United Kingdom International Shipping

Population: 62.74 million Currency: Pound sterling (GBP) Largest City: London Learn more about how you can ship a car to the United Kingdom, as well as some of the characteristics regarding the United Kingdom’s culture and landscape. Important Links: United Kingdom Government United Kingdom Ministry of Public Works and Transport United Kingdom Customs

A Brief Description of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is America’s closest political, economic and military ally. The two nations have marched in lockstep on almost every major world issue since at least the beginning of the last century. Located in Europe’s northwestern coast, the United Kingdom comprises of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and several smaller islands. The UK was once the world’s leading political and military power. It wields considerably less influence on the global stage these days but is still a major force. It has the world’s sixth-largest economy by Gross Domestic Product. It is also a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and is one among a handful of recognized nuclear powers. The UK is a constitutional monarchy with a queen as the current titular head of state. However, the country is actually governed by a democratically elected prime minister and legislature. The United Kingdom has the distinction of being the first industrialized nation in the world. The industrial revolution started in the UK and powered much of its economic growth for nearly two centuries. Though manufacturing activity has gradually declined over the years, the UK still has a robust manufacturing sector. The country is a major producer of cars and airplanes. It is also a major hub of high technology and pharmaceutical research organizations. London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is one of the biggest financial centers in the world. The city ranks behind only New York City and Tokyo in terms of importance to the global financial services industry. The UK is the sixth-most visited nation on the earth and derives substantial revenues from the tourism industry as well.

Shipping a Car to the United Kingdom

United Kingdom international shipping companies provide a range of container shipping and Roll on Roll off (RoRo) services for shipping a car to the United Kingdom from America and for shipping a car from the United Kingdom to the U.S. Residents and citizens of the United State can import a car to the UK without having to pay any import duties or Value Added Tax (VAT) so long as they have not previously resided in the UK. Those looking to ship a car to the United Kingdom on a temporary basis can also do so without having to pay any duties. Those who do not fall into these categories can typically expect to pay at least 20 percent of the value of the car in VAT. Car transport companies offer two ways for shipping to the United Kingdom: in a container or on board a Roll on Roll off (RoRo) vessel. Container shipping is considered the safer option because the car is transported in a fully enclosed 20-foot or 40-foot steel container. In contrast, RoRo carriers transport cars on decks that are completely exposed to the elements during transit. However, the difference in costs between the two modes of transportation can be substantial. Auto transport companies can charge as much as $4,000 to transport a car from the United States to the UK in a container. In contrast, RoRo companies charge only between $700 and $1,000 for international shipping to the United Kingdom.