Container vehicle export has stricter fuel rules than RoRo. When your car is loaded into a sealed container at Los Angeles, Newark, Houston, or inland consolidation warehouses, the tank must be empty.
Why containers require empty tanks
- Sealed environment — vapour accumulates in a closed container
- IMDG classification — fuel residue can classify the shipment as dangerous goods, triggering surcharges or refusal
- Insurance and carrier liability — shippers mandate empty tank + purged lines
- Inspection — US Customs may inspect; fuel odour or leakage fails intake
Empty means empty — not quarter tank
Unlike RoRo (where ¼ tank is often acceptable), container loading typically requires:
- Zero readable fuel on gauge (or near-zero per forwarder spec)
- Fuel lines purged — not just siphoned from the tank
- No gas cans, jerry cans, or spare fuel anywhere in the container
Personal belongings in containers
One advantage of container export: you may ship personal items alongside the vehicle (subject to customs declaration). Fuel and hazardous items remain prohibited.
Professional drain before container load
EEK drains tank and lines, documents litres removed, and disposes via USIFDA-licensed carriers — giving your forwarder paperwork for container gate-in.
US export documentation (related requirements)
Separate from fuel, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires export paperwork validated before sailing. Forwarders typically need:
- Original title (or lender authorisation if financed)
- AES/EEI filing for shipments over US$2,500 value
- 72-hour rule — documentation often must be submitted and validated at least 72 business hours before vessel departure at ports such as Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Brunswick
Fuel compliance and customs compliance are both gate requirements — missing either delays export.