Boat & Yacht Transport
Boat & Yacht Transport
Boat and yacht transport is the movement of marine vessels — by road, by container, and by vessel — between marinas, ports, buyers, and storage, with the preparation, documentation, and customs clearance an international move requires. A boat is not standard freight: it is high in value, awkward in shape, and exposed to weather and handling damage in ways crated cargo is not. TRT ships boats and yachts as part of its cargo services — marine vessels are received, prepared, stored, and shipped by the same team that runs our port drayage, warehousing, and ocean freight — so a vessel’s whole move, from pickup to delivery, is planned and handled under one roof instead of being handed off between a transporter, a preparation yard, and a shipping line.
How Boat & Yacht Transport Works
Step 1 — Vessel details and shipping plan
Start with the vessel: type, dimensions, weight, pickup point, and destination. From those details we confirm the right option for the move — door-to-door, door-to-port, or port-to-port — and the right method for the ocean leg, and provide a clear, detailed quote before anything moves.
Step 2 — Documentation and customs
International vessel shipping runs on paperwork. We guide you through the documentation and handle customs clearance and regulatory compliance on your behalf, so your vessel moves across borders without delays or unexpected costs.
Step 3 — Preparation and protection
Before it travels, the vessel is prepared by our Wrapping & Craning team. Marine vessels are shrink-wrapped piece by piece, so the protection fits the vessel instead of the vessel fitting the protection, and crating provides structural support where a piece needs it. Preparation also covers secure loading and positioning with specialized equipment, so the vessel is protected before its first mile.
Step 4 — Pickup, port drayage and loading
The vessel is picked up and moved to the port. Where the route runs through our own hubs, TRT’s drayage team handles the port leg at Port Newark-Elizabeth and the Port of Savannah, and the vessel can be staged or stored in TRT warehousing until its ship sails. At the port it is loaded using proven techniques under our ocean freight coordination, and every shipment is carefully tracked from pickup to delivery.
Step 5 — Arrival, clearance and delivery
At destination, we coordinate customs clearance and the final leg — delivery to the port for collection, or onward delivery to the final address — so the vessel arrives safely and in excellent condition, with the same team accountable at both ends of the move.
Vessels We Move
Our experienced staff handles every type of vessel shipment with precision and care:
- Boats — powerboats and smaller craft shipped for relocations, purchases, and overseas sales
- Yachts — high-value vessels that need extra care, maximum protection, and planned handling at every step
- Marine vessels moving with other cargo — vessels received, prepared, stored, and shipped as part of a larger TRT cargo move
- Vessels moving with vehicles — boats and yachts shipped alongside cars and equipment through our Auto Shipping Solutions
Whether it is a single boat or a vessel moving as part of a fleet or bulk shipment, the move is planned around the vessel itself — its dimensions, its value, and what it needs along the way.
How Your Vessel Travels
TRT coordinates the ocean methods proven across our vehicle and cargo services. With enclosed container shipping, cargo is loaded and secured inside a container, protected from weather, exposure, and contact throughout the voyage — the method we recommend when maximum protection matters most. With RORO (roll-on/roll-off) shipping, cargo is driven or rolled directly onto and off the vessel using specialized loading techniques, minimizing handling along the way; it is an efficient, secure solution for vehicles, machinery, and oversized equipment. A vessel that is out-of-gauge for standard equipment moves as oversized cargo, prepared and protected by our Specialized Services team and hauled on equipment matched to the load. Which method fits depends on the vessel’s size, shape, and route — our specialists confirm the right one in the shipping plan before anything moves, and the same team manages every detail from scheduling to customs paperwork. Whichever method carries the ocean leg, the shipment is carefully monitored from origin to destination, and our team maintains communication throughout, so you know where your vessel stands at every stage — on the water, in the terminal, and on the road at either end.
Prepared, Stored and Shipped From the Port
A vessel move is only as smooth as its port legs — and at TRT those legs are ours. Vessels can wait in secure TRT warehousing in Newark and Savannah before loading or after arrival, with 24/7 security and surveillance while they are with us. Our main warehouses sit inside the ports themselves — 150,000 square feet of warehouse space in Newark in Port Newark-Elizabeth, including a 30,000-square-foot warehouse with loading docks built for specialized cargo handling, and our brand-new 316,800-square-foot warehouse in Savannah — and TRT operates many warehouses, with Newark and Savannah the main ones. Shrink wrapping keeps protecting a vessel in storage as well as in transit, because the same weather-resistant barrier serves both short-term transport and long-term storage. One company plans the pickup, the preparation, the port handling, the ocean leg, and the delivery — so your vessel is never handed off between strangers mid-shipment. Export moves run the same chain in reverse: the vessel is received at our facility, prepared and protected, hauled to the terminal by our own drayage operation, and loaded for its ship — with documentation and customs handled before it ever reaches the port. Storage also covers the gaps in a vessel’s calendar: a boat sold overseas can wait, wrapped and secure, until its sailing is booked; a yacht arriving ahead of its owner can be held at the destination port and delivered when they are ready; and a vessel between seasons can stay in protected storage instead of sitting exposed. Because the storage, the preparation, and the transport are the same team, nothing has to be re-arranged when the schedule changes — the plan simply moves with the vessel.
Who Ships Vessels With TRT
Our vessel shipping serves three kinds of customers. Individuals ship boats and yachts when relocating, buying a vessel from far away, or selling one overseas — usually a single vessel that has to arrive safely and in excellent condition. Dealerships and brokers move vessels for inventory and customer deliveries, where timing and condition on arrival protect the sale. Businesses move multiple vessels and marine equipment for commercial purposes, where several units have to be coordinated through the same ports and schedules. Each gets the same treatment: a shipping plan matched to the vessel, preparation and protection arranged before it moves, documentation and customs handled, secure storage at either end when the schedule needs it, and tracking from pickup to delivery, with specialists who answer questions at every stage.
What Affects the Cost of Boat & Yacht Transport
Vessel shipping is priced per shipment, not off a flat rate card. Your quote is built from the vessel’s size and weight, the distance and route it travels, the shipping method, the service level you choose — from port-to-port to full door-to-door — and the preparation and handling the vessel needs, such as shrink wrapping, crating, storage, or oversized-cargo handling. Accurate dimensions and details up front produce the most accurate quote. What you receive from TRT is a clear, detailed quote before any shipment is accepted, ensuring there are no hidden fees.
What to Send Us for a Boat & Yacht Transport Quote
To plan your vessel’s move and price it accurately, send us:
- The vessel — type (boat or yacht), dimensions, and weight
- Where it is picked up, and the destination city or port
- Which service you want — door-to-door, door-to-port, or port-to-port
- Your timing — when the vessel is ready, and when it needs to arrive
- Anything special about the shipment — preparation, storage, or a vehicle or cargo moving with it
Send the details through our contact page, call us at +1 973 344 7100 ext 221, or email drayage@usatrt.com, and we will come back with a shipping plan and a clear, detailed quote.
Boat & Yacht Transport FAQs
Can TRT ship boats and yachts?
Yes. TRT ships boats and yachts as part of its cargo services: marine vessels are received, prepared, stored, and shipped by our team, for individuals, dealerships, and businesses — whether it is a single boat or a vessel moving as part of a larger shipment.
How is a boat or yacht protected during transport?
With preparation matched to the vessel. Our Wrapping & Craning team shrink-wraps marine vessels piece by piece, forming a durable, weather-resistant barrier against moisture, dust, and exposure, and custom crating adds structural support where a piece needs it. Vessels are loaded and secured using proven techniques, and every shipment is carefully tracked.
What shipping options does TRT offer for vessels?
We offer door-to-door, door-to-port, and port-to-port shipping. You choose how much of the journey we manage, and our team handles documentation, customs clearance, preparation, loading, and delivery to match — coordinated with our ocean freight, drayage, and warehousing services.
Does TRT handle customs and documentation for international vessel shipping?
Yes. We handle all necessary customs documentation and processes for international shipments, and ensure compliance with regulations and proper paperwork, so your vessel clears borders quickly and without complications.
Can TRT pick up my vessel and store it before it ships?
Yes. Vessel shipping is coordinated with our port drayage and warehousing in Newark and Savannah. We can pick up the vessel, move it to Port Newark-Elizabeth or the Port of Savannah, and stage or store it securely in TRT warehousing — with 24/7 security and surveillance — until loading.
What if my vessel is too big for a standard container?
Oversized and out-of-gauge cargo is TRT’s specialty. A vessel that exceeds standard dimensions is planned as a specialized shipment: detailed assessment, preparation and protection, equipment matched to the load, and professional handling at every step, coordinated by our specialized services team.
Can I track my vessel while it is shipping?
Yes. Every shipment is carefully tracked, and real-time tracking lets you monitor your shipment’s progress from pickup to delivery, giving you full visibility and peace of mind throughout the journey.
How do I get a quote for boat or yacht transport?
Call us at +1 973 344 7100 ext 221, email drayage@usatrt.com, or reach us through our contact page. Tell us the vessel, its dimensions, the pickup location, the destination, and your timing, and we will provide a clear, detailed quote before any shipment is accepted.
Related services
Related services: Auto Shipping Solutions, Ocean Freight and Wrapping & Craning.