Auto Shipping Glossary: Port to Port Auto Transport
Port to port auto transport services, simply put, is a method of shipping a vehicle that transports it from one port to another. This is often referred to as “overseas auto transport,” as any shipment that goes overland through the contiguous U.S. will be door to door.
Usually, port to port shipping covers shipments to Alaska, Hawaii and other overseas U.S. territories, though companies that ship internationally (and we cannot get you an international shipping quote, unfortunately – U.S. states and overseas territories only).
Understanding how port to port shipments work will help you a lot if you have to ship a vehicle overseas, so be sure to read on and learn as much as you can through our other blog posts and articles.
If you’re shipping to Alaska, Hawaii or an overseas U.S. territory, you’ll need port to port auto transport services.
When shipping from the mainland United States, unless you can get your vehicle to the port yourself, you won’t have to worry about it – any auto transport company you book your shipment with will offer to pick your vehicle up wherever in the country it is and transport it to the port for you.
This adds some expense onto the shipment, but it won’t be nearly as time-consuming or expensive as if you were to drive your vehicle all those hundreds or thousands of miles to the port.
See, when shipping out of the contiguous U.S., what port your vehicle will need to be shipped out of will depend on where it’s shipping to. For most overseas territories, as well as Alaska and Hawaii shipments, that means transporting your vehicle to a port on the west coast, usually either Seattle, Washington or Long Beach, California.
Your shipping agent will let you know which one it will be. For international shipping, particularly to Europe, an eastern-U.S. port, usually Baltimore, will be where your vehicle will ship out of. Remember, you can get a quote to ship a vehicle from and to anywhere in the United States and its overseas territories through our free quote form, but we cannot give you a quote to ship to other countries.
If you’re shipping to the mainland United States from somewhere overseas, port to port shipping will also be required, but unlike when shipping from the mainland you’ll have to take your vehicle to the port yourself.
When shipping out of Alaska or Hawaii, this usually means bringing your vehicle to Anchorage or Honolulu, respectively, though there are other ports that may be available – talk to your agent for more. There may also be local companies in those states that provide in-state vehicle shipping services, though you will likely have to find them on your own. Again, talk to an agent for more information.
As mentioned, if you need a quote to ship a vehicle, you should take a minute to fill out our free online auto transport quote request form. It takes only a minute of your time and gets you a free, no-hassle quote emailed to you within minutes. You can also contact us toll-free at 800-930-7417 to speak to one of our own live agents, who can answer questions for you and help you get a free quote.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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