SSANCAR › FAQ › Shipping Used Cars from Korea to Europe: RoRo, Containers, Ports and Transit Times
Shipping used cars from Korea to Europe
RoRo versus container shipping, costs, transit times to European and Balkan ports, marine insurance, port free time and what happens when the car arrives.
Key facts
- Korean export ports: Pyeongtaek (largest car port), Incheon (~150,000 used cars a year), Masan and Busan.
- RoRo Pyeongtaek to Bremerhaven/Zeebrugge: 32-38 days, sailings about every 14 days; to Durres 38-45 days (monthly); to Bar 40-48 days.
- 40ft high-cube container: 3-4 cars, about USD 3,900 + USD 80 per car lashing; 20ft: 1 car.
- Marine insurance (ICC A, 110% of CIF) costs about 0.45-0.85% of the value; claims must be notified within 14 days of discharge.
How long does shipping take from Korea to Germany, Poland or the Netherlands?
RoRo vessels from Pyeongtaek reach Bremerhaven or Zeebrugge in 32-38 days via Singapore and the Suez Canal, sailing roughly every 14 days (Hyundai Glovis, EUKOR). Containers to Rotterdam, Hamburg or Gdansk take 6-8 weeks door to door including transshipment. Cars for Poland usually enter via Gdansk, Hamburg or Bremerhaven and are trucked onward; cars for the Baltics via Klaipeda (40-50 days ocean).
How long does shipping take from Korea to Albania, Kosovo or Montenegro?
RoRo from Korea to Durres (Albania) takes 38-45 days with about one sailing a month; to Bar (Montenegro) 40-48 days. Containers to Durres can take about 70 days when routed around the Cape of Good Hope. Kosovo has no port, so cars are cleared at Durres (315 km from Pristina), Bar or Thessaloniki and trucked in. Customs clearance at Durres takes 3-5 days.
Should I ship a used car from Korea by RoRo or in a container?
Use RoRo for 1-2 cars and a container for 3 or more. RoRo costs about USD 750-2,000 per car to Europe and the car is driven on and off, so it must be running; a 40ft high-cube container costs about USD 3,900 and holds 3 sedans or 2-3 SUVs (up to 4 small cars) plus parts. Containers protect against weather and theft and allow non-running cars, but add lashing (about USD 80 per car) and unloading charges at destination.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Korea to Europe?
In 2026, RoRo freight from Korea costs about USD 1,400-2,000 per car to Bremerhaven or Zeebrugge and about USD 2,040 (sedan) to USD 2,140 (SUV) to Durres; a 40ft high-cube container to a main European port costs about USD 3,900 for 3-4 cars. Add Korean port handling (included in SSANCAR's FOB price), marine insurance (0.45-0.85% of value) and destination terminal charges of EUR 100-250 per car. Suez or Red Sea disruptions can add 10-20%.
Which Korean port will my car ship from?
Most SSANCAR cars ship from Pyeongtaek, Korea's largest vehicle port (about 1.1 million cars a year) and the main RoRo hub for Hyundai Glovis and EUKOR, or from Incheon, which handles about 150,000 used-car exports a year and most container loads. Masan and Busan are used for some southern-Korea cars. Yard storage at the port costs about USD 4-7 per car per day after the free period.
Is marine insurance included when I buy a car from Korea?
No, marine insurance is not included in FOB or CFR prices. SSANCAR can arrange all-risk cover (Institute Cargo Clauses A) at 110% of the CIF value for about 0.45-0.85% of the value, so roughly USD 90 on a USD 16,000 shipment. Claims for transit damage must be reported to the carrier and insurer within 14 days of discharge with photos taken at the port before the car leaves the terminal.
Which Incoterm does SSANCAR use — FOB, CFR or CIF?
SSANCAR sells FOB Korean port and books freight on your behalf, so the practical result is CFR (cost and freight) to your European port; insurance is added on request to make it CIF. The buyer is the importer of record and handles customs clearance, duty and VAT in the destination country. For Europe, SSANCAR's responsibility ends when the car is discharged at Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge or your chosen port.
How many free days do I have at the European port before storage fees start?
Typically 4-5 free days for containers and about 5 free days for RoRo cars at German and Belgian ports, after which storage or demurrage starts. Hapag-Lloyd Germany (2025) charges EUR 110 (20ft) or EUR 150 (40ft) per day from day 5, rising to EUR 230-300; Zeebrugge RoRo charges EUR 10.30 per day for days 6-12, EUR 20.65 for days 13-21 and EUR 41.30 from day 22, plus a EUR 35.80 reception fee. Clear customs and collect the car quickly.
Can I track my car from Korea to the port?
Yes. Buyers can track each car by VIN on ssancar.com's Track My Car page (no login needed) through 11 stages from purchase to arrival, and the vessel can be followed on the carrier's site using the bill-of-lading number. SSANCAR's sales managers also send WhatsApp updates at purchase, yard arrival, loading and departure.
What happens if my car arrives damaged from Korea?
Report damage within 10 days of the recorded arrival date with photos and video that show the VIN plate, the odometer and the damaged area, taken before the car leaves the terminal. SSANCAR checks the claim against the pre-shipment inspection photos; transport damage, which usually happens during lashing, is settled either by marine insurance (if taken) or by SSANCAR as compensation by bank transfer, a discount on the next car, or SSANCAR credit. Cars with more than 50 km added since export are reviewed individually.
Can SSANCAR ship cars to Ukraine?
Yes, by sea to an EU port followed by road or rail transit. Because Odesa port calls are restricted, about 90% of Ukraine's imports move through EU 'Solidarity Lanes': Korean cars are normally shipped to Klaipeda (40-50 days ocean, about USD 2,000-2,500 per car in a container, 7-10 weeks door to door), Gdansk (rail to Zamosc in about 5 days) or Constanta, then driven or trucked into Ukraine under T1 transit. Ukrainian customs clearance is handled by the buyer's broker.
Can you ship an electric car from Korea by RoRo?
Yes, but carriers apply extra rules. Since 1 January 2026 (IMDG Amendment 42-24) lithium-ion vehicles must be declared under UN 3556, the battery must be undamaged, and most RoRo lines require a state of charge of about 20-50% and a safety declaration from the shipper. Some lines refuse used EVs over a certain age or with battery warnings, so SSANCAR confirms acceptance with the carrier before you pay the second instalment.