Going overseas?

The boxes and furniture still are moved from point A to point B, but with some major differences. Household goods are shipped overseas via "Air" or "Surface". (They either go by plane or boat.) Air freight costs are very high, so most goods travel by boat. (More on this in a minute.)

Surface shipments:

All small items are packed into cartons, as they would for any move. The carton labeling is much more descriptive than a domestic move(For Customs purposes). Anything else (furniture, etc.) is wrapped in various types of paper, bubblewrap, softwrap, and shrinkwrap. Cloth pads are rarely used because the origin movers will not see the shipment again, and would lose all equipment sent. After being prepared in the house, all household goods are loaded in either a 40' or 20' steel overseas container, which had arrived at the house on a trailer chassis. The container is sealed and locked, and is weather proof. It will be transported to a container ship, picked off its trailer chassis, and stacked onboard. The transit time can range from 2 weeks to 10 weeks, determined by steaming time and port time. (Note: on occasion, surface shipments are loaded into "Liftvans" (large wooden crates) which are then loaded into the steel container. This may be because the forwarder has determined that the steel container is too large to be moved around at destination. The liftvans will be removed from the steel container there, being smaller and easier to deliver.)

Air shipments:

Air freight shipments are "convenience" (and survival) shipments. Because of their high cost most shipments weigh in at less than 500 pounds. Included in their contents should be personal items: clothes, toiletries, documents, and travel gear- items needed while waiting for the surface shipment to arrive. Air freight shipments are handled much more (and harder) than the surface shipment. (Think of baggage handlers and luggage!) There are also size restrictions. Don't ship sensitive, fragile and high value items by air! The surface shipment is safer. Audio and stereo gear, computers, cameras, and grandmother's china do NOT belong in the air shipment.

What you should do:

Prepare! (An oft repeated phrase in these pages!) Obviously, your movers will not follow you to Tanzania on delivery. Two separate moving companies will be used, for origin and destination. A "forwarder" will oversee the process. Many different people will be at both ends of the move. In addition, your household will be divided: some by Air, some Surface, perhaps some into Storage. You need to be clear about what goes where before the movers arrive. (Otherwise your riding mower may end up with you...in Tokyo!!)

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