Shipping a Bass or Aluminum Boat Overseas: Cost and Fit
An 18′ bass or aluminum fishing boat fits through a 40′ container door on its trailer. Here is what that costs against RoRo by region, how to prepare the electronics and livewells, and the duty in six markets.
On this page
Size, weight and the methods that fit
A Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW is 6.4 m long on its trailer with a 2.3 m beam, and a 40′ door is 2.34 m wide. With 4 cm to spare it backs in upright, trailer and all, with no cradle and no tilting.
The same rig rolls aboard a RoRo ship too. RoRo is usually cheaper; the container wins when you want rods, electronics and spares to travel locked inside with the boat, or when the destination port has no RoRo call.
- Wider bass boats, at 8′ or more, do not clear the door and go RoRo or tilted on a cradle.
- Aluminum hulls need no special handling, but the trolling motor and graphs are theft targets in any open-deck method.
| Class | Reference model | L × W × H (m) | m³ | Weight (kg) | Methods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18′ aluminum fishing / bass boat | Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW1 | 6.4 × 2.3 × 1.75 | 25.8 | 1,100 | 40′ high cube · RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailer |
Price by region
For a boat this size the region columns mostly show RoRo, because it undercuts the 40′. The exception is where RoRo does not call: the Bahamas goes by container at $3,700–5,800.
Each cell is the lowest-priced method for that reference boat to the region's featured destinations, from a U.S. East or Gulf Coast port: the range runs from the published "from" price to the typical high. Port-to-port; the importer's side is separate.3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
| Reference boat | Mexico & Central America | Caribbean | Mediterranean Europe | UAE & Gulf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18′ aluminum fishing / bass boatTracker Pro Team 175 TXW | $2,800–3,900RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerLowest in MexicoModel estimate | $2,900–4,000RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerLowest in Dominican RepublicModel estimate | $3,400–4,500RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerLowest in ItalyModel estimate | $4,000–6,200RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerModel estimate |
Every method on one lane
To Guatemala the two methods sit close: RoRo at $3,000–3,900 and a 40′ at $3,800–6,000. The container's top end is higher because a whole box is booked for one boat.
Preparing it for the ship
- 1
Pull the electronics
Graphs, transducers on quick-release mounts and the trolling-motor foot pedal come off and pack in a labelled box.
- 2
Drain the livewells
Livewells, bilge and the motor's lower unit are drained and dried, and the plug stays out so rain can run off.
- 3
Secure the trolling motor
Stow it on its bracket with a strap, or remove it; batteries are disconnected and their terminals taped.
- 4
Empty the rod lockers of fuel and fishing chemicals
Spare fuel, propane and aerosol cans are dangerous goods and cannot ride in the boat; tackle and rods can if the boat goes in a container.
Sources12
Where they ship and what it costs
Bass fishing pulls U.S. boats to Mexico's reservoirs and to lakes in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Spain's Ebro reservoirs and Australian barramundi water buy the same aluminum hulls, at longer ocean legs.
18′ aluminum fishing / bass boat: lowest-priced method by destination
- Mexico4,5,6,3,7,13,14,15,16$2,800–3,900by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 15% · 0% U.S.-built (USMCA)Country guidePrice this route
- Guatemala4,5,6,3,7,17,14$3,000–3,900by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 15% · 0% U.S.-built (CAFTA-DR)Country guidePrice this route
- Costa Rica4,5,6,3,7,18,19,14,20$3,100–4,100by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 15% · 0% U.S.-built (CAFTA-DR)Country guidePrice this route
- Panama4,5,6,3,7,21,14,22$3,100–4,100by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 15% · 0% U.S.-built (U.S.-Panama TPA)Country guidePrice this route
- Spain4,5,6,3,7,8,9,23,24,25$3,400–4,500by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 1.7% · 0% U.S.-built (Regulation (EU) 2026/1455)Country guidePrice this route
- Australia4,5,6,3,7,26,27,14,28,29$5,000–8,000by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 5% · 0% U.S.-built (AUSFTA)Country guidePrice this route
Duty and import taxes
A $45,000 CIF boat pays $12,960 in Guatemala at the standard rate and $5,400 with a CAFTA-DR certification. Tracker, Lowe and most aluminum brands are built in the U.S., so the certification is worth asking the seller for.
Duty and import taxes on a $45,000 CIF value
| Country | Tariff line | Standard duty | U.S.-built | Taxes after duty | Total, standard | Total, U.S.-built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico13,14,15,16 | 8903.93.99 / 8903.33.99 | 15% | 0%USMCA | Customs processing (DTA) 0.8% · IVA 16% | $15,448 (34.3%) | $7,618 (16.9%) | Read on the official tariff |
| Guatemala17,14 | 8903.93 / 8903.3x | 15% | 0%CAFTA-DR | IVA 12% | $12,960 (28.8%) | $5,400 (12%) | Confirm with your broker |
| Costa Rica18,19,14,20 | 8903.93.00 / 8903.22.00 | 15% | 0%CAFTA-DR | Law 6946 levy 1% · Selective consumption tax (ISC) 10% · VAT 13% | $19,834 (44.1%) | $10,935 (24.3%) | Confirm with your broker |
| Panama21,14,22 | 8903.93 / 8903.3x | 15% | 0%U.S.-Panama TPA | Selective consumption tax (ISC) 10% · ITBMS 7% | $15,910 (35.4%) | $7,965 (17.7%) | Confirm with your broker |
| Spain23,24,25 | 8903.93 / 8903.3x / 8903.2x | 1.7% | 0%Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 | VAT 21% | $10,376 (23.1%) | $9,450 (21%) | Read on the official tariff |
| Australia27,14,28,29 | 8903 | 5% | 0%AUSFTA | GST 10% | $6,975 (15.5%) | $4,500 (10%) | Read on the official tariff |
Prices on this page come from our boat and machinery cost model, reviewed October 26, 2026, the same figures as the rate hubs and the calculator. They are port-to-port and per unit; duty and the importer's side are shown separately.
Sources
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- 5. RoRo surcharges and high & heavy acceptance, Höegh Autoliners (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
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- 12. IMDG Code: dangerous goods by sea, including fuelled engines, vehicles and machinery, International Maritime Organization (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
- 13. Tarifa de la LIGIE: fracciones 8903 y 8429, Secretaría de Economía (SNICE) (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
- 14. U.S. free trade agreements: tariff schedules, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
- 15. Permiso de importación temporal de embarcaciones: 10 years, $51 + IVA (or $45 online), Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will my bass boat fit in a container on its trailer?
If the beam is under 2.34 m (about 7′8″) and the rig is under 2.5 m tall, yes, in a 40′ high cube. Measure the widest point, usually the rub rail, and the height to the top of the console or windshield on the trailer.
Can I put fishing gear in the boat?
In a container, yes, listed on the packing list. By RoRo, no: carriers do not accept loose items in a vehicle or boat on the car deck.
Is RoRo safe for an aluminum boat?
Yes. The boat stays strapped to its trailer below deck, out of the weather. The risk is pilferage of anything removable, which is why electronics come off.
What does it cost to ship a bass boat to Australia?
$5,000–8,000 by RoRo or $6,300–10,800 in a 40′, port to port. Australia also inspects for soil and water, so the hull, trailer and livewells must arrive clean and dry.
Do I need the outboard on the boat?
It can stay on, tilted with a transom saver. It is part of the boat's declared value and classified with it when the two travel together.
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