Shipments done by Travellers

I ship from Vladivostock to Sakaiminato in Japan.
The ferry goes on wednesday,3PM.
Check at least 2 days before the tickets and customs clearance.
Customs in Vladi. is very slow,so be early.
Yuri charge 100US for his service, but on the end of the day you will be lucky to pay someone for the handling. He speak good Englisch.
The office of DBS-Ferry/Storm marine is in the seaport left to the central trainstation. If you enter the ground floor on the left side Openinmg time is from 9-18,Visa is accepted.

It was not easy to find a ship for South America in Japan. We called a lot of direct freight lines, some did not speak English, some did not have ships for SA, some did't give us a aswer.

we find the German Company International cargo. The guy there, Mr. Furukawa was very friendly and helpful. We are German, so we have to make contact to run over Hamburg. All our emails were answered super fast, just perfect.

INTERFRACHT Air-Sea-Land Service GmbH
Grusonstr. 71, D-22113 Hamburg

Tel.: +49/40/325844-12
Fax: +49/40/325844-44

E-Mail: t.ka...@interfracht.de
Internet: www.interfracht.de

In Yokohama, we got the crates from a Harley Davidson dealer. He was very friendly and gave us the crates for free. The Dealer is

http://www.marutomiauto.co.jp

The paperwork was easy in Yokohama, we met with Mr. Furukawa and he took the papers from Peron. We were without a carnet in Japan, so there were absolutely no problems.

The crates we hold with a rental truck, drove to the harbor and packed our bikes - done! The handover of the warehouse was not a problem, we had to pay anything.

The bill and also the Bill of Loading we received via email and we paid to a German bank account.

The costs: The crates were exactly 2.5 m3. With all the handling, extra costs, taxes and the agents it was € 800 for each bike.

Send my bike was the easiest on my trip and I'm already flown three times.

Recommended by other travellers I chose Suraj as my forwarder and was not disappointed. With a very warm welcome and typical Nepal hospitality the whole procedure was a piece of cake. Suraj and his lovely wife Saru know exactly what to do and handle the whole thing in a very professional and straightforward way. I shipped my motorbike during my long trip around the world many times before, but this time it went the smoothest and friendliest way ever.

According to the day you want to ship it will be either Thai Airways or Royal Nepal Airlines. RNA is supposed a bit cheaper, but there is no big difference. RNA flies on mo, wed and fri. I picked a Saturday, so it was Thai Airways for me. Suraj also arranges your personal flight ticket. I flew Royal Nepal Airlines and paid around 600 us$.

After making all the arrangements, next day Suraj comes to your hotel together with his carpenter to measure the bike. 2 days before the flight I went together with the brother of Suraj to the airport and put the bike into the crate. The carpenter will be there and put the crate together.

You'll have to:

- loosen your handlebar
- take off the front wheel
- flatten the tires
- disconnect the battery
- give gasoline to the customs if the tank is too full (I told them that I have only few liters left and it was ok).

The whole procedure took about 3 hours.

The total costs in Nepal were 86,204 Rupies (1,061 us$)based on volumetric weight of 365 kg.

In Thailand you need 1 day to get your bike out of the customs. You'll manage to do everything yourself. Get rid of the touts! People inside the customs area are nice and helpful. At the entrance you get a visitors pass (26 Baht - 84 us cents)and a plan where to go. Just ask your way and next steps to do - you'll be helped don't worry.
Total costs in Thailand: 2'554 Baht - 82.70 us$

Cheers and have fun!
Thierry

Arrived in Vladivostok I tried to find a cheaper solution than renting a whole 20' container for only one motorbike (with Sidecar).

It turned out, that airfreight was not possible (no reaction on emails at all, and someone told me, that the airlines refuse to fly motorbikes)

I asked Yuri Melnikov, the well known shipping agent, if he can organise the shipping of a box, but he said it will be almost the same price like to rent a container and more work for me (and him as well).

In the end I agreed with Yuri to ship with a 20'container to Bangkok. The same afternoon he came to the Iron Tigers MC where I stayed, and copied some Documents. The next day he pick me up and we drive to the customs in the Port. Yust to show my face and documents in original. In the evening he guarded me and my motorcycle to a container storage outside the port (cheaper). There I drive into the container. Straps and everything was already there. Two days later Yuri finished the customs clearance, and I was ready to leave the country.
I paid Yuri 2400$ (US), witch includes all the costs in Vladivostok and the ocean freight.

I loaded the container 28.Sept.. The ship left Vladivostok at 9.Okt..And after 2 times unloading and loading to other vessels the container arrived at he 6.Nov. in Bangkok. I picked up the Bike at the 11. Nov.
The shipping Company was CMA CGM (www.cma-cgm.com). They have online tracking witch works very good but is sometimes up to two days to late.

In Bangkok I did the clearance on my own without a agent.
About the process:
1. Go to the CMA CGM City-Office it is in the Q.House Lumpini 14st floor to pay for the handling in Bangkok (6100 Baht). You will get some dokuments for the port. GPS: N 13