Car, Boat & Heavy Equipment Shipping to Bahamas
Seaway Export ships from Savannah, Miami / Port Everglades, and other ports to Nassau and Freeport in 2–12 days port to port, with weekly sailings on the main lane and rates from $1,100.
A short crossing from Florida to Nassau and Freeport. Left-hand-drive U.S. cars register here, vehicles up to ten years old clear on standard terms, and we price the duty before you buy.
Bahamas at a Glance
2 ports · Container- Shipping from
- $1,100+
- Ocean transit
- 2–4 days (Florida) · up to 12 days from Houston
- Arrival ports
- Nassau · Freeport
- Import duty + VAT
- 45–65% duty + 10% VAT
- Age limit
- 10 years without approval
No obligation · Response within 1 business day
Shipping to Bahamas: What You Need to Know
The Bahamas drives on the left, but most cars on its roads are left-hand drive because they come from the United States, and they register without conversion. Bahamas Customs takes vehicles up to 10 years old on standard terms; an older vehicle needs prior approval from the Ministry of Finance and pays a 20% environmental levy on its landed cost. Vehicles with a certificate of destruction or a non-rebuildable salvage title are prohibited, so the title brand matters more than the damage.
Duty is charged on the vehicle's value: 65% for most used passenger cars and for cars over 2.0 litres, 45% for new cars of 1.5–2.0 litres, and 10% for hybrids and electric vehicles worth up to $70,000. A 1% processing fee and a $250 environmental levy follow, and 10% VAT is charged on the whole landed cost, including freight and duty. Most vehicles arrive at Nassau from Miami in a few days; Freeport serves Grand Bahama.
Key takeaway
Left-hand drive is fine, vehicles up to 10 years old clear on standard terms, and the duty rate depends on engine size and fuel type. Check the title brand before you bid.
Shipping Routes & Transit Times to Bahamas
| U.S. Departure Port | Arrival Port | Ocean Transit | Sailing Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami / Port Everglades, FL | Nassau | 2–4 days | Weekly |
| Miami / Port Everglades, FL | Freeport | 2–4 days | Weekly |
| Savannah, GA | Nassau | 5–9 days | Bi-weekly |
| New York / New Jersey | Nassau | 6–10 days | Bi-weekly |
| Houston, TX | Nassau | 8–12 days | Bi-weekly |
Transit times are port-to-port estimates and exclude U.S. export processing and import clearance at destination.
Shipping to Bahamas from U.S. Ports
Seaway Export is headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. Cargo for Bahamas is booked from four primary U.S. gateways — Savannah, New York / New Jersey (Newark), Houston and Los Angeles / Long Beach — and we pick the one closest to your cargo or with the earliest suitable sailing.
Headquarters
Savannah, GA
Garden City Terminal · Ocean Terminal
5–9 days · Bi-weekly
ContainerPrimary gateway
New York / New Jersey
Newark · Port Elizabeth · Bayonne
6–10 days · Bi-weekly
ContainerPrimary gateway
Houston, TX
Bayport · Barbours Cut
8–12 days · Bi-weekly
ContainerPrimary gateway
Los Angeles / Long Beach
Los Angeles · Long Beach
Quoted per sailing
Container
Secondary gateways are booked on request; transit and frequency are confirmed at quote time.
Ports in Bahamas
Arrival ports we book for Bahamas, with the services each one receives.
Nassau
Main portContainerFreeport
Container Flat rack / open top
RoRo and out-of-gauge service depend on the carrier's schedule and are confirmed at quote time.
What It Costs to Ship to Bahamas
Indicative per-unit rates from U.S. ports. Your exact rate depends on vehicle dimensions, departure region, and current vessel space.
| Service | Typical Rate | What to Know | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared 40' HC container | $1,100 – $1,800 | Consolidated with other vehicles; sails when the box is full | Standard sedans & SUVs |
| Dedicated 20' container | $2,100 – $3,000 | One vehicle, sealed for you | High-value or classic cars |
| Dedicated 40' HC container | $2,900 – $4,000 | Fits 3–4 vehicles, or a vehicle plus cargo | Families, dealers, multi-car buyers |
| Flat rack / breakbulk | Custom quote | When the cargo will not containerize; usually the most expensive option | Oversized equipment, wide boats |
Rates shown are indicative ranges from the U.S. East Coast and are confirmed at booking. · Rates reviewed October 2026
Rates move with fuel surcharges and season. Request today's exact rate for your vehicle and hear back within 1 business day.
Price My ShipmentWhat Your Shipment to Bahamas Includes
Included
- Ocean freight booking from the U.S. port to the destination port
- Container loading, blocking and bracing at our partner warehouse, or RoRo terminal delivery
- U.S. export filing: AES/EEI and title validation with CBP
- Dangerous goods declaration when the cargo needs one (EVs, hybrids, lithium batteries)
- Bill of lading, booking confirmation, and departure and arrival notices
Optional and recommended
- Marine cargo insurance, strongly recommended: 1.75% of declared value, $200 minimum. Without it, carrier liability is limited to about $500 per package under COGSA.
- U.S. pickup from an auction yard, dealer or address, quoted only when you choose it
- Personal items packed inside a container (not allowed on RoRo)
Not included — handled by the importer
- Import customs clearance at destination
- Import duties, VAT and other destination taxes
- Destination terminal handling, port storage and release fees
- Registration, homologation and inspections in the destination country
For some destinations we can introduce an independent licensed clearing agent; ask at quote time.
Bahamas Import Duties & Taxes
Information only — assessed and paid by the importer at destination.
| Category | Import Duty | VAT / Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used passenger cars (up to 10 yrs) | 65% | 10% | Plus 1% processing fee and $250 environmental levy |
| New cars, 1.5–2.0 L | 45% | 10% | 65% above 2.0 L |
| Hybrids and electric (up to $70,000) | 10% | 10% | 25% above $70,000 |
| Vehicles over 10 years | Approval needed | 10% | Ministry of Finance approval; 20% environmental levy |
Indicative rates for general guidance. Destination customs makes the final assessment, and the importer pays duties and taxes on arrival. Ask your clearing agent to confirm the figure for your exact vehicle before you buy.
Import rules for Bahamas
The short version for a used U.S. vehicle. The sections on this page carry the detail, and we confirm each VIN before you buy.
- Used cars
- Up to 10 years old
- Traffic
- Drives on the left
- Left-hand-drive U.S. cars
- Registrable
- Salvage titles
- Limited
- VAT / GST at import
- 10%
Rules verified October 2026
Compare import rules for every countryDocuments You'll Need
Export side (we handle)
- Original vehicle title (Certificate of Title) — lien-free
- Bill of sale or commercial invoice
- Copy of passport or government ID for the export filing
- U.S. AES/EEI export filing — we file it
- Dangerous goods declaration for EVs and hybrids — we prepare it
- Packing list for personal items, if any
Import side (your clearing agent will ask for)
- Bill of lading and commercial invoice (we send both to you)
- Importer's tax or ID number in the destination country
- Import declaration, lodged by your clearing agent
- Inspection, homologation or registration papers where required
Check the title brand
A car with a certificate of destruction or a non-rebuildable title will not clear, even if it looks repairable. Send us the VIN and the title type from the listing and we check it, the vehicle's age and the likely duty rate before you pay. Reviewed October 2026; rates are from Bahamas Customs and are indicative until the vehicle is classified.
Sources
Customs, tax and transport authorities, official gazettes and press reports used to check the import rules on this page.
- 1.Importing and exportingBahamas Customs Department · accessed Oct 24, 2026
What We Ship to Bahamas
Every cargo type has its own routing, loading method, and import path. Pick yours to see the exact process.
Cars, SUVs & Classics
Shared or dedicated containers, or RoRo where the ports serving Bahamas offer it. We handle the U.S. export side; your clearing agent handles import.
- Sedans, SUVs & pickups
- Classic & collector cars
- Motorcycles & ATVs
Heavy Equipment
Dismantled into a 40' HC container is usually the least expensive way to ship machinery to Bahamas; open top, RoRo or flat rack when it will not containerize.
- Excavators & dozers
- Agricultural machinery
- Oversized project cargo
Boats & Yachts
Boats up to about 30 ft with a beam of 102 in or less ship side-loaded on a cradle in a 40' HC to Bahamas; larger boats go RoRo on a trailer or on a flat rack.
- Powerboats & sailboats
- Larger yachts, by survey
- Jet skis & PWC
How It Ships to Bahamas
The methods below match the services at the arrival ports for Bahamas. Dots show relative cost: one dot is the least expensive.
No RoRo service is scheduled to the ports serving Bahamas, so RoRo options are not shown.
Vehicles
Shared 40' HC container
- What fits
- Your vehicle with 2–3 others, loaded and strapped
- Best when
- One standard car or SUV at the lowest container price
Dedicated 20' container
- What fits
- 1 vehicle
- Best when
- Classic, high-value or non-running car shipped on its own
Dedicated 40' HC container
- What fits
- 3–4 vehicles
- Best when
- Several cars for one consignee, dealers and families moving together
Dedicated 45' HC container
- What fits
- Up to 6 compact vehicles (selected lanes, confirmed at quote time)
- Best when
- Dealer volume of compact cars where the lane offers 45' equipment
Boats
Dedicated 40' HC, side-loaded on a cradle
- What fits
- Boats up to about 30 ft with beam up to 102 in; windshield, arch, tower and antennas removed and packed inside
- Best when
- Most trailerable powerboats and center consoles: protected, sealed and usually the least expensive
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Boats that will not containerize, cradled and lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- Over-width or over-height boats where no RoRo service exists
Breakbulk (yachts)
- What fits
- Yachts and large vessels lifted aboard by crane
- Best when
- Vessels beyond flat-rack limits, planned by survey
Heavy equipment
Dismantled into 1 × 40' HC container
- What fits
- Compact excavators, skid steers, tractors and machines with bucket, cab or tracks removed
- Best when
- The default for most equipment and usually the least expensive
Split load: 40' HC + 40' open top
- What fits
- Machines whose base is too tall for a closed box; the open top is crane-loaded
- Best when
- Height is the only problem and width still fits
40' flat rack
- What fits
- Over-width or over-height machines lashed on an open platform
- Best when
- The machine cannot be dismantled to fit and no RoRo service exists; the most expensive option
Breakbulk / project cargo
- What fits
- Very heavy or very large units loaded by ship or shore crane
- Best when
- Beyond flat-rack limits; planned per shipment by survey
Popular U.S. → Bahamas Routes
Miami / Port Everglades, FL → Nassau
2–4 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
Miami / Port Everglades, FL → Freeport
2–4 days ocean transit · Weekly departures
Savannah, GA → Nassau
5–9 days ocean transit · Bi-weekly departures
New York / New Jersey → Nassau
6–10 days ocean transit · Bi-weekly departures
Step-by-Step: How Your Shipment to Bahamas Moves
Quote & booking
Day 0Lock in your rate and vessel space. We confirm the best U.S. departure port for your cargo and sailing date.
Delivery to our U.S. warehouse
Days 1–7Drop the cargo at our partner warehouse or terminal, or have us arrange U.S. pickup from an auction, dealer or address — quoted only if you choose it. Condition photos are taken on receipt.
Export clearance & loading
Days 5–12AES filing, title validation with CBP (72-hour rule), dangerous goods declaration where needed, and professional loading, blocking and bracing.
Ocean transit
2–4 days (Florida) · up to 12 days from HoustonSailing to Nassau · Freeport, with departure and arrival notices from us.
Arrival and handover
After arrivalWe send the arrival notice and release the bill of lading. Your clearing agent lodges the import declaration, settles duties and taxes, and collects the cargo.
Buying from a U.S. auction? Read our step-by-step playbook before you bid.
Read the auction shipping guideFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about shipping to Bahamas. Can't find the answer you're looking for? Contact our team.
Yes. The Bahamas drives on the left, but most passenger cars there are left-hand drive because they are imported from the United States. After customs, the vehicle is inspected and registered at the Road Traffic Department with the customs vehicle slip, proof of purchase and insurance.
Vehicles up to 10 years old import on standard terms. An older vehicle needs prior approval from the Ministry of Finance and pays a 20% environmental levy on its landed cost instead of the usual $250. Antique and vintage vehicles also need approval but keep the $250 levy.
Most used passenger cars pay 65% of their value, new cars of 1.5–2.0 litres 45%, and hybrids or electric cars worth up to $70,000 pay 10%. Add the 1% processing fee and the $250 levy, then 10% VAT on the landed total. On a $10,000 used car that is $6,500 in duty before VAT.
From Miami, about 2–4 days to Nassau or Freeport. From Savannah, New York / New Jersey and Houston, plan on 5–12 days. Shared containers ($1,100–$1,800) suit single cars; a 20ft box ($2,100–$3,000) suits a car with parts or household goods.
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