Send barrels, drums, boxes and personal effects from the UK to Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and across Africa. We collect from your door in the UK; at the destination the barrel goes to the port (by sea) or airport (by air) for the receiver to clear and collect. Shipping since 1998.
Barrel and drum shipping is the method used by African families in the UK to send personal effects, household goods, clothing, shoes, non-perishable food and gifts home to loved ones. A sealed steel or plastic drum protects your belongings for the long sea voyage and keeps everything together as one shipment.
You pack the barrel; we collect it from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the export paperwork, and ship it by sea to your destination country. It is a cost-effective way to move a large volume of goods that would be far more expensive as airline excess baggage.
Typical barrels carry used and new clothing, footwear, bedding and linen, kitchenware and cooking pots, tinned and sealed dry foods, toiletries, children’s items, school supplies and gifts. Many senders combine a barrel with a few boxes of larger household items — we can quote for both together.
We also ship barrels, drums and personal effects to Malawi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Egypt, Morocco and across the continent. If your destination isn’t listed, just tell us the country and city and we’ll arrange it.
List every category of item separately with an honest value in GBP — “clothes and personal items” or “miscellaneous” will cause a customs hold. Used items are valued at second-hand (fair-market) value, new items at retail. The total declared value is used by the destination customs authority to assess duty and by our insurers to set your cover.
For fire and customs safety these are prohibited in barrels shipped by sea and must never be packed — not even switched off:
Not sure about an item? Ask us before you pack — call free on 0800 096 38 39. A single hidden battery or aerosol can hold up the whole shipment.
Most barrels travel by sea — the most economical option. As a guide: Ghana around 4–6 weeks, Nigeria 5–8, Kenya 6–8, and Southern Africa (e.g. Zimbabwe) 6–10. Air freight is also available when you need it faster — typically a few days to around two weeks — at a higher cost; ask us to quote both. These are approximate — the actual time depends on when your container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment before the final port, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side.
Each African country sets its own customs duty and import rules — for example the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) — and certain goods are restricted or prohibited. Returning residents relocating permanently may qualify for relief on used personal effects in some countries. Duties and local charges at destination sit outside our quote and are the receiver’s responsibility — we prepare your export documentation and advise on what the destination requires at the time of booking.
How delivery works — important: this service is limited to the arrival port or airport only. We collect your barrel from your door in the UK and ship it to the destination port (by sea) or airport (by air). From that point it is the receiver’s responsibility: the receiver must clear the cargo through customs and collect it themselves on arrival. We do not clear customs at the destination, and we do not deliver to the door. Any duties, taxes and local charges are payable by the receiver.
We collect barrels, drums and boxes from your door anywhere in the UK, including the areas with established African communities — South and East London (Peckham, Woolwich, Hackney, Tottenham), Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and across the country. We do not supply barrels or drums — shippers must provide their own. We’ll advise on secure sealing and labelling before collection.
Call 0800 096 38 39 to arrange collection or ask any question.
We strongly recommend insuring your shipment. Cover is based on the honest declared value on your packing list, so complete it carefully and itemise every category. Ask us about cover levels when you book — for the sake of a small premium, it protects the contents of your barrel for the whole journey.
No, we do not supply barrels. It is the shipper’s responsibility to supply your own barrel or drum. We’ll advise on secure sealing and labelling before we collect.
No. This service is limited to the arrival port or airport. We collect from your door in the UK and ship to the destination port (by sea) or airport (by air), but from there the receiver must clear the cargo through customs and collect it themselves on arrival. We do not clear customs or deliver to the door in the destination country. We’ll give you the collection details when your shipment arrives.
It depends on the weight and size of your barrel or drum — barrels come in different sizes and shapes — and on the destination country. Tell us your UK postcode, the destination city and roughly what you're sending, and we'll give you a clear quote — as long as your shipment matches what you told us, that's the price you pay, subject to shipping-line rates at the time of booking. Destination customs duties are separate and are the receiver's responsibility.
It varies by destination. As a guide: Ghana around 4–6 weeks, Nigeria 5–8, Kenya 6–8, and Southern Africa (e.g. Zimbabwe) 6–10. These are approximate — the actual time depends on when your container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel's sailing date and route, any transhipment before the final port, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side.
We ship barrels, drums, boxes and personal effects across Africa — including Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Kenya, and also South Africa, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Uganda and Tanzania. If your destination isn't listed, just ask — we cover the whole continent.
For fire and customs safety you must never pack anything with a lithium battery (mobile phones, laptops, tablets, vapes, power banks, loose batteries), flammable or pressurised items (aerosols, perfumes, paint, petrol, lighters), fresh or perishable food, or restricted goods. If in doubt, ask us before you pack — a single hidden battery or aerosol can hold up the whole shipment.
No. Anyone in the UK can send a barrel of personal effects, household goods, clothing and gifts to family in Africa. Returning residents relocating permanently may qualify for relief on used personal effects in some countries. If you are not travelling yourself, however, the goods inside the barrel are classified as non-personal effects and will be liable to duties and taxes. We’ll advise on the documentation the destination customs authority requires at the time of booking.
Tell us your UK postcode and the destination country and we’ll give you a clear quote.