By using a checklist and container shipping services, you’ll be well prepared for your move to your new home
When you’re preparing to make a big move overseas, container shipping is the way to go. Creating a useful checklist will help you to make sure that you’ve got everything covered before you start the process.
Once you know what you’re taking with you overseas and have pared down your belongings with a garage sale, it’s time to look at how you’ll get the rest of your important items to your new home. NY International Shipping has got you covered with our container shipping services.
Offering the most competitive rates you can find, NY International Shipping will pack your goods and arrange transit via sea vessel, whether you need large international container shipping or a small one. There are some things that you can do to prepare to make your process even easier:
Check if you need a permit
If you are using an entire shipping container, some towns require that you have a permit prior to having the 20 by 40 foot container parked in front of your residence. Check with your town first to make sure that you have any permits necessary while in the loading process, and avoid any hold up or fines by being prepared.
Make an inventory list
Although we will create an inventory list of every item we pack for shipping, it’s a good plan to make your own inventory list before we arrive, so that you have an idea of how much is going to be packed, and so you can take stock of anything that you’d like to keep on you for the move. Cross check your list with that of the shipper’s and make sure everything lines up.
Consider container consolidation
If you don’t have enough to fill up an entire shipping container, look into consolidating your items to go in a group shipping container. Your items will be carefully packed and labeled in crates, which will then be combined in containers with other people’s cargo, effectively allowing you to split the cost of a container.
Insure the cargo
Be sure that you have the proper insurance in place for your items. Although rare, accidents can happen, and shipping containers, depending on the final destination, can be exposed to extreme weather, temperatures, and the bumps and jolts that always accompany a move. Insuring everything properly beforehand is a smart step.
Declare organic cargo
If you are planning on taking any kind of plant, edible or not, with you, you need to be sure that you’ve declared it ahead of time. If your container gets to customs and you’ve failed to do so, your container can be quarantined and held, with you incurring storage fees.
Check import tax or duties
Vehicles are common items shipped overseas in shipping containers, but you need to do a little research on your destination country before the move to make sure you’re prepared for any taxes that may be imposed. While most countries will allow you to bring your vehicle, many of them will have strict import regulations that will end up costing you in the form of taxes or duties. How much you end up paying depends on the type of vehicle and age, and regulations vary widely from country to country. Check also if there are any exceptions that would possibly allow you to bypass this tax, such as military status or permanent resident status.
Get all of your documentation together
Before you send your shipment using ocean freight, there are a few things you’ll need to get together first. Make sure that you have hard copies of the following on hand:
- Copy of passport(s)
- Custom forms
- Insurance forms
- Inventory list
- Booking forms
With a little preparation and using a professional moving company like NY International Shipping, container shipping overseas can be an easy way to get all of your important possessions to your new home.
Click Here to Download a PDF Version of This Checklist
Einat Mazafi is the owner of NY International Shipping, an International Shipping and moving company based in New York. She is also a specialist in providing the best relocation solutions to clients worldwide.