Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Crating and Shipping from Singapore to Darwin

Hi all,

I'm looking for up to date information and advice for shipping a motorcycle from Singapore to Darwin. The latest informative stuff I can find is about 10 years old in the HUBB trip reports section, panomoto.com and planitearth.co.uk.

ANL (formerly Perkins) seem to be the only shipping company that provides a Less than Container Load (LCL) service connecting Singapore to Darwin [to Dili, back to Singapore, repeat]. PAL Container Line is the ANL agent in Singapore.

For shipping, PAL have quoted:

SINGAPORE CHARGES:
OCEAN FREIGHT @ USD 100/M3
BAF @ USD 30/M3
PSC @ SGD 35/M3
PSS @ SGD 10/M3
LCL CHARGES @ SGD 50/M3
BL FEES @ SGD 120/SET
Long Length Surcharges ( above 4 meter ) => SGD 350/Shipment + Forklift SGD45/4Cbm ( if any )
Heavy Weight ( 3 Ton & above Per Pallet ) => SGD 150 Per Pallet ( if any )
Railing Charges : SGD65 ( if required )

DARWIN CHARGES
PSC @ AUD 30/M3
CSF @ AUD 20/M3
DOC @ AUD 60/SET
BL FEES @ AUD 50/SET
HANDLING @ AUD 20/M3

Formerly, it seems that a ride-on/off from container was available but now bikes have to be crated. On a plus side, bike is not considered dangerous goods once petrol is removed, oil can stay in (guessing battery terminals still need to be disconnected and taped off); I have read that it 'may be ok' to leave 1L to get yourself to a petrol station on disembarkation side?

For crating, PAL have quoted me $1600SGD (including Bill of Lading) for my transalp 600, including:
- Pick up 1x motorbike from 1x location within Singapore to warehouse
- Labour for crating (bike handling, draining fuel, adjusting/removing windshield/mirrors, basic clean (not AQIS to standard), strapping and tying onto crate for export)
- ISPM crating for motorbike

Was bit shocked by the figure to be honest, I was thinking more like 1000sgd, so I'm hoping there's savings to be made doing the crating myself. Has anyone done cleaning (to AQIS levels), crating and transport to warehouse/docks by themselves in Singapore before? If so, any info on where ISPM crate and strapping was picked up/bought, where they did the cleaning and crating, how they got the crate to the docks, etc.

Any other up to date information for whole of shipping process also would be appreciated. Incidently, is anyone shipping from SG to DRW in November this year?

Thanks in advance
- Kenny