Pick what you are sending and we will show you what it costs, how to pack it so it survives the journey, and what customs will want to know. Written by the team that loads it.
Every item below is priced from the same rate — $30 per cubic foot by sea. What changes is how you pack it and what customs asks.
The everyday choice — clothing, shoes, dry and tinned food, toiletries, bedding, school supplies and gifts.
| Size | Dimensions | Billed volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium box | 18 × 18 × 16 in | 3 ft³ | from $90 |
| Large box | 24 × 18 × 18 in | 4.5 ft³ | from $135 |
The diaspora standard. A sealed drum shrugs off rain on the dock, seawater in transit and rough handling at both ports — and it locks.
| Size | Best for | Billed volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55-gallon drum the standard blue barrel | A full household resupply | ~9 ft³ | from $270 |
| 30-gallon drum | A smaller send, or fragile overflow | ~5 ft³ | from $170 |
For fragile, high-value, heavy or awkwardly shaped cargo — machinery, glass, artwork, marble, generators, equipment.
| Type | Best for | Billed volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom crate | Anything that cannot take a knock | Measured on intake | Custom quote |
Sofas, beds, wardrobes, dining sets, office desks. Sea freight is the only sensible option, and how you prepare it changes the price more than anything else on this page.
| Item | Typical volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa, bed frame, wardrobe | Measured on intake | Custom quote |
TVs, computers, audio equipment, phones, gaming consoles. These carry a higher insurance rate and get more attention from customs than anything else you can send.
| Item | Billed volume | Sea freight | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat-screen TV (55″) boxed | ~8.8 ft³ | from $265 | 5% of declared value |
| Laptop / small electronics | Often better by air | from $7.99 / lb | 5% of declared value |
Fridges, microwaves, washing machines, cookers, water dispensers. Heavy, bulky and very sensitive to how they are prepared.
| Item | Billed volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|
| Microwave boxed | ~4.4 ft³ | from $132 |
| Mini fridge | ~9.5 ft³ | from $285 |
| Full-size fridge / washer | Measured on intake | Custom quote |
Already packed and no room on the plane? Sending a case ahead is almost always cheaper than airline excess baggage.
| Item | Billed volume | Sea freight |
|---|---|---|
| Large suitcase 28″ checked size | ~4.9 ft³ | from $147 |
Cars, motorcycles, tractors and heavy machinery ship by RORO or in a container to Mombasa. Vehicles run on completely different rules from everything else on this page — including Kenya's eight-year age limit on imports.
Check eligibility first. Kenya applies an eight-year rule to imported vehicles, so a car that is too old cannot be registered no matter what you paid for it. The vehicle shipping page covers the current eligibility window, duty structure and the RORO vs container decision.
Not listed here? We ship almost anything that is legal to import. Tell us what you have and we will price it.
This one idea explains almost every price on this page.
$30 per cubic foot (Standard, $100 min) — duties billed at clearance. Or All-Inclusive at $37/ft³ ($125 min) with typical KRA duties covered, for used personal effects. A 55-gal barrel runs from $270 Standard.
From $7.99 per lb, $50 minimum. Charged on weight instead. Right for small, urgent or high-value items — documents, phones, spare parts.
Mandatory. 2% of declared value for general goods, 5% for electronics.
Because sea freight is billed on volume, a barrel of clothes and a barrel of tinned food cost exactly the same to ship. Fill every container completely, disassemble what you can, and never ship air. See the full rate card →
Kenyan import duty is assessed by the Kenya Revenue Authority on arrival, and it is calculated from what is actually inside your shipment — not from what you paid us to move it. We coordinate clearance through licensed Kenyan clearing agents, and duties, taxes and government charges are billed to you separately unless your written quote says they are included.
The single most expensive mistake people make is under-declaring the value of their goods. It feels like a way to pay less duty. In practice it does two things: it gives KRA a reason to open, inspect and hold your shipment, and it caps your insurance payout at the number you wrote down. If $2,000 of cargo is declared at $300 and goes missing, $300 is what the claim is worth.
Declare honestly, keep receipts for anything new and valuable, and send us your packing list with the booking. A clean, accurate declaration is the fastest route through Mombasa.
We are a freight forwarder and we coordinate clearance — we do not assess duty and cannot quote a KRA duty figure in advance. What we can do is tell you, before you ship, exactly what documentation your particular cargo will need. How we handle clearance and compliance →
Flammable liquids and aerosols, gas cylinders, ammunition and weapons, narcotics, counterfeit goods, ivory and wildlife products, and cash. These are not a paperwork problem — they will stop the whole container, not just your item.
Prescription medicines, food in commercial quantities, seeds and plant material, used electronics in bulk, and anything you intend to resell. Some are shippable with the right declaration; some are not. Check before you pack, not after.
Departures every other week. Ocean transit to Mombasa, port handling, KRA clearance and inland transport. Sea freight rewards planning ahead.
Scheduled weekly. The right choice when it has to be there this month, or when the item is small and valuable enough that weight-based pricing wins.
Getting your cargo in before a cutoff is the difference between sailing this cycle and waiting for the next. Check the schedule →
You get a reference number when your cargo is received. Track it any time, no login needed. Track a shipment →
Message us on WhatsApp or request a quote with roughly what is going and where in Kenya it is headed. You get a firm price and the next cutoff date.
Follow the guidance for your item type above, and write your packing list as you go — not afterwards from memory.
Drop it off or ship it to our US receiving address. We measure it, confirm the final charge and book it onto the next departure.
Always include the recipient's name and Kenyan phone number on the cargo itself.
🇺🇸 USA: +1 564-999-3464
🇰🇪 Kenya: +254 794 900564
✉ merchantsupplygroup@gmail.com
💬 Chat on WhatsAppSea freight is $30 per cubic foot with a $100 minimum — so a large box is from $135 and a 55-gallon barrel from $270. Air freight is from $7.99 per lb with a $50 minimum. Insurance and Kenyan import duty are additional.
Sea freight is charged by volume — the space your cargo occupies — so a barrel of clothes and a barrel of tinned food cost the same. Air freight is charged by weight.
Sea freight is typically 10 to 14 weeks door to door, with departures every other week. Air freight is 7 to 14 business days.
Sea freight, in the largest container you can fill completely. Because you pay for space rather than weight, the cheapest shipment is a tightly packed one — disassemble furniture, fill every gap, and never ship air.
Yes. Disassemble furniture wherever possible — it routinely cuts the billed volume by a third. For appliances, remember that US units run on 110V and Kenya runs on 240V, so most will need a transformer.
Yes — 2% of declared value for general goods and 5% for electronics. It protects both of us, and it is why the value you declare needs to be accurate.
Yes — collection from our Kenya location at Mawari Plaza, Kahawa Wendani is available, or we deliver to the door on request. The recipient will need identification matching the name on the shipment.
Get a free quote in minutes — no commitment required.