We've recently shipped a small camper van from Seattle to Vladivostok. Customs clearance was easy using a local agent:

Yuri Melinkov
89 Svetlanskaya str. Office 312
Vladivostok
690078
Mobile: +79025243447
Email: ymelnik [aatt] links-ltd [doott] com

Yuri is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Yuri is a very professional guy, and is extremely helpful. He cleared our van through customs in 3 days and has helped us immensly with other problems on our vehicle.

Before you ship to Vladivostok, make sure you have your vin number, engine number and year of manufacture clearly visible on the vehicle and paperwork (Bill of Lading). Because our vehicle is old, the year of manufacture code letter was not stamped in the vin number (character 12 I think) and this required clearance from a higher authority, which took an extra day.

Foreigners are not allowed in the dock area for either customs inspection or to collect the vehicle. Yuri arranged a power of attourney which allowed him to do this on our behalf.

Hotel Vladivostok is conveniently situated and has free wifi in the reception area, or the full works for small money in the business centre. Just across the road is Hotel Amursky Bay which is part of the Vladivostok Hotel, but has no internet. We found Amursky Bay a bit quieter.

Hope this helps you as much as it helped us!!

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Phil
www.wrinkliesontherun.com

Thanks for the info.
What would make this even more helpful is if you could tell us what you paid for the customs clearance service.
Prices for customs clearance in Vlad can range from under a hundred dollars to many times that...

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Japan touring information

Bill,.. many thanks for the info on Yuri. As it happens sometimes in this world, .. I am currently sitting next to you enjoying a tall Latte in the Hotel Vladivostok. If you turn to your left, .. I'm the 'Biker' with Amur Highway Hair and the 'where the f**k have I just come from' look on my face.

I'll buy you a in a few minutes :-)

Geoff

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http://www.poorcirculation.blogspot.com

We paid the asking price of USD300 and received a very professional service from start to finish & we didn't think it was worth looking for someone cheaper. There were thirteen Australians here when we arrived who waited nearly two weeks for customs clearance with another agent. Hotel prices average $110 a night. $45 will by you a basic room in with the Chinese tourists.

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Phil
www.wrinkliesontherun.com

Would you have the email for your customs agent Yuri
Max

I've added it to the info above. It's ymelnikv[aatt] links-ltd [doott] com

For anyone interested, today 16th July 2008 there are two British motorcyclists in Vladivostok looking for others to share a container to America. Contact Blue88 on The Hubb

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Phil
www.wrinkliesontherun.com

Phil and Geoff, that is so funny that you guys were in the hotel lobby at the same time.

Phil, thanks so much for the Yuri contact. We'll need helping clearing customs to get our bikes out of Russia.

Safe riding (driving) to both of you.

Cheers, Mike