Shipping Your Car to Ghana from the USA

Shipping your car to Ghana from the USA is a multistep process. You’ll need to have a full understanding of how the car shipping process works. You’ll have to decide what shipping carrier you’ll use as well as what shipping methods will work best for delivering your car. You’ll also need to be aware of the country’s import requirements. Your car will have to be a certain age in order for you to ship to Ghana.

Shipping to Ghana from USA

Shipping to Ghana from the USA takes research. You’ll need to get a general sense of what shipping to Ghana should cost, so you know you’re paying a fair price. It’ll also be important for you to gain a general sense of what factors are used to determine the overall cost of shipping your car. Though you may be attracted to the cheapest shipping to Ghana, it’s important to reflect on what’s included in the price quote you receive from different shipping carriers.

Comparing Price to Value

As mentioned above, people are often attracted to the lowest price for service. However, when you are shipping to Ghana, it’s important to consider what’s included in the price you’re paying. Oftentimes, a higher price includes additional values and services that other companies may not provide. 

For instance, a company that has been in business for a longer period of time may charge a higher price. But, the higher price they charge also reflects their expertise. When you ship to Ghana from the USA, this may be something you place a high amount of value on.

A higher price can also reflect a company’s reputation. A company that is more reputable than others may have a higher price, but it may also offer better customer service.

USA to Ghana Shipping Time

The length of time it takes to ship a car to Ghana depends on the shipping port and the type of vessel being used. These two factors will also contribute to the overall cost you pay when shipping your car. 

Take a look at the table below.

Continent of origin	Country of origin	Port of origin	Port of destination	Transit time (days)	20DV FCL
America	United States	Chicago, Il	Tema	74	3,700$
America	United States	Minneapolis	Tema	74	3,800$
America	United States	Omaha	Tema	74	3,800$
America	United States	Atlanta, Ga	Tema	9	4,050$
America	United States	Denver	Tema	9	3,750$
America	United States	Dallas	Tema	7	3,370$

General Car Shipping Cost

There are both primary and secondary factors that affect the overall cost you pay when you ship to Ghana. 

Primary Factors

• The size and weight of your car affect the overall cost you’ll pay. The more your car weighs, the higher the price will be. Some shipping carriers charge by pound, whereas others charge a flat rate dependent upon the type of vehicle you drive.

• The distance your vehicle has to travel also determines the overall cost you’ll be asked 

to pay. The further your vehicle has to travel, the higher the cost will be.

• The method you choose for shipping your car will also influence the overall cost. There are two methods for shopping your car, Roll on Roll off (RoRO) and Container shipping. Which you choose will heavily influence the price you pay.

• The speed of your shipment — The more flexible your timetable is for shipping and receiving your car, the lower your price will be. Expedited shipping comes at a much higher cost

• The season you ship your car affects the overall cost you’ll pay to ship to Ghana. Shipping prices increase if you are trying to ship your car either in the summer or winter.  
  • During the summer you may incur additional costs due to supply and demand as well as congestion on the seas. Summer is the busiest season for car shipping because of the temperate weather. If you choose to book in the summer, try to do so in advance, otherwise, you may have to pay a higher cost. 
  • Shipping to Ghana during the winter also comes at an additional cost. The slow season causes shipping carriers to raise their prices to offset costs. Oftentimes, there is also still congestion on the seas due to large amounts of people trying to take advantage of the “slow season.”
• The amount of insurance you choose to get will also influence the overall price you pay for shipping your car. Shipping carriers offer different types of insurance for your car. It will be up to you to decide which insurance type will give you the most peace of mind while your vehicle is traveling overseas/ 

Secondary Factors

• The way you choose to have your car transported to the loading port will increase or decrease how much it costs to ship to Ghana. Choosing door to door shipping from USA to Ghana will cost more than if you choose door to port or port to port shipping.

• Import duties and taxes can raise the price you’ll need to pay when shipping your car to another country. As you’ll learn about in the next two sections, your car will need to meet certain requirements when you ship to Ghana. Failure to meet these requirements will cause your car to either not be imported, or you’ll be charged additional taxes and duties.

• Inspection fees can also drive up the cost of shipping your car. Before your car can be imported into Ghana it will be inspected. If your car is up to code, and the inspection is fast, the cost of inspection may be waived. But, if your car is not up to code, then you will be charged a fee based on how long the inspection takes and how much the inspection officer has to do during the inspection.

• In order to ship to Ghana from USA, you’ll need to fill out all the necessary paperwork. It’s suggested you reach out to a Ghana customs’ agent to make sure you are getting all the forms you need. You’ll have to pay to file these forms prior to shipping your car. Some shipping carriers also offer to full out the paperwork for you at a small additional cost.

• The destination port also determines the cost of shipping your vehicle. For instance, there are four shipping ports in Ghana: Tema, Takoradi, Elmina, and Saltpond. But the majority of shipping carriers only ship cars to Takoradi and Tema. If you need to send your vehicle to one of the other ports, you may incur additional costs. 

What are the Regulations for Shipping a Car to Ghana?

When you ship to Ghana from the USA it’s important to meet all of the country’s import regulations.  The country has put the following guidelines in place to limit what cars are, and aren’t allowed into the country.

• If your vehicle is more than 10 years old it can be subjected to additional taxes and duties.
• Your vehicle is required to have a clear Title of Ownership with no Liens on the Title.
• If your vehicle was purchased new, then your name has to be listed on the front of the Title as the registered owner.
• The vehicle cannot have more than a ¼ tank of gas.
• If the vehicle has been sold to you, then both the Seller and Buyer have to sign the back of the Title in the spaces on the back of the Title.

Failure to meet these following standards can result in you being subjected to additional fees, or your car may not be accepted into Ghana.

Importing Duty and Taxes

Ghana has different duties and taxes it charges when your car is imported into the country. It’s important to note that the duties and taxes you pay are in addition to the cost of shipping your car to Ghana unless otherwise noted by your shipping carrier.

The type of vehicle you import will also influence how many taxes and duties you will be expected to pay. Larger vehicles are usually charged additional duties and taxes for being “gas guzzlers.” Older vehicles face more taxes and duties for emitting more pollution into the air. 

Contacting the Ghana Embassy

Before shipping to Ghana from the USA, it’s important to contact the Ghanian Embassy. Contacting the embassy will put you in touch with a representative who can explain each step of the car shipping process. They’ll also be able to prepare you for whatever taxes and duties you’ll be expected to pay once your vehicle arrives at the destination port.

Shipping Services

As alluded to earlier, there are three different types of shipping services you can use in order to ship to Ghana from the United States. You can use port to port, door to port, or door to door shipping from the USA to Ghana.

• Port to port is the least expensive way to ship your car to Ghana. Port to port shipping requires you to drop your car off at the loading port, and then pick it up from the destination port after the car has arrived.

• Door to port service involves an agent from the shipping carrier coming to your home to retrieve your vehicle and transport it to the loading port for you. From there, you’ll only be required to retrieve your vehicle after it arrives at the destination port.

• Door to door service is the most expensive service you can use. When choosing door service an agent from the company will retrieve your vehicle from your home, bring it to the loading port, pick it up at the destination port, and then leave it outside your Ghana. 

Shipping Methods

The shipping method you choose to send your car overseas can also play a large role in determining the price you pay when shipping to Ghana from the USA. As mentioned earlier, there are two primary methods to send your car overseas. RoRo shipping and container shipping.

• RoRo shipping is the more economical way to ship to Ghana. RoRo shipping involves your car being “rolled on” the ship at the loading dock and then “rolled off” at the destination port. Once your car is loaded onto the boat, it’s secured and kept in the same place until it reaches its final destination. However, though this method is less expensive, it can also leave your vehicle vulnerable to being damaged by the elements while traveling overseas.

• Container shipping, on the other hand, involves your vehicle being placed in a container that keeps it safe from the outside elements during transport. There are also two different forms of container shipping. If you choose less than container load (LCL), your vehicle will be placed in a container with 3 to 5 other vehicles. Choosing a full container load (FCL) means your vehicle will be the only car in the container. Choosing an FCL container costs more, but you may also be able to send some of your personal belongings along with your car.

Why You Should Ship from New York

The shipping carrier you choose when shipping to Ghana from the USA can be located anywhere. However, if possible, you should try to ship your vehicle from New York. The state has the fastest shipping time because many Ghanian West African shippers use New York’s preferred shipping port. Shipping vessels leave New York loading ports frequently and have travel routers that are often faster than other loading ports.

However, if you can’t ship your car from New York, you should try to aim for one of these popular port locations:

• New Jersey 
• Maryland 
• Atlanta, GA
• Dallas, TX

Each of these four locations can provide you with faster service and cheaper shipping to Ghana.

Planning Within Your Budget

Whether you’re focused on finding the cheapest shipping to Ghana or the most convenient form to ship to Ghana, it’s important to plan within your budget. Doing research will help you determine what the average cost of each shipping service and method is. By creating a budget, you’ll have a general sense of what your cost will be, whether you’re using door-to-door shipping from the USA to Ghana or plan to use a combination of door to port shipping and RoRo shipping. Creating a budget will also let you plan for any costs you may have in addition to shipping your car to Ghana.,

Conclusion

After reading this post you’ve gained insights into how you can ship to Ghana from the USA. You’ve also learned about the shipping process, door-to-door shipping from the USA to Ghana, and why you may not always want to go with the cheapest shipping to Ghana. Beyond these topics, you’ve also learned about different shipping methods, costs you’ll incur when shipping your car, and the standards your car will need to meet in order to be imported.