Archive for the ‘International Shipping’ Category
September 8th, 2011 | 
Author: What needs to be remembered at all times is that when you are moving your car across the ocean you are not allowed do add personal belongings. There are only some 20 feet containers that have enough room to accommodate personal belongings and you might have to go for the 40 feet containers when you also have to add different personal belongings that occupy more space. In any case, the belongings are to be located in a different location and not in the car. You are recommended to clean the car and then eliminate any junk that might be present.
We need to be prepared in the event that anything goes wrong. This basically means that it is recommended to take a picture of the car. The photo has to include some sort of time stamp. If possible you need to take these pictures because of the fact that it is proof of the condition of the vehicle before it was let in the care of the considered shipping company. If the car is to be damaged during the shipping process then this will prove that the fault was entirely of the transporter as the car was perfect when they received it in their care.
There are some people that are going to forget about the car alarm. Make sure that it is disconnected because you really do not want it to start when in the middle of the ocean. The only thing that would happen in this case is ending up with a battery that is discharged. Do not just turn it off! Make sure that it is completely disconnected as it is possible to have it accidentally set off. When the car is moved a lot of movement appears so shaking the car up is possible.
Now let us talk about the needed paperwork. This needs to be done early as it might take some time. The sooner everything is finished, the easier it is going to be for the vehicle to be transported across the ocean. Keep in mind that paperwork research is important. All countries have different rules when talking about car transport and it is highly likely to prove vehicle ownership and even receive visa for the car. Some will ask that you receive special permission while declaring the vehicle as being imported. If the car is not properly registered then you need to keep leaving the country and coming back with a new visa after some time passes.
We should also talk about import taxes. They might have to be paid when the vehicle is going through customs. It is really common and you might actually avoid this in the event that proper paperwork is filled. This will all depend on country where you go to as different regulations are going to be in effect. Make sure that you research the law so that you are not going to be surprised in any negative way. If you plan ahead you will most likely meet no problems.
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If you are planning a move across the country and you need to transport your car, too, there are several options to choose from. One option is a tow truck. If getting a tow truck sounds difficult then you can just use a truck or even a van to do this. However, this will require you to have some special hookup on the front, or if you prefer on the back of your car so that this can be regarded as a legal tow. Up to that part, nothing is too difficult and not so many decisions have been made by you. The next thing that you will do will be rather simple.
You may want to sign up for an auto club. You may ask, “What is the importance of this?” For you to even think of towing your vehicle there must be something wrong with it from the start and that is why we resorted to towing the vehicle rather than driving it all the way to the new state.
After signing up for the auto club you will have to call for a road service which will be responsible for towing your car to the state in which you want to go to. Up to this stage, nothing difficult has popped up and you haven’t made any tough decisions yet, but there aren’t many for you to make. For example, calling in for a road service to tow your vehicle will cost you some additional money. The price is not always fixed and it keeps on varying depending on where you want to go and the distance you have to go. If you still have to go for more than 15 miles then the price keeps on going up, but not to a level whereby driving the vehicle yourself would have been a better option.
Now it gets even easier because you are in the final steps of shipping your car to another state, but first you will have to hire an auto shipper. Auto shippers generally deal with the whole process of shipping the car from one state to another at a price of course. You leave them your car and go to the new state where after several days you will find that they have already shipped it there.
Getting an auto shipper is rather easy because all you have to look at is whether they are licensed or they aren’t and you also have to look at what they have been doing in the past. Were their customers happy with the condition of the car when they received it? Were there any complaints at all? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself before starting to deal with an auto shipper. You should also know that it will cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars to do this. After dealing with them, all that remains is how you will receive the car and what you plan to do with it on receiving it. By now you should have made the necessary arrangements to have it fixed and ready to run.
When hiring an agent to open markets abroad, a company may encounter unique provisions in the contract. A foreign country’s laws always supersede agency contracts, and those laws are immediately applicable when economic activity begins.
United States legislation typically does not include statutes that protect agents. However, some industries, like the automobile industry, contain specific laws to protect against agent abuse. Comparatively, agents in most industries are relatively unprotected.
In some Latin American countries, the agent is considered an employee of the corporation; the agent must follow the instructions of the manufacturer and is closely controlled. If local courts award damages in favor of the agent based on a contractual, unwritten agreement, the country could implement stricter labor laws. This may result in losses for the manufacturer, and the written contract with the agent may be taken more seriously.
The European Union, on the other hand, tends to protect agents with the Directive (86/653/EEC) [see Reference 1], which describes both fixed and infinite agency agreements:
- Agency subscribed for a fixed period of time. Here, the agency contract has a set and agreed-upon termination date.
- Agency subscribed for an infinite period of time. For this agency contract, both parties can terminate the contract at any time by providing written notice. The minimum termination notice period is one month for a one-year contract, two months for a two-year contract, and, if legally allowed, six months for a six year contract.
If the contract continues and the agent works beyond the expiration date, then the agency contract terms legally shift, and the agent is considered an indefinite worker.
According to the Directive, the only exceptions for agency contract termination are:
- Failure of one party to meet all or part of the given obligations.
- Exceptional circumstances.
For example, the contract may be terminated if the company fails to pay the agent when appropriate or if the agent does not meet commission requirements. In this instance, a company may include minimum results expected from the agent in the contract; if the agent fails to meet these contractual requirements, the company can terminate the agent.
An exceptional circumstance may be a state ruling that the economic activity developed by the company is reserved for state use only, such as certain technology businesses and army supplies.
The market in question may be closed to foreign business, like broadcast and television in the United States. In some instances, courts have overruled such embargos.
Other cases applicable to this provision include natural disasters, like hurricanes and earthquakes. However, agency contract termination due to natural disasters is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Fernanda Juppet, Corporate Attorney and MBA
References:
[1.] See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1986:382:0017:0021:EN:PDF.
The cons of moving your car overseas are mainly cost related. If your employer doesn’t pick up the removal costs for your belongings and your car, the sums involved are large. Depending on your country of origin and the country you are moving to, there may be an import tax slapped on your car, the moment you set foot across the foreign border. Your car will be impounded if you do not pay the customs and duty officer at the border patrol.
Even if you let a shipping agent or car shipper deal with all the export and import paperwork, the hassle is enormous and you will have to think of all the eventualities. What happens if the car is delivered late and you miss an important appointment in your new foreign job? What if damage occurs – will the car shipper play nice and pay up for any repairs?
Moving your car overseas doesn’t just involve the physical move of getting your vehicle from A to B. Once it is there, it has to be road taxed according to the local regulations and it has to be roadworthy according to their legislation, too. You might have to pay out for all sorts of inspections, maintenance and repairs prior to leaving or handing over your car to a shipper – only to find that other end there will be another inspection and fitting of things that are required in the new country. All this adds to the cost.
Many car shippers want to be paid upfront or at the very least a hefty deposit. Adding this to the costs of air tickets, excess baggage, renting a new place abroad and the deposit this requires, any storage you might have to pay to house your belongings in your country of origin and any other incidentals that add to the cost of moving abroad. Your next payday might feel like light-years away. Finding the money for shipping your car overseas will not be easy, unless you sell up everything else and just keep your car and a change of clothes.
Even in the best of worlds accidents happen and your beautiful classic car or collector’s item might turn up in the new country looking less than happy. Even if your shipper agrees to pay for the damage that occurred during transit – at that time the vehicle is covered by the shipper’s insurance – the actual repair work may be lengthy and difficult, if not impossible, if the new country doesn’t have a network of garages dealing with your type of classic car or older model.
In conclusion, it will be necessary to carefully weigh up the costs of moving a car overseas versus buying new or second hand in the other country. People should not forget adding the cost of any additional insurance and road tax as well as any import tax they might have to pay. Even if some of these costs are refunded either by governmental bodies within the EU, if that’s where you are moving to or from, or by an employer who’s paying for your move, the outlay will be considerable and you should weigh up if your current car is really worth all that hassle and expense.
While moving one’s car overseas might be appealing with regard to creature comfort and having transport immediately, it is expensive.
When shipping your car overseas, it is recommended you hire a shipping agent. The shipping agent will be able to act as middleman, if things go wrong, although you should establish that they offer this service before you sign the contract. You don’t want to be passed from one party to another to find out what has happened to your vehicle on route.
Car transport companies will send a specially adapted truck or vehicle with an auto-rack. Your car must be road worthy; you must hand over one set of keys and keep one for yourself before you hand over your car. There is also a rigorous inspection involved to determine any defects prior to departure and both parties will sign a document stating any damages, no matter how minor they might appear.
The auto-rack vehicle or truck will hold other vehicles as well. If you own a luxury car or a classic car, it is advisable to move your car overseas in a closed container to minimize the risk of damage during transit. However, due to cost most cars are moved in open auto-racks and will either be picked up at a spot designated by you or you have to drop off your car at the shipper’s depot or terminal, which is usually close to the airport or port they will use to transport your car.
Typically you will be asked to pay at least a ten percent deposit, sometimes even prepay the whole amount. If you pay a deposit upon pick up then the balance is due upon delivery. You should check with the shipping agent or Transport Company moving your car overseas, and what type of payment they accept. There is usually a small surcharge for paying by debit or credit card and most prefer a banker’s draft or cash.
Accepting Delivery
Upon drop off you will be asked to check your vehicle for any damages and you go through the whole inspection process again. If there is any damage, no matter how small, you must note this on the inspection report and tell the driver before parting with any money. Before you sign the overall contract, make sure you understand their policy in case of disputes and make sure you penalise them, if the shipper delivers your vehicle after their stipulated “window of delivery” has expired. Delays do occur from time to time due to unforeseen reasons – the shipper’s truck might break down or the actual container ship might be delayed thanks to adverse weather conditions. In the event that the shipper does deliver late you want to know that you’ll be getting some compensation, as you may have to hire a car for the duration and that cost needs to be reimbursed to you.
The advantages of using a professional shipper for moving your car overseas are great, if you are pressed for time and don’t feel comfortable, going on a long journey with your car. While the shipper is transporting your car, you can settle into your new home and familiarise yourself with the local traffic regulations. When your car arrives, you will be prepared and know your way around your new place.
Transport as we know, is very crucial in our everyday lives and as such no one can come out boldly to say that there is no need for transport in our daily activities. As a matter of fact, transport has been the main reason why most people are so successful today and majority are still to become successful. Many people often wish to carry their automobiles across sea so that they may either use it there or also sell it to someone as in the form of business. Overseas auto moving is therefore very imperative when considering many things though there may be some sort of challenges involved. It is appropriate to state here that, they are often challenges and not problems and of course challenges can always be solved.
When in the process of transacting overseas auto moving, there are often options given to the customer. One option is usually the type of transport that is preferred. Most at times, there is usually the availability of open transport system and closed transport system. Well the open transport system is often meant for cars that are supposed to be transported in that way and hence those cars do not face so many problems in the process of travelling through the sea. And also, it is one of the cheapest ways of transporting an auto as compared to the closed system. However, the closed system is often meant for some particular automobiles and as such majority often say those cars are very expensive and therefore need maximum protection during transport. And it is of course noted that, it is only the rich or the wealthy that actually patronize this system. The only crucial thing is that with the closed system, though expensive, is also very reliable and majority of the customers usually testify to that effect and therefore believe it is one of the best ways of overseas auto moving.
It is imperative to state most of these transport systems are often accompanied by insurances. But these insurances are such that, they vary in different ways. It is therefore the duty of the customer to see to it that an appropriate verification is done to locate the right company with a very reliable insurance. As a matter of fact, some of the companies do not possess insurance at all and this is even more serious as compared to other problems. On the other hand, some of the companies do possess insurance, but is not complete insurance and this of course does not sound nice. But if proper probing is done, it will be realized that some of the companies do possess insurance and of course a complete insurance. It is therefore necessary to know all these before actually attempting to do anything.
Overseas auto moving is something the world cannot do without. No matter the situation, transporting an auto from one geographical area to another will always be necessary and as such majority cannot do anything without it. The only thing is that, the transport services should be done appropriately.
If you are moving overseas because of your job, taking a vacation overseas, working overseas or just plain moving overseas then you need an auto-moving company that deals with international auto-moving.
Tips in Finding an International Auto Moving Company
Moving vehicles overseas internationally is very stressful. Many things need to be done before you can ship your vehicle internationally. International auto-movers must be professional, have good customer relationships, know what the international laws are when it comes to moving your vehicle; they need to know what port to pick up the vehicle and what port to drop off the vehicle.
Auto-moving companies move vehicles for businesses, manufacturers and individuals to many different ports. International auto-moving companies should know what the tax, duty and shipping laws are for each port that they pull into. You want them to be courteous, friendly and have good rates.
Regulations for International Auto Moving
International auto-moving companies must follow regulations that are part of the international trade. This is very important that international auto-moving companies follow their regulations and rules. Each country has a different set of rules and regulations to follow. Most of the international auto-moving companies take care of this in the customs administration. There are different contracts that International transportation needs to follow that have regulative functions.
Services Offered
International auto-moving companies offer two methods of moving. One is roll/on roll/off, (RORO) and the second one is container. The RORO is outfitted with twenty feet, forty feet and forty-five feet high cube containers. Each container can accommodate two to four vehicles. This is determined by the port of departure and the port of destination. The international auto-moving companies will take care of the US documents, customs, service and handling fees. Auto-moving companies take pride in providing services from the beginning to the end of a contract in order to make shipping your vehicle internationally so that you do not have to worry about anything. Most international auto-moving companies are associated with the Better Business Bureau.
The time to get the vehicle overseas depends on the departure time, weather and the company. It could take from ten to twelve days or even three to four weeks to deliver the vehicle. There are many questions that people need to ask themselves before shipping their cars overseas. One such question is how difficult is it to ship your car overseas. Is your car really needed overseas? Can you resell it abroad or if you brought it home? What are the standards for maintaining your car abroad? Does your employer cover the cost of shipping your car overseas? Can you bring your vehicle back home when you leave? Do you need a driving permit under International regulations and do they apply to the new country?
One should consider these very serious questions before shipping their car overseas. Overall shipping your car overseas is not a simple job. The transport company that you choose should handle all the paper work for you. They should be professional, fast in picking up your vehicle and leaving it at your destination in the new country. Find out what kind of services they offer. Make sure they are bonded and insured.