The classic way to send love home. Fill a 55-gallon barrel with food, clothes and gifts, and we ship it to Kenya — from about $270, fully insured, and tracked the whole way.
A full 55-gallon barrel is billed at about 9 cubic feet of sea-freight space, so it ships from around $270 (Standard sea, $30/ft³) plus mandatory insurance. Sea transit is 10–14 weeks. You pay for the barrel's space whether it's packed tight or half-empty — so fill every inch.
Get an exact figure from the calculator → (tap the 🛢️ 55-gal barrel preset).
Anything legal to import that survives the journey. The most common barrel contents:
Rice, cooking oil, tinned goods, flour, spices and snacks — sealed and non-perishable. A barrel of food costs the same as a barrel of clothes, so fill every gap.
New and gently used clothing, shoes, bedsheets and towels. Roll clothes tight and stuff socks into shoes to use every inch.
Soap, lotions, detergent, small kitchenware and everyday household items that are pricey or hard to find at home.
Presents for family — toys, watches, small electronics. Declare their value honestly so your insurance covers them.
School supplies, books and stationery — heavy for air, but ideal for a sea barrel where you pay by space, not weight.
No perishables (without arrangement), aerosols, flammables, weapons or counterfeit goods. See the full prohibited list →
Buy a standard 55-gallon plastic shipping barrel from a hardware or restaurant-supply store. Not sure where? Ask us.
Fill it tight, seal the lid, and label it with your name and "Sea". Send it to our Washington warehouse — or we can arrange pickup.
We load your barrel on the next sailing, handle the export paperwork, and support customs clearance in Mombasa.
Pick up at our Kahawa Wendani shop or have it delivered to your door. Track every step online — no login needed.
You pay for the barrel's volume, full or not. Pour rice into pots, tuck socks into shoes, and pack soft items around fragile ones. A tightly packed barrel is the cheapest barrel per item.
Line the barrel with a heavy-duty bag and seal food in plastic. Sea journeys are long and humid — double-bag anything that could spoil or leak.
Cushion breakables in the middle, surrounded by clothes. Keep liquids upright and sealed, away from the lid.
Keep a simple list of what's inside and its value. It speeds customs clearance and is the basis of your insurance cover — so declare honestly.
Use the locking ring and tape the seam. A secure lid keeps your barrel intact through handling at both ports.
Standard sea rate, $30 per cubic foot. Your final price is calculated from measured volume.
| Barrel | Billed volume | From (Standard sea) |
|---|---|---|
| 55-gallon barrel (full) | ~9 ft³ | $270 |
| Two 55-gallon barrels | ~18 ft³ | $540 |
| Smaller drums / part-full | Priced by volume | Use the calculator |
Excludes Kenyan duties (Standard) and mandatory insurance (2% of declared value). Prefer duties handled for you? Ask about our All-Inclusive tier for used personal effects.
Get a free quote in minutes — no commitment required.