A shipping company is without doubt the best company to contact, when you have goods to transport to or from another country. You will want to contact a company that is familiar with international shipping and whom will make the process, as easy and hassle free for you.
With a wide choice of shipping companies in the market, choosing the best one for your needs is a decision not to be taken lightly. You will need to consider the goods you are shipping, whether they are for commercial or private use, the geographical locations involved and also the urgency of when the goods need to be collected and delivered by.
The vast majority of shipping companies will work with both commercial (business) and private (public) clients, although you should do some research as there are companies’ that specialise in either commercial or personal shipping services only. Likewise if you have requirements for your goods to be packed prior to shipping, check with the business you are contacting – as some will offer this service, but some will not. You need to calculate the difference in price when comparing what is costs to have a shipping company pack your goods and what cost savings you can benefit from, when packing your own goods yourself.
Depending on whether you are shipping part container or full container will also be a cost issue to consider. Whilst you might fall short of having enough cargo to fill a 20ft container, for a small outlay it might not be too expensive to utilise a whole container, just for the peace of mind of knowing that your goods will not be consolidated (loaded with) other people’s goods going to the same country. This can prevent breakages and damage to your goods, whilst they are in transit.
A good shipping company will also be able to advise you on insurance and how you go about arranging suitable insurance for the shipping of your goods. Many will be able to offer you “all risks” insurance, but do check the terms and conditions of the insurance policy, as some insurers will only cover professionally packed items and not those packed by the client themselves. Other restrictions might be in place with the insurance policy as well, such as any high value goods you are shipping or glass items which are more susceptible to breakages.
Also consider contacting a minimum of 3 shipping companies to ensure you can “benchmark” the prices you have been quoted and remember to compare prices on a “like for like” basis. Don’t always believe that it is essential you select the shipping company with the cheapest rate – as this does not automatically qualify as the shipping company having the best service also.
