Anyone got any advice on what to do with shipping a 20ft container over to Australia, when you have no address to ship it to ?

We would like to take a few months out touring with the family so probably wont have an address for some time. Possibly 3 months.

What shall I tell customs? How do I do this? any tips, advice appreciated.

cheers, all.

Hi,

You could maybe do storage here and ship your stuff at a later date to coincide with your arrival? Or ship your stuff when you depart on your flight from the UK and pay for storage in australia, get it released when you have found a place?

Just an idea.

Carmel

We did that when we went to Canada. Furniture left 6 weeks before we did and it took another 5 or 6 weeks after to get an address. Find out if it will be cheaper to store here or there, then decide.

By the way how much have you been quoted for a 20' container?, and what part of Australia.

Cheers,

Simon.

Hi Simon,

We are paying £3200 +aus customs +insurance (with letton percival) for a 20ft container with anglo pacific, they're coming monday and tuesday. The container is going into sydney then just being transported inland to canberra.

Carmel

Pay to store it in the UK, then ship over when you are ready for it (or will be ready by the time it arrived).

I tried to do the opposite and ship it then store for a little while here, but it almost ended up with all my stuff being shipped back to Bermuda.

I wasn't in Sydney at the time it arrived, and the shipping company refused to store it. I had to arrange for a friend to take delivery of all my stuff, which was a big ask.

If you do want to try it, make absolutly sure the shipping company are willing and able to store your items when they arrive.

Thats why you use removal companies, they do store it automatically when it has cleared the bond store...........mm

Hi Carmel,

Thanks for the info. Looks like you are having the full service. They do the packing and moving, I presume they do the opposite at the other end.

We have had experience of both options. When we travelled out to Canada we used Britannia who where very good. They came, packed everything and took it away into a 40' container. When we had an address they delivered and were supposed to unpack, but we were that happy to be in a house we told them we would unpack. THey didn't have a problem with that and even came back a couple of weeks later to collect all the rubbish. Nothing broken even. Don't know the cost of this though as it was a company transfer and they picked it up.

When we returned it was a diy job. Used AM International in Brampton. Paid just over $4,000 CAD for a 40' container. They dropped the container, we had 6 hours to load it, the collected and shipped it to the UK. I cleared it through customs and the dropped at our new address. Had 2 hours to empty it, lots of friends and family, big front garden and sunshine helped considerably.

Now looking to go to Brisbane, I'm a plumber and the wife runs her own business and her sister lives there. Interested to know the costs involved with moving furniture vs starting afresh.

Cheers,

Simon.

Unloading your own container in Australia, is not an option,,,,,,,,mm

Hi Simon,

Blimey you're not scared of hard work by the sounds of it, the effort you must have put in to the DIY shipping!

It's a tricky one eh. I've changed my mind on a daily basis about this and suddenly decided last week to take it all. We are packing the house up and getting things in order for the guys coming tomorrow and it's suprising how much stuff you have and how much you would need to replace.

I read other posts (when I was swinging not to ship) and people had said it's the little things that add up and I shrugged these off thinking........ nah it can't be that expensive.

I have had a good clear out, went all minimalistic a couple of years ago and we still have a house full of stuff by the looks of it! For us if the cost to replace was the same as the cost to ship we would have sold all our stuff and started again, but we couldn't buy a lot to fill a house for £4000.00 ish.

Good luck with your decision!

Carmel

Hi Carmel,

Were just starting out. I'm busy collecting info at the minute and starting to sort out a TRA application. Once we get sorted with that then it will be all system go.

I hope your move goes well.

Simon.

If you are travelling for a long time - store this end and ship it out later. It is a requirement that you need to be present in Australia when your stuff arrives, otherwise you risk them sending it straight back.

I used my Companies address and simply provided the shippers with my proper address once I secured a rental. I've heard of other people who have used the address of the hotel/appartments that they intend staying in when they arrive in Oz.

We are looking at self shipping a 20ft container. We're not affraid of hard work if it saves us money! would love to hear from people who have
we decided to take everything, less to stress about shopping for when we get there!

we were quoted 3600 from crown (with reduction) without insurance - stuff that
we are not insuring the stuff as we've read that, even reputable companies will try their damn hardest to put you off claiming, so we take the risk

The problem I have at the mo' is getting a quote for shipping only.

You can buy a 20ft container off ebay, Sounds expensive I know but you can sell it for the same price when you get there. So effectively getting it for free, or a hundred dollars at the worst.

Storage: I found some small firm in Cairns who are charging $2 per day for storage + Tax on top. They will also pick the item up from the port at $80 per hour! Can't be more then 2 hours for return trip.

I guess it depends on the the cost of shipping only. If I can save a £1000 it would be worth it.

I might even be able to get my own insurance, not so much for the contents, but for the container its self. incase it goes missing, or just falls off!

Getting this info is taking time, But I'll post what I can when I can.



By the way:
Cheers everyone for the feedback, it's been invaluable.

Base your cost for a 40' Self Packing and Shipping as follows :

Door to Arrival Port : GBP 1850.00 per 40' ctr.

Bare in Mind that this is only up to arrival Port, you then have destination charges of approx AUD $ 600.00 to include Clearance.

We can offer you this based on our Freight Forwarding Divison - However Wrap/Pack and Ship via Magrate would be Higher than this.