Getting bikes out of Vlad - how

[KenButler]

My wife and I arrived in Vlad this morning. It's taken us 9 weeks, thankfully we had a number of breakdowns and met some great people because of this. (Blog if interested www.kenandtoni.com)

Now that we are here we are now trying to workout the bast way to get the bikes to Hong Kong where we are going to live (again). Spoke to a biker this morning and he has been here in Vlad for 3 weeks while arranging to send his bike off.

Has anyone got any experience or contacts in getting their bikes out of Vlad. Another alternatve is to send them back to the UK where I would sell them, they are registered their so it's easy to sell them.

Any advice ??????

Ken

[Grant Johnson]

Ken check out the Shipping section on the left, and search Asia to Asia - you'll find shipments from Vlad to Japan, but that will give you shippers information, who should be able to do HK as well.

Good luck, and please post what you find in the shipping database!

[CTB]

Hey guys - have to tell you up front that I don't have an answer for you but I am extremely interested in what you work out. I've been following your journey from your web page with great interest as I hope to do the same trip perhaps next summer if I can get things together. During my research I've contacted a number of Canadian based freight forwarding companies to enquire about getting a bike in and/or out of Vlad and several weeks later I still havn't gotten any firm yes we can do it replies. So good luck to you guys and let us know how you make out. - And thanks once again for your detailed postings of your adventure. I'm going to miss the stories and pics.

[albert wildgen]

Hi,
I went through my notes, here is what I found. Please keep in mind that I found this information on web sites of other travelers, I have no personal experience:

QUOTE

Ferry from Vladivostok to Korea : (2006)
From http://www.waytorussia.net/FarEast/V...Transport.html
...you can head south for Zarubina, and jump on a boat to Sokcho, South Korea. There are two trips a week in winter, three in summer. Check it out at www.dungchunferry.co.kr . Telephone in Vladivostok (4232) 494 060; in Zarurbina (4233) 177-864; in Korea: +82 2 720-0101.

http://www.dongchunferry.co.kr/ is only in Korean and Russian.
I think their offices in Vladivostok are in the Hotel Hyundai. http://www.hotelhyundai.ru/
it will take between 2 and 4 days to get to Korea... Sounds reasonable !

Fushiki to Vladivostok ferry (2006):
Thru the help of a Japanese friend, I contacted the agent, UNITED ORIENT
SHIPPING & AGENCY Co., Ltd. This is the contact for United Orent
Tel.: +81-3-5541-7511
Fax: +81-3-3552-7322
(Drop 81 and add 0 at the beginning if you call from inside Japan)
I believe that you want to talk to a Mr. Yoshida.
If they don't respond to repeated e-mail, call fax and/or call. If that doesn't work, have someone call for you when you arrive in Japan.
They have a bad reputation about answering english e-mail. I assume they mistake it for spam before reading. Make sure the title of the e-mail is specific. i.e. "Vladivostok Ferry Reservation" so they know right away.

Ferry Seattle (Washington) to Vladivostok: (2006)
I used STS Logistics of North America, located in Bellevue, WA., as the agent for arranging the shipping of the motorcycle to Vladivostok, and recommend them. They provided excellent, comprehensive services. Transit takes 6 weeks. I highly recommend Roman's services for all port formalities. He speaks Russian, English and Japanese. It was well worth every penny I paid him. His email address is roman11jp@yahoo.co.jp

Australia to Vladivostok
Silver Wind Corporation
We used Silver Wind to ship from Australia to Vladivostok. We have nothing but positive words to say about this company. They were excellent and come highly recommended. They have offices in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and Vladivostok.

Melbourne Office: 2006
Silver Wind Corporation
2nd Floor
470 Collins Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Phone: +61 (03) 9614-6336
Fax: +61 (03) 9614 6338
Name: Bill Nickel
Email: wjnicoll@magna.com.au

Australia to Vladivostok Costs:
Shipping (20 foot container) US$1870
Port Charges: A$274 port charges in Australia and Vladivostok.
Container Charges: A$685
Russian costs: US$150

There is a weekly schedule usually leaving on a Sunday from Melbourne and then going to Sydney and Brisbane and then on to South Korea. The container is then transferred to another ship for the journey to Vladivostok. The total shipping time from Melbourne is 24 days, Brisbane is 19 days. If there is a delay and the ship is late arriving in Korea and misses the connection on the ship to Vladivostok, then it will take an additional week. In most instances Silver Wind only requires a few weeks notice to ensure that there is space on the ship. The vehicle needs to be on the docks two business days before the ship departs.

The customs clearance agent we used was:-
Link Distribution
280 Boundary Road
(corner Fitzgerald Road)
Laverton North
Contact: Michael Duckwoth.
Phone: +61 (08) 9931-0744

Vladivostok Office:
Silver Wind Corporation
2nd floor
15/2 Fontannaya Street
Vladivostok 690091 RUSSIA
WEB: http://www.marine.su/swind
Email: swind@online.marine.su
Phone: +7 (4232) 400-779 or 400-423 or 400-781 or 402-179
Fax: +7 (4232) 268-073

General Director: Vladimir Zhenikhaylov
Email: zvvlad@online.marine.su
Vladimir speaks excellent English.

General Manager: Vladimir Myachin
Email: swind@online.marine.su
Vladimir speaks basic English.

The Silver Wind Office is in a very convenient location and is within walking distance from the Ekvator (Equator) Hotel or Hotel Vladivostok
Other alternatives in shipping from Vladivostok to Australia
Other travellers we know shipped from Australia to Vladivostok using the following two companies:

FESCO – US$3500 in total for 3 motorbikes in one container
This was arranged by
Vizit Company
147 Svetlanskaya Street
Vladivostok
Email: vizit@vladivostok.ru)
Contact Name:
Eugene (manager but has limited English)
Maria and Olga speak good English

Interbridge Forwarding Corporation
15/2 Fontannaya Street
Vladivostok Russia 690001
Email: inbridge@online.vladivostok.ru
Phone: +7 (4232) 300-041, 300-059
Manager: Olga Lotosh
This firm is in the same building as Silver Wind Corporation.


Other alternatives in shipping from Vladivostok to Australia
Other travellers we know shipped from Australia to Vladivostok using the following two companies:

FESCO – US$3500 in total for 3 motorbikes in one container
This was arranged by
Vizit Company
147 Svetlanskaya Street
Vladivostok
Email: vizit@vladivostok.ru)
Contact Name:
Eugene (manager but has limited English)
Maria and Olga speak good English

Interbridge Forwarding Corporation
15/2 Fontannaya Street
Vladivostok Russia 690001
Email: inbridge@online.vladivostok.ru
Phone: +7 (4232) 300-041, 300-059
Manager: Olga Lotosh
This firm is in the same building as Silver Wind Corporation.

Australia to Vladivostok via Korea
There are any number of shipping lines going between Australia and South Korea. Shipping costs to Korea are around US$600 plus port charges. From Sokcho Korea there is a regular ferry service to Jarubino (Zarubino) Russia which is south of Vladivostok. I have heard of a couple of overlanders taking the ferry from Russia to South Korea but have not heard of anyone doing it in the opposite direction. If you do it or know anyone who has, then please let me know.

Dong Chun Ferry has an office in “Morskoi Voksal” in Vladivostok. The Oriental Shipping Agency (OSA) and http://www.vostexp.vl.ru/english/ticket/ship.htm both appear to be agents in Vladivostok.

Here is an Email I got back from Dong Chung Ferry Company when I enquired about doing this route.

================================================== ========
DONG CHUN FERRY CO., LTD.
Cargo Market Team
Manager: Kyoungsoon Shin
3F Ankuk Bldg. 175-87, Ankuk-Dong, Jongro-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Phone: +82 (02) 720-7756~7 or +82-(02) 720-0271-4
FAX: +82 (02) 720-7767 or +82-(02) 720-5003
MOBILE: +82 (011) 9062-7014
E-MAIL: na178cm@empal.com
Australia to Vladivostok via Japan

There are any number of shipping lines going between Australia and Japan. Shipping costs to Japan are around US$600 plus port charges. A Carnet du Passage is not required for travel in Russia, Mongolia, Scandinavia or Europe but IS required for Japan. This makes shipping via Japan less attractive.

If you are on motorbike then you could also consider flying your bike from Australia to Japan. Note that a number of people have reported that QANTAS does not require a bike to be crated which is quite a saving.

Information on the ferry that goes between Vladivostok Russia and Fushiki Japan can be found on the following WEB pages:-

http://www2.gol.com/users/chrisl/japan/index2.html
Chris Lockwood lives in Japan and can provide a lot of information on travelling around Japan and on the ferry between Japan and Vladivostok.
Email: chrisl@gol.com

http://www.euras.co.jp/en/
Eurastours, Inc.(Former Japan-Soviet Tourist Bureau, Inc.)
Morie Bldg.4Fl 1-26-8, Higashi-Azabu,
MInato-ku,
Tokyo 106-0044, JAPAN
Tel: (03) 5562-3381
Fax: (03) 5562-3380
Email: use feedback page http://www.euras.co.jp/en/index.html to contact firm

http://www.bisintour.com/en/about_eng
BUSINESS INTOUR SERVICE Tourist Company
3-rd floor, 1, Okeansky Avenue (Sea Terminal)
Vladivostok, 690091, Russia
Phones: (7+4232) 497-391, 497-393, 300-146
Fax: (7+4232) 411-829
E-mail: bis@ints.vtc.ru
The Bizintour office, on the the third floor of the Vladivostok Sea Terminal, can do all the paperwork for getting a bike or vehicle off the ferry terminal for US$100. You might be able to do this yourself, but considering that hotel prices in Vladivostok are not cheap, paying US$100 may very well save you money. Bizintour may also be able to assist you with any other issues you have in Vladivostok.

ÛNQUOTE

I hope this helps
Good luck
Albert

[KenButler]

We've spent too much time trying to find a way of getting the bikes out of Vlad, so we're off to Japan - it has to be easier there!!!

The most helpful company was DHL who would fly the bikes out for US$5000, however you still had to get the bikes crated and have a certificate that states that all fuel and oils had been drained from the bikes.

We will update the HU shipping information database once we get out of Vlad and get the bikes consigned.

Thanks Albert

[Adrian]

I used Silverwind to ship into Vladivostok last year and my three friends (who rode from London to Vladivostok in 2004) used them to ship out to Australia (three bikes, one crate, ~1500 dollars each).

Vladimir Zhenikhalov is in charge and we used a "fixer" called Roman. Vladimir will know how to contact him.

Not sure if this is too late.

They were excellent.

Adrian

[martheijnens]

In 2004 I traveled through Siberia to Vladivostok. From Vladivostok I shipped my bike by ferry to Fushiki, Japan, without any problem. I used shipping agent BIS, located behind the railway station. One of the employees, Irene, handled all the paperwork in two mornings. She asked for her service $100. Apart from this fee I paid $90 for my own ticket and $100 for shipping the bike. Crating wasn't necessary.

If you have problems, contact the horizonsUnlimited community in Vladivostok. They are very helpfull and have assisted many motorbikers with shipping problems.

If you ship to Japan you should know that Japan demands on authentication document for your Carnet de Passage. This document is processed by the Japanese Automboile Federation (JAF). JAF has an office in Toyama, near Fushiki.

Have good travels, Mart