Shipping to Ecuador From the US

Shipping to Ecuador From the US by Ocean and Air

You need to move heavy machinery, oilfield equipment, or breakbulk cargo from the US to Ecuador. Which Pacific port fits your cargo, what does customs cost, and how long does the sailing take? The answers shape your budget and your schedule.

Texas International Freight books ocean, air, and breakbulk capacity from Houston and across the US to Guayaquil, Posorja, Manta, and the other Ecuadorian ports. We prepare the export filing, coordinate Ecuadorian customs, and arrange inland delivery to your site. We focus on the heavy and oversized cargo that standard parcel carriers cannot touch.

Why Companies Ship Heavy Equipment to Ecuador

Ecuador runs on industries that import US machinery. Oil and gas drives the economy, with crude pumped from the Amazon’s Oriente region and oilfield equipment moving the other way. Mining has scaled up fast, with the Mirador copper mine and the Fruta del Norte gold mine pulling in excavators, crushers, and haul trucks. Agriculture runs deep too: Ecuador is the world’s largest banana exporter, and shrimp, flowers, and cacao fill reefer and breakbulk lanes.

One detail makes Ecuador easier than most South American markets for US shippers: the country uses the US dollar as its official currency, adopted in 2000. You quote, invoice, and settle in dollars with no exchange-rate risk.

Ecuadorian Ports for Heavy and Oversized Cargo

Guayaquil and Posorja

Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest and busiest port, handling most of the country’s container traffic, vehicles, and general cargo through the Contecon terminal. For the largest vessels and heavy lifts, the DP World deep-water port at Posorja, about 85 km southwest of Guayaquil, takes post-Panamax ships and runs super post-Panamax cranes rated to 85 tons. A 60-ton crusher or a power transformer routes cleanly through Posorja’s deep draft.

Manta, Esmeraldas, Puerto Bolívar, and La Libertad

Manta is a deep-water Pacific port serving the fishing industry and general cargo. Esmeraldas, on the north coast, anchors oil exports. Puerto Bolívar in El Oro province and La Libertad in Santa Elena handle banana exports along with some container and project cargo. We match the port to your delivery point and your cargo’s dimensions.

How Your Cargo Reaches Ecuador

Cargo from Houston and the Gulf sails to Ecuador’s Pacific coast through the Panama Canal, so plan on roughly 10 to 18 days port to port depending on the service and any transshipment. Breakbulk and project moves on a multipurpose or chartered vessel can run longer because of load and discharge windows.

Equipment that exceeds container dimensions ships as breakbulk, on flat rack and open top, by roll-on roll-off, or on a chartered vessel for a full project. Drilling packages, generators, and crushers move this way, while self-propelled units such as wheel loaders roll on under their own power. For a multi-unit move, project logistics keeps the whole shipment on one plan.

When a project stalls for want of a part, air freight to Guayaquil’s José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport or Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport moves urgent spares in a few days, with air charter available for outsized pieces.

Customs, Duties, and the 15% IVA

Ecuador’s customs authority, the SENAE (Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador), clears imports through its ECUAPASS electronic platform. Most shipments need a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and a certificate of origin.

Ecuador has no free trade agreement with the United States, so US-origin goods pay standard import duty set under the Andean Community common external tariff, plus 15% IVA, the value-added tax raised from 12% in 2024. Wood packaging must meet the ISPM-15 standard. Our customs brokers and Ecuadorian partners keep classification and export packing accurate so your clearance stays on schedule.

Export Paperwork on the US Side

Shipments valued above 2,500 dollars or carrying a license requirement need Electronic Export Information filed in the Automated Export System before departure, with a Schedule B classification that matches the commodity. Oilfield and technology equipment can fall under export controls administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security, so screening happens before booking. Accurate values and full legal entity names prevent holds at both ends.

Why Texas International Freight

We move the heavy and oversized cargo that standard carriers cannot touch: oil and gas equipment, construction and mining machinery, agricultural equipment, and breakbulk project loads. Our team books vessel and aircraft space, prepares your AES filing and certificate of origin, coordinates with Ecuadorian customs, and arranges inland trucking from the port to your site. See our heavy machinery logistics capabilities, backed by a 4.7 rating across 47 Google reviews.

The same desk runs your wider regional moves. We ship to neighboring Colombia and route project cargo through Panama when the canal and its hubs fit the plan. One forwarder, one point of contact, every leg of the move.

Frequently Asked Questions