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Part load, sometimes called groupage or a shared container, is the budget way to ship to New Zealand. Instead of paying for a whole container, you pay only for the part your goods take up, which keeps the price down on a smaller move. The rest is filled by other moves heading the same way. It is a tidy way to keep costs down on a smaller load.
It is the right pick when you do not have enough to fill a container. Think a studio or one-bed flat. Or a bigger home where you ship a few favourite things and buy the rest in New Zealand once you arrive.
Most people search for part load, a shared container or a small move to New Zealand. We match your enquiry with one vetted FIDI-certified mover from the AGM Group network, suited to a smaller load. You get the same care as a full container, just sized to what you are sending.
Because the container is shared, your goods are handled at a depot as well as at your home. A good mover keeps your items grouped and clearly labelled. Nothing goes astray among the other moves in the box.
Part load suits a lot of people. First movers testing the water, students, and anyone furnishing a place fresh in New Zealand all tend to ship light. You take the things that matter and buy the rest there.
Written by Darren Benjamin, who has run International Removals Companies since 2010.
Free matching. One vetted FIDI-certified mover. No obligation.
| Best for | Studios, one-beds, boxes and a few items |
|---|---|
| How you pay | By volume, in cubic metres or cubic feet |
| Typical cost | About 1,800 to 3,500 pounds |
| Transit | Around 6 to 10 weeks, sometimes a little more |
| Step up to | A sole-use container once you have a full home |
Part load is priced by volume. Your mover measures your goods in cubic metres. You pay for that space, plus handling at each end. The less you ship, the less you pay, so it pays to be choosy.
Because the container is shared, it waits until it is full before it sails. That can add a little time at the start. Your mover gives you a realistic window once they know your volume and the next sailing. You are kept in the loop the whole way.
As a rough guide, once you are shipping a full two-bedroom home, a sole-use 20ft container is often better value. It is quicker too. Below that, part load usually wins on price.
Not sure which side of the line you sit on? Your matched mover works it out at the survey and shows you both options. See our sea freight shipping page for the container route.
A part load move has one extra step compared with a full container. It helps to know it before you book.
It starts with a survey, where your mover measures the volume of your goods. That volume sets your price, since you pay only for the space you use.
On collection day, the team packs your things and takes them to a depot. There, your goods are loaded into a container alongside other people's moves. This is the consolidation step.
The container waits until it is full, then sails. That wait is why part load can take a little longer to get going than a sole-use container.
At the New Zealand end, the container is unpacked at a depot. Your goods clear Customs and MPI, then come to your door. You still deal with one team throughout.
Good packing matters even more on a part load. Your goods are moved on and off at depots at both ends.
Use sturdy boxes, fill them fully, and label every one clearly. Well-packed, well-marked boxes are quicker to handle and less likely to be knocked.
Keep a simple list of what is in each box. It speeds up the unpack and makes it easy to spot if anything is missing.
Your mover can supply export-grade boxes and do the packing for you. That keeps the cover valid and gives you one team to deal with.
As a rough planning guide, a part load runs about £1,800 to £3,500. A 20ft container is about £4,500 to £7,500. A 40ft is from around £7,000. For the full breakdown, see our cost of shipping to New Zealand page.
Move to New Zealand to live on a residence visa, or a work visa of 12 months or more. Own and use the goods before you leave. Your used household goods then usually come in free of duty and GST. This is the household goods concession. New items are charged GST at 15 per cent.
MPI then inspects every shipment for soil, pests and plant matter. Used outdoor gear, garden tools and anything wooden must be clean. Our customs and MPI biosecurity page covers the forms, the fees and the risk items in full.
A long sea voyage asks more of your packing than a local move. Your matched mover handles all of it, so the extras sit with one team.
Export-grade wrapping and timber crating, built to survive weeks at sea. Fragile items are crated. Wood crates meet the ISPM 15 standard for MPI.
Storage at the UK end or in New Zealand, for when your dates do not line up. Useful if your new home is not ready when the container lands.
Goods-in-transit insurance, so your things are covered while they travel. Your mover talks you through the cover and the valued inventory first.
We also include a currency service through a trusted partner. It covers the New Zealand dollars you will need when you land. We are not a currency company, and we never quote you a rate. We just connect you with people who do this well.
A move this far is long, and the paperwork is strict, so the company you pick matters. We connect you with one mover that holds FIDI FAIM, the audited international standard, plus BAR Overseas membership. You get one quality match, not a stack of cold calls.
Trust marks across our network: FIDI FAIM Certified, BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC. FIDI FAIM is a certification. The others are respected industry associations.
We have run this matching service since November 2010 as DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, a Working Member of AGM Group. If your first match is full for your dates, another company in the network can step in. You still deal with one team.
Part load means your goods share a shipping container with other people's moves. You pay for the space your things take up, not for a whole container. It is the cheaper choice for a smaller load to New Zealand.
By volume. Your mover measures your goods in cubic metres or cubic feet. You pay for that space, plus handling at each end. The less you ship, the less you pay, so it helps to declutter first.
For a smaller load, yes. You only pay for the space you use. A studio or one-bed move costs far less than a whole container. Once you have a full home to move, a sole-use container is often better value.
Usually around 6 to 10 weeks at sea, like a full container. It can take a little longer at the start. A shared container waits until it is full before it sails. Your mover gives you a realistic window.
Whatever you like, from a few boxes to the contents of a small flat. You simply pay for the space it takes. Once it grows past the contents of a two-bedroom home, a sole-use container is usually the better call.
As a rough guide, once you are moving a full two-bedroom home or more, a sole-use 20ft container is often cheaper per item. It is a bit quicker too. Your mover shows you both options at the survey.
Yes. Your matched mover offers goods-in-transit insurance on a part load, just as on a full container. You agree a valued inventory first, and your mover talks you through the cover before you book.
Yes. MPI inspects every shipment into New Zealand, be it a full container or a shared one. Used outdoor gear, garden tools and anything wooden must be clean and free of soil. A good clean before packing helps a lot.
Send one enquiry through our form, or call 07551 855 064. We match you with one vetted FIDI-certified mover, free. They measure your load, confirm it suits part load, and give you a quote by volume.
Send your UK collection postcode, your New Zealand delivery address, a rough inventory and your preferred date. We match you with one vetted FIDI-certified mover who confirms the route, the quote and the customs plan.
Get a New Zealand QuoteFree matching. One vetted FIDI-certified mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, operating since November 2010.
We connect house moving company and removals to New Zealand enquiries with one vetted FIDI-certified partner mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Prices, transit times, insurance and customs paperwork are confirmed by your partner mover before booking.