Hi all,

I have a question regarding shipping a sole container from the UK to Edmonton, Alberta.

I have had my first quote today from a shipping company, who specify that I must attend at the container's entry port, in person, to clear my belongings through customs. The company are saying that the entry port is Montreal!

Is this correct? I haven't read about other's having to do that, and PSS say on their website that I must attend my local railfreight terminal for a customs office there!

Confused, I am! lol

Regards

Nige

You can give a power of attorney to a customs broker and they can do it for you. You don't need to be there. Try contacting Pacific Customs Brokers, they should be able to help. They do all my clearances and are very good. You must tell the shipper prior to the consignment arriving that your broker will be clearing the shipment.

Most international shippers should have their own broker who can do this with your power of attorney. It does cost though, if you do it yourself then there is no cost.

We were told a similar thing.

However, when our goods arrived, we received notification from the receiving agent, who enclosed the required documentation from the port authority.

this, combined with the documentation (goods to follow lists etc) that I had put together, went to the local office of import / export / customs whatever it was called......

these officials stamped our docs and basically gave the port authority the go ahead to release our stuff.

next we had to contact the receiving agents to tell them of this good news so they could then sort out a date of delivery to our front door (the service we had paid for).

that was about as much 'in person' as it got.

hope this reassures you.

(incidentally, if you are still dredging quotes, do not use SIMPSONS UK)

Our port of entry was listed as Calgary - we just had to go there to clear it.

I certainly never had these issues here in Vancouver. I had to go to the place where they arrived to sign paperwork before they delivered to my door but it was very local to where I lived - could have walked there.

Don't remember this being an issue. We cleared our container at the customs office next to Edmonton International Airport. White & Co must have sub-contracted a shipper within Canada that Canada Customs trusts to keep container seals intact - just guessing though.

Our shipping came in through Montreal,it the was freighted by rail to Toronto,then it is comming by road "in bond" to a warehouse in Edmonton ,we have then got to go to Edmonton airport customs and clear it (with the goods to follow paperwork )then the shipping company deliver it to my home.

yes, Canada requires the owner of the goods to go to customs themselves -- however for me this was done in Vancouver, where the container went through customes, even though it had been in Canada since leaving the ship in Montreal.

So they are partially right in their information.

Most other countries don't require the owner present anywhere, everything can be done through power of attorney.

Thanks for all the replies,

Clears it up a little lol

Nige

Hi
We have to clear ours at a local depot Windsor, and have to be there in person to do so....well, we will be there in any case. I would ask again.
lol
Stef

This isn't true. I cleared mine using a power of attorney. Never presented myself anywhere to anyone.

Likewise. Our broker clears all of our shipments. Never had to go to customs.

i came the other way from lethbridge alberta to the midlands they dropped off the container i filled it and did not see it again till unloading no problem or need to see customs,contact was, aresh at global pack n ship,www.globalpacknship.com,fantastic service and im sure they can work reversed.

I was advised by a potential shipping company that there are various "clearing" places.....for example, if I were to move to Prince george (BC) then THAT would be the place that I would have to attend to get clearance. Clearly, it depends on where you live/will live as to where your container would be cleared!
Once the container would arrive in Vancouver, it would be sent by train to XYZ place. (This place would of course have to have a customs set-up)At this point it would still be bonded. Once cleared through customs, it would then be moved by road to it's final destination.

Steve

ps.....I am under the impression that if the container is packed by an experienced company, as opposed to self load, it might not be necessary for me to attend at all!

talk to aresh at global, i self loaded and did not have to attend to container at any port.