Customs, Agency, Paperwork on a port in Europe
 

Hello friends,

our two motorbikes are shipping now back from China to Portugal.
They will arrive in two weeks, we hope so.

I thought, that i could just go to the port and get the bikes back.
Apparently it is not easy...we need an agent? Why?
Can we count with other surprises?
Is it possible to get the bikes back on the same day, when the ship achieved the harbor at Lisbon?
Is it important to have a bill with a amount? Because we dont have it :(

Thanks and cheers, now from Portugal

Greta and Marcel

I cannot comment specifically on Portugal but have got my bike out of several ports and airports without an agent. An agent will obviously know the procedure but I have found shipping company staff helpful provided they speak English which they usually do.
You should be informed when the container has been unloaded and unpacked, you should go there within a day or two to avoid storage charges with the bill of lading, registration document and any other paperwork related to the bike along with photocopies which you may or may not need, the police may want to see insurance if you plan to ride away on them as well.
It is worth going along and trying, the worse that can happen is you have to come back with an agent.

Hi Mark

thank you for your experience.
Do you know how to track and serch our container, by number?

I have not tried it but this might work. Container tracking - track-trace
The company that shipped it for you should be able to provide some information.

Thanks Mark,

We got today the message that the bikes are in Barcelona and it is possible to pick them up at the port.
But the company want to get a comercial invoice from us!?
We have only 3 letters of Bill of Lading.

I thought the Bill Of Lading is the only one paper we need for the port.

Paperwork for shipping by sea
 

Hei Greta and Marcel,
When you go to pick up the bikes the freighting company in Barcelona will probably try to hit you with a lot of extra charges.
Deep sea,
Suez
Small cargo
Processing
Dangerous materials
and some I don't remember.
Handling
you will probably have to pay something, doesn't matter what the shipping agent in China told you, you won't get your bike until you reach an agreement.
Yes, I found out that these extras are negotiable.
I blew my top, the charges were more than the original shipping costs from Mumbai to Oslo, and I threatened to make the bike over to them and cut my losses.
They asked for an hour to discuss the problem, and folded. I paid just handling, after all someone moved my bike, all the other charges disappeared.
Good luck, remember an enraged biker is a big embaresment in their office.

Safe travels

Peter, in Oslo

thanks Peter!

They want to have our VAT number?
We don´t know why they need it...

Do you have an idea?

The problem is, our paperwork about this number is at home, and we are in Portugal.

Paperwork for shipping by sea
 

Hi, can't help on VAT number!
Are you a registered company, and using that company to ship the bike?
As a private individual you have to pay VAT as the end user, companies get it refunded as it would be double taxation - could this be the problem?
The shipping agent may have little or no experience of dealing with private customers, so they are just following their routine.
Do like Mark Manley advised, if you have to get an agent it's an extra expence.
I think if you turn up, and don't give up at once, the shipping agent will help just to get rid of you.
More good luck,

Peter, in Oslo

They might not realise that you are re-importing EU registered bikes that you temporarily exported and think VAT is due on them, tell them this and send scans of the registration documents and receipts for their purchase if you have them to show it.

Shipping Charges
 

Hi Greta and Marcel,
Let us know what has happened.
PM is just great, but they do not educate the HUBB members. From what you write I see the same attempt to keep their "charges" as a personal problem. I see this as a modern form of piracy, my experience is that the forewarding company is seeing you as an individual who can be milked for an enormous sum. They have a point that moving two million plastic toys costs the same as one bike, but they are not realistic. My advice is to put the pressure on them, they won't get anything unless they are willing to negociate. Most of these charges are bullshit, make it clear to them that there is a bottom line.
In the future it could well be that no forewarding company will ship bikes, or that more realistic shippers will get all the trade.
No personal experience, but air-transport is said to be less opertunistic.

Let us know!

Safe travels

Peter, in Oslo

Handling and other charges
 

Hi Greta and Marcel,
What happened ?
Inquiring minds want to know.

Safe travels

Peter, in Oslo