Carolina in the USA, has seen a recent increase in shipping container traffic; handling over 1.5 million equivalents of 20ft containers at its two container terminals last year.
Charleston container port has been named the fastest growing container port on the USA’s East Coast between January and November last year. This increase in size and capacity makes it an ideal port for freight forwarders to ship cargo via sea freight to and from for an efficient and reliable service.
Part of the port’s successes in the increase of container traffic is due to the improved export services and new carrier services to places such as Vietnam and Australia via ocean freight. These improved links between (for example) the USA and Vietnam add to the sea freight forwarding list of options of routes and destination ports.
Charleston container port has stated that it wishes to continue this growth, in particular increasing refrigerated cargo (in refrigerated containers sometimes known as reefers), forest and agricultural products and container imports for e-commerce retailers.
If you would like to speak to a member of the Mercator Cargo team today to discuss your import from Charleston, USA, or an export to the United States, call us today- Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
