Trouble free transportation for home goods when on expat assignment

For many expats taking on overseas assignments, the worst aspect of emigration is deciding what to ship to the new destination and what to leave behind.

If you’re planning an at least semi-permanent move and have sold your home country property, the thought of shipping everything you own to a strange country is, to say the least, daunting. Understanding the actual process is relatively straightforward, but making it work is another issue altogether.

Finding a suitable shipper for your goods is best done via personal recommendation, either from your new employer, friends who’ve done the same or websites listing which to use and which to avoid. Your first decision is whether to pack your valuables and delicate smaller items yourself or leave it to the professionals. If the do-it-yourself option makes you feel more comfortable, it’s easy nowadays to buy essentials such as strong plastic containers, bubble wrap and polystyrene beads to fill the gaps.
Taping down your boxes with waterproof duct tape will ensure excess dampness in the air during the trip won’t affect your goods. Similarly, if you’re shipping small pieces of antique furniture, it helps to wrap them and seal the edges with tape.

Perhaps the scariest thing about shipping your stuff overseas is the customs requirements at the other end. Checking out your chosen shipper as regards knowledge about customs requirements in your destination country is an essential, and the company should be able to recommend and engage a local agent able to deal with the authorities on your behalf. Checking what is and, more importantly, what isn’t allowed can be done online, as can calculating import duty costs.

Another essential is booking your container as delivery to your new address, as it’s not good for its contents to be sitting in port for too long. If you’ve not yet sorted out accommodation, have your shipper enquire as to safe storage after its arrival. Insuring your personal effects and household items is an absolute must and does wonders for your peace of mind. It’s very unlikely a disaster will occur but, in the same way as health insurance for a holiday in the sun, should even small breakages occur your replacement costs are covered.

If your ultimate destination is a distance from the port of arrival, be prepared to turn up and meet with your local customs agent to sign off on documentation, and sort out any duty payments. It’s rare for a container to be opened, but being there should it be necessary can ensure nothing untoward takes place.