The new Cargo Ship Heist gives criminals another way to make money in San Diego Border Roleplay. Unlike the usual robberies around the city, this one takes place on a moving cargo ship that enters the map and eventually sails back out.
The robbery is a little more involved than simply walking into a building and collecting cash. You need to prepare your equipment, reach the Smuggling Docks, get onto the moving ship, deal with the NPC guards, open the cargo containers, and then make it back to land before finishing the job.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the entire Cargo Ship Heist, including what you need, how to board the ship, how the container minigame works, and what to do with the loot afterward.
What You Need for the Cargo Ship Heist
Before heading to the docks, make sure you have the equipment required to board and loot the ship.
You will need:
- Crowbar
- Rope
- Boat
- Ladder
The crowbar is particularly important because you need it to open the cargo containers.
You can get a crowbar from the spawn area, or you can obtain one from the Gun Store.
Once you have your equipment, head toward the Smuggling Docks, which are located next to the Criminal Spawn area.
Go to the Smuggling Docks
The Smuggling Docks are your starting point for the Cargo Ship Heist.
When you arrive, pick up the available ladders and make sure you have access to your boat.
There is also a new button at the docks that lets you spawn a boat without having to complete the normal boat-delivery mission.
This makes preparing for the robbery much easier because you can get your boat ready before the cargo ship arrives.
Wait for the Cargo Ship
The Cargo Ship does not simply sit at the docks waiting for you.
When it enters the map, you will hear ship horns, and an icon will appear showing the ship’s location.
The ship will slowly travel toward the edge of the map, so you need to move quickly once it appears.
Keep an eye on the ship icon and use your boat to approach it.
Don’t Wait Too Long
The Cargo Ship eventually leaves the map.
That means you have a limited amount of time to board it, loot the containers, and complete the robbery.
If you are still far away when the ship appears, you can waste a lot of time trying to catch up to it.
How to Board the Cargo Ship
Once you’re close enough to the Cargo Ship, equip your rope.
The game will show you where you can attach it to the ship.
Aim at the appropriate location and click to throw the rope.
Once the rope attaches successfully, move close to it.
You can then press G to grab the rope and climb up onto the Cargo Ship.
This is the main way to get from your boat onto the moving ship.
The Robbery Starts When You Board
Once you get onto the Cargo Ship, your wanted level will immediately increase to four stars.
You’ll also hear sirens, and the robbery will alert the Coast Guard team.
So don’t expect to quietly loot the ship without attracting attention.
Police and Coast Guard players can come after you while you’re still on the ship.
There are also NPC guards on board that you need to deal with.
Deal With the Ship’s NPCs
The Cargo Ship has NPC enemies patrolling the area.
Take them out before spending too much time opening containers.
This is especially important because the NPCs can still attack you while you’re interacting with a cargo container.
Their aim may not always be great, but they can still do enough damage to cause problems while you’re standing still.
Once the area is relatively safe, you can start opening the containers.
Pick Up Your Rope
After you’ve climbed onto the ship, you can also pick up your rope.
This is useful because it prevents other players from simply using your rope to climb onto the ship.
If you leave the rope attached, pursuing cops may be able to use it to reach you.
Removing it gives you a little more control over access to the ship.
How to Open Cargo Containers
Once the NPCs are dealt with, look for the cargo containers around the ship.
Equip your crowbar and interact with a container to begin opening it.
A small minigame will appear.
The process is fairly simple: spam your left mouse button while opening the container until it is fully pried open.
However, don’t get too comfortable while doing this.
You are vulnerable during the interaction, meaning NPCs or other players can still attack you.
For that reason, clearing the nearby enemies before opening containers is much safer.
What Loot Can You Get?
The Cargo Ship containers can contain cash and different items.
The items can be collected and later sold to smugglers in the city, similar to other sellable items you can obtain around the game.
The ship has multiple containers, so you can spend several minutes moving around and opening them.
Your exact loot will depend on what you find inside each container.
Rare Vehicle Drop
One particularly interesting reward can be a small vehicle.
If you find one inside a container, interact with it using the E button.
The game will tell you that the vehicle has now been added to your garage.
So don’t immediately ignore unusual items you find in the containers. Some of them can provide permanent rewards rather than simply giving you cash to sell.
Keep an Eye on the Ship’s Position
The biggest problem with this robbery is that the Cargo Ship keeps moving.
Eventually, it reaches the edge of the map.
When the ship is about to leave the playable area, the game will teleport you away and notify you that the ship has gone out of bounds.
You therefore don’t have unlimited time to search every container.
If you’re already carrying good loot, it can be better to stop searching and focus on getting back safely rather than risking losing the opportunity to cash out.
Getting Back to Your Boat
After finishing your looting, you need to leave the ship and return to your boat.
This can be one of the more annoying parts of the robbery.
The ship may be far from where you originally approached it, and jumping into the water doesn’t automatically finish the robbery.
You need to get back to your boat and then return toward the city.
If cops are already waiting nearby, escaping becomes even more difficult.
Watch for Police and Coast Guard Players
Remember that boarding the ship triggers a high wanted level and alerts the Coast Guard.
So while you’re collecting loot, other players may already be heading toward your location.
Try to avoid spending unnecessary time on the ship once you’ve collected enough loot.
Sell the Stolen Items
Once you’re safely back in the city, take the items you collected to one of the Smugglers.
The Smuggler allows you to sell the items you obtained from the Cargo Ship.
This converts the stolen goods into money.
After selling your items, you’ll receive a briefcase that represents the money from the transaction.
Launder the Money
Selling the stolen items isn’t the final step.
After you’ve dealt with the Smuggler, return to the spawn area.
You can then launder the money obtained from the Cargo Ship.
The money earned from selling the stolen items can also be deposited after returning to the appropriate location.
This completes the overall robbery loop:
Cargo Ship → Loot Containers → Return to City → Sell Items → Get Money → Launder/Deposit
Cargo Ship Heist Walkthrough
If you want the entire process in a quick checklist, follow these steps:
- Get a crowbar from spawn or the Gun Store.
- Go to the Smuggling Docks beside the Criminal Spawn.
- Pick up the available ladders.
- Spawn your boat.
- Wait for the Cargo Ship to enter the map.
- Follow the ship using the location icon.
- Get close to the ship with your boat.
- Equip your rope.
- Throw the rope onto the ship.
- Move to the rope and press G to climb aboard.
- Prepare for the four-star wanted level.
- Deal with the NPC guards.
- Pick up your rope if you want to prevent others from climbing up.
- Equip your crowbar.
- Open the cargo containers.
- Complete the opening minigame by repeatedly clicking.
- Collect cash and valuable items.
- Check containers for special rewards, including the possible vehicle.
- Leave the ship before it goes out of bounds.
- Return to your boat.
- Travel back to the city.
- Find a Smuggler.
- Sell the items you collected.
- Return to spawn.
- Launder and deposit your earnings.
Tips for the Cargo Ship Heist
Bring Your Crowbar Before Leaving
Don’t reach the ship only to realize you forgot the crowbar.
Get it before heading to the Smuggling Docks so you can immediately start looting once you board.
Clear Enemies Before Opening Containers
The container minigame leaves you vulnerable.
Take care of nearby NPCs first, then start opening containers. This also gives you more freedom to focus on the minigame instead of constantly watching your health.
Don’t Spend Too Long on the Ship
The Cargo Ship eventually leaves the map.
You should always keep track of how much time you have left. If you’ve already collected valuable loot, getting away safely is more important than squeezing out one more container.
Keep Your Escape Route in Mind
Your boat is your way back to the city.
Don’t wander too far around the ship without knowing where your boat is, especially if other players are responding to your wanted level.
Watch for Players, Not Just NPCs
The NPC guards are only part of the danger.
Because the robbery alerts the Coast Guard and gives you four stars, other players can arrive while you’re still looting.
Be prepared to leave quickly if the area becomes too dangerous.
The Cargo Ship Heist adds a more mobile style of robbery to San Diego Border Roleplay. Instead of staying inside one building, you have to chase a moving ship, use a rope to board it, fight through the guards, pry open containers, and escape with whatever loot you can carry.
The best strategy is to prepare everything before the ship arrives. Have your crowbar, boat, and other equipment ready, board quickly, clear the NPCs, and start opening containers without wasting too much time.
Once you have your loot, focus on getting back to the city. Sell the stolen items to a Smuggler, return to spawn, and finish the money-laundering process to complete the Cargo Ship Heist.