Barrel & Drum Shipping to the Caribbean

Caribbean barrel shipping

What is barrel and drum shipping to the Caribbean?

A uniquely Caribbean tradition

Barrel and drum shipping is the traditional method used by Caribbean diaspora communities in the UK to send personal effects, household goods, food items, clothing, and gifts home to the Caribbean. A standard steel drum (55 gallons / 208 litres) is filled with goods, sealed, and shipped by sea freight to the recipient island.

It is one of the most cost-effective methods of sending personal effects to the Caribbean — a full drum can hold the equivalent of several large suitcases of goods.

Please note: You must supply your own barrel or drum. We do not supply barrels or drums. Standard 55-gallon (208-litre) steel drums are available from hardware stores, market traders, and specialist Caribbean shipping suppliers across the UK. Please ensure your barrel is clean, sound, and can be securely sealed before collection.

Who uses this service?

Caribbean communities across the UK — in London (Brixton, Hackney, Tottenham), Birmingham (Handsworth), Manchester (Moss Side), Liverpool (Toxteth), Bristol, Leeds, and beyond — regularly ship barrels and drums home for:

Family remittance — sending goods to relatives
Personal effects when relocating or retiring to the Caribbean
Seasonal gifting — Christmas and holiday barrels
Unaccompanied baggage — shipping belongings ahead of travel

Destinations

Caribbean islands we ship barrels and personal effects to

Jamaica

Kingston and Montego Bay. One of the most frequent Caribbean routes from the UK — weekly sailings available. Strong demand from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, and Leeds.

Trinidad & Tobago

Port of Spain. Regular sailings from the UK — strong demand from London, Birmingham, and the wider Caribbean Windrush community.

Barbados

Bridgetown. Regular UK sailings for personal effects and barrel shipping — consistent demand from London, Birmingham, Bristol, and Southampton.

Grenada

St George's. Regular sailings for personal effects and unaccompanied baggage from the UK to Grenada.

Antigua & Barbuda

St John's. Regular UK sea freight for personal effects and barrel shipments to Antigua.

St Lucia

Castries. Regular sea freight from the UK for personal effects and barrel shipping to St Lucia.

St Vincent & Grenadines

Kingstown. Regular UK sailings for personal effects and barrel shipments to St Vincent.

Dominica

Roseau. Regular sea freight from the UK for personal effects and unaccompanied baggage to Dominica.

St Kitts & Nevis

Basseterre. Regular sailings for personal effects and barrel shipping from the UK to St Kitts and Nevis.

We also ship personal effects by air cargo and sea freight to the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname, and all other Caribbean territories.

What can go in a barrel

What you can ship in a barrel or drum to the Caribbean

Typically accepted

Clothing and textiles
Shoes and accessories
Household goods — pots, pans, kitchenware
Personal effects and toiletries
Electronics — phones, tablets, small appliances
Non-perishable food items (varies by island — check at booking)
Children's toys and educational items
Books and documents
Bedding and linen

Not accepted

Perishable and fresh food — fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy cannot be shipped in barrels
Lithium-ion batteries and the devices that hold them — mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches, vapes / e-cigarettes, power banks, and loose or spare batteries cannot be shipped in barrels by sea freight due to fire safety regulations
Liquids (particularly flammable or corrosive)
Aerosols and pressurised canisters
Weapons or ammunition
Controlled substances
Currency above declared limits
Counterfeit goods

⚠ Do NOT put these in your barrel

For fire and customs safety these are prohibited in barrels shipped by sea and must never be packed — not even switched off:

Anything with a lithium battery — mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches, vapes / e-cigarettes, power banks, and loose or spare batteries
Flammable & pressurised items — aerosols, perfumes, nail varnish, paint, petrol, lighter fluid, lighters and matches
Fresh or perishable food — fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy
Alcohol where the destination restricts it (e.g. Gulf states), plus weapons, ammunition and controlled substances

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.

Important restrictions: Perishable foods and lithium-ion batteries cannot be shipped in barrels. Some Caribbean islands permit dried and tinned food items — we advise at booking on what is permitted for your specific destination.

We collect from across the UK

Barrel and personal effects collection from all UK Caribbean communities

We collect barrels, drums, boxes, and suitcases from homes across the UK — wherever the Caribbean community is based, we come to your door.

London

Brixton, Hackney, Tottenham, Ladbroke Grove, Peckham, Streatham, Woolwich — all south, east, and north London Caribbean communities covered.

Birmingham

Handsworth, Winson Green, Lozells, Balsall Heath — Birmingham's Caribbean Windrush community covered.

Manchester

Moss Side, Hulme, Whalley Range — Manchester's Caribbean Windrush community covered.

All other UK cities

Liverpool (Toxteth), Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Luton, Milton Keynes, and beyond — wherever you are in the UK, we collect from your door.

Transit insurance

Insuring your barrel and personal effects shipment

We strongly recommend taking out transit insurance for all barrel and personal effects shipments to the Caribbean. Insurance rates depend on how your goods are packed.

Transit insurance — owner packed vs professionally packed:

Owner-packed goods: transit insurance is generally charged at approximately 5% of the declared replacement value. This rate reflects the higher risk associated with goods packed by the shipper rather than a professional.
Professionally packed goods: transit insurance is generally charged at approximately 3.5% of the declared replacement value — a lower rate that reflects the reduced risk of damage when goods are packed to a professional standard.

All goods must be declared at their true replacement value — under-declaration can invalidate your insurance claim. We recommend insuring all international personal effects and household goods shipments. Ask us about transit insurance at the time of booking.

Caribbean destination pages

Personal effects shipping information for each Caribbean island

Full customs information, import rules, and delivery details for every Caribbean island we ship to — click your destination for full details.

Jamaica Trinidad & Tobago Luggage Courier to Trinidad Barbados Grenada Antigua & Barbuda St Lucia St Vincent & Grenadines Dominica St Kitts & Nevis Guyana Suriname Bahamas Cayman Islands Bermuda Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti Montserrat

UK collection locations

Barrel collection from UK Caribbean communities

We collect from all UK cities with Caribbean communities — click your city for full personal effects shipping information and collection coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions answered

Do you ship barrels and drums to Jamaica from the UK?+

Yes. Jamaica is one of our most frequent Caribbean shipping routes — we ship barrels, drums, boxes, and personal effects to Kingston and Montego Bay from across the UK. We collect from your door in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool, and all other UK cities.

How long does barrel shipping to the Caribbean take from the UK?+

Sea freight from the UK to the Caribbean typically takes 6-12 weeks depending on the island. We advise on current sailing schedules and transit times at the time of booking.

What can I put in a barrel to ship to the Caribbean?+

You can typically include clothing, shoes, household goods, kitchenware, personal effects, toiletries, electronics, toys, books, and bedding. Non-perishable food items are accepted for some islands but not others — we advise at booking. Fresh or perishable food, liquids, aerosols, and prohibited items cannot be included.

Do you ship barrels to Trinidad, Barbados, and other Caribbean islands?+

Yes. We ship personal effects, barrels, and drums to Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Antigua, St Lucia, St Vincent, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and other Caribbean islands. We also ship to Guyana, Suriname, the Cayman Islands, and all other Caribbean territories.

Can I ship a barrel from Birmingham or Manchester to Jamaica?+

Yes. We collect from Birmingham (Handsworth, Winson Green), Manchester (Moss Side, Hulme), and all UK Caribbean community areas for barrel and personal effects shipments to Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Is barrel shipping cheaper than air cargo to the Caribbean?+

Yes. Sea freight barrel and drum shipping is significantly cheaper than air cargo for larger volumes of personal effects and household goods. Air cargo to the Caribbean takes 5-8 working days and is suited to smaller, more urgent shipments, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers.

Barrel & Drum Shipping to the Caribbean from the UK