Potential shipping delays

If your car is shipping via container to any of the California Ports (Long Beach, LA, Oakland), then yes it will have a very long shipping journey.  The Panama Canal will have a multi-day waiting period, and then two or more weeks of floating at sea to wait for a berth at the port, and then another one or more weeks to offload and get your car into a transport truck.  In my case, the ship stopped at the Port of LA for a few days before deciding to skip this port and head north to Vancouver.  Three weeks later it was finally offloaded at Oakland, and the container then sat at the port for another week. 

In short, it is a mess and it is not getting any better with time. My car was finished in March, loaded in a container some time in April, and was finally received in late July.  None of this is Radical UK or your dealer's fault.  They are doing their best.  If you need that car sooner, then request air freight.

@davidf Thanks David for that insight.  March to July would imply October to February for me.  

I have heard that the cost of a container has gone up dramatically.  I wonder to what extent the cost of air freight has lessened the gap.

@sr10formetoo 

I am looking into air freight option currently; I will let you know what I find.

Dealers are sharing containers to reduce cost for their customers -- this can also contribute to the delay.  

I'm not sure this is always the case.  My Porsche made the journey from Germany to San Diego pretty much as scheduled, leaving in July and arriving in August.  Many others on Rennlist had similar experiences.  Delays have been incurred for other reasons..  part shortages, factory shutdown, CARB cert, etc..

I flew my SR10.  This was back in July and I couldn't get a reasonable estimate on shipping then.  It ranged from 6 weeks to 4 months (going to LA).  I don't have the final bill yet (afraid to see it!).  Spring Mountain estimated 3x the amount of sea transit.

I found out that air freight is currently about 2x container freight but I won't know the exact number for a few days.  I have also learned that the estimated container freight delivery is in excess of 100 days.  The delays are throughout the shipping food chain.  As such I have opted to go with air freight.  For the additional estimated $3400, I thought it was best to not wait 4-5 months.  There is of course the logistics of securing the air freight space which I am told is already progressing. My car should be completed in a couple of weeks.  So the schedule of getting space on British Airways air freight by that time should line up nicely, fingers crossed.

Posted by: @sr10formetoo

I have also learned that the estimated container freight delivery is in excess of 100 days.

Wow.

I am waiting to hear the air freight quote myself.  

BTW, East Coast shipping is considerably faster and there is no queue for the Panama Canal once the container ship sails.  However I have heard that getting a container and a slot on a ship in the UK is difficult and incurs a delay.

Posted by: @sr10formetoo

I have also learned that the estimated container freight delivery is in excess of 100 days.  The delays are throughout the shipping food chain.  As such I have opted to go with air freight.  For the additional estimated $3400, I thought it was best to not wait 4-5 months.

Same story for me -- extra 3k something (less than 4k) to air freight it to San Francisco, otherwise 100 day shipping delay.

There has never been more container ships waiting to enter Long Beach and Los Angeles.  73 container ships last I heard.  Finally LA is starting 24/7 operations to clear the congestion but it won't happen overnight.  Also, significant delays just to enter the Panama Canal.  I hear that 40% of all containers entering the US come into Long Beach and Los Angeles ports.

Containers are also delayed now on East coast ports.  Worth the extra cost -- 4k more is a bargain for air freight.  I could wait, however I don't want my car sitting in a container at sea for 4 months.