Transporting boats and yachts is a specialized field of shipping and requires an experienced professional boat shipper for safe boat shipping from USA to Australia. Boats may be shipped in cargo containers (if it will fit inside), flat racks or roll- on/ roll- off method.
Australia has strict laws regarding the importation of goods. Because Australia is an island continent, the native plant and animal life is unique. The Australian government has put in place strict laws that require quarantine as well as cleaning and fumigation of goods entering the country. If you plan to ship your own boat from the USA to Australia, you must properly prepare the vessel for transport. If the boat contains any wooden parts, like the deck or furnishings, it must be fumigated. Fumigation may be done prior to shipping but only by a fumigation company approved by Australian customs. The boat and its container may be fumigated upon arrival at an Australian port, but this may prove more expensive and result in quarantine delays. The shipping company you select can direct you to an approved fumigation company.
Once fumigation is complete you will be given a certificate that should be presented to Australian customs upon arrival at the port. Non- wooden boats must be thoroughly cleaned prior to loading on the cargo ship. Because Australia quarantine laws are stringent, make sure there are no food items or garbage anywhere on board the boat. Inspect the cabin for insects or their eggs, dirt, debris, or any other organic contaminants in the boat. The hull should be steam cleaned as well.
If a boat is on a trailer for boat shipping from USA to Australia, all loose items must be either secured or removed and stored below deck. Items should be stored below deck to avoid shifting during loading, transport and unloading of the boat. Hatches must be secured to avoid swinging open and causing damage. Locking and then taping hatches will secure them against damage. Boats that have motors must be completely drained of fuel prior to pick up by the shipping agent. Remove all drain plugs if the boat is to be shipped with a trailer, unless the boat will be lifted out of the water by crane and placed in the water at the destination point. Air conditioning and refrigeration units must be degassed prior to loading the boat on the cargo ship. All other fluids should also be drained from motors. The battery must be disconnected and all electronic devices in the off position. Masts and rigging on sailboats must be removed and secured separately. Keels, bowsprits, and radar arches should also be removed and stored securely.
Boats not on trailers will need to be cradled for transport. International shipping companies provide adjustable steel cradles to safely transport boats of all sizes. Water lifts onto and off the ship are possible, but can be expensive depending on the size of the boat. If at all possible, the boat should be removed from the water, placed on a trailer, and then trucked to the departure port.
Accurate measurements of the boat and its trailer (if applicable) are necessary for the shipper to estimate costs of boat shipping from USA to Australia. Measurements must include the overall length of the boat on the trailer, the length of the boat itself, the beam width, trailer width from outside of fenders, and height of the boat from the ground to the highest point of the windscreen.
