[Ace]

Originally Posted by Bunstar

We don?t know where we?re going to end up in NZ as it?s wherever John gets a job whilst we?re touring round but the shippers are obviously asking for a destination port?at the moment I?m guessing and saying Wellington but what if we end up in Auckland or Christchurch??? Can the destination be changed after the stuff has been picked up or do they charge massively???

Once the shipping container is on the water, it's pretty much impossible to change the destination port. Even before it leaves on a ship, once a customs tag is attached and a bill of lading has been filled out by your moving company, it would likely be very difficult (and risky) to change the destination.

You can have your stuff trucked from one city to another, but it's pretty expensive. Storage at the port is also pricey. Re-shipping by container is another option -- probably your best bet if you end up on a different island than your stuff.

Most moving companies should be able to store your stuff for a while, if it's really needed. However, I highly (highly!) recommend being not only in the country, but actually at the port when your items arrive. There's a lot than can go wrong. Some of your stuff can even be destroyed by MAF if it's not "safe".

Originally Posted by Bunstar

The other thing that?s got me stumped is the man who came round to do an estimate was asking for a contact address in NZ ? I pointed out that we didn?t have one, and knew no-one there to use as a contact. He said they really needed an address before they shipped the stuff?!?!? (seems strange as it?s going to take so long to get there we will have a contact address whilst it?s still at sea). How have other people dealt with this?

The shipping company will generally require at least a contact address. We used a hotel address in NZ at first for a few things (not the shipping). You could contact a hotel in the area and see if they would be willing to accept mail for you for some time before and after your (already-reserved) stay.

You might also be able to use an NZ-based moving company's address. You will need a moving company's help to clear customs and MAF, even if you end up having your stuff re-shipped. They might be able to accept mail for you until you arrive and get settled.

Another option might be to rent a mail box in NZ (which can be done on the Internet). We did that for a while, and it was helpful in the initial few weeks before the purchase of our new house was finished.

Originally Posted by Bunstar

Oh just thought of another question ? John?s got to model aircraft he wants to take with us. One is the one he?s using now and is covered so the estimate guy said no problem about shipping that (never mentioned the fact it was covered in mud and grass!!!). The other one is half built and is only partially covered. The guy said we need to make sure it?s ?certified wood??anyone know how we go about finding that out??

NZ has very strict rules regarding the importation of wood and products made from wood. If the wood is "manufactured" -- like plywood or particle board, you shouldn't have any problems. All natural woods are subject to inspection by MAF. If they find any sign of pest infestation, the item will either be destroyed (no cost) or fumigated (not cheap), or sent back to the origin (expensive). This also applies to things like Christmas and Easter decorations, straw / cane products, etc.

When they mention "certified" wood, they're talking about natural wood that has a very specific stamp on it that shows that it's been heat-treated. Wood like that is most commonly used in shipping containers for things like pallets and crates. The model you mentioned is definitely not going to be certified wood.

Be careful about mud and grass. If present, it almost certainly will trigger a MAF inspection of the items involved. For outdoor furniture, we had to produce a receipt showing that the items had been steam-cleaned. We didn't even bother bringing our old camping gear, since the cost of inspection could easily have been higher than just buying all-new stuff.

There's a lot of small stuff like that that can bite you during the import process, which is why its a good idea to be close by when your stuff arrives, and clears customs and MAF.