Sounded like it to me too. Actually Roel was quite irritated that they had raised the cost from $200+ something to $400+ something at the last minute. Here is what he sent me recently:
Hi Chris,
I think I am the man. I spoke with you just once, I believe in the hostel in Quito. How in earth did you find me?
The company is called SAR (Surinam Air Cargo), they have office in Amsterdam as well in Paramaribo Surinam.
I believe they ship only to the Netherlands. I payed € 400,--. They made an offer 3 months earlier by email for € 200,--!!!
They could not do it for that price no more, they told me 2 days before shipping, so actually they ripped me off.
I suggest you give it a try. I just came back to Holland yesterday after 6 months. I left my bike with a friend in Paraguay and will come back some time to go to Ushaia. I believe you were heading there as well, did you get there?
Good luck,
Roel van Kuetsem

I emailed them a few days ago, but they haven´t answered me yet. In the meantime, I´ve decided to just head back to the US. I need to sell my condo so that I can keep traveling. I´m thinking about Alaska in the Summer, then try to get to New Zealand for the winter (summer there).

__________________
motomon at pobox dot com
Have returned to Latin America ... again in 2024/2025. +15179800336 WhatsApp

thanks for the reply .that is euro not $us .still ok .any chance of a contact address or phone number

just looked on there web and they do air and sea do you know what it was for that price?'

Kit,


I got this response from Surinam Air Cargo info@sac-cargo.nl:
Thank you for your request. Due to Eastern Holiday we could not reply
earlier. If you would like to ship your motorcycle from Suriname to
Amsterdam, this machine should be presented in Paramaribo at one of our 3
agents. Calypsona Shipping, Duisburglaan 52 Paramaribo Phone: 00 597 439996,
or Surpost Parcels & Freight Vulcanusstraat 98, Paramaribo, Phone 00 597
401729/401730/400539, or Surinam Shipping Agency Duisburglaan 52, Paramaribo
Phone Tel 00 597 473318.
You will have to present registration documents of the machine, and an
invoice or value declaration. For local charges please inquire at one of
these agents.
At arrival in the Netherlands following charges will arise: Custom
clearance Eur 85,- handling sea freight Eur 150,- .
Should you need more information please let us know,
Kenneth van Rhemen

Since I am not going to use them right now, go ahead and follow up with the agents listed yourself.

Chris

__________________
motomon at pobox dot com
Have returned to Latin America ... again in 2024/2025. +15179800336 WhatsApp

As I actually work for Grimaldi Lines in the port of Tilbury as "supercargo" i.e. responsible for the stowage sequence of cargo in accordance with loading/discharging plans and to supply labour to do this, I know for a fact that Grimaldi takes great care of all passengers and their bikes or campers, every vessel that comes in Tilbury bound to South America, and in particular Buenos Aires, has passengers on board from the prevous port, in this case Hamburg, they are mostly Germans and some Austrians with either bikes or fully offroad prepped MAN Camper vans, sometime we also get the odd passenger joining the vessel here in Tilbury with their bikes, mostly solo riders and once of twice it was man and wife as pillion, but I do feel sorry for those.

Anyway the bikes are professionally secured in the presence of the owner, i.e. all ratchets and straps are applied to frame, pillion pegs and fork clamps rather than handle bars where parts can be damaged such a rolling maps, and switches and once they are lashed they are checked twice daily by the crew in case straps work loose due to the ships (many) movements at sea. A ship can list, roll, pitch and slam in high sea so there is always the chance that the compression of the suspension can cause the strap to loosen.

Food on board is also a treat for them the high officers (Master, First Mate, 2nd Mate and cook are always all italian, the crew can be either Indian, Philipino or Rumenian. And they are all very polite and helpful.

I have no involvment or comments with the pricing of these fares, but for what you get in the 36 odd days you spend on board, with nice cabins, nice food and a friendly company I believe makes it worth it in the end. Ideally is what I would also do, if I had the time to get away for that long on my bike.

Usually these passengers are newly retired people with a passion for riding and adventure and they have all the time in the world to do these excursions, I understand some of them are out there for over 6 months to a year, once Austrian couple told me we will ride South America from coast to coast, and we are planning to do it in 2 years! I think the majority of the riders who go there, they ride or drive from Buenos Aires all across the coast into Brasil and back the other way. It's all good fun if you can afford it, I suppose.

Oh yeah and my bike gets a taste of the ship when I am too lazy to walk up and down the cargo decks

ok for a little feed back if it is of any use to anybody. i ended up shipping me bike from Suriname to Amsterdam. I used a company in Paramaribo called N.V.Global Experdition. I shipped my yamaha Xt 600 with no crate and the panniers still on . I only disconected the battery buy my own choice. it was all verry easy in Suriname .

cost in suriname

ocean freight $80 m3 x2
loading $15 x2
customs visitation $7 x2
customs clearance $125
BL fee $35

cost in netherland
customs clearance $122.18
handling charges $45.82
unloading $76.36 x2
laatvolgen $30.55


grand total $727.82 SRD$ 2074.29 €495.66
the x2 is because it was 2 m3 it was measured at 3.2 m3 but i told them if it was in a box it would be 2 m3 . so they let me have the cheeper price. it was all good service in Suriname but it was slow clearing customs in Holland

i was told it would be about the same price in the other direction. it was cheeper to get a return plane ticket than a oneway. if i am ready to go back to south america before my return expires i will do the same again but if i am to late i would like to try the Gremaldi option. if you arrive on the ship with your bike does it make customs any easyer. i have herd the customs in brazil can be a pain/expensive .I crossed a land border to brazil and that was free and easy could i just ride outthe ship and then see customs in the same way

The main advantage of the Roro option is that you escape all customs clearance torture procedures.

Sharing a container from Antwerpen to Buenos Aires cost me only 200 Euros, but getting the bike out took me 5 days and 500 Euros. Avoid Buenos Aires at all costs, especieally for shipping back. I read a story of german camper owners that trusted an argentine agent and flew back to germany before the truck was in the container. The agent didnt check if the van got scanned. The vehicule as a matter of fact was blocked in Buenos Aires and it took them 5 month of nightmare and 14,000 dollars of parking and proceding costs to get the vehicule to Europe, passing thru Uruguay.