From Melbourne, Australia to Vladivostok, Russian Federation - May, 2008

FCL 20ft container with 4 motorbikes so these are total costs but we split them 4 ways.
Only 1 bike (mine) crated the other 3 strapped in by the guys in melbourne (and they did a very good job, crating was not actually necessary)

Shipment date from Melb Aust: 20 April 08
Original Scheduled arrival date Vladivostok: 14 May 08
Actual Arrival date Vladivostok: 22 may
Cost Australian End (Silverwind): $3971.20 AUD
Cost Vlad End (Silverwind): 21,300 Roubles
Translation Costs Vlad end (customs and Insurance): Asked to pay 8000 Roubles but paid our translator Julia fairly with 5000 Roubles
Comments:
Found Bill Nicoll at Silverwind to be very helpful in all regards
Found Irena at Silverwind in Russia to be very helpful but was not very proactive in resolving problems, needed to be pushed to make things happen.
Found Vladimir at Silverwind in Russia (Silverwind President) to be very helpful and definantly the person to make things happen if required.
Julia, the translator reccomended to us by Silverwind was helpful at the beginning but tried to overcharge us and again was not proactive in making things happen. In the end she left us to our own devices and we got help from random people at customs house.
Overall, would recomment Silverwind but do not expect things to happen in any hurry in russia (anywhere, expecially if it involves documentation of any kind!)
we were in Vlad for 2 weeks trying daily to make headway to get our bikes. In the end perseverance is the key