Most delays in vehicle shipping don't happen on the ocean — they happen on paper, before the vehicle ever reaches the port. Having these six items ready before booking will save more time than almost anything else in the process.
You'll need the original vehicle title or ownership document, a bill of sale if the vehicle was recently purchased, and government-issued photo ID matching the name on the title. On the export side, a completed export declaration is required before the vehicle can legally leave Canada or the USA — this is usually filed by your shipping company, but it needs accurate information from you to be correct.
You'll also want proof of marine insurance if you've opted for coverage, a lien release letter if the vehicle was financed and has since been paid off, and — for older or classic vehicles — any documentation of modifications or non-standard parts, since these sometimes affect customs assessment.
None of this needs to be complicated. Most clients gather everything in a single afternoon. The point of the checklist isn't that any one document is hard to get — it's that missing even one of them is the most common reason a vehicle sits at port longer than it should.