Shipments done by Travellers

Sorry for the cross-posting! But thought it important to put this in the shipping section and on the HUBB.

We have just shipped our two motorbikes from Kathmandu to Bangkok, and want to share our experiences with others, so you don't make the same mistake as us.

At the moment, a company called Eagle Exports targets bikers with the offer to help them ship their bikes. As a few people we knew had used Eagle Exports, we stupidly did not shop around, but went straight to the office. The owner, Suraj, is a very friendly guy, and immediately offered us beers. This should have worried us, because it should have been obvious that we must be paying for the beer in the long run. In short, he tries to charge everyone WAY too much.

After a few beers, and him being really nice, and knowing lots of others have shipped with him you come to think you can trust him. So when he says he is trying to do it as cheaply as possible for you, you tend to believe him.

After a carpenter measured our bikes, Suraj offered to ship our two DRZ 400's for US$1450, and book our two flights for US$250 each; a total of US$ 1950. We negotiated a bit and got him down to US$1850 and thought we had done all right; but we were only comparing to other prices we had heard from people who had used his company.

After arranging the shipping we headed off to Pokhara. To our surprise we saw flights to Bangkok advertised for US$199, while we were paying US$250. We asked inside, sure enough they could sell us the same flight from Kathmandu to Bangkok on Nepal Airlines, same dates, for $199 (+$3). We wondered if we could also get the bike shipping for less.

We sent some emails to a few other shipping companies we had found on HUBB shipping info (you can find their quotes at the bottom of this post), all the initial quotes were considerably cheaper than Suraj, one by over $400. Moreover, their quotes were based on a weight of 600kg, Suraj's quote was based on an undisclosed weight he had estimated, but which was certainly less that 600kg. In the end our bikes came in at exactly 500kg. So, at about US$1.15 per kg we would have saved more than US$500 on the bikes by going with a different company. We also emailed Thai Cargo directly, who quoted us all their charges (also included at the bottom of this post).

We estimated that if we paid the US$1,850 Suraj would have made about $140 on our flights and another $5-600 on the bikes!!

Upon our return to Kathmandu, we had a long, long chat with him. We asked him to show us some other bikes' invoices from Thai Cargo, which he happily provided. Now, here is the cheeky bit: on ALL Thai Cargo invoices from Suraj there is a 20,000RS (about US$250) handling fee (per bike!). If you ask, he will show you other bills, and then say he will only put another US$100-$150 or so on top for his fees and the crate, so it all looks quite reasonable. BUT, since we had seen Thai Cargo's charges, we knew these 20,000RS were not Thai Cargo charges, and Suraj eventually admitted that these are also his fees!! So he actually makes you pay him twice, but you have no idea as it al looks legit. (We later found out that Eagle Eyes Cargo for example does not put these handling fees on the Thai Cargo bill - much more honest.

After a long discussion, we got our price down to US$1550. He wouldn't agree a per kilo price to be paid after the bikes were weighed, but instead quoted us on 600kg. We accepted. At the airport our bikes weighed 450kg, but the volumetric was exactly 500kg. Another US$115 in Suraj's pocket.

At the same time an Italian couple shipped their bikes (600kg total) and they had had some inside information on the actual flight costs, and got both their bikes and their flights to Bangkok for US$1300. Ouch!!! Although, Suraj probably only broke even at that price. If you have other quotes he appears that desperate to do the shipping (and put everyone else out of business) that he will undercut everyone else - but only if you show him your other quotes and don't get sucked in by his beers and bullshit.

We bumped into another couple we knew outside his office the day before we left, and found out he was trying to charge them US$1,700 for just their bikes. Their bikes will probably come in at about 600kg combined, so this is $700 more than the other quotes.

At the airport, we met some Americans who were shipping with Eagle Eyes Cargo. It turns out Eagle Eyes Cargo was the original bike shipper on HUBB, and is run by Suraj's cousin. Suraj used to work for him, but then set up Eagle Exports in competition. When Eagle Eyes Cargo was closed for a few weeks, apparently Suraj started poaching their customers. Eagle Eyes Cargo has been around for 10 years and really are the main bike shipper in Nepal. Their prices are much more realistic than Eagle Exports.

Finally, if you can find your own carpenter to measure the bikes and make the crates, it would not be hard at all to approach Thai Cargo directly and do the whole process yourself. There is some info on the Hubb from someone that has done this before in about 2006. It doesn't sound that hard, certainly not hard enough to justify Eagle Exports charging up to US$700+ to organise a carpenter and pay a few small bribes at the airport.

Our advice: shop around before dealing with anyone, and look at the quotes below (especially Thai Cargo so you know the real costs) before committing to anything.

Good luck!

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Eagle Eyes Exports . 22 January 2012 17:49

Hi, thank you. We need all process for creating & custom clearance,paper works.
The cost will be finalized after creating.I give you the price as per kgs. The price in our Nepalese NRS
Per kgs83.00
War search charge per kgs12.00
Dangerous good charge per 8000.00
Create charge per bike 8000.00
Tax,custom clearance,wear house per bike 7500.00
Please let me know any confused.
Thank you.
Regards;Jeewan

(Total US$1150 for two bikes weighing 600kg without negotiation vs initial quote Suraj of US$1450)

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Ishwar Bhatta 23 January 2012 18:11

namaste,

I hope you are fine and have a good traveling in India.As you asked me about shipping bike to Bangkok the process & price i am going to give you now you can see please.
To Bangkok normally the bike carry only Thai Airlines so If the bike weight after packing will be + 500 kg. Freight cost U$ 1.07 per/kg + Insurance Fuel Security Sur. charge U$ 0.15 cent p/kg + Airway bill fee Rupees 200 per shipment + Dangerous goods charge Rupees 8000 about U$ 100 + ply wood Box/packing Rupees 7000 + Custom expenses ,Transportation,Loader,X-Ray fees ,warehouse ,my commission like paper work etc. Rupees 6500 , So for example if about 600 kg = 600 X 1.22 (1.07+0.15) = ( 732 +2.5+100+88+ 81) = Total U$ 1003.5
You know about airlines system which is bigger/higher weight like volumetric or actual then they will charge like this so for your case if you open some part like front wheel,mirror,handle then the size come out smaller and will be less then 500 kg the freight charge will be 1.37 + 0.15 p/kg and rest expenses are the same as above.
For the process first my carpenter measure the bike size and order the box next day you drive bike and we bring box together go to custom airport clearance and next day we have send bike to destination.

I hope you read the information and let me inform if anything else not clear and confuse feel free to contact me please i am happy.But i would like to request you also when you come here then we talk face to face and we negotiate as per your wishes for everything it's good.

Thank you very much,

Take Care,

Ishowar Bhatta
Thamel Kathmandu,Nepal.
Tel: 977 9851062253 cell,
9771 4268539 / 4216005 office, 4364749 house.

(Total US$1003 for two bikes weighing 600kg without negotiation vs initial quote Suraj of US$1450)

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DWWFI 23 January 2012 13:42
Cc: Naresh Das , dascargo

Dear Mike
Namaste

Please find below the quotation as per your request ex KTM -BKK via Thai Airways.

Air Freight : USD 1.20/KG
FSC : 0.10/KG
SSC: 0.06/KG
DG Fee : USD 100.00
Handling Fee : USD 350.00

Handling fee includes crating, paper works, custom clearance, transportation and handling fee.

With Best Regards,

Beemal Bista
Das Worldwide Freight Int'l
Das Trading House
Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
P.O.Box: 8001
Email: o...@daswwfi.org.np

i...@daswwfi.org.np
Web: DAS Worldwide Freight Int'l :: Worldwide logistics Services

(Total US$1266 for two bikes weighing 600kg without negotiation vs initial quote Suraj of US$1450)

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Thai Cargo direct email about prices

Rajesh Mohan Pradhan 19 January 2012 18:22

Hi, thanks for choosing THAI CARGO.
Regarding rate over 500kgs, our rate is NPR81.25 per kg plus Surcharges NPR12.00 per kg plus DGR Fee NPR8,000.00 plus Air Waybill Fee NPR200.00.
We do charge on actual gross weight or volumetric weight whichever is higher and payment should be made in foreign currency only.
Any further query, you are always welcome.
Best regards,
Rajesh Mohan Pradhan

(Total US$780 actual cost for shipping two bikes weighing 600kg, but excluding crating and perhaps the odd bribe or so at the airport for the handling, x-raying etc.)

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NOTE: There is a higher per kg rate if the shipment is under 500kg, but bikes can be combined onto one airway bill to benefit from the reduced per kg rate. This applies even if the bikes are in separate crates.