How to arrange container shipping to Canada from the UK?

What size of container do I need?

To be able to determine the size that you require, we need to know the actual cubic volume of your shipment. This measurement is calculated by multiplying the length, width, and height of all your goods packed all together. By knowing this measurement, we can recommend what size of container is required for your move. If you are not sure how to estimate cubic volume of the shipment or simply you prefer to have it done by an expert, please get in touch with our company, so we can arrange either in-home or video survey.

Alternative you can also forward to us an inventory of the items you are planning to ship via container to Canada but please bear in mind that the more accurate inventory the more accurate estimate. Basically, there are two main sizes commonly used:

• 20ft container
• 40ft container

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20ft container vs 40ft container dimensions and capacity

One of the most important aspects of planning your move is to estimate what size of container is best to accommodate all your belongings, as well as what size is within your budget. If you are asking your company “how much can I fit in 20ft container”, they will probably answer “it depends”. Yes, it depends on many different factors, as each move is unique.

Crucial factor deciding how much you fit in shipping container is the way and technique of packing goods. To be able to utilize up to 90% of the internal capacity, goods have to be packed in a smart way, just to minimize empty spaces.  All items should be packed tightly. If it is possible we recommend to disassemble all bulky items.

Below you can check the dimensions and cubic capacity of 40ft vs 20ft units. Check the most commonly used units:

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Real internal capacity

While deciding on what size of shipping container you need, your should be aware of the fact that you won’t be able to utilize the total cubic capacity shown above in the specification. It’s due to nature of the object you are loading. It is safe to state that you should be able to use between 80-90% of the space.

Can you fit a car in 20ft container?

Yes, you can easily use 20ft unit for shipping a car to Canada from UK. Most of the cars are less then 20ft long, please see the examples below:

In some cases, it is possible have two cars fitted into 20ft unit, however they must be placed at an angle. It requires racking system that allows to store cars at angle or on top of each other. Usually 20ft unit is used for transporting single car and other small vehicles or households to fill the empty space.

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How many cars you can fit in 40ft container?

Usually 40ft option is used to transport two passenger cars. However, depending on the size and type of the cars, it is possible to load up to 5 vehicles inside. There is a couple of different combinations of loading more than two cars into single 40ft container but it always requires usage of special ramps and racking system. Usually in case of shipping three cars in single unit, two vehicles are loaded on the floor, and one is placed above another, however in some cases all three cars can be also loaded at an angle.

Please see the iconographic showing possible combinations of loading multiple vehicles into 40ft.

 

In case of small moves, be it small amount of furniture or boxes, it’s not cost-effective to choose either LCL or FCL shipment. In such scenario there is service called groupage/part load container shipping We always tailor made our services to meet the demands of our clients in terms of price and number of items to be shipped. We know that some of our clients have fewer amounts of items to be shipped and so it will not be good to ask them to pay for a full container.

This is why we offer part load or shared or groupage shipping services. Items from various individuals or businesses are properly labelled indicating their location and owners and then put in one unit. The items are charged according to their volume and weight. So, you will not be paying more than what your item weigh.

Depending on the cargo size the following services could be offered:

• quarter container shipment – depending on the unit size, you get 250 cu ft of space in case of ¼ of 20ft container and 550 cu ft in case of ¼ of 40ft container
• one-third container shipment – you utilize 350 cu ft to 750 cu ft (in case of 40ft unit)
• half of 20ft container – this service allows to accommodate cargo with the cubic volume of approx. 1150 cu ft
• groupage shipment – you can opt-for any size that is required, be it 50ft3, 100ft3, 200ft3, etc.

 

We know that different items require different storage condition and thus should be kept in a suitable storage unit for overseas transportation. This is why we make use of various types of containers for shipment of various types of goods. So whether you are sending electronics, antiques or need solution ideal for furniture removals to Canada, here are some of the types that we use when sending goods via this method of transportation:

Ventilated container

As implicit from the name, it is well ventilated providing enough air and light to the items that are packed inside it. We use it to put items or cargos that require ventilation during transportation. So, if your item requires ventilation let us know so that we will provide our ventilated unit to you. The standard ventilated container is normally 20 feet but if you have huge quantity of items that you would like to accommodate, we have bigger sizes. Just send us your enquiry so we can offer our cheap container shipping to Canada cost from United Kingdom.

We are quite aware that some cargos may occupy much space and volume and they are too bulky and heavy. Using ordinary standard units to ship such cargos is not good. The weight may be too much. So, we have a special made units for the shipment of bulky items to Canada. They are ideal for voluminous and heavy goods. This is called bulk container. The standard type is also available in 20ft size.

High cube container

Some items are classified as over height and voluminous. As experience moving company, we will always ensure that every item or cargo from our clients is moved to their desired location regardless of their weight. In order to ship voluminous and lengthy items, we provide high cube container to Canada. They standard size is 40 feet but there are some that are huger than 40 feet. So, relax and worry not if you have voluminous and over height items.

Open top container

This is also designed for the shipment of over height and voluminous cargo. As the name already tells, the top is made with removable tarpaulin which makes it easy for the cargo to be loaded to the container.
There are other types we use in order to ensure that various items of various shapes are moved to the right destinations. Some of them include:

• Dry freight container
• Flat rack container
• Insulated container for shipment of temperature sensitive cargo
• Refer container for shipment of chemicals, foods and other cargo that require cooling during shipment
• High cube reefer container for shipping over height cargo that needs freezing or cooling during the shipment