International Movers and Overseas Shippers

Moving Easily and Cheap

Top International Move Tips:
What to expect from your international mover:

Complete, accurate information and education about your upcoming move.

An experienced, courteous, professional crew.

Proper moving equipment that is clean and well maintained.

Secure, professionally-operated storage facilities.

On-time service.

For International Car Shipping Tips, Click Here.

Figure out who's packing/unpacking - the moving company is liable for any items that are professionally packed. Expert international movers can increase the probability of all your belongings arriving at your new home undamaged.

Confirm your move date/details - never hurts to confirm when they are arriving and the details of the move. You can never be too prepared!

International Move Tips:

Check them out - Use Mover MAX to find out more about your moving company. We've taken the time to research each company.

Shipping Internationally - There are two ways to ship your household goods: by air & by sea. Moving by sea to a foreign country usually takes from six to eight weeks, depending on your destination. When possible, your entire household will be packed into wooden lift vans, which are about 4 x 7 x 7' (feet). These containers are usually loaded at your residence by the local agent of your international moving company, and then moved by truck or rail from your present home to the port of departure. From there, they are placed inside a steel steamship container and loaded onto the vessel. For larger shipments, the household goods can be loaded loose into the steamship container, which is brought from the port to the warehouse of the local agent. The local agent would transport the container to your residence, load up your household goods, and return the loaded container to the agent's warehouse. From there, the container would be picked up and transported either by rail or truck to the port of exit and then loaded on the vessel. At the port of discharge, the household goods are cleared through customs and then transported to your new residence.

Moving by air is expensive, but is becoming increasingly popular. Heavy cardboard boxes or light plywood containers are used, and in some cases the shipment can be loaded directly into the airline's containers. While it is very expensive, it can actually be more economical for a family whose home is immediately available at the foreign destination. It eliminates the cost of a long stay in a hotel while your possessions are en route. Although moving by air means faster service, it often involves additional handling of your possessions.

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International Moving Basics - Typically, a small family with an average living room, dining room, two bedrooms, kitchen, and misc. cartons for all your books, clothes, dishes, paintings, decorations, etc., would be enough to fill one standard twenty-foot (20') container. This size container has a capacity of about 1,000 cubic feet, holding approximately 6,000 pounds worth of household goods. Larger households may require use of a forty-foot (40') container, with over 2,000 cu. ft. volume capacity, holding approximately 12,000 pounds of household goods.

Smaller (ocean) shipments can go via "LCL/less than containerload" method, with the shipping cost based on the overall volume of goods being sent. If you are not taking furniture and just sending personal effects, a shipment sent by an adult may average about 60 - 160 cu. ft.

Cubic feet can be calculated as follows: multiply the dimensions of an item in feet; height x width x depth = total cubic feet.

Small shipments can often go via airfreight, and the charge for air-shipments are based on: The greater of either the actual weight of each item placed on a scale, or the "dimensional" weight, which is calculated this way: multiply the three dimensions (h x w x d) in inches and then divide the resulting number by 166. If the resulting amount gives you a figure higher than the "actual" weight of that item measured on a scale, then you'll be charged for the higher international "DIM" weight.

This is due to the fact that volume displacement is a big factor in international air shipping. Picture a piece of Styrofoam that is 3' x 3' x 3'. It will probably weigh less than five pounds, but when sending via airfreight, the international "DIM" weight comes to over 280 pounds.

International Car, Boat, Vehicle Shipping

As with choosing any moving company, experience is the key to a successful move. Check out the company's qualifications with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Better Business Bureau, and from recommendations.

Your automobile will be transported in one of the following methods:

RO/RO (Roll on-Roll off): In most cases this is the least expensive method of shipping automobiles but it's not available to all destinations. Using this method, your car is transported to a RO-RO vessel (similar to a car ferry) and transported from port of departure to destination port.
20 ft. Steel Container - Exclusive Use: This method of transport is usually more costly than RO/RO service but offers greater security. Using this method, the automobile is loaded and secured inside a steel container, loaded onto a container vessel and shipped to your destination.
40 ft. Steel Container with Household Goods: The automobile is handled as above, however, a 40 ft. container is utilized. Household goods are packed and loaded into the container first. A wooden bulkhead is built to secure the household goods in place and finally, the car itself is loaded and secured before the departure.
Charges will be based on the size of the vehicle and which of the above options you choose. You should get at least 3 estimates, and compare all estimates equally; apples to apples.

Preparation for Overseas Auto Shipping

When preparing your automobile, only factory installed items can be in the car - all other items must be removed and packed with your household goods or hand carried. Some companies may say you can pack things in your trunk, but if there is a robbery, your items would not be covered by any insurance you take.

Vehicle washing: In order to expedite the origin inspection, present the vehicle to your auto transporter in clean condition. This allows for a quick and fair evaluation of the vehicle prior to shipment.
Fuel level: The fuel level of the vehicle transported should be about ¼ of a tank. This is because auto transports are weight sensitive.
Antennas: Antennas should be lowered or removed. Temporary antennas such as cell phones or CB radios should be removed.
Keys: The U.S. Department of Transportation requires that all keys be provided from the vehicle. This includes ignition, truck, glove box, and/or other keys.
Alarms: Alarms should be turned off. If there are special instructions required to start a car or to disarm an alarm, let your auto transporter know.
Luggage racks: Non-permanent luggage, bike, or ski racks should be removed.
Cracked glass: Point out any window nicks, scratches, chips, or cracks to your auto transporter.
Climate: Vehicles should be prepared for the new climate conditions. This may include engine coolant, transmission oil, and other fluids.

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Documentation:

All automobiles being exported from the United States must have the proper documentation. You will need to submit the following to your auto shipper:

Three notarized copies of a clear title (front and back) showing you, the customer, as owner.
Or

Three notarized copies of the title (front and back) showing the lien holder and three notarized copies of a letter from the lien holder authorizing the vehicle to be removed from the country.
A vehicle condition report (inventory).
Complete valuation form.
Completed Shipper Letter of Instruction.
Pre-Departure questionnaire.

All documents, except for the titles, will be given to you by your auto transporter.