{"id":99938,"date":"2026-10-23T11:29:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/cargo-ship-to-south-africa"},"modified":"2026-10-23T11:29:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:29:30","slug":"cargo-ship-to-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/cargo-ship-to-south-africa","title":{"rendered":"Navire de fret \u00e0 destination de l'Afrique du Sud : travers\u00e9es vers Le Cap et Durban"},"content":{"rendered":"<head><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n            \"headline\": \"Cargo Ship to South Africa: Freighter Voyages to Cape Town and Durban\",\n            \"description\": \"Travel by cargo ship to South Africa: freighter voyages from Europe to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) and Durban, voyage times, costs, visas and tips.\",\n            \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/cargo-ship-to-south-africa\",\n            \"image\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/cargo-ship-to-south-africa-cargoholidays-1024x576.jpg\",\n            \"datePublished\": \"2026-10-23\",\n            \"dateModified\": \"2026-10-23\",\n            \"inLanguage\": \"en-GB\",\n            \"author\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\"\n            },\n            \"publisher\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\",\n                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n            \"mainEntity\": [\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Can I travel to South Africa by cargo ship?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Yes. Some container ships from Northern Europe to South Africa take a few passengers.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How long is a cargo ship voyage from Europe to Cape Town?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Roughly 2.5&ndash;3.5 weeks, depending on the route and port calls.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How much does it cost?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Typically &euro;2,200&ndash;&euro;4,500 per person one way.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Do UK citizens need a visa for South Africa?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"UK passport holders can usually visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Check the current rules.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Which South African ports do ships use?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Mainly Cape Town, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Ngqura and Durban.\"\n                    }\n                }\n            ]\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n<\/head><div class=\"ch-post\"><p class=\"ch-updated\">Derni\u00e8re mise \u00e0 jour : 23 octobre 2026<\/p><p><strong>Sailing to South Africa by cargo ship takes you the length of the Atlantic,<\/strong> from the cool North Sea through the tropics to the Cape of Good Hope. It&rsquo;s a classic route and, with fewer flight-free options to South Africa, one of the most memorable ways to arrive. Here&rsquo;s what you need to know.<\/p>Routes to South Africa<p>Container ships between Europe and Southern Africa typically sail from Northern European ports such as <strong>Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg or a UK port<\/strong>, sometimes calling in Spain, West Africa or Namibia on the way.<\/p><div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>South African port<\/th><th>Location<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Le Cap<\/td><td>Western Cape<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) and Ngqura<\/td><td>Eastern Cape<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Durban<\/td><td>KwaZulu-Natal, Africa&rsquo;s busiest container port<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><p>Ships on some Europe&ndash;Asia services also call at South African ports when they route around the Cape of Good Hope instead of using the Suez Canal.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cargo-Ship-Travel-Cargoholidays8-1024x401.jpg\" alt=\"Seascape\" width=\"1024\" height=\"401\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Seascape\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">The voyage south crosses the equator and the tropics.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>How long does it take?<\/h2><ul><li><strong>Northern Europe to Cape Town:<\/strong> roughly 2.5&ndash;3.5 weeks<\/li><li><strong>To Durban:<\/strong> add a few days<\/li><\/ul><h2>How much does it cost?<\/h2><p>At about &euro;90&ndash;&euro;150 per person per day, a one-way voyage typically costs <strong>&euro;2,200&ndash;&euro;4,500 per person<\/strong>. See <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/cargo-ship-travel-cost\/\">how much cargo ship travel costs<\/a>.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_295106207-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"Aerial view of a harbour\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Aerial view of a harbour\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Cape Town, Gqeberha and Durban are South Africa&rsquo;s main container ports.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Visas and documents<\/h2><ul><li><strong>UK passport holders<\/strong> can usually visit South Africa visa-free for up to 90 days. Check the current rules before travelling.<\/li><li><strong>Your passport<\/strong> needs at least two blank pages and plenty of validity.<\/li><li><strong>Yellow fever certificate:<\/strong> needed if you&rsquo;ve travelled through a yellow fever area, which can include West African port calls on the way.<\/li><\/ul><h2>What you&rsquo;ll see<\/h2><ul><li>The Canary Islands or the West African coast<\/li><li>Crossing the equator, sometimes marked with a ceremony<\/li><li>Flying fish and seabirds in the tropics<\/li><li>Table Mountain rising out of the sea as you approach Cape Town<\/li><\/ul><h2>Combine with an overland trip<\/h2><p>Many travellers sail to Cape Town and then explore the Garden Route, Kruger National Park or Namibia overland. Some continue by ship to Asia, Australia or South America.<\/p><h2>Tips<\/h2><ol><li><strong>Book 6&ndash;9 months ahead.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Pack for all seasons:<\/strong> northern Europe can be cold when the tropics are hot.<\/li><li><strong>Plan for the southern seasons:<\/strong> South African summer is November to March. See <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/best-time-for-cargo-ship-travel\/\">best time for cargo ship travel<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Arrange insurance<\/strong> for the whole voyage. See <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/cargo-ship-travel-insurance\/\">cargo ship travel insurance<\/a>.<\/li><\/ol><p>More African voyages: <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/cargo-ship-to-west-africa\/\">cargo ship to West Africa<\/a>. Further afield: <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/round-the-world-by-cargo-ship\/\">round the world by cargo ship<\/a>.<\/p><h2>Foire aux questions<\/h2><div class=\"ch-faq\"><h3>Can I travel to South Africa by cargo ship?<\/h3><p>Yes. Some container ships from Northern Europe to South Africa take a few passengers.<\/p><h3>How long is a cargo ship voyage from Europe to Cape Town?<\/h3><p>Roughly 2.5&ndash;3.5 weeks, depending on the route and port calls.<\/p><h3>How much does it cost?<\/h3><p>Typically &euro;2,200&ndash;&euro;4,500 per person one way.<\/p><h3>Do UK citizens need a visa for South Africa?<\/h3><p>UK passport holders can usually visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Check the current rules.<\/p><h3>Which South African ports do ships use?<\/h3><p>Mainly Cape Town, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Ngqura and Durban.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"ch-cta\"><strong>Sail to the Cape<\/strong><p>Ask us about passenger cabins on cargo ships to South Africa.<\/p><a class=\"ch-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/sinformer-pour-une-croisiere-cargo\/\">Obtenir un devis de voyage \u2192<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<style>\n.ch-post{font-family:inherit;line-height:1.7;color:#1f2937;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}\n.ch-post h2{font-size:1.6em;margin:1.8em 0 .6em;color:#0b2545;border-bottom:3px solid #f5a623;padding-bottom:.25em}\n.ch-post h3{font-size:1.15em;margin:1.4em 0 .3em;color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post p{margin:0 0 1em}\n.ch-post ul,.ch-post ol{margin:0 0 1.2em 1.3em}\n.ch-post li{margin:.35em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-updated{font-size:.9em;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-table{overflow-x:auto;margin:1.2em 0 1.6em}\n.ch-post table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.95em}\n.ch-post th{background:#0b2545;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:.65em .8em}\n.ch-post td{padding:.6em .8em;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb;vertical-align:top}\n.ch-post tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f6f8fb}\n.ch-post .ch-faq{background:#f6f8fb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1em 0 2em}\n.ch-post .ch-faq h3{margin-top:1em}\n.ch-post .ch-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0b2545,#13315c);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;padding:1.6em 1.8em;margin:2.2em 0;text-align:center}\n.ch-post .ch-cta strong{display:block;font-size:1.35em;margin-bottom:.4em;color:#fff}\n.ch-post .ch-cta p{color:#dbe4f0;margin:.2em 0 1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-btn{display:inline-block;background:#f5a623;color:#0b2545 !important;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:.8em 1.6em;border-radius:999px}\n.ch-post .ch-btn:hover{background:#ffbb45}\n.ch-post em{color:#4b5563}\n<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Voyager en cargo vers l'Afrique du Sud : travers\u00e9es en cargo depuis l'Europe vers Le Cap, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) et Durban, dur\u00e9es de trajet, tarifs, visas et conseils.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single3.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1020,356,357],"tags":[1738,361,1155,1737,1724],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99938"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99938"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99939,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99938\/revisions\/99939"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99938"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=99938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}