Allied Shipping

[OnMyWay]

Could I just take 10 suitcases with me on the plane?

These days, that would cost a fortune! I'm travelling Delta next week and they do allow up to 10 bags. Bags 3-10 are $200 each.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Well I am single, and not Filipino so no balikbayan boxes for me. So I will see how the shipping companies compare

As far as I have seen, anyone can ship these boxes. Where was it you were going to in the Philippines?

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I am going to Antique, on Panay. I have no furniture to bring. The biggest item will be a bicycle - if I take it. Other than that It will be clothes, magic tricks, some tools, DVD's (lots), a computer, and my kitchen supplies.

[OnMyWay]

I am going to Antique, on Panay. I have no furniture to bring. The biggest item will be a bicycle - if I take it. Other than that It will be clothes, magic tricks, some tools, DVD's (lots), a computer, and my kitchen supplies.

I'm shipping my bike via Forex, provided I find a box for it very soon! I found a few at bike stores but so far they are too small.

I basically am shipping everything you mentioned. I also have a lot of small sentimental things I have collected during my travels. It looks like I will have a total of 18 standard boxes and 2 odd sized boxes.

[Dr. Cockroach]

Since I will be doing the same, I was scouting the shippers issue too. Not that I am not going to call the Salvation Army truck at the end, but I will still end up with some new stuff that I had bought recently thinking I will be staying here for a while and that would require some Salvation :mocking:

Try:

http://www.johnnyairplus.com/

I read a recommendation of them somewhere online. I never tried them of course.

Pls. post back your experience if you use them.

[MikeeW]

My experience was making a move from the US to here, door to door. I can't recall the exact cost, but for a single container it cost around $10,000 several years ago. I think you'll discover that the price quoted is essentially what the company (Allied, United) hopes to get from you. In effect, they just have standard rates and it is what it is. I can't recall the corporate name, but my pointis, that is not what's important. The corporate name will have a local guy in your area with his own moving business and contracted with Allied, United etc. I do recall I called United and got an inspection/estimate. I had previous made many, many moves and was familiar with the process. In just a few minutes it was obvious they did not want to have the contract. I contacted another company and the owner said he'd give an estimate and would do the shipping himself. He was very well known in the area and quite trustworthy. He gave me an estimate and stuck to the price. The only way I got manipulated was with the packing. This is quite common. A fellow came out, did packing for one day, promised to be back and never did come back. I had a certain schedule to make (had to move out) so I couldn't do much except finish much of the packing myself. From many years of experience with this, I knew this in advance and its actually to my advantage as I can be sure the stuff is packed the way I want it done.

The moving van showed up and there was one guy (the driver) and a couple of fellows from the local Walmart parking lot. Again, a common practice. Must be watchful and have the valuables already packed. I watched everything get stuffed into the container (tight fit, but did get all in). I knew the container would be sealed and not opened again until at customs or at my door in the Philippines.

What I didn't know was the sham deal that happens at this end. It all turned out well, so what follows is just a bit of advance notice of what to expect.

One thing I had in my favor was a permanent resident visa which allowed my goods to come in duty free. However, this does require a bit of processing. What happened to me was the encounter as I made my way here. I arrived a day or so before the shipment, did my Immigration stuff in Manila and then did the "import" stuff with my contact here. This was the customs agent or whatever they are called. Their job is to process the paperwork, which they did. Essentially, delivering my passport and such to customs and getting some sort of release document. No trickery or bribery involved.

However, I dealt with the agent by phone as the shipment was on its way. He let me believe the shipment would have to be transloaded into another container. I had not agreed to this as I had door to door shipping. In fact, that is exactly what I had. However, if you were like me, I didn't know enough to call their bluff. He told me that there would be a transload required and if not, the original container would have to be paid for. He lead me believe the "door" at this end was the pier in Manila, not the "door" in Leyte. So, I would have to pay some more to use the original container door to door.

So, in my confusion and uncertainty of want the deal was, I told him OK, transload the shipment.

Here's where a little bit of truth can be made into a lot of lies.

The US shipper had the obligation to get the container to the country, in this case, the port in Manila. The US company contracts with a local "broker" who handles the in-country movement. Well, if a transocean container is shipped within the Philippines, the costs are higher. I am unclear exactly why, but I think it has to do with the cost of putting that container back into service. In effect, it would have to come to my "door" and then returned to Manila, an additional cost, which would be paid by the broker here. This would have all been figured into the original $10000 cost. However, if I could be convinced to transload the shipment to a container used exclusively for in the country, the broker would only have the cost of some labor to transload and thus save himself a bunch of cash. I didn't lose money or pay a bribe. I just got less service than I should have.

The stuff did arrive, intact, nothing missing.

The are other options for making shipments and many, many posts on this and other forums. One not mentioned too often is one I thought about later. May not be true now, but at one time there was a glut of ocean containers. Too many in service. So, there was a thriving business to sell these. That meant, you could hire a shipper to move YOUR container. You buy one, fill it with your stuff, hire a mover to move it (no packing). It gets shipped to your destination, and now you have a container. Of course, for some that means you're now stuck with a container. It all depends upon your particular circumstances. You'd be amazed at how useful a c tanker like this can be, if you have a place for it.

[Dave Hounddriver]

You'd be amazed at how useful a c tanker like this can be, if you have a place for it.

Yes. Your story relates similar to my neighbor from US. He bought a shipping container and brought it all the way. Its here now and moving it abut has been fun. He stored it on a friend's lot until the friend said he was tired of storing it. He tried to move it to another lot but there is no one set up here for moving containers so he had to make an axle to put under it. Then the hitch on his truck broke as he was going down the highway. He tried to sell it but no one would give him anywhere near what it was worth to him.

Eventually he got it on to his own lot and it is out of the way . . well its his own lot at the moment but his ex wife is fighting him over that so who knows, he may have to move it again . . and the world turns. It is a bit comical but he has my sympathies for all the trouble he goes through. It keeps life interesting and teaches me every day to keep it simple.

[Mike S]

Just a suggestion but have you guys shipping bikes thought about just taking them apart to ship them .... taking off the wheels ..... handle bars ... seat and other goodies will I'm sure bring the bike down to just frame length ...... but then I'm sure you already considered that ..... you also could consider just buying the wheels here and just shipping the good stuff like the frame and gears ...... just trying to help ..... they have tons of bike parts in Colon near the auto parts places ....

[MikeB]

I shipped mine with LBC without a box, we removed the pedals and taped the manifest to the frame. Arrived without problem, cost was $125. The agent said he's done it a few times, I was going to leave it but glad I didn't. You might have a hard time finding parts for US made bikes, I looked all over for the same tire size and couldn't find.

[Mike S]

Thanks MikeB ...... scrap the idea of replacement parts in Colon guys ..... my mistake ..... if you knew me you would know I'm not a bike person .... well .... not the peddling kind anyway .... :hystery: ...... and don't you say a word .... JGF ..... cause you ain't either ...... :attention: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: ...... :cheersty: