Used American automotive parts move overseas in very large volumes, and for a lot of buyers they are a better business than whole cars. Parts are cheaper to buy, they pack efficiently, and demand for them is constant in markets where American vehicles are already on the road. What trips people up is not the buying but the preparation, because an engine that still holds oil and a pallet that was never properly built are the two things most likely to stop a container at the gate. This guide covers how parts actually ship and what has to be done before they load.
What ships well and what does not
Engines, transmissions, axles, differentials, cylinder heads, radiators, alternators, starters, suspension components, body panels, doors, bumpers, lights, seats, wheels and tires all ship regularly and without difficulty once they are prepared correctly. Many of our clients fill a container entirely with parts, and others send parts in the space left over around a car.
The items that need care are the ones that hold fluids, the ones that contain gas, and the ones built around a lithium battery. Full engines and transmissions have to be drained. Air conditioning compressors and anything holding refrigerant need checking. Airbag units, gas struts and pressurized cylinders fall under dangerous goods rules and cannot simply be put in a box. Hybrid and electric vehicle battery packs are dangerous goods in their own right and are a separate conversation, which we cover on our hybrid and electric vehicle page.
If you are not certain which side of that line an item falls on, ask before it is shipped to the warehouse rather than after it arrives. It is a short question and it saves a great deal.
Draining is not optional
Every engine, transmission, differential and axle has to be drained of oil, coolant and fuel before it can be loaded. This is the single most common reason a parts shipment is delayed, and it is the one that costs the most to put right once the cargo has already travelled across the country.
A drained engine means drained properly rather than tipped up for a minute. Oil remains in galleries, coolant remains in the block, and fuel remains in lines and pumps. An engine that leaks onto a container floor contaminates whatever else is in that container, and the cost of that falls on the shipper whose part leaked. The sensible approach is to have the unit drained at the yard or the seller before it travels, and to have it on a pallet with a drip tray or absorbent material underneath.
We will tell you plainly if something arrives at our warehouse still holding fluid, and we will deal with it, but it is far cheaper for you to have it done before it ships to us.
Palletizing and packing
Parts that are stacked loose into a container shift at sea, and parts that shift arrive broken. The answer is proper palletizing. Heavy items go on strong pallets, strapped or banded down, with the weight distributed rather than concentrated at one end. Engines are usually crated or secured to a pallet with blocking so that nothing can move. Body panels travel upright in racks or interleaved with protective material rather than stacked flat under weight.
Small parts belong in boxes, and the boxes belong on pallets with a list. A container of unlabeled loose parts is difficult to declare accurately, difficult to inspect without disturbing everything, and difficult for your buyer to check on arrival. Labeled boxes on labeled pallets cost almost nothing extra and they solve all three problems.
Wheels and tires pack very efficiently in the gaps around larger items, which makes them useful filler. Use our CBM calculator to work out how much you are actually sending before you book, because parts volume is easy to underestimate.
Loading parts with a car
There is usually real space left over around a vehicle inside a container, and filling it with parts is one of the most efficient things you can do. The parts have to be secured so that nothing can move against the car, and they have to be declared in full on the export filing and the bill of lading alongside the vehicle.
What does not work is adding items on loading day. Every item has to appear on the paperwork before the container is sealed, and a pallet that turns up unannounced holds up the whole booking. Send us the inventory when you book, not when the truck arrives. Our container loading guide explains how the space usually works out.
Personal effects are a separate matter and are not simply parts. If you are sending household items as well, tell us, because they are declared differently and some destinations treat them under their own rules.
Paperwork and declaring value
On the United States side we file the export declaration through the Automated Export System and issue your bill of lading. What you provide is a commercial invoice or purchase receipts for the parts, a packing list that matches what is actually in the container, and a reasonable description of each line. Vague descriptions such as used auto parts across an entire container are what attract examinations.
Declare values honestly. An understated value is the shipper's exposure, not ours, and customs on both sides are experienced at recognizing it. The same applies to the description: an engine is an engine, and calling it something else to change a duty outcome is the shipper's risk and a serious one. We file what you give us, and you remain the party responsible for the truth and accuracy of the information you furnish.
At the destination, duty, inspection and clearance are handled by your own licensed customs agent. Several countries apply specific rules to used automotive parts, including inspection requirements and in some cases restrictions on particular items, so confirm the current position with an agent there before you buy in volume.
What moves the price
Parts are priced on the space and weight they occupy rather than on what they are. A container of engines is heavy and will reach a weight limit long before it runs out of room. A container of body panels is light and will fill the space while weighing very little. Most parts loads sit somewhere in between, and knowing roughly where yours sits is what lets us put you in the right box at the right price.
The other factors are the collection point in the United States, whether we are consolidating from more than one supplier, the destination port and the sailing frequency on that lane. Because we are the ocean carrier of record rather than a broker reselling space, the figure we quote is the real one without an added layer on top.
Car parts and engine shipping FAQ
How much does it cost to ship car parts overseas?
Parts are priced on the space and weight they take up rather than on what they are. A container of engines reaches a weight limit long before it runs out of room, while a container of body panels fills the space while weighing very little. The other factors are the collection point in the United States, the destination port and the sailing frequency. Tell us roughly what you have and we will price it.
Should I use a 20ft or a 40ft container for parts?
For heavy items such as engines, transmissions and axles a twenty foot container is often the right choice, because the load reaches the weight limit before it fills the space and the smaller box costs less. For bulky light items such as panels, bumpers and seats a forty foot high cube usually wins. Work out your volume on our CBM calculator and we will confirm which box suits your load.
Can I ship a part load rather than a full container?
In many cases yes, depending on the lane and on what else is moving. Tell us what you have, where it is and where it is going, and we will tell you honestly whether a shared load is available on that route or whether a full container of your own works out better. On some lanes the full container is cheaper than people expect once everything is counted.
Is it cheaper to send parts with a car?
Usually, because there is genuine unused space around a vehicle inside a container and filling it costs very little extra. The parts have to be secured so that nothing can move against the car and declared in full alongside the vehicle. Send us the inventory when you book rather than adding items on loading day.
Do engines have to be drained before shipping?
Yes, completely, and this is the most common reason a parts shipment is delayed. Oil, coolant and fuel all have to be out of the unit, and that means drained properly rather than tipped up for a minute, because oil stays in galleries and coolant stays in the block. Have it done at the yard or the seller before the unit travels to us, since doing it later costs far more.
What happens if an engine leaks in the container?
Whatever else is in that container is contaminated, and the cost of cleaning, disposal and any damage falls on the shipper whose part leaked. It is a genuinely expensive outcome and it is entirely preventable. Drain the unit properly, put it on a pallet with a drip tray or absorbent material underneath, and the problem does not arise.
Do transmissions and axles need draining too?
Yes, the same rule applies to transmissions, differentials, axles, power steering units and anything else holding oil. People remember the engine and forget the gearbox, and a gearbox will empty itself onto a container floor just as readily. Treat every fluid holding unit the same way and nothing gets held up.
Can I ship a full engine still in the car?
An engine installed in a vehicle that is shipping as a vehicle is handled under the normal vehicle rules, which are different from loose parts. That is a standard car shipment rather than a parts shipment. If the car is going for parts at destination it is still declared as a vehicle, with its title and ownership documents, because that is what it is.
Do parts need to be on pallets?
In practice yes, and it is in your own interest. Parts stacked loose shift at sea and parts that shift arrive broken. Heavy items go on strong pallets, strapped or banded, with the weight spread rather than concentrated. Engines are crated or blocked onto a pallet so that nothing can move. Properly built pallets cost very little and they prevent the losses that make a shipment unprofitable.
How should body panels be packed?
Upright in racks or interleaved with protective material rather than stacked flat under weight. Panels stacked flat with heavy items on top arrive creased, and a creased panel is worth a fraction of a straight one. Doors, hoods and bumpers all travel far better standing than lying down, and they use the container space more efficiently that way as well.
Do small parts need to be boxed and labeled?
Yes, and it solves three problems at once. Labeled boxes on labeled pallets make the declaration accurate, make any inspection quick rather than disruptive, and let your buyer check the delivery against a list on arrival. A container of unlabeled loose parts is difficult on all three counts and costs almost nothing more to do properly.
Can I include wheels and tires?
Yes, and they are useful filler because they pack efficiently into the gaps around larger items. They are declared like anything else and they have to appear on the packing list. Some destinations apply their own rules to used tires specifically, so confirm the position with your customs agent at destination before sending a large quantity.
Can I ship airbags?
Airbag units contain a pyrotechnic charge and fall under dangerous goods rules, so they cannot simply be put in a box with other parts. They require their own classification, packing and declaration, and many shippers find the simplest answer is to leave them out of the load. Ask us before you buy a quantity of them rather than after they reach the warehouse.
Can I ship an air conditioning compressor?
It depends on whether refrigerant remains in the unit. A compressor that has been properly evacuated is straightforward, while one still holding refrigerant is not and may fall under dangerous goods handling. Have it evacuated before it travels and note that on the packing list, and the item moves without difficulty.
Can I ship a hybrid or electric vehicle battery pack?
A lithium battery pack is dangerous goods in its own right, with its own packing, securing and documentation requirements, and it is a separate conversation from ordinary parts. It is not something to add quietly to a parts load. Read our page on lithium battery vehicles and then speak to us about the specific item.
What about gas struts and pressurized items?
Gas struts, shock absorbers with gas charges, pressurized cylinders and fire extinguishers all fall under rules that do not apply to ordinary parts. Some can be shipped with the right declaration and some are more trouble than they are worth. Tell us what is in the load before it ships to us and we will tell you which is which.
What paperwork do I need for a parts shipment?
A commercial invoice or purchase receipts for the parts, a packing list that matches what is actually in the container, and a clear description of each line. On the United States side we file the export declaration through the Automated Export System and issue your bill of lading. Duty and clearance at destination are handled by your own licensed customs agent.
How should I describe the parts on the paperwork?
Specifically. Used auto parts written across an entire container is exactly the kind of description that attracts an examination, and an examination costs time and money. List engines as engines, transmissions as transmissions, panels as panels, with quantities. It takes a little longer to prepare and it moves a great deal faster through the system.
What value should I declare?
The real one. An understated value is the shipper's exposure, and customs authorities on both sides are experienced at recognizing it. You remain the party responsible for the truth and accuracy of the information you furnish on the filing, along with any fine, penalty or expense that arises from it. We file what you give us, so give us figures you can stand behind.
Do I need a title for parts?
Loose parts do not carry titles, but a vehicle does, even one bought to be broken for parts. If the item is a whole car it is declared as a vehicle with its ownership documents regardless of what you intend to do with it at destination. If it is genuinely parts, purchase receipts and the commercial invoice are what we need.
Can you collect parts from several suppliers?
Yes, consolidation is a normal part of this work. We can collect from multiple yards, sellers and auction sites across the United States and bring everything together at our warehouse for loading into one container. Give us the list of pickups early so that the collections can be scheduled efficiently rather than one at a time.
Can you store parts while I build up a load?
Yes, within reason. A good number of our clients accumulate over several weeks before shipping a full container, and holding the cargo at our warehouse is straightforward provided we know it is coming and roughly how much space it needs. Tell us early so that we can plan the space rather than find it on arrival.
Do you buy the parts for me?
No. We are a licensed ocean carrier and we do not purchase on anyone's behalf, and we do not hold or provide auction account access. You buy in your own name through your own account and we move what you have bought. Read how that works.
How fast can you quote a parts shipment?
Within 24 to 48 hours in normal cases. We need a rough description of what you have, the approximate volume or weight, the collection points in the United States and the destination port. If you are unsure of the volume, our CBM calculator will get you close enough for us to work with. Send the details and we will price it.
Import rules change. The customs information on this page comes from official government sources and was accurate when published, but duties, age limits and eligibility requirements are set by the destination country and can change without notice. Cassandra Logistics is a licensed ocean carrier, not a customs authority or a legal adviser. We are not responsible for changes to foreign import law, or for decisions made by customs at destination. Always confirm current requirements with a licensed customs agent in the destination country before you buy.