Mercator’s export team recently handled a 40’ high cube shipping container for sea freight to the USA from the UK. The option of sea freight to the USA provides reliable and cost-effective solution for businesses shipping goods across the Atlantic. With various routes and services, sea freight to the USA remains a popular choice for both full container load (FCL) and less than container load (LCL) shipments.
This particular consignment was sold to the US buyer on CFR (cost and freight) incoterm, meaning the UK exporter was responsible for the shipment from door in the UK through to the agreed arrival port (or ramp) in the US.
Mercator’s team arranged for the empty shipping container to be delivered to the site of the exporter for loading. Once loaded, the container was trucked to London Gateway port where it was loaded onto the targeted vessel for sea freight to the USA. Behind the scenes, Mercator’s team completed the VGM (verified gross mass) request and declaration, export customs clearance, and pre-notification formalities to the appointed US agent.
Transit times for sea freight to the USA vary depending on the chosen port, routing, and carrier schedule. Direct services are commonly available from the UK to major East Coast ports such as New York, Charleston, Savannah and Norfolk. There are even options for arranging shipping to “ramp” for major cities across the US, which is when the shipping container is transferred to a rail service in order to journey into a city that isn’t directly connected to a sea freight port.
Typical transit times to the US from the UK include:
- UK to US East Coast: approximately 7–14 days
- UK to US Gulf Coast: approximately 15–25 days
- UK to US West Coast (via transhipment): typically 25–40 days
This particular routing was from London Gateway to Charleston taking 10 days port to port.
As this shipment was based on CFR, Mercator did not handle the US side of the journey, instead it was handed across to the US importer’s customs broker who completed customs clearance and delivery to door.
As Mercator is part of the freight forwarding network MarcoPoloLine, we have strong connections with our partners in the US, based in various parts of the country, offering a full service stretching across all states. This means that if you are sending sea freight to the USA on DAP or DDP (delivered at place, or delivered duty paid), we can offer a full service in conjunction with our agents in the US.
Sea freight to the USA is often the preferred option for businesses due to its cost efficiency and scalability. It is particularly well suited to large or heavy loads, non-urgent cargo and regular shipments which require predictable arrivals in the US. With frequent sailings and a wide choice of routes, sea freight to the USA offers flexibility and dependable transit for transatlantic trade.
From initial collection through to final delivery, Mercator provides a fully managed solution for sea freight to the USA. Our experienced team coordinates each stage of the shipment, including transport, documentation, compliance and ocean freight, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.
If you have a shipment for sea freight to the USA, whether FCL or LCL, our team will be happy to provide a tailored quotation to suit your requirements. To request a quote from our team, you can call us on (+44) 02392 756 575, email sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or complete the form below and we will be in touch.
