Shipments done by Travellers

Captain: Peter Rippingale
location: Port Lindo, Panama
local hostel reference: Guido, Wandabar Hostel
boat name: Golden Eagle
Boat: 65 feet sailboat. Max 14 passangers, 4 motorcycles, 5 private
cabins with washrooms.
Includes: food - dinner,lunch,breakfast., drinking water, entry/exit
immigration for person/bike, tour of San Blas Islands
Time: 5 days, 4 nights approx.

cost: 385. USD motorcycle, 385. USD Passanger

Kamaruddin asked for US$100 per bike, which was non-negotiable. This was supposed to be inclusive of all port charges etc.

We then followed him out to the boat, where the bikes were craned on and tied down. We didn't watch this process, but went up onto the boat afterwards to check the bikes.

Kamaruddin will give you a receipt and bill of lading(if you ask for it) upon payment.

You'll have to get the ""fast"" speedboat to Port Klang, but don't count on being able to pick the bikes up the same day. We didn't clear immigration until 6pm.

At Port Klang, customs will tell you they've done plenty of carnets but watch them, as they still managed to make a mistake on ours.

The crew of the boat were still there when we picked up the bikes, and hung around trying to get more money out of us. We told them to take a hike (or talk to the agent).

Port Klang (KL)contact details:

Orchid Shipping Forwarding & Contract Services
T1-21 Kompleks Barter Trade
Lot 14473, Jetty Asa Niaga
Jalan Pelabuhan Klang
42000 Port Klang, Selangor D.E.
Ph: 03 3166 1264
Hp: 019 311 0652

Contact: Sham (Operations Manager)

Their office is not far from the Port Klang train station.
The customs office is downstairs.
N 3 00'28.56 E 101 23'31.77

Of all the companies I contacted for quotes, C.T.Freight was the cheapest, and Wade seemed more clued up than anyone else about the process.
In order to avoid hazardous shipment charges, I needed to disconnect both battery leads and insulate the terminals. In addition I had to completely empty the fuel tank, and clean it out. I did both these myself, rinsing the tank with isopropyl alcohol. They required a signed letter stating that this been done - I wrote one myself. I doubt if they actually checked, because they didn't ask to either see the battery, or for me to open the filler cap - maybe I have an honest face!
I got a used BMW crate from Procycles in Hornsby. When I went to collect it the guy hit me with a AUD50 price tag.
My bike is an F800GS, and in order to minimise the volumetric weight I cut it down by about 3/4. This was a risky option because according to ISPM15 regualations, you can re-use treated crates, but only if they haven't been modified. I was careful to ensure the IPSM15 marks remained in the correct places, and that all the writing on the cardboard sides looked in the right places. The evenentual volumetric weight came in at about 260Kg, but on the scales the actual weight was 290Kg, which is what I paid for. The shippers made no mention of the modified crate.
I took out transit insurance with Wayne Parry Insurance Brokers (way...@wparry.com.au). This cost AUD191.
In B.A.I procured the services of the wonderful Sandra from Dakar Motos for USD200. This was fortunate, because the bike shipped on the same flight as me, so I had to collect it the day after my arrival, and I was a bit vague from jet lag. She also got me advance insurance which is necessary at the airport (but not at the docks). Insurance cost 40 pesos per month.
Costs for customs clearance were 373 pesos to the airline (which had to paid in cash, but they accepted USD), 275 pesos import duties, and 100 pesos taxi fare to transport Sandra and myself there.
I had removed front wheel and handlebars for crating, and they allowed me to rebuild the bike in the customs warehouse, whilst Sandra did the paperwork. This took about 2 hours. Sandra got me 5 litres of petrol from the nearby service station and I rode away.
Oh, and I also arranged a tip of 50 pesos to a guy in the warehouse, who was very helpful with manhandling my bike. I thought this would be good for future bikers in a similar situation. Sandra knows all the people there and it went very smoothly.

Had a very efficient and friendly run getting my bike back to Australia. Took about 7 weeks roughly with week of paperwork in Sydney.

Break down of procedure and costing is:

205 Euro to Onlineshipping via direct bank deposit.

Take your bike to the harbour to designated warehouse in a crate to save on costs. Can pick up free steel framed crates at local bike shops. They throw them out after receiving new bikes. Strong and easy for inspection. Plus customs love them, no bugs.

Paperwork done at office and bill of lading sent via email once payment is received. Really simple and efficient was done in about half hour.

Six weeks later....

Get the crate at Fracht yard in Botany near Mascot. Not at shipping terminal itself. Really friendly staff there who will help you do the whole procedure. Can't touch it yet. Pay for the handling bill here which is steep due to all the hands in the pot and paperwork. $520 AUD (ouch).

Take the bill of lading and landing and go to customs, desk 12 to register yourself and fill in import declaration. Wait 24hrs for processing of paperwork. Remember everything including packing list, rego and passport.

Next day go back get papers and go to AQIS office to register bike there and book inspection on the phone afterwards.
Cost: $140 to AQIS

Get inspection that afternoon or next day hopefully and meet officer back at the yard for inspection. Signs off fingers crossed. Just make sure mudguards, wheels and body work are clean of encrusted mud and dirt. Be nice to them!

Go back to Customs after that and pay them $89 for the priviledge.

Wait until next day for AQIS to process paperwork and get FRACHT to push them on this (they can be slack).

Finally, you are free to unpack the bike and go!

The guys in warehouse were helpful with lifting and you can literally roll out the driveway straight onto the roads of Sydney with no more checks.

All the best and remember. Entering Australia is slow and expensive.

Mike was excellent from the word go. He races bikes himself and knows how much we want to take care of them. I had added complications because I was going to be out of the country well before the bike needed to be shipped to the US - I left for India in June and didnt know when I was going to need the bike shipped to the US, or for that fact, where.

Mike arranged for me to store my bike at his warehouse for an amazing 10 GBP a month, and agreed that I could email him from India whenever I knew a date and a destination. I would recommend at least two weeks notice for this (depending on destination). Mike said that for the US 7 days should be enough time from receipt of my email to getting it on a ship somewhere but it ended up being nearly three weeks.

Mike was in my area on a business trip one day, and even popped in to see me so we could go through all the paperwork, get it all signed up before I left for India.

To give you an idea, the ship from Felixstowe to Seattle leaves once a week, and is a 21 day crossing. This is what I was told. Whereas in actual fact my bike ended up being shipped from Felixstowe to LA where it was then transported under Customs bonded truck to Seattle. I did not know this was the case, and I would highly recommend asking about this before agreeing on the basis of any dates, because it was 21 days to LA and then another two weeks of faffing around (loading, unloading, trucking) to get it to Seattle. It did not get trucked to Seattle Port where I assumed it would, it went to a custom bonded warehouse at Sea-Tac airport for me to pick up.

Hartsmere were the agents, and then they used a company called Woodlands International Transport (http://www.woodlandglobal.com/) for the shipment. I don’t know whether in hindsight you could just do it direct through them. I only dealt with their New York office and I have to say their service was at times rude and unhelpful. Not a great service, and it required Mike to intervene sending a few harsh emails to get them to pull their finger out when the bike was delayed between LA and Seattle.

I dealt with my own Customs clearance. Anyone doing this – DO NOT USE Transit Customs at Sea-Tac aiport – they insisted on seeing a carnet or a custom brokers bond - ONLY USE Port of Seattle Customs, and speak specifically to Office Harrell on 206 553 1581. A great man! And it turned out to be a piece of cake. All I needed was my Notice of Arrival from Woodlands (which I had emailed to me, and I insisted on having every other document they had for my bike on file also scanned and emailed to me – none of it was looked at by customs, including any EPA exemption that might ordinarily be required)

I could not clear Customs until the bike had reached Seattle. I was given an IT number for the crate from very nearly the beginning and shippers, agents and customs all use this number to trace the progress. At one time, I was able to be told by Seattle Port Customs that it was in LA being x-rayed.

Woodlands used a customs bonded warehouse company called Summit NW Corp (18319 8th Ave South, Sea-Tac tel : 206 214 0109)

I took the Customs stamped Notification of Arrival to the Summit warehouse, paid an “unloading” fee of $79 and was able to take the crate away. Summit were superbly helpful, giving free tie downs for us to use. The ship docked in LA on 13th October (on time), and my crate was finally available for my collection on 26th October from Seattle. The crate was in immaculate condition! And so was the bike!

Breakdown of all costs (sorry about dollars and pounds!):
1), Storage for 6 months: 60 GBP
2), Crating: 250 GBP
3), All shipping costs to get bike to Seattle: 700 GBP
4), Unloading fee: $79

No other hidden costs! Amazing!

Please note that Gabriel Bolton (user: Baronbolton) had , only a fortnight before, dealt with shipping direct into Seattle by sea from Russia and so I was already familiar with Port Customs and some of the processes, but here are a some differences worth noting:
1), He had a “hold” put on his bike for inspection by the Agriculture Dept, which delayed Customs release by a further day. I had no hold of any kind put on mine. Gabriel had to pay for the privilege of this inspection!
2), His bike was in a container all of its own (mine in a crate, in a container, with lots of other peoples crates) and was held by the shipper at the Port of Seattle where Gabriel had the benefit of 5 days storage free. This was not 5 working days – it included weekends!
3), I had the benefit of 5 working days free storage at the Summit warehouse in order to clear Customs
4), I had the benefit of Customs already being familiar with me, and what my intentions were with the bike i.e. no suspicions. Just phone up Office Harrell and check what paperwork he wants to see before you go down there.
5), The Port of Seattle is closed to the public so Gabriel had to pay for a registered truck to pick up the container. I was able to access Summit’s warehouse without any restriction, free of charge.
6), I was given a form by Customs to fill out and for them then to stamp, and was advised to keep that on me at all times – it was a declaration of what I am doing in the US with my bike, should I have to deal with officials. Gabriel wasn't given this - Customs overlooked it.
N.B Gabriel's write up will also be in this section.