RORO and container · Updated November 2026

Shipping a Car to Kenya and Tanzania from the UK and Europe

Shipping a car from Europe or the UK to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam by RORO typically costs US$1,250–1,610 in sea freight, or US$3,480–5,190 for a motorhome, plus about €250 (EU) or £250 (UK) export costs. Sailings take about 20–40 days. Port and clearance charges in Kenya and Tanzania are paid direct to the local agent.

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Standard car, RORO, Europe to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam

from US$1,250

Typical range US$1,250–1,610 · About 20–40 days at sea

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Car from

US$1,250 sea freight (RORO)

Departures

Sheerness, Southampton, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Bremerhaven

Arrival ports

Mombasa (Kenya), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)

Export costs

About €250 (EU) or £250 (UK)

Sole-use container

20ft from €3,375 (EU) or £2,950 (UK)

Transit

About 20–40 days, by route

Carnet needed?

Recommended for travellers; Kenya asks for one from visitors outside EAC and COMESA

Book ahead

3 months to 3 weeks before sailing

How much does RORO shipping cost?

Typical RORO sea freight from northern European and UK ports to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, including BL, LSL and BAF, based on IVSS quotes for this route in the last 90 days. Destination charges are paid direct to the local agent.

Vehicle	Typical sea freight	Action
Car (saloon/hatchback)	US$1,250 – 1,610	Get a quote
4x4 / SUV	US$1,880 – 2,500	Get a quote
Van	US$2,100 – 3,910	Get a quote
Campervan / motorhome	US$3,480 – 5,190	Get a quote
4x4 camper / overlander	US$2,510 – 4,320	Get a quote
Expedition truck	US$5,580 – 8,090	Get a quote

How much does container shipping cost?

Container is the choice for classics, high-value vehicles and anything you want to pack with belongings.

Sole-use container, export, freight and loading

From	20ft	40ft HC
EU ports to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam	€3,375	€4,375
UK ports to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam	£2,950	£3,825

From northern European ports such as Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Hamburg. Includes export costs, shipping, stuffing and customs clearance; some costs vary by port and are confirmed with your booking. Import costs are about US$1,720–2,000, contracted with and paid to the local agent.

Not included: marine insurance, duty and taxes, or costs from a customs inspection. Container prices are confirmed for your sailing.

Why are you shipping your vehicle to East Africa?

Touring / Overlanding

Start or continue an African trip

Mombasa and Dar es Salaam are gateways to East Africa and the route south.

Moving to Kenya or Tanzania

Take your vehicle with you

Age limits and duty rules apply; check them before you buy or ship.

Classic and collector cars

Ship a classic in a container

A sole-use container keeps a valuable car sealed from loading to arrival.

Trade and business

Projects, fleets and machinery

RORO for trucks, plant and oversized units, priced by the cubic metre.

Importing

How do I import a car to Kenya?

To import a car to Kenya permanently, it must be within KRA’s 8-year age limit and cleared by a licensed clearing agent, paying 25% import duty, 20% excise duty and 16% VAT, plus a 2% import declaration fee and a 1.5% railway levy. Visitors from outside the EAC and COMESA can bring their own car in temporarily with a carnet or pass sheet and a Foreign Vehicle Permit. RORO from the UK or Europe to Mombasa takes about 20–40 days, from US$1,250 for a standard car.

Temporary or permanent: Temporary: visitors from outside the EAC and COMESA, with a carnet or pass sheet, a Foreign Vehicle Permit (one month, extendable) and COMESA insurance. Permanent: clearance through a licensed agent, within KRA’s 8-year age limit. Returning residents may bring one car free of duty.
Documents: Registration document, passport, bill of sale and the bill of lading.
Duty and tax: 25% import duty, 20% excise duty and 16% VAT, plus a 2% import declaration fee and a 1.5% railway development levy, all on the CIF value.
Carnet: Kenya asks visitors from outside the EAC and COMESA for a carnet de passages or pass sheet; we recommend one for travellers.
How long it takes: About 20–40 days at sea, by route. Book 3 months to 3 weeks before sailing.
What it costs: From US$1,250 sea freight for a standard car (typically up to US$1,620), plus about €250 (EU) or £250 (UK) export costs. Port and clearance charges in Kenya are paid direct to the local agent.

Official sources: KRA: Temporary importation of road vehicles and foreign vehicle permits · KRA: Diaspora information pack

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Entry rules

What are the rules for temporary entry, permanent import and transfer of residence in Kenya and Tanzania?

Kenya and Tanzania are both East African Community members but apply their own customs procedures at the port.

Option	Who it is for	Duty and tax	What you need
Temporary entry, Kenya (visitors)	Visitors from outside the EAC and COMESA	No duty while the vehicle is temporarily imported	Carnet de passages or pass sheet, a Foreign Vehicle Permit (one month, extendable) and COMESA insurance
Temporary entry, Tanzania (visitors)	Visitors with a foreign-registered vehicle	Duty-free temporary admission on approval (form C17). TRA takes a cash deposit or security bond covering the duty, and the vehicle must leave within 12 months.	We recommend a carnet de passages
Permanent import, Kenya	Anyone keeping the vehicle in Kenya	25% import duty, 20% excise duty and 16% VAT, plus a 2% import declaration fee and 1.5% railway levy	Clearance through a licensed agent; KRA lists an 8-year age limit
Permanent import, Tanzania	Anyone keeping the vehicle in Tanzania	Import duty 25%, excise duty by engine size with extra excise on vehicles 8 years old or more, and 18% VAT. Returning residents may bring one car under 8 years old, up to 3,000 cc and owned 12 months, duty-free.	Clearance by a licensed clearing agent (a local agent we introduce, or your own broker), lodged in TANCIS at least 7 days before arrival, with the bill of lading and invoice.
Returning resident, Kenya	Residents returning after at least 12 months abroad, aged 18 or over, first claim only	One vehicle free of duty	Owned and used abroad for at least 12 months and not older than 8 years
Returning resident, Tanzania	Residents returning from abroad, aged 18 or over	One vehicle free of duty, if it travels as your baggage	Owned and used abroad for at least 12 months, under 8 years old, cleared within 90 days of arrival (up to 360 days at TRA's discretion)

Neither country has a separate transfer-of-residence relief for foreign nationals; the returning-resident allowances are for citizens and residents coming home. A temporarily imported vehicle must not be sold or left behind.

Official sources: KRA: Temporary importation of road vehicles and foreign vehicle permits · KRA: Diaspora information pack · TRA: Returning residents · TRA: temporary importation · TRA: returning residents · EAC Common External Tariff (TRA)

Customs clearance is through our broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own broker. Rules change; we confirm them for your vehicle before you ship.

Touring / Overlanding

Can I tour East Africa in my own vehicle?

Travellers usually bring their vehicle in on a carnet de passages. Our agents in Mombasa and Dar es Salaam handle the port formalities with you.

What you need

A valid carnet de passages, with the original at our agent at least 5 days before arrival
Vehicle registration document and passport
Third-party insurance for the region, such as the COMESA yellow card
A Foreign Vehicle Permit for Kenya, applied for on arrival

Before you ship

Book 3 months to 3 weeks ahead
Present the vehicle empty: carriers decide what may stay inside
Remove gas bottles and declare lithium leisure batteries
Deliver the vehicle 2–3 days before sailing; we confirm the cut-off date

Holidays and elections

Customs offices in the region can close for public holidays, elections and national events, which delays clearance.

Route at sea

Ships reach East Africa either through the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal or round South Africa. We tell you which when we quote.

Shipping home

We ship back to Europe by container or flat rack, and on to the UAE and Oman.

Overland vehicle shipping: the complete guide →

Importing to Kenya or Tanzania

How do I import a vehicle permanently?

If the vehicle is staying, it is cleared for home use and pays local duty and taxes. Kenya and Tanzania both set age limits, so check the vehicle qualifies before it ships.

Clearance: Our broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own clearing agent can clear the vehicle. A licensed clearing agent is required in Kenya.
Kenya costs: Import duty, excise duty and VAT, plus a 2% import declaration fee and a 1.5% railway development levy, all based on the CIF value.
Tanzania costs: Import duty, excise and VAT are set by TRA. We confirm duty and tax for your vehicle before you ship.
Documents: Registration document, passport, bill of sale and the bill of lading.

Trade and business

Do you ship for projects, fleets and businesses?

We ship vehicles, trucks and machinery to Kenya and Tanzania for businesses and projects, by RORO or container.

RORO

From Sheerness, Southampton, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Hamburg and Bremerhaven to Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. Oversized units are charged by the cubic metre.

Containers

Sole-use 20ft from €3,375 (EU) or £2,950 (UK). See container prices above.

Other routes

We also ship from East Africa to Europe, the UAE and Oman, and from Europe to southern and West Africa.

Price match

We will try to match or beat any valid quotation.

Get a business quote

Why ship with IVSS?

Advice you can use

Carnets, temporary and permanent import, paperwork and insurance, explained before you book.

Trusted agents only

We only use agents we know, which avoids surprise costs.

Kept informed

We update you at every stage, from booking to collection.

We have done it ourselves

We have shipped our own vehicle around the world.

How does shipping from Europe and the UK work?

Book 4–8 weeks ahead. We handle the booking and paperwork, and help with customs.

1
Get a quote
Fill in the 2-minute form for instant pricing.
2
Book your sailing
We confirm the carrier, date and port delivery instructions.
3
Prepare
Clean the vehicle, remove loose items, send your registration document and passport copy.
4
Drop off
At the terminal, normally 4–7 days before sailing.
5
Sea crossing
We track the vessel and keep you updated until arrival.
6
Clearance and collection
Customs is cleared by our broker, a local agent or your own; collection is normally 2–3 working days after arrival.

Do I need marine insurance for the crossing?

Your road insurance does not cover the sea crossing. We arrange All Risks marine insurance from the departure port to the arrival port, with or without a condition survey.

Motorhomes, expedition trucks and 4x4 campers: when insured through us, personal items inside the vehicle are covered up to €15,000, where your route allows belongings in the vehicle.

Insured value up to €25,000€200 single trip, €400 multi-trip
Insured value up to €50,000€300 single trip, €600 multi-trip
Insured value up to €100,000€425 single trip, €850 multi-trip
Higher values, up to €1,000,000In bands, shown on your quote; above that, ask us

Excess €500 per claim. Cover is subject to the insurer's policy wording, which we send with your booking confirmation. Damage, theft and claims

Questions about shipping from Europe and the UK

How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Kenya?

RORO sea freight for a standard car typically costs US$1,250–1,610 to Mombasa, based on IVSS quotes in the last 90 days, plus about £250 UK export costs. Kenyan port and clearance charges are paid direct to the local agent.

How much is a container to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam?

A sole-use 20ft container costs €3,375 from EU ports or £2,950 from UK ports, and a 40ft HC €4,375 or £3,825, including export costs, stuffing and customs clearance. Import costs are about US$1,720–2,000.

Do I need a carnet for Kenya or Tanzania?

Kenya asks visitors from outside the EAC and COMESA for a carnet de passages and a Foreign Vehicle Permit. We recommend a carnet for Tanzania too; the original must reach our agent at least 5 days before the ship arrives.

How long does shipping to East Africa take?

About 20–40 days at sea, depending on the port of departure and whether the ship goes via the Suez Canal or via South Africa.

Can I import a car to Kenya permanently?

Yes, but duty, excise and VAT are payable, and returning residents can only claim the duty-free allowance for a vehicle under 8 years old. We confirm costs with the local agent before you ship.

When should I book?

Bookings can be made from 3 months to 3 weeks before sailing. Public holidays and elections can slow customs in the region, so allow extra time.

How do I import a car to Kenya?

Clear it through a licensed clearing agent in Kenya: our broker, a local agent we introduce, or your own. The car must be within KRA’s 8-year age limit, and duty, excise duty and VAT are paid on the CIF value. The documents are the registration document, your passport, the bill of sale and the bill of lading.

How much import duty do I pay on a car in Kenya?

25% import duty, 20% excise duty and 16% VAT, plus a 2% import declaration fee and a 1.5% railway development levy, all based on the CIF value. We confirm the amount for your vehicle before you ship.

Is there an age limit for importing a car to Kenya?

Yes. KRA lists an 8-year age limit, and a returning resident’s duty-free car must also be no older than 8 years.

Can returning Kenyans bring a car in duty-free?

Yes, once: residents returning after at least 12 months abroad, aged 18 or over, may bring one vehicle free of duty if they owned and used it abroad for at least 12 months and it is not older than 8 years.

When are the next sailings?

Live schedules from the carriers we book with. Dates move; we confirm yours at booking.

UK and Europe to Mombasa and Dar es Salaam

RORO

Next sailing: Amethyst Ace from Southampton on 16 Nov 2026, arriving Dar es Salaam on 22 Dec 2026 (36 days). About 6 sailings a month. Updated 12 Nov 2026.

Calls at Dar es Salaam and Mombasa

RORO sailings from the UK and Europe to Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, Nov 2026 – Dec 2026
Vessel	From	Departs	Dar es Salaam	Mombasa
Amethyst Ace	Southampton	16 Nov 2026	22 Dec 2026	23 Dec 2026
Amethyst Ace	Bremerhaven	22 Nov 2026	22 Dec 2026	23 Dec 2026
Amethyst Ace	Antwerp	24 Nov 2026	22 Dec 2026	23 Dec 2026
Amethyst Ace	Sheerness	29 Nov 2026	22 Dec 2026	23 Dec 2026
Ruby Ace	Southampton	15 Dec 2026	18 Jan 2027	19 Jan 2027
Ruby Ace	Bremerhaven	21 Dec 2026	18 Jan 2027	19 Jan 2027
Ruby Ace	Antwerp	23 Dec 2026	18 Jan 2027	19 Jan 2027
Ruby Ace	Sheerness	26 Dec 2026	18 Jan 2027	19 Jan 2027