General Aspects That Determine Shipping Costs

Like any merchandise, shipping rates are based on supply and demand. The less a shipping route is plied, or the busier a port is, the higher shipping costs will be. Rates may vary per season, and of course a rise in oil prices will quickly influence any shipping quote.

It is important to realise that the price of a container is standard, worldwide. The final price paid by a customer is determined by all operations and go-betweens that stand between that empty container on the quay and the car outside the port waiting to be shipped. The closer one can get to that empty container, the cheaper the shipment will be.

What Determines Car Shipment Rates?

Some shipping lines or agents want to know specifications such as type of car, age of the car and modifications made to the vehicle in order to determine a price. In fact, this should not be a point of discussion, it is irrelevant. What is relevant information in determining shipping costs are aspects such as:

Port of departure and port of destination

Season

Oil prices

Weight of the car

Height of the car in case it doesn't fit inside a 20 or 40 ft container.

Note that in case of immigration there are other costs involved than when bringing in a car just for the purpose of travel, which is called a temporary import.

Shipping companies all have their own ways of giving a breakdown of a quote, often leading to confusion because of incomprehensible terminology. It helps to ask for the breakdown of the quote to be able to make comparisons with other shipping companies, and in this way to cut down unnecessary costs or the creatively invented ones.

There are several ways to bring down shipping costs:

The size of a container: a regular car fits into a 20 ft container. Sharing a 40 ft container with another traveller may reduce shipping costs.

At the port of departure try to get some insight into the port handling fees and shipping line's fees at the port of destination – preferably in writing – to minimise the risk of being cornered. The obvious remark to the car owner's question, "How much will be charged by your shipping company at the port of destination?" without doubt will be, "Oh, that won't cost much." Subsequently, the car owner will be shocked after having arrived at the port of destination and being handed the bill – at which point there is no negotiating possible any more because the car owner needs the company in order to release the car.

Be flexible about dates. Shipping one month earlier or later may save hundreds of dollars because of seasonal demand. The same can be said about the shipping route. Shipping to the eastern or western side of a continent may make a large difference in shipping costs. It may determine whether one drives from Canada to Argentina, or the other way around.

Take the time to call around and compare quotes. Don't decide just on the basis of quotes. Having a good feeling about a company may be the determining factor to select a shipping company.

Shipping Costs for a Container Shipment of a Car

Car shipping costs can eat up much of a traveller's budget. Compare shipping routes and ports to find the best value for money. Ask for a breakdown of a quote to cut down creatively invented items and see if a container can be shared. Cutting down on shipping costs comes largely down to the effort one puts into it.

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 614