Shipping vehicles to and from Kuwait is a whole process on its own. Each country is bound to have different rules and regulations. What you need to be looking for is a trustworthy shipping company and to keep everything legal. That’s why we at Easy Move Kuwait have come to aid you and go over some of the necessities of moving your vehicle to or from Kuwait. Let’s get into it.
The cost of shipping your vehicle?
As with any other type of service, the cost of shipping your vehicle to and from Kuwait will depend highly on the vehicle itself. As well as on the shipping method you’ve opted for. Will you choose air freight or sea freight? How heavy is your car? Which model is it? To answer the cost of your relocation, we would need to know all this information. That’s why you can ask our international car shipping experts for their opinion and they will give you an estimate for your vehicle. We urge you to ask the professionals about what they think before trusting some website estimates because there are just too many variables.
What are the guidelines for importing vehicles?
Kuwait has some rules that must be followed when it comes to importing vehicles. We’ll talk about export later. If you’re a non-Kuwaiti citizen, the only way you can legally bring a car to Kuwait is through your Kuwaiti employer. The car will be imported in your employer’s name, but will of course be yours as it is. Only people with Kuwaiti citizenship can import cars without sponsors. And the last and most unusual rule is that the imported car can’t be older than 5 years. So, in 2021. the oldest car you can import had to be manufactured in 2016.
Taxes?
Taxes on the import of vehicles in Kuwait are 5% of the value of the vehicle. Be aware though of additional fees that will surely arise during your import. It’s nothin massive though, so don’t panic. You just need to have a bit of extra cash for any unexpected fees.
What are the methods of shipping vehicles to and from Kuwait?
There are three main methods of car transportation to consider. Two of the methods are shipping via sea, while the third is via air. You’re going to pick the one best suited for you, of course. So, let’s list them out.
Vehicle shipping to Kuwait via container
This first method is maybe the best currently since it is the most cost-effective and pretty safe. This is a sea freight option where your car is transported in a container over the sea. The good side to this type of shipping is that you can ship more than one car in a single container. If this is something you’re interested in, you should consider this option the best one for you. If you’re shipping bigger vehicles than cars then likely you won’t be able to put more than one vehicle in a container. When using a single container it can be a bit pricier, but your parcel will arrive much quicker.
Don’t forget that upon your vehicle’s arrival in Kuwait, you’ll need one of the truck transport companies Kuwait to help get your vehicle to your final destination. Sometimes it’s impossible to drive your car out of the port just like that. So just ask about these things in advance when shipping and you’ll have no issues at all.
Vehicle shipping to Kuwait via roll on roll off method
Roll on roll off also known as ro-ro is a shipping method not many ports offer so you do need to check if it’s viable for you. This shipping method also requires you to ship only one vehicle and nothing alongside it. If you’re shipping your car from the US, the only ports offering ro-ro are from NYC and Baltimore, so be careful if you opt for this one. Also, not all Kuwaiti ports offer ro-ro.
Ro-ro is the most cost-effective way. It’s grown in popularity in the previous few years. If all the pieces fall into place, this is the absolute best option for your single vehicle.
Vehicle shipping to Kuwait via air freight
Airfreight will forever remain the quickest shipping option worldwide. It will take around 7-9 days for your vehicle to arrive in Kuwait. Even though air freight is more on the expensive side, it’s still a really good way of getting your vehicle shipped to you in record time. Sea freight takes from 6 to 9 weeks to be completed. If you contrast the two, there is a big difference. So if you’re in urgent need of your car, air freight is the way to go.
How should you prepare your car for shipping?
Apart from some of the more obvious things you need to do like wash the inside and outside of your car, there are some specific things you need to take care of. For example, you’re shipping to Qatar and you want to instantly use your car as soon as it arrives. If this is your wish you’ll need to put in some time and effort to prepare your vehicle for the trip.
Take pictures of your vehicle!
Your insurance won’t take you seriously if something happens to your car unless you have photo evidence. This won’t take you more than 2 minutes and it can save you a great deal of trouble. If your car gets damaged during transport, you’d want it to be covered by insurance, so take that photo!
Check for leaks
A tiny leak can become a huge leak once your car reaches its destination in a few weeks. Any smaller issues should be fixed in advance!
We hope you feel more confident shipping vehicles to and from Kuwait. Good luck and be smart!