Clients Unloading Their Own Shipment
Generally speaking it is not really feasible to just deliver a sole use container to client’s residence for self-unload as household goods shipments to Australia cannot travel directly from the port to the client’s residence in the same way as happens in the UK, USA, Europe and many other countries. Instead, FCL containers of household goods must be unstuffed at approved Household and Personal Effects Customs and Quarantine bonded premises (OSS premises are approved bonded premises). We follow a similar process for LCL and Air Shipments.
After the container is unloaded and the Customs and Quarantine clearances obtained, the goods are ready for delivery to the clients residence and are loaded into a furniture removal van or into OSS own shipping container appropriate for the type of delivery services to be performed.
Given the delivery is then performed in the OSS vehicle (not the S/S line haulier as in many countries), together with the fact a large component of the DA service cost is associated with the clearance/handling process, there is not the same scope for substantial DA cost savings (if the client meets the truck and unloads themselves) as there is in many other countries.
If requested, we can provide a quote for a delivery service and placement in the residence only after clearance but no unpacking, unwrapping or removal of material.
OWNER PACKED AND SHIPPER OWNED CONTAINERS
Handling Shippers Own Containers
Importation of Household and Personal Effects in Shippers Own Containers (SOCs) undergo the same process as if in a Shipping Line Container.
That is, all shipments of Personal and Household Effects entering entering Australia are not permitted to be delivered from the port/airport directly to client residence. All shipments must go via an approved Customs and Quarantine Bonded Depot such as OSS World Wide Movers depot, primarily due to the mandatory Quarantine Inspection process.
For Sole Use FCL shipments the container is moved “under bond” from the port to our depot where it is carefully unstuffed into one of our own OSS containers. Typically the OSS container is placed on the ground about 1m from the shipping lines container and goods transferred by our crew. At this time, goods are tallied and any discrepancies or obvious damages noted.
Items of quarantine interest are identified from the packing list/descriptive inventory and are put to one side and loaded at the doors of the OSS container for ease of access at the time of the inspection.
The shipment remains in the OSS container until the Quarantine Inspection is finalised and ready for delivery, which also is usually in the same OSS container.
There are two levels of clearance to be obtained, one from Customs (Australian Border Force) and one from Quarantine (DAWR or Department of Agriculture and Water Resources). The client/transferee is not required to attend at these Inspections.
Once both the Clearances have been obtained, the delivery can be arranged. Customs clearance usually takes place first (Customs examinations are infrequent) followed by the Quarantine Inspection (every shipment is Quarantine inspected) and clearance.
For further information about sending personal belongings to Australia, see:
https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/moving-to-australia/upe
Normally the goods would then be delivered in the OSS container but usually clients want the goods delivered in their SOC and have the SOC placed on the ground at their residence.
Often a Shippers Own Container means that the shipper has loaded the goods themselves at origin, possibly over an extended period. As a result the container is usually fully packed and has not been loaded with consideration to the fact that the container needs to be unstuffed at our depot for Customs and Quarantine Inspection Clearances. The shipper may have loaded it up using every available cubic inch jam-packed, which we then need to unload and fit into a couple of our own containers at our premises then reload back into the shipper’s own container after the clearances (when we might have all sorts of problems fitting it in).
There is also the problem that the items may not be export wrapped, numbered, labelled in the normal way that a professional removalist will prepare a shipment so that we can tally them against the inventory/packing list. This usually results in Customs and Quarantine issues, often extensive examinations resulting in extra costs to the consignee.
Clients Unloading Their Own Shipment
Generally speaking it is not really feasible to just deliver a sole use container to client’s residence for self-unload as household goods shipments to Australia cannot travel directly from the port to the client’s residence in the same way as happens in the UK, USA, Europe and many other countries. Instead, FCL containers of household goods must be unstuffed at approved Household and Personal Effects Customs and Quarantine bonded premises (OSS premises are approved bonded premises). We follow a similar process for LCL and Air Shipments.
After the container is unloaded and the Customs and Quarantine clearances obtained, the goods are ready for delivery to the clients residence and are loaded into a furniture removal van or into OSS own shipping container appropriate for the type of delivery services to be performed.
Given the delivery is then performed in the OSS vehicle (not the S/S line haulier as in many countries), together with the fact a large component of the DA service cost is associated with the clearance/handling process, there is not the same scope for substantial DA cost savings (if the client meets the truck and unloads themselves) as there is in many other countries.
If requested, we can provide a quote for a delivery service and placement in the residence only after clearance but no unpacking, unwrapping or removal of material.
If the container is not professionally packed, the client will incur extra charges for additional handling on our part due to factors outlined above. If professionally packed, numbered, labelled, then we should be able to manage and the process will be as outlined above.