If you are moving overseas, you may be shipping your belongings by sea. This is typically the most economical way to get large items, such as furniture and even cars, from one country to another. If you are doing this, you may be looking to hire a moving company who offers port services to help you ship your items out or retrieve your items when they arrive. If you have never hired a mover for port services before, you may have many questions about the process. Here are a few of the questions you may have about moving companies and port services.
What Are Port Services?
Port services consist of many different services that are needed to either ship your belongings from a U.S. port or retrieve them. This could include the customs forms and paperwork, hiring the transport company to ship your belongings or packing and crating your belongings, so they are not damaged by salt water and sea air during the process.
Who Needs Port Services?
If you are moving overseas, you need to decide whether you are moving your belongings with you or whether you should sell them and buy new ones. If you are only moving with clothes and important papers, you may wish to ship your belongings via air to your new location. However, if you are moving large items or a lot of items, you may need to ship them via boat. Those in this situation need to utilize port services to ship their belongings off and retrieve them once they arrive at their new destination.
What Are the Benefits of Letting a Mover Handle Your Port Services?
If you are shipping your belongings via boat, there are many benefits to hiring a mover to assist you. First, filling out customs forms is challenging. If they are incorrectly filled out, there may be delays in shipping or retrieving your items. Unfortunately, the forms vary based on the country you are shipping your items too, so it is hard to ask a friend to help who has been through it, as their forms may have been different.
Secondly, finding a transport company is challenging. You can't go on the internet and look for boats. Movers who offer port services look for companies who haul products for companies and ask to use some of the space for your belongings. You need the right contacts. Lastly, your items need to be properly packed and secured to ensure they are not damaged by rain, water, and salt in the air over the ocean. A mover who offers port services can do this for you.
If you are moving in the Tacoma, Washington area and are looking for professional movers to help you, call Ed's Moving and storage. We are a moving company that can assist you with port services, military moves, home, apartment, and condo moving, packing services and climate controlled and secure storage facilities. Call us today for a free estimate or to schedule services for your upcoming move.