Antwerp-Bruges handled 3,186,000 new cars in 2025. That number tells a car maker where to send a ship, and it tells you almost nothing about where your car should land.
Our view: pick the port by the sailing from the US warehouse nearest the car, not by the size of the terminal. From New Jersey, a car in a container costs $1,100 to Rotterdam and arrives in 17-20 days. The same car from California pays $1,850 and spends 32-43 days at sea.
Antwerp-Bruges, Bremerhaven and Brunswick move factory cars by the shipload. Their terminals are built for car carriers that roll off thousands of new vehicles from one manufacturer at a time.
A single collector car rarely travels that way. It rides in a container or on a scheduled roll-on roll-off sailing, and it goes where that sailing calls. So the useful question isn't which port is biggest. It's which port has a direct, regular sailing from the coast your car starts on.
These are the European ports on our rates table today, one car in a shared container:
| Port | From New Jersey | From Florida | From California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam | $1,100, 17-20 days | $1,225, 28-31 days | $1,850, 32-43 days (via Antwerp) |
| Antwerp | $1,100, 17-20 days (via Rotterdam) | $1,225, 28-31 days | $1,850, 32-43 days |
| Bremerhaven | $1,100, 30-33 days | $1,225, 31-34 days | $1,850, 40-45 days |
| Southampton | $1,200, 14-16 days | $1,375, 32-39 days | $1,850, 29-40 days |
| Gothenburg | $1,300, 29-31 days | $1,475, 32-39 days | $2,100, 44-55 days |
Bremerhaven is Germany's car port, and it's the obvious choice for a car headed to a German garage. From New Jersey, though, Rotterdam costs the same $1,100 and arrives about 2 weeks sooner. For a buyer in western Germany, we would price Rotterdam plus a truck before waiting on Bremerhaven.
Southampton is the fastest European landing from New Jersey, 14-16 days for $1,200. Our UK shipping page covers the import side.
For Japan and Singapore, California wins on time: $2,400 and 21 days to Singapore, $3,200 and 24 days to Yokohama. New Jersey to Yokohama is $3,250 and 39 days, so the East Coast only makes sense when the car already sits there. Busan is the exception, 14 days from both California ($2,200) and Florida ($2,600).
Australia flips the price. New Jersey to Sydney is $2,150 and 39 days, California to Sydney $2,250 and 30-33 days, both with asbestos testing included. From Florida it is $2,550 and 52 days. We would pay the extra $100 from California for the shorter crossing.
Jebel Ali in Dubai is the landing for the Gulf. New Jersey to Jebel Ali is $1,350, California $1,775, and both take 65-70 days. Texas is $4,850 and 34 days.
That gap is the whole decision. If the car has to be in Dubai for a season or a show, the Texas sailing buys back about a month for $3,500 more. If it doesn't, New Jersey is the better value. Our Middle East shipping guide covers the rules on arrival.
Brunswick handled 870,775 units of autos and heavy equipment in fiscal year 2025, moved by the shipload. A classic bought in Europe or Japan usually lands at a container port near the buyer instead, then clears and moves inland. Our Europe to US import guide and Japan import cost guide cover duty and the 25-year rule.
We run our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey, covering all of the US for imports and exports, and our own team loads every car and handles every document. We ship door to door by ocean or air. Our collector car shipping process shows each step, and the RoRo page explains when roll-on roll-off beats a container.
Antwerp-Bruges handled 3,186,000 new cars in 2025, according to the port's 2025 throughput factsheet.
The Georgia Ports Authority reports 870,775 units of autos and heavy equipment at Brunswick in fiscal year 2025, July 2024 to June 2025.
On our rates table on October 24 2026, a car in a container from New Jersey costs $1,100 to Rotterdam, Antwerp or Bremerhaven.
Southampton, at 14-16 days for $1,200 on our rates table. Rotterdam follows at 17-20 days for $1,100.
From California it takes 14 days to Busan, 21 days to Singapore and 24 days to Yokohama on our rates table.
The world's biggest car ports are built for factory fleets. For one car, the port that matters is the one with a direct sailing from your coast and a short drive to your door. Shipping a car you bought in the US, or one you won at an auction or show overseas? Price your exact lane in our shipping calculator, and we will ship it door to door by ocean or air.
It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.