Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, a 20 ft container from Houston to Montevideo costs from $1,426 and a 40 ft HC from $1,544 (October 2026 quote), port to port, about 30 days at sea. Pick your gateway, container size and cargo type to see your own 2026 rate.
- Container rates to Montevideo are quoted port to port: you deliver to the US port, your despachante collects at Montevideo.
- In October 2026 a 20 ft from Houston starts at $1,426 and a 40 ft HC at $1,544 — only about $118 apart for more than double the volume.
- Ocean transit Houston to Montevideo runs about 30 days; most US gateways route through a transshipment hub before the River Plate.
- Uruguayan import taxes (Mercosur tariff 0-20%, IVA 22%, consular fee) are separate from freight and never appear in the ocean rate.
Ocean rates to the River Plate reprice every month, so the figures here carry their quote date and the live table on this page updates on its own. The calculator prices your exact origin city, container size and cargo type in about 30 seconds.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Reference prices: container shipping from the USA to Uruguay
| Port | 20 ft | 40 HC | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $1,426 | $1,544 | 30 days |
| Miamileaves from Houston | $1,426 | $1,544 | 30 days |
| New Jerseyleaves from Houston | $1,426 | $1,544 | 30 days |
| Los Angelesleaves from Houston | $1,426 | $1,544 | 30 days |
Port to port to Montevideo, in USD, quoted with our system on October 4, 2026. Includes freight and US export charges; excludes import taxes and destination charges. General cargo. The calculator on this page gives your exact price, with pickup and delivery.
Shipping from another state? Which port to read
Each port in the table is the one that cargo from these states usually leaves through. Houston: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Florida ship through Miami; New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia ship through New York / New Jersey; California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii ship through Los Angeles / Long Beach; Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama ship through Savannah; Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota ship through Chicago (rail); Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska ship through Seattle / Tacoma: those ports are not in the table yet. We pick up in every state, and the calculator finds the best port from your city.
How Much Does It Cost to Send a Container to Uruguay?
Quick Answer: A 20 ft container from the USA to Montevideo starts at $1,426 with AB Group Shipping, and a 40 ft HC at $1,544 (October 2026 quote, Houston, port to port). The final number moves with your gateway, container size, cargo weight and the month you book.
Those two October 2026 numbers are the honest starting point for the precio contenedor a Uruguay. They are not a fixed tariff. Ocean rates reprice monthly with bunker adjustment factors, peak-season surcharges and vessel capacity on the South Atlantic string.
Use the price table under the opening answer on this page for the current figure. It updates itself. A rate quoted in October is not the rate you book in March.
In October 2026, the 40 ft HC from Houston priced only about $118 above the 20 ft — for more than double the cubic capacity. Volume-heavy importers rarely find a better upgrade in international freight.
What does "port to port" actually mean?
Port to port means the ocean leg only. You, or the trucker you hire, deliver the loaded container to the US terminal before the yard cut-off. We move it across the water to the Port of Montevideo.
At arrival, your despachante de aduana files the DUA, pays the taxes and collects the box. That release step is not part of the freight rate. Plan it before the vessel sails, not after it docks.
Which US gateway will my cargo leave from?
Your region decides your port, and your port decides your price and transit. AB Group Shipping loads containers from anywhere in the USA.
- Florida and the Southeast coast → PortMiami
- Texas and the central states → Port Houston
- California and the Southwest → Los Angeles/Long Beach
- The Northeast → Port of New York and New Jersey
- Georgia and the Carolinas → Savannah
- The Midwest → by rail to Houston or Savannah
- The Pacific Northwest → Seattle
From any of those regions, budget approx. from $1,426 for a 20 ft, priced via the nearest listed origin (Houston). The calculator prices your exact lane instead of an approximation.
HoustonUSHOU
MontevideoUYMVD
HoustonUSHOU
MontevideoUYMVD
MiamiUSMIA
MontevideoUYMVD
What the ocean rate does not include
Importers get burned by the gap between a freight quote and a landed cost. Here is what sits outside the number.
- US inland drayage from your warehouse to the terminal
- Uruguayan port and terminal handling charges at Montevideo
- Despachante de aduana fees and DUA filing costs
- Mercosur duty, 22% IVA and the consular fee
- Local delivery from the Montevideo terminal to your bodega
One more limit: general-cargo container rates do not price vehicles. A car, a truck, an RV, a motorhome, heavy machinery or breakbulk each follow a different line. RVs, semi-trucks and machinery do not fit a standard box at all — they move on a flat rack or a RoRo vessel, and a specialist quotes them after the calculator takes your request.
Moving a household rather than importing stock? The Free Expat Move Budget Calculator: USA to LatAm 2026 breaks down a full relocation budget instead of a commercial import.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →How Does the Container to Uruguay Calculator Work?
Quick Answer: The container to Uruguay calculator on this page returns a price in about 30 seconds. You choose your origin city, container size and cargo type. It gives a live port-to-port rate to Montevideo, estimated transit days and the surcharges already included — no email, no signup, no follow-up calls.
Most online freight tables are static. They quote one lane, one month, one box size, and they were written two years ago. The embedded tool prices your actual lane against live rate sheets.
- Enter your pickup city or state. The tool maps it to the correct gateway — Miami, Houston, Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah or Seattle. The gateway drives both price and transit days.
- Select 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft HC and declare approximate weight. Overweight containers trigger chassis and port surcharges that a generic table never shows.
- Review the itemized result: ocean freight, BAF/CAF, ISPS and origin THC, listed separately instead of hidden inside a vague all-in figure.
That itemization matters. An "all-in" quote from a broker often buries destination terminal handling or leaves it out entirely. You discover it when the container is already on the water.
Pro Tip
Declare your real gross weight, not a round guess. A 20 ft that crosses the terminal weight limit picks up a tri-axle chassis charge in the USA and a heavy-lift surcharge at Montevideo. Both land on your invoice after booking, when you have no leverage left to negotiate.
Some cargo cannot be auto-priced. Project cargo, flat-rack machinery, oversized RoRo units and dangerous goods all need human eyes. For those, the embedded element becomes a custom-quote request, and a specialist replies with a figure and a sailing option.
If you only need to send originals — a Factura Comercial, a Certificado de Origen, a signed contract — cargo pricing is the wrong tool. The Free Courier Documents Calculator: USA to Peru 2026 shows how document-only courier shipments are priced.
20 ft or 40 ft HC: Which Container Fits Your Uruguay Import?
Quick Answer: A 20 ft container holds about 33 CBM and roughly 28,000 kg of payload; a 40 ft HC holds about 76 CBM. In October 2026 the 40 ft HC from Houston priced only about $118 above the 20 ft, so volume-heavy, light-weight cargo almost always wins with the high cube.
The flete contenedor 40 pies a Uruguay question usually answers itself once you see the cost per cubic meter. Double the space for roughly eight percent more money is not a close call.
Container capacity vs. rate — USA to Montevideo
See the data
| Container | Max payload | Internal CBM | Usable at 85% stow | US pallets | Rate (Oct 2026, Houston) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard | ~28,000 kg | 33 CBM | ~28 CBM | 10–11 | from $1,426 |
| 40 ft standard | ~26,700 kg | 67 CBM | ~57 CBM | 21–24 | from $1,544 |
| 40 ft HC | ~26,500 kg | 76 CBM | ~65 CBM | 21–24 | from $1,544 |
Source: AB Group Shipping quoting system, port to port Houston–Montevideo · October 2026. Payload and CBM are standard carrier specifications and vary slightly by equipment.
Choose the 20 ft
Dense cargo wins here. Ceramic tiles, machinery parts, canned goods and liquids hit the weight ceiling long before they fill the box. A 20 ft loaded to 28,000 kg is already illegal to move on some Uruguayan roads without a special permit. A 40 ft HC does not raise your legal road weight into Montevideo — it only adds air you cannot use.
Choose the 40 ft HC
Light, bulky cargo wins here. Furniture, packaging, textiles, plastic goods, retail stock and household effects run out of space before they run out of kilos. At about $118 more in October 2026, the high cube cuts your cost per cubic meter by more than half. If you have 35 CBM or more, stop comparing and book the HC.
When does LCL beat a full container?
Below roughly 10 CBM, consolidated LCL usually wins on cost per cubic meter. You pay for the space you use, not for an empty box. Above that threshold, a 20 ft normally takes over.
LCL carries its own costs though: deconsolidation at a CFS warehouse, longer handling time and more touch points. Our breakdown of LCL Shipping USA to Guatemala 2026: Instant Quotes explains how consolidated pricing is built per cubic meter.
Check free time before you book, not after arrival
Carriers grant a set number of free days at Montevideo — often 5 to 10 for a standard dry box. If your despachante needs 12 days to clear and the carrier allows 7, demurrage and detention start running per container per day. A cheap 40 ft HC stops being cheap fast. Ask for the free-time allowance in writing at booking.
Shipping a home instead of stock? Compare the bare container against a full door-to-door move. Our guide to International Moving Costs from USA to Chile: 2026 Prices & Required Documents shows how packing, origin service and destination delivery are priced on a relocation.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →What Taxes and Duties Does Uruguay Charge on an Imported Container?
Quick Answer: Uruguay applies the Mercosur common external tariff of 0-20% on extra-zone goods, plus 22% IVA on the taxable base and a consular fee on CIF value. Only a licensed despachante de aduana can file the DUA with the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas. None of this sits inside your ocean freight rate.
Uruguayan duties are calculated on CIF value: cost plus insurance plus freight. That has a direct consequence. A lower freight figure lowers your tax base, so the calculator result affects more than the carrier invoice.
The published rate stack
- Arancel Externo Común (AEC) — 0% to 20% depending on your HS code, for goods from outside Mercosur
- IVA — 22% standard rate, 10% reduced rate on certain goods
- Consular fee — applied on CIF value for extra-Mercosur imports
- IVA anticipado — an advance IVA payment on goods imported for resale
A worked example (illustration only)
Assume a CIF value of $30,000 and an AEC rate of 14% for your HS code. The math runs like this:
- $30,000 CIF × 14% AEC = $4,200 duty
- ($30,000 + $4,200) × 22% IVA = $7,524 IVA
This is an illustration of the calculation method, not a quote. Your real rate depends on the HS classification your broker assigns.
You cannot self-clear in Uruguay
Uruguayan law requires a licensed despachante de aduana to file the DUA with the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas. The importer also needs RUT registration with DGI and files through the VUCE single window. Confirm your HS classification with the broker before booking — a reclassification after arrival can change the tariff rate and delay release. For duty and tax rulings, consult your licensed broker or a Uruguayan customs attorney.
US-side compliance you cannot skip
According to CBP regulations, the Importer Security Filing (ISF, "10+2") must be transmitted at least 24 hours before the container is loaded onto the vessel at the foreign port. On export shipments the mirror obligations fall on the US exporter.
- Correct HTS or Schedule B number on the Factura Comercial
- AES filing through ACE for any shipment over $2,500 per Schedule B line
- Accurate shipper, consignee and notify party on the Bill of Lading
- Certificado de Origen where a preference or a consular requirement applies
How Long Does a Container Take from the USA to Montevideo?
Quick Answer: Port-to-port ocean transit from Houston to Montevideo runs about 30 days. Other US gateways land in a similar 28-38 day band, usually with one transshipment at Caucedo, Cartagena or Santos before the River Plate. Port cut-off is several days before vessel ETD — book around the cut-off, not the sailing.
| US gateway | Port-to-port transit | Typical transshipment hub |
|---|---|---|
| Houston (USHOU) | ~30 days | Caucedo or Cartagena |
| Miami (USMIA) | approx. 28–34 days | Caucedo |
| Savannah (USSAV) | approx. 30–36 days | Cartagena or Santos |
| New York/New Jersey (USNYC) | approx. 30–36 days | Caucedo or Santos |
| Los Angeles/Long Beach (USLAX) | approx. 34–38 days | Panama / Santos |
Sea days are only half the story. Sailing frequency sets your real delivery date. If your gateway offers one weekly service and you miss it, you lose seven days before the ship even leaves.
Why cut-off and ETD are not the same date
Three deadlines fall before the published ETD, and shippers miss them constantly.
- Documentation cut-off — B/L instructions, usually 3 to 5 days before ETD
- VGM cut-off — verified gross mass declaration, often a day earlier than the yard
- Container yard cut-off — the physical gate-in deadline at the terminal
Miss any one and the carrier rolls you to the next sailing. On a River Plate service, that is typically another seven days.
Pro Tip
Add 3 to 7 days at Montevideo for discharge, DUA processing and release. If the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas routes your DUA to the red channel for physical inspection, budget several more days — and watch the free-time clock, because demurrage does not pause for a customs inspection.
Seasonality matters on this lane. River Plate congestion and peak-season surcharges bite hardest between September and December. If you need stock on shelves for the Uruguayan summer, book in August, not October.
For context on how much shorter northern lanes run, see Shipping Times USA to El Salvador 2026: 1-25 Days. Central America is a matter of days; the South Atlantic route to Montevideo is a matter of weeks.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Price Your Container to Uruguay Now
Quick Answer: Run your origin city, container size and cargo type through the calculator on this page to get a live port-to-port rate to Montevideo. The result shows ocean freight, surcharges and estimated transit days in about 30 seconds — no email address, no signup, no sales call.
With thousands of shipments processed across the USA–Latin America corridor, AB Group Shipping books containers from any US city through Miami, Houston, Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah and Seattle. Current market conditions change rates monthly, which is exactly why a live calculator beats a published table.
Enter your lane in the calculator on this page and compare a 20 ft against a 40 ft HC side by side. If your cargo is project freight, flat-rack machinery or a vehicle, the same form sends it straight to a specialist for a custom figure.
The price depends on your US gateway, container size, cargo weight and the month you book, because ocean rates reprice monthly with fuel and peak-season surcharges. Check the price table under the opening answer on this page — it updates itself — or run the calculator for your exact origin and get a live port-to-port figure to Montevideo in seconds.
About 30 days port to port from Houston, and roughly 28 to 38 days from most other US gateways, usually with one transshipment at Caucedo, Cartagena or Santos. Add 3 to 7 days at Montevideo for discharge and customs release, and more if the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas selects your DUA for inspection.
Yes. Uruguayan law requires a licensed despachante de aduana to file the DUA with the Dirección Nacional de Aduanas on your behalf. The importer also needs RUT registration with DGI, and the broker should confirm your HS classification before the container is booked, since the code drives the tariff rate.
Imports from outside Mercosur pay the common external tariff of 0 to 20 percent by HS code, 22 percent IVA on the taxable base, and a consular fee on CIF value. Goods imported for resale may also carry an advance IVA payment. Confirm the exact stack for your product with a licensed despachante de aduana.
Usually, yes, below about 10 cubic meters. Under that threshold consolidated LCL beats a full container on cost per cubic meter; above it, a 20 ft or 40 ft HC normally wins, and the 40 ft HC often costs only slightly more than the 20 ft. Run both options in the calculator on this page to compare.