Yacht Transport to Any Destination in the World
Brooks Yacht Transport offers worldwide all-included ocean transport for yachts. We are the gold standard of yacht transport companies and maintain this reputation through meticulous attention to detail and thorough communication. We offer fully-insured bespoke yacht transport solutions for every customer, and pride ourselves on customer service that is unparalleled in the yacht transport industry.
Why Brooks Yacht Transport Is Different
We see these as our main competitive differentiators in the Yacht Transport Industry.
WE ONLY SHIP YACHTS
Moving a yacht is not like moving other cargo. We are NOT a general cargo shipping company, we are yacht and boat specialists and we will know how to properly prepare your boat for safe transport.
VIP CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
We are a customer service company FIRST and a transport company second. We love working with superyachts and megayachts, but unlike other companies, we give as much attention to any boat, regardless of the size.
WE SERVICE ALL SHIPPING ROUTES
We are able to utilize any ship out there; we aren’t limited to only providing you with the sailing dates of our own ships like many other larger yacht transporters in the market.
Detailed Process: Yacht Transport by Ocean
Ocean Yacht Transport: Frequently Asked Questions
What are advantages of transporting my yacht via ocean liner versus having a captain & crew deliver my yacht?
There are many good reasons to transport a yacht by liner rather than hiring a captain.
First and foremost, transporting your boat means sparing it from significant wear and tear, engine hours, and the possibility of interior or exterior damage or engine malfunction.
Another reason to have your yacht shipped to its destination instead of motored is the cost of fuel. Depending on the type of boat, the cost of fuel consumption on a long distance delivery will come very close to the cost of transport by ocean liner.
We make the process stress free. You never worry about your boat running aground or experiencing other structural or mechanical failure that could delay your yacht reaching its destination by months, and costing you indefinite sums for repair.
Even though with yacht transport by liner there’s no absolutely guaranteed date of arrival, you do know that you won’t run into an unexpected long-term maintenance or repair scenario between your origin and destination.
With ocean yacht transport by liner, you also have complete certainty of liability – every time you transport your boat with us you have a full-coverage all-risk marine cargo insurance policy
Why don’t we know exact dates for loading & delivery of my boat?
Sadly, guaranteed pick-up dates don’t exist in ocean transport – regardless of the shipper or transporter. In fact, if an ocean yacht transporter is giving you a guaranteed pick-up date well in advance of shipping, this is not trustworthy information and very much a red flag.
It’s impossible to know exactly what day the ship is going to arrive at the port because of the possibility of whether delays, port congestion, or delays at prior ports. Once the ship has reached port, we will have a much more accurate idea of your delivery date, but because of the many uncontrollable factors in the international shipping industry at large, we have to use our best judgment and err on the side of caution in providing you with estimated dates.
If we are a month or more away of shipping, you can expect a loading window of approximately 15 days. That window narrows as the ship gets closer & clears each port on its schedule before your port of loading.
How will my boat be prepared for ocean transport?
Initial preparations may take place before your boat gets to port. Perhaps your boat was shrinkwrapped at your marina or boatyard. Perhaps you had a custom cradle built for your boat in advance etc. These preparations depend on the type of boat and your preference.
Next, there are a few different options for how your boat can get to port for loading. We can deliver your boat by truck if it’s of road legal size. Otherwise, you or a designated friend or professionally hired captain can bring your boat to port for loading.
Once your yacht has reached the port, final preparations are made prior to shipping. The cradle might be built on the deck of the ship custom-fit to your boat, your boat may be lashed and strapped securely to the deck of the ship. Experienced certified loadmasters, experienced certified cradle builders, or experienced certified divers may all be involved in the final preparations of your boat.
Your boat will be loaded onto the liner either with a heavy-duty crane that is geared to the deck of the ship, or it may be loaded by other means such as mobile port crane, or by roll on – roll off if that’s your method of shipment (see below our detailed guide on loading methods). We will know which loading method is appropriate for your yacht. Please give us a call if you have any questions or concerns!
Do you own the ship that will be transporting my yacht?
We do not own ocean liners. For your yacht transport, there is no advantage whatsoever to using a company that owns their own ships. Most ship-owning companies are actually more expensive because they have greater overhead, and the customer service that you receive will be inferior. All NVOCC companies (like us) have access to the same ships on the same tradelines.
Please give us a call and ask us if you have additional questions about Ocean Yacht Transport. We are here 7 days a week and would love to hear from you!
Yacht Loading Methods
Below we describe the various ways of loading your yacht onto an ocean liner
Lift-On/Lift-Off
The Lift On – Lift Off transport method is the most common in the industry. It is straightforward, safe and most cost-effective in many cases. If our team determines that Lift-On, Lift-Off is best for your transport, your yacht will need to be brought shipside, by sea or by truck. Heavy-duty slings are carefully placed under the hull of your boat by professional divers at the instruction of an experienced loadmaster. The loadmaster will have determined the correct lifting points for your hull in advance. At this point, your yacht is slowly and delicately crane-lifted out of the water or truck-bed, and placed on top of a custom built arrangement of lumber and steel stands that cradle the vessel onboard. These cranes are often rated for hundreds of tons of load capacity and can lift your yacht like a feather. Your boat is securely lashed down to the deck and cradle, and the process is simply reversed at your port of destination.
Flatrack
Flatrack shipping is very useful for boats that are shorter than 40 feet, do not exceed height restrictions (which vary by route and ship), and need to be transported along less common routes and schedules. Flatracks are essentially standard 40’ shipping containers without sidewalls and a roof. This allows your yacht’s dimensions to go beyond the parameters of standard shipping containers, but with the same ease of loading. Because of the container-like design, these platforms are available for use on most major shipping lines worldwide, year-round, and at a relatively low cost. Custom-built cradling is provided if necessary.
Roll-On/Roll-Off
The Roll-On/Roll-Off transport method is a very attractive shipping option if your yacht is less than 60 feet in length, and less than 15-18 feet in height. In this method, your yacht is wheeled on board the stern ramp of a ship that is specially designed for rolling cargo. Your yacht can be rolled onto the ship on its own trailer, or on top of a specialized rolling flatbed and cradle. Roll-On/Roll-Off is a fantastic method of transport because of the weather protection provided by the boat being enclosed within the ship, the frequency of the ship schedules, and the fact it’s generally the most cost-effective method of transport if possible for your yacht!
BreakBulk
The Break Bulk (otherwise known as Out-of-Gauge) transport method is utilized when a yacht must be shipped on board a container or “break bulk” liner vessel due to route or season, but the yacht’s dimensions make standard container or Flatrack loading impossible. In this case, your yacht is lifted by the same means as the Lift-On/Lift-Off method onto a platform between rows of containers for safety, or directly onto the deck of the ship in its own custom-built steel cradle.
Float-On/Float-Off
The Float-On/Float-Off yacht transport method is done with the use of semi-submersible vessels. These ships are engineering marvels that were originally designed to transport and launch oil rigs, but have since been utilized to transport a variety of cargo that is simply too large or heavy to be safely lifted by cranes, and must be floated over the submerged deck of these very special ships. Due to the fascinating coverage of many of these operations, our customers will often ask if this method would be best for their yacht. This method is great for megayachts that cannot be lifted safely, but this transport method is actually not necessary for most yachts. Most yachts, including many superyachts, can be safely lifted on a traditional cargo vessel at a lesser cost. There are, however, some instances where this transport method is cost effective and convenient, in which case we are happy to offer it as one of our many options!
Trucking
For yacht transports that can be done by land, we offer yacht trucking. This ranges from tri-axle bunk trailers to specialized lowboy boat haulers for oversized boats with high clearance. Trucking is often required for domestic yacht transport, due to The Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920), which prohibits ocean freight to be delivered between U.S. ports if the ship is not U.S. built, U.S. flag, and fully crewed and supported by U.S. labor. We offer road transport of any distance, ranging from local moves, to cross-country, to international. We have thoroughly vetted, experienced drivers positioned in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Europe. Can my yacht be moved by truck?
