Guide to International Removals and Relocation

Before you get cracking it is wise to contact several removal companies who specialise in different types of international removals to find the right company for you.

You can receive the details of a number of international shipping companies by completing our overseas removals quotes form.

You should invite the company to come to do a survey of your possessions, so they can discuss with you the best way to transport them. There are several ways to have your property transported internationally, and you will need to choose depending on the volume/weight of the goods, the speed of delivery, the route and your budget.

Here is a brief outline of the different methods for moving your possessions overseas.

Sea Freight

Your possessions are loaded into large secure steel containers. They are relayed by a container ship to the nearest container port. Ask your removal company to outline the different container sizes available to you. These steel containers vary from 2400 cubic feet to 850 cubic feet.

The cost for this type of shipment is calculated on the volume of your full container load. Each container is for your sole use to reduce any problems with customs and to prevent the opportunity for unauthorised access.

 

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Find an international removal company for your move between countries.

 

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Groupage

This is when the steel containers are filled with groups of possessions from different individuals/companies that will be travelling the same route. You wait until a container is full, so you cannot dictate timescales as easily as the Full Container Loads. However, this method is more cost effective.

European Removals

European Removals are handled in different ways by different companies. Some smaller firms will travel with just your consignment in their own lorries so you can dictate the timescales. Your goods are packed and boxed as for a domestic move. You should discuss with the removal company about the best way to pack in advance, if you wish to do this yourself. Some firms will pack your remaining possessions, but you should keep an inventory of the goods you have packed and label each box clearly.

Airfreight

Consignments are secured in special airline pallets and are transported in the aircraft cargo hold. Airfreight can be significantly more expensive. However, it has the benefit of speed and can be useful to countries with no sea access or inland destinations.

Airfreight prices are calculated on either the physical size or volume weight of the items to be moved - whichever is figure is larger.