How Much Does Shipping a Container to New Zealand Cost?

Find out exactly how much it costs to ship a container from the UK to New Zealand by requesting a free quote here, or read on for general container shipping costs for 20ft, 40ft and shared containers from the UK to the major ports in New Zealand.

Short Answer: The average cost for shipping a 20ft container to New Zealand is around £4,825.00 while the average costs to ship a 40ft container to New Zealand is around £8,200.00. Shared container costs start from £1,285.00.

Container Shipping Costs from the UK to New Zealand

Please find below current container shipping rates from the UK to New Zealand. Container shipping costs are based on the size or volume of your move. The bigger the move, the higher the cost. Collection, packing and destination charges will also affect the final price, so please ask us for a quote.

Move Type Shipment Size Cost (GBP)
Small Move / Essentials Part Load £875 to £995
1 Bed House / Flat Shared Container £1284 to £1595
2 Bed House Shared Container £1850 to £5375
3 Bed House 20ft Container £6959 to £8995
4 Bed House 40ft Container £9890 to £12,750

Why Ship to New Zealand in a Sole Use Container

Choosing a sole use container to ship your household goods to New Zealand has several benefits:

  1. Space: By using a sole-use container shipping service, you reserve the space of an entire 20ft or 40ft shipping container, allowing you to ship larger quantities of goods & belongings. Typically, a 20ft container can hold the contents of a three-bed house, and a 40ft container can hold the contents of a four or five-bed house.

  2. Speed: As you are not sharing container space, you don't have to wait for your container to be full before shipping. Once loaded, your container is sent straight to the port and booked on the next available vessel to New Zealand.

  3. Security: Containers are security sealed and tracked, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to see the journey that your container takes from the UK to New Zealand. On arrival, your shipment is cleared by customs and delivered straight to your door.

Why Ship to New Zealand in a Shared Container

Shipping your household goods in a shared container, often referred to as a "groupage" service, also has a number of advantages:

  1. Cost-effective: Sharing container space means sharing the cost. Rather than renting an entire container, you only pay for the space you need, making it a much more cost-effective solution if you don't require a full container.

  2. Ideal for Smaller Moves: This is the perfect option for those who have smaller quanities of goods or personal effects that need shipping from the UK to New Zealand.

  3. Secure Professional Packing: All shared container shipments that we handle undergo a rigorous packing & palletising procedure to provide unbeatable protection for your personal belongings, furniture and household goods in transit. This also helps maximise space within the container, and drastically reduces handling of individual items.

Main Container Shipping Ports in New Zealand

New Zealand is home to some of the busiest and most technologically advanced ports in the world, making it a major hub for global trade and shipping.

  • Port of Auckland - It is the largest container port in New Zealand, handling about 31% of the country's total container trade. In 2022, the port handled 818,238 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit). A unique aspect of the port is its proximity to the country's largest city, Auckland, facilitating quick and efficient distribution of goods.

  • Port of Tauranga - This is the busiest port in New Zealand in terms of cargo volume and the second busiest in terms of container throughput. It is situated in the Bay of Plenty region and is known for its advanced logistics solutions and world-class productivity rates. It handled 1.24 million TEU in 2022, with a record of handling 1369 ships in the fiscal year 2022.

  • Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) - The third-largest container port in New Zealand, the LPC is the South Island's major deep-water port. It provides a crucial connection between South Island businesses and global markets. In 2022, the port moved 502,210 TEUs.

  • Port of Napier - Also known as Napier Port, it is located on the east coast of the North Island and is a crucial gateway for goods flowing in and out of Central New Zealand. The port handled 254,000 TEUs in 2022.

  • Port of Otago - Serving the Otago region on the South Island, the Port of Otago is primarily known for exporting commodities like dairy, meat, and forestry products. It also plays a crucial role in the region's tourism industry, and in 2022, handled 166,200 TEUs of container shipments.

  • Port of Wellington (CentrePort Wellington) - This port is strategically located on the southern tip of the North Island and handles mixed cargo types, including cars, bulk fuel, bulk cargo, and containers. It's an essential hub for Cook Strait ferries connecting the North and South Islands, and handled 89,892 TEUs of container shipments in 2022.

Trust Us with Your Move to New Zealand

With over two decades of experience in shipping personal effects and household goods to New Zealand via container, and as trusted members of British International Freight Association (BIFA) and the British Association of Removers (BAR), you can be sure that 1st Move International will provide an exceptional container shipping service tailored to your needs.

We're proud of our faster shipping & safer packing, ensuring reliable & secure container shipping to New Zealand.

Get a free, no-obligation quote for our container shipping and removals services today.

Your Pallets Packed - Posted Live on Facebook

Your life, carefully wrapped, beautifully packed, and protected for the journey ahead.

We are extremely proud of our unique packing process. We are one of the only international movers in the UK that uses this tried and tested method to ship your treasured personal possessions overseas.

This is our craft - lives packed with care and attention for their journey overseas. Visit our Facebook page to find a snapshot of each shipment captured as the final pallet is wrapped.

We're proud to post these images, showcasing our removals team's passion and skill. Your personal effects are in the very best hands and are now destined for new adventures abroad.

Come and have a look.