What Auto Shippers does

Auto Shippers (trading name of 1st Move International Limited) is a UK-based international vehicle shipping company headquartered in Bristol, operating from a 21,000 ft warehouse at Europe's largest car terminal. Founded in the late 1990s and in operation for over 25 years, the company ships cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, motorcycles, motorhomes, and classic and specialty vehicles to more than 6,500 worldwide destinations via weekly RoRo, containerized, R-Rak, and air freight services. Its proprietary R-Rak racking system enables up to four vehicles per 40ft container and has been adopted by major OEMs including Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Jaguar.

The company's revenue model is primarily transaction-based, with per-shipment pricing ranging from approximately £500 (European destinations) to £1,000 (Australia), supplemented by insurance premiums (1.55%-2.8% of vehicle value via a partnership with Basil Fry & Company underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance), optional UK collection services (£150-£450), and customs brokerage fees. Customer segments span private individuals (the primary segment, typically relocating or importing personal vehicles), automotive manufacturers and dealers, and luxury/classic car enthusiasts, with motorcycle owners as a secondary persona. The company is registered as a UK customs broker and is a member of BIFA, enabling in-house clearance supported by a worldwide network of licensed destination agents.

Distribution is direct-to-customer through an inside-sales motion: a website quote form, UK freephone and international phone lines, email, and nationwide UK vehicle collection. Digital marketing channels include SEO-driven country-specific import guides, a blog, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. A sister company, 1st Move International, extends the platform into international removals. The business is privately held, founder/family-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or public filings.

Name

Auto Shippers

Legal name

1st Move International Limited

Website

https://autoshippers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Vehicle Shipping Services

NAICS

Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311), Water Transportation (483)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

International Vehicle Shipping & Export (RoRo/Container) (HSAKAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Vehicle Shipping & Import Assistance (HSAKACAJ), Terminal-to-Terminal Auto Shipping (HSAKAFAC), Vehicle Pickup/Delivery & Concierge (Key Handling, Inspections, Condition Reports) (HSAKAFAL)

Keywords

• International car shipping
• Vehicle transportation services
• RoRo container shipping
• Classic car logistics
• Shipment protection insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Shipping Services: Core revenue from shipping vehicles internationally via RoRo, container, and air freight services. Charges based on vehicle type, destination, shipping method, and service level (collection/delivery).
2. Shipment Protection/Insurance: Optional insurance coverage against loss, theft, and damage during transit. Premiums calculated as percentage of vehicle value (1.55% to 2.8% depending on coverage level and vehicle value). Provided through Basil Fry & Company, underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance.
3. Collection and Delivery Services: Optional services for collecting vehicles from customer locations and delivering to ports, or from destination ports to final addresses. Includes chauffeur driver, open transporter, and enclosed transporter options.
4. International Removals: Related service through sister company 1st Move International for packing, moving, and shipping personal effects and household goods internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Auto Shippers transports cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, motorbikes, classic, supercar, motorhome, and specialty vehicles (e.g., Land Rover, Nissan Figaro) internationally from the UK to 6,500+ destinations via seafreight (RoRo, dedicated container, R-Rak shared container) and air freight methods. Services include vehicle collection/delivery, customs brokerage, real-time container tracking, optional transit insurance, and secure document handling, with weekly scheduled departures from UK ports including Southampton and London.

Product overview

Auto Shippers is a UK-based international vehicle shipping company offering a comprehensive portfolio of car shipping services. The core offerings include RoRo (Roll on Roll off) shipping, Container shipping (both dedicated 20ft/40ft and shared via the proprietary R-Rak system), and Air Freight options. Specialized services cover motorbikes, classic cars, supercars, motorhomes, Land Rovers, and Nissan Figaros. Supporting services include Shipment Protection insurance (via Basil Fry & Company), real-time Car Tracking, Secure Document Transfer, and UK Customs Brokerage. The company also offers International Removals through its 1st Move International division. With a 21,000 ft warehouse in Bristol and weekly departures, the company ships to over 6,500 worldwide destinations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RoRo (Roll-on Roll-off) Car Shipping Seafreight service where vehicles are driven directly onto purpose-built vessels and secured with chains to the interior deck. Preferred method of major car manufacturers including Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Jaguar, and used widely for standard car shipments from UK to worldwide destinations.
• Container Car Shipping Dedicated 20ft or 40ft container shipping service for sole use with weekly departures from Southampton and London. Allows shipping of spares and personal effects inside the container alongside the vehicle.
• R-Rak Car Shipping Proprietary racking system that loads up to four cars into a single 40ft container, offering cost savings over full container for individuals. Insurance-approved and adopted by major manufacturers. Available on Australia, Cyprus, USA, and New Zealand routes.
• Air Freight Car Shipping Fastest shipping method for exotic and high-value vehicles, with daily cargo services to main destinations. Includes UK pickup and delivery at destination airport, typically completing within 7 days.
• Motorbike Shipping Daily motorbike collection service with nationwide UK coverage, export-standard crating, and weekly shared container shipping to 6,500+ worldwide destinations for individual owners.
• Classic Car Shipping White-glove service for classic and vintage car shipping with specialist knowledge of customs procedures; nationwide collection via enclosed transporter.
• Supercar Shipping Specialized high-value exotic car shipping with extra protection and air freight options for premium vehicles.
• Motorhome Shipping International shipping service for motorhomes and recreational vehicles to worldwide destinations.
• Land Rover Shipping (USA & Canada) Specialised shipping service for Land Rover models (Defender, Discovery, Freelander, Series variants) to USA and Canada, handling model-specific documentation requirements.
• Shipment Protection Cover Optional specialist transit insurance against loss, theft, and damage during shipping, provided through Basil Fry & Company and underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance. Available in Super Cover, Standard Cover, and Restricted All Risks tiers at 1.55% to 2.8% of vehicle value with minimum premiums of £25 to £55.
• Real-time Container Tracking Service GPS- and AIS-based tracking system for shipping containers, integrating data from 140+ premier shipping lines to give customers live visibility on over 500,000 containers worldwide during transit.
• UK Customs Brokerage In-house registered UK customs broker service providing UK and overseas customs clearance formalities, supported by worldwide network of licensed agents.
• UK Nationwide Vehicle Collection & Delivery Optional UK-wide door-to-port collection and port-to-door delivery service using chauffeur driver, open transporter, or enclosed transporter options at £150 to £450 depending on distance and service type.
• International Removals (via 1st Move International) Weekly international packing, moving, and shipping for personal effects and household goods to 6,500+ destinations through sister company 1st Move International, with weekly departures from the UK.
• Secure Document Transfer Service SSL-encrypted, PCI-compliant online document upload tool used by customers to securely submit V5 registration, passport, and bill of sale for vehicle export.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transit times from UK to USA range from 8-22 days depending on destination port
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British International Freight Association (BIFA)coreOthersBIFA is the leading body representing the UK International Freight Services Industry. As members, Auto Shippers must comply with strict terms and conditions and trading conditions. BIFA membership provides credibility and assurance of industry standards compliance.
• Basil Fry & CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialist insurance broker providing shipment protection cover against loss, theft and damage during transit. Products underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance. Essential partner for the company's insurance offerings.
• 1st Move InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company operating as part of the same group. Specialises in international removals, packing, and moving services for personal effects and household goods. Auto Shippers handles vehicle shipping while 1st Move handles personal effects, both offering weekly departures from UK.
• Overseas Licensed AgentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorldwide network of reputable, licensed and experienced agents at destination for customs clearance and vehicle delivery services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• 1st Move International: Sister company under the same parent (1st Move International Limited) offering weekly international removals and personal effects shipping from the UK to 6,500+ destinations. Closely related operating model and customer overlap, but focused on household goods rather than vehicles.

Direct peers

• Ship Overseas: US-headquartered international car and vehicle shipping company offering RoRo and container shipping from the US to global destinations. Directly comparable service mix (cars, SUVs, classic, motorcycles) and inside-sales/quote-driven GTM.
• CFR Rinkens: International classic, exotic and collector car shipping specialist using enclosed transport, container and air freight. Directly comparable niche focus on high-value vehicles with white-glove service, containerized and air-freight options.
• Atlantic Cargo: US-based international vehicle and household goods shipper offering RoRo and container services with worldwide destinations. Closely comparable product set (cars, motorcycles, classic, container, RoRo) and freight-forwarder model.
• A1 Auto Transport: US-headquartered auto transport broker/carrier offering domestic and international vehicle shipping including classic and exotic cars. Comparable vehicle-only freight model with a strong digital quote-and-book funnel.
• Transglobal Express: UK-based international freight forwarder offering parcel, pallet and vehicle shipping worldwide. Directly comparable UK origin market, quote-driven inside sales motion and container/RoRo vehicle service.
• Anglo Pacific: UK international removals and shipping specialist moving household goods and vehicles worldwide. Comparable UK-origin, cross-border moving model with door-to-port collection services that mirror Auto Shippers' offering.
• Movecorp: UK international removals company offering packing, shipping and vehicle transport to worldwide destinations. Closely comparable UK-origin service portfolio including vehicle shipping alongside personal effects.

Broad incumbents

• BlueWater Shipping: Global freight forwarder offering project, sea and air freight including vehicle transport for OEMs and dealers. Overlaps with Auto Shippers' RoRo/container car-shipping capability but operates as a much larger, multi-modal incumbent.
• Montway Auto Transport: Large US auto transport broker/carrier handling domestic and cross-border vehicle moves via open and enclosed carriers. A scaled, digital-first vehicle logistics platform — comparable product category though predominantly domestic US rather than ocean freight.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AutoShippers_UK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCil9aYR80P_bgXwYORzUxKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/AutoShippersUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/autoshippers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Auto Shippers