Air Freight Australia - South Korea and then on to Vladivostok - July 2011
 

I'm shipping a KLR650 from Sydney to Seoul (Incheon) in a few days time so I thought I would post my experiences / cost for those of you in the planning stages:

• Shipping agent, Sydney, Australia: Geodis Wilson. I think I may be the first bike they've done - it certainly generated some interest. They've been very good and communicative.
• Cost: $2350 total from their depot to the runway in Seoul. This includes them organising the Dangerous Goods paperwork.
• Dangerous Goods - when I was shopping around I got various views/instructions as to what needed to be done to the bike. The most common was 1/4 tank or less of fuel, battery disconnected, oil in engine OK. However some insisted all petrol out and oil out - apparently different companies and airlines have their own rules that they apply on top of the international regulations. So it pays to ask - draining the oil would be a pain but I know of people who have had to do it.
• Timing: Shipping companies are all used to frieghting goods at short notice. When you, as a nervous first timer, phone up 6 months in advance you will get a polite but generally uninterested response. Solid contact about 4-6 weeks out seems to work.
• Crating: I used a Triumph pallet - these made of metal with fork lift points, tie down points, wheel guides etc.. They have metal arches that go over the top of the bike which then support the cardboard side and top. They are beautifully made and free from the local dealer as he sends them up the tip. The downside of themetal pallet is you cannot tailor the size to minimise it to suit your bike. For me this meant I ended up on a pallet a bit longer than strictly necessary, the benefit was I could leave the front wheel on and dismantling was limited to removing the handlebars to reduce width and sliding forks upthrough triple clamps to reduce height. Downside was cost increased by about $200-$300. If you want to minimise cost BMW crates are also easily available and wood and hence more customisable. One interesting comment from the shipping agent was it was much better the bike was fully covered and not visible - he said airlines always give them much more trouble when the goods can be seen and problems can be imagined than with innocuous plain packages.
• Additional luggage in crate with bike: I was told strictly no - although I know of others who have successfully done it. I didn't push it (other than making sure all spares and tools were strapped on to the frame) as I thought if I have to carry it all to the aircraft it will make sure I keep my load to 25kg and not overpack.
• Transport in Korea from Seoul to ferry port - Donghae. You can temporarily import and then ride or you can arrange shipment on a truck "in bond". I have chosen the transport in-bond for simplicity although I think it is slightly more expensive and it has been quoted to me as $600-$700 by Wendy Choi (wendychoi2-at-gmail dot com) - based on the contact to date she really does seem to be as efficient as everyone else has reported here on the HUBB.
• Ferry Donghae Korea - Vladivostok. This is run by DSB Cruise and Wendy Choi will make a booking for you. Cost is about $500 you and bike. Sailings are weekly leaving on a Sunday and apparently very busy throughout July and August. Pre-booking is recommended - without Wendy (and also advice from another HUBB regular in Korea Seouljoe) my trip planning almost collapsed before I had left Australia.

All the best and happy planning.

Thanks a lot for the amounts and info. Is that USD or Australian dollar?

Hi Naval

i wish you well in your travels

I wish i could have contacted you before you shipped because i pack boxes to Korea every fornight and i would have charged you:

55.00USD per cubic metre = 220.00USD + 200.00AUD export clearance fee so you would have roughly paid 420AUD to get the bike to Seoul & not $2000+

Anyway i wish you safe travels.

Cheers
Ivan

Bikes Abroad
www.bikesabroad.com.au

Hallo Ivan,

Thanks for the info. Ah well I posted so people could learn from my experience! I presume the cost you are quoting is for sea transport? (my price was for air transport). The info about sending boxes every fortnight is useful. Good luck with the business and thanks for the good wishes.

Groot,

The cost I quoted was Australian dollars for the air freight bit and US dollars for the bits in Korea - but there is not a huge difference at the moment.

Hi again

sorry wasnt suggesting you were overcharged. The airfreight rate they gave you isnt bad but hope they gave you the option to ship via sea which would have saved you money $$$ (but would have meant there was a 14 day sailing time)

You are definately going to have a great time and i wish you all the best

If you get stuck, dont hesitate to contact me and i will see if one of my agents can assist you

Safe riding!

Final costs air freight and ferry to Vladivostok
 

now safely riding around Russia. For peoples info this is how my shipping costs finally panned out:

Bike - Sydney-Seoul -A$2280.
Me - Sydney - Seoul - $720
Seoul - Customs clearance and trucking to Donghae via Wendy Choi. US$550.
Ferry Donghae - Vladivostok - Bike and me A$800.
Bike clearance at Vladivostok by Yuri (Links limited) 4000rbl
Port Fees - 2600 Rbl
Third party insurance 3 months - 1450Rbl

Grand total me and bike to Vladivostok - about $4800.

Lessons learnt:

Vladivostok is not roll-on roll off; it is a slow protracted process and took 3 days and I suspect would have been near impossible for a non-russian speaker without the help of an agent.

Yuri of Links Limited (I don't have his details to hand but PM me if you can't find them on the site) was organised by DBS (the ferry company) on my behalf and was a life saver. he does lots more than just the paperwork - he works with you as a friend to get you safely on the road. he is strongly recommended and worth every rouble. (Yuri also mentioned that if you contract him direct rather than through BS his fee would be slightly lower).

Hope this helps people.

Now enjoying fantastic Russian hospitality and scenery (and variable weather!).

All the best.

Hi Naval,

I'm sorry to confirm, but Ivan is right...

I shipped two bikes - both crated seperately, one with all luggage and riding gear, both as non-dangerous goods. I used company called C T Freight and it was a smooth process, although I was in panic all the time.
Refueling was not a problem - there is petrol station right at the gate to ferry terminal.
It was 1400A$ for both.
Price from Wendy is the same though bier

Cheers,
Bart

You are 100% right about using an agent - Yuri Melnikov of Links is very professional and a really good guy to have on your side in Vladivostok his contact details are :

Yuri Melnikov
Links, Ltd.
89 Svetlanskaya str., office 312,
690078, Vladivostok, Russia.
Tel/fax: +7(4232)22-15-78
Tel: +7(4232)22-08-87
Mobile: +7 902 5243447
mail to: ymelnik@links-ltd.com