Shipping Questions

[Bunstar]

Hi guys,

The next big thing we?re trying to sort out is shipping our belongings out. Yet again being the wonderfully organised person that I am we?ve left it til last minute and am now starting to panic a bit!!!!

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???

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?

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??

Right enough questions for now but more are sure to follow?

Clare

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by Bunstar

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?

That's a difficult one, but I'm sure a lot of people have come up against this problem so I hope you'll get some replies of firsthand experiences.

Some folks leave shipping their belongings until they know where they're going to settle and, occasionally, some store it at the port in NZ (for a price, of course ). It's more expensive to store at the arrival port than the departure one. Didn't the shippers have any idea what the procedure would be when you don't have an address yet? I'm sure there must be a way as at least half of the immigrants probably enter NZ without having a clue where they're going to settle. I believe you might need a port for the shippers to aim for, but you should be able to notify them of an address as and when you have one, which should give you about 2 months to find one. Other than that, I wonder if the company that handles your stuff in NZ can store it for you away from the port, which should be a bit cheaper.

I think a lot of wood in the UK is certified. Haven't heard of anyone having to prove it before though, so I wonder if this guy is just being overcautious or is it a particular kind of wood that he's worried about? Usually MAF is more interested in whether you're bringing in anything nasty hidden in your innocent-looking wooden items. Have a look on here . Perhaps they do certification, if it's needed or can advise you about it.

Not a lot of help, am I?

[kokopeli]

Hi Bunstar,

I've been dealing with a lot of transport and haulage companies through work lately. Another friend asked me a similar question, so I asked the hauliers where was the best place to send a container if you didn't know where you were going to end up. Most of them said Tauranga because it's in the middle of the north island and has the most comprehensive road, rail and sea links to the rest of NZ. Apparently, more container ships run to Napier, Christchuch, Dunedin and Invercargill from Tauranga than Auckland or Wellington.

[LilAmy]

Hello,

I can partially answer your shipping question. Our friends had their crate shipped to Christchurch but settled in Wellington and managed to contact the shipping company and get the crates redirected to Wellington.

Unfortunately I dont know if it cost anything extra but I do know it can be done.

[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.