# shipping container USA to Spain



## neddie (Jun 11, 2012)

....i would like to communicate with anyone who has experience in shipping a 20' or 40' container from the east USA coast to Spain.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

neddie said:


> ....i would like to communicate with anyone who has experience in shipping a 20' or 40' container from the east USA coast to Spain.


I have experience in shipping from the US to Europe as a shipping & Forwarding agent, what generally were you enquiring about?


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

We had Crown removals ship a 40ft container of our furniture, from Hong Kong to Spain, they did all the necessary paperwork, as well as the packing and unpacking at either end.
Our furniture arrived in Valencia port 4 weeks after it left HK, it all gets checked by customs when it arrives. Then they rang to say which day they would deliver, which happened to be the worst thunder and lightening storm I have ever experienced, and i got soaked through to the skin, while the guys emptied the 'packed to the hilt' container. The 40 ft container lorry had to park in the road, as there wasn't enough room to turn such a big lorry into our driveway. I was trying to guess what in each of the 400 boxes, as the contents had been written in Chinese!, and direct my 'guesses' to 3 floors of our new home.
I am so glad we had a world wide shipping company do this for us. All credence to the men, they did a fantastic job, in very adverse weather conditions.


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## neddie (Jun 11, 2012)

...Stravinsky, thank you for your response. I am really looking for 'end users' that could relate their experiences, some 'dos and don't s', costs incurred, references etc. If you could possibly refer me to any of your clients i would be grateful.....you are welcome to PM me with info so as to respect their privacy.

...I am led to understand that shipping say a pallet of boxes containing personal effects as break bulk is very expensive. I may have to consider starting from scratch and buying everything once in Spain. Failing that, i don't think i would need anything bigger than a 20' container.

...Moving from the US is somewhat different from crossing the Channel from the UK 


...Fergie, thank you for your input.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

neddie said:


> ...Stravinsky, thank you for your response. I am really looking for 'end users' that could relate their experiences, some 'dos and don't s', costs incurred, references etc. If you could possibly refer me to any of your clients i would be grateful.....you are welcome to PM me with info so as to respect their privacy.
> 
> ...I am led to understand that shipping say a pallet of boxes containing personal effects as break bulk is very expensive. I may have to consider starting from scratch and buying everything once in Spain. Failing that, i don't think i would need anything bigger than a 20' container.
> 
> ...


I'm not in the business any more .. thankfully
You can take two routes. You can use a removals company, and they will be expensive. However you can leave everything to them and not have the hassle.

Or you can buy some crates and pack it yourslelf. Then find a good consildator where you are and ship it as freight in a container as what is called LCL (less than container load). 

It really depends on how attached you are to your effects. I'd recommend starting again, as you mentioned. Just bring the things that are really dear to you with you. Its what we did ..... and we only came over from the UK 

If you choose the shipping route then when you case everything up, make a list of everything in each case, and number the cases. Just in case customs want to inspect .. they know where to look. The other alternative you mention as FCL, you still need to case goods up. A pallet just isnt a secure way of shipping personal effects. Get full marine insurance also from a reputable agent, preferably independent to the carrier you are using


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