Sending your belongings to Kenya by sea
Moving to Kenya, going home after years in Canada, or sending boxes to family? Personal effects travel in a shared ocean container (LCL groupage) from our receiving warehouses in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to Mombasa. You pay only for the space your boxes take, from USD 4 per cubic foot, and the carrier estimates 48–57 days in transit depending on the gateway and the city.
Personal effects to Kenya are accepted subject to carrier approval: before you pay, we send your packing list and passport copy to the carrier, and only then is the booking confirmed.
Kenya's Single Window system (KenTrade) handles import documentation online, and the 15-character ACD number is generated there by the importer before the goods are shipped. Personal effects of returning residents and diplomats have separate procedures. Mombasa can be congested, so cargo for Nairobi should be cleared promptly to avoid storage charges.
Sending personal effects to Mombasa. The tariff has one Kenyan destination, and it is where the boxes are cleared: Mombasa. Toronto and Montreal are the quicker gateways at about 48 days; from Vancouver the carrier quotes about 57 days. Families in Nairobi or upcountry collect the shipment at the port or appoint an agent to forward it. The carrier approves every shipment of belongings on the basis of the passport copy and the signed packing list, and it wants household goods professionally packed. The ACD number that the tariff requires for Kenya comes from the consignee, so ask for it before you deliver the boxes. The declared value stays within CAD 2,000.
Number the cartons and write the same numbers on the list: a Kenyan inspection at Mombasa is quicker when an officer can find carton 7 and see that it really holds bedding and school books. Electronics, new goods in their retail packaging and anything that looks like stock for resale draw questions, so keep a shipment of your own things clearly used and personal.
Rates for household boxes to Kenya
| Destination | From Toronto | From Montreal | From Vancouver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mombasa | USD 7 / cu ft 48 days · min. USD 512.24 | USD 7 / cu ft 48 days · min. USD 512.24 | USD 4 / cu ft 57 days · min. USD 406.28 |
Example: moving boxes from Vancouver to Mombasa
A medium moving box of 18 × 18 × 16 inches holds 3.0 cubic feet; packed with clothes, books and kitchenware it weighs about 15 kg.
- 10 boxes (30 cu ft, 150 kg): USD 406.28
- 20 boxes (60 cu ft, 300 kg): USD 505.00
- The smallest shipment: USD 406.28
The totals include the A1 processing fee, surcharges and solar fee. The carrier charges by volume or by weight (1,000 kg per CBM), whichever is greater. From the Prairies, with trucking to the port included: Calgary USD 645.00 (via Vancouver) and Winnipeg USD 645.00 (via Vancouver).
Which Canadian gateway: 20 boxes to Mombasa
- From Toronto: USD 685.00, about 48 days
- From Montreal: USD 685.00, about 48 days
- From Vancouver: USD 505.00, about 57 days
Vancouver is the least expensive gateway to Mombasa, Toronto the fastest: 9 days quicker for USD 180.00 more. Choose the warehouse you can reach; from other Canadian cities the calculator shows the lowest of the three.
Documents for personal effects
- Passport copy. The photo page of the shipper's passport. It must be valid (not expired) and the name must match the shipper on the booking and on the packing list. We accept a passport from any country, but no other ID.
- Packing list. Our fillable packing list (PDF) names the shipper and the receiver in Kenya and lists every box: contents, quantity, dimensions, weight and value. Number the boxes and write the same numbers on the list. "Winter clothes, 2 coats, 6 sweaters" is useful; "personal items" is not. Sign it before you upload it.
- Customs value. The total declared value of the shipment may not exceed CAD 2,000.
The carrier's tariff requires a passport copy and a complete, detailed packing list for every personal-effects shipment, and household goods must be professionally packed. More help: how to fill in the packing list.
Packing advice
Your boxes are handled several times: at the warehouse, in the container and at the terminal in Mombasa. Use new, strong double-wall cartons and fill them completely so they do not collapse under the weight of others; seal every seam with packing tape. Put heavy items such as books in small boxes and light items in larger ones. Write the receiver's name and city in Kenya on two sides of every box. Many boxes can be strapped onto a pallet on ISPM 15 heat-treated wood; you or your mover prepare the pallet, A1 does not palletize.
What not to pack
The carrier does not accept vehicles or parts with fuel, food, plants, animals, medication, weapons, dangerous goods (aerosols, batteries, paint, flammable liquids), cash, jewellery or other valuables. If you are not sure about an item, ask us before you pack it.
Carrier conditions for Kenya
- Commercial Invoice Required
- Certificate of Conformity for Kenya Bureau of Standards Required (SGS/Interek)
- Customs Clearance at Mombasa.
- Subject to ISPM 15 Packing Regulations
- ACD number consists of a 15-digit alphanumeric code is required
Insurance (optional)
Cargo insurance for personal effects is arranged through Marsh Canada (CargoCover): owner-packed goods, all risks, with a USD 300 deductible. To request it, sign the insurance coverage form and complete the valued inventory, then upload both on your booking page before departure. All forms: useful links and forms.
How to book
Calculate the price in the calculator above with the cargo type "Personal effects", accept the quote and upload the passport copy and the signed packing list on your booking page. After the carrier approves the shipment and confirms the destination charges, you pay and receive the labels and the warehouse delivery instructions. You deliver the boxes yourself: A1 does not offer pickup from your home.
Shipping to Kenya by service
Questions and answers
How much does it cost to ship 20 boxes to Kenya?
Twenty medium moving boxes (about 60 cu ft and 300 kg) from Vancouver to Mombasa cost about USD 505.00 including all A1 fees. Destination charges, duties and taxes are confirmed separately.
Which ID do I need to ship personal effects to Kenya?
A copy of the photo page of the shipper's passport: valid, not expired, and in the same name as the shipper on the booking and the packing list. A passport from any country is accepted; no other ID is.
Can A1 pick up my boxes at home?
No. You or a local mover deliver the packed boxes to our receiving warehouse in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver; the warehouse measures and weighs them and the final price follows those measurements.
Rates valid through December 25, 2026; totals include A1 fees of USD 265.00. Destination charges are confirmed by the carrier, duties and taxes are paid by the consignee, and transit days are the carrier's estimate.