| I have been a relocation consultant for 30 years. | | | | but you don't need a full service moving company, |
| Over the years I've discovered that most people | | | | you might want to call a freight forwarder or |
| who are going to move overseas know very little | | | | consolidator. Most freight forwarders don't handle |
| about how to proceed, or how to go about shopping | | | | used household goods and most consolidators don't |
| for a cost estimate. I'm going to explain some of the | | | | deal with the general public, so this can be frustrating. |
| terms and how it works. | | | | There are some freight forwarders that will move |
| Let's say for example you are getting ready to | | | | household goods and you can start by looking in the |
| move to Singapore and you need to get some prices | | | | yellow pages under freight forwarders. Most of them |
| for shipping your household goods. You can start out | | | | will be domestic forwarders. You need an international |
| by calling some moving companies, or some freight | | | | freight forwarder that handles used household goods |
| forwarders and get really frustrated. | | | | or personal effects. Personal effects usually refer to |
| To begin with, you should know that "used household | | | | smaller shipments or air shipments. Freight forwarders |
| goods" is considered a "commodity", or a commodity | | | | will generally let you do some of the service yourself, |
| description. It is "what" you are shipping. The rates | | | | such as the packing, crating and the destination |
| you get from steamship lines or airlines are quoted | | | | service of custom's clearance and delivery. |
| according to commodity. I am assuming you are | | | | If you have a larger shipment and you can afford to |
| shipping "used" household goods. "New" household | | | | spend more for service, you can call an international |
| goods is considered merchandise, or for resale. It is | | | | moving company. A moving company will have more |
| priced differently. You should know that most | | | | service to offer than a freight forwarder, such as |
| countries consider your household goods "new" if | | | | packing, pickup, custom's clearance at destination, and |
| they are less than 6 months old, even if you have | | | | delivery. Of course these services cost a lot more |
| used them. | | | | too. |
| Some countries use a "one year" rule. If you ship | | | | Air freight shipments move a lot faster than sea |
| new household goods to most countries, you will be | | | | freight shipments. Generally an air freight shipment will |
| charged taxes and duty on what you ship by the | | | | move from door to door, or residence to residence |
| destination country. Every country has different rates | | | | in about 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the destination |
| for taxes and duties. If you try to pass your new | | | | country. A sea freight shipment will take anywhere |
| household goods off as being used, the foreign | | | | from 4 to 12 weeks or even more if you are moving |
| customs will determine the value and charge you | | | | to Africa or the Middle East. |
| fees and penalties as well as taxes and duties. Some | | | | Air freight shipping will generally cost at least twice as |
| countries, will just confiscate everything in your | | | | much as sea freight unless your shipment is very |
| shipment that they determine is new. If you have | | | | small. There are some rather large minimum charges |
| just a few new items in your shipment, be sure to | | | | on sea freight shipments which can make them more |
| keep your receipts and tell your shipping company so | | | | expensive for very small shipments. |
| they can check on any problems or ramifications. | | | | Following are some terms you need to be aware of:o |
| There are many ways to go about planning your | | | | If you are shipping by air freight, you will be charged |
| move. How much you want to ship, how much you | | | | by a calculated weight based on the space your |
| want to pay, how much service you want, how fast | | | | shipment takes up, rather than on the actual weight. |
| you want it to get there, will all determine who you | | | | This is called the "chargeable" weight.o A sea freight |
| should call. | | | | (or ocean freight) shipment usually will become one |
| If you will only be shipping a few boxes and you plan | | | | of the following: |
| to pack them up yourself, here are some | | | | A less than container load shipment (LCL), which will |
| suggestions: | | | | need to be put in lift vans or wooden crates for |
| 1. Try to keep the sizes of your boxes all the same, | | | | shipping |
| it will be easier to get prices for shipping | | | | A 20 foot steamship container |
| 2. Once they are packed, and secure, put them on | | | | A 40 foot steamship containero The prices for the |
| your bathroom scale to get an idea of the total | | | | air freight or sea freight will be included in a door to |
| weight | | | | door shipment. A door to door shipment usually |
| 3. Cube out the total size (length X width X length) | | | | consists of the following costs: |
| of each box | | | | Origin services (packing, wrapping, pickup, delivery to |
| For example: 18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches = | | | | the airport/port) |
| 5832 cubic inches | | | | Air or sea freight |
| Divide 5832 by 1728 to get 3.375 cubic feet | | | | Destination service (custom's clearance, pickup at the |
| If you have 5 boxes, multiply 5 times 3.375 = 16.875 | | | | airport/port and delivery to residence)o A door to |
| cubic feet | | | | port shipment will ship to the destination airport/port, |
| 4. When you have the total weight and size of your | | | | for you to arrange custom's clearance, pickup and |
| shipment, you can start shopping | | | | delivery yourself |
| 5. Suggest you start with the U.S. Postal Service, this | | | | Even on a door to door move, there is the possibility |
| is usually the most cost effective for small amounts. | | | | of additional charges which are not included in your |
| Be sure to check their weight and size limits to make | | | | quote. Some of these are: custom's duty, taxes, |
| sure you can use them. They have both air freight | | | | appliance disconnect, appliance reconnect, custom |
| and surface options. | | | | crating for high value items, demurrage or storage at |
| 6. If that won't work for you, check UPS. You can | | | | the airport/port, long carries, flight charges, elevator |
| call them, or use their cost calculator at Most of their | | | | charges, hoisting, parking permits, warehouse |
| service is by air and you will have to drop off your | | | | unloading and warehouse storage, and insurance. If |
| shipment at a UPS approved site. Again, there are | | | | there are delays due to weather, laws, strikes, port |
| strict size and weight limits on your shipment | | | | congestion, or political uprisings, you will be required |
| 7. My next choice would be DHL or FedEx. Call or | | | | to pay. The owner of the goods normally pays for |
| shop online for prices | | | | anything unusual or unforeseen. |
| If your shipment is bigger, say more than 10 boxes, | | | | |