I'm looking to ship my bike from east coast USA to Europe this summer (2014) and have been contacting all kinds of shippers. The two choices are air freight cargo and sea cargo. While I'd like to ship air freight, it's just too damn expensive for me (lowest cost I've found so far is just over $2k). On the other hand, I've received quotes from multiple shippers for less than $1k to a little over $2k for sea cargo.

Right now my best option (with regard to: price, shipping pick up & drop off location, timing, etc...) looks like 2wGlobal, Wallenius Wilhemlsen Logistics. Has anyone ever used their services to ship their bike, car, etc...?

Also, if you have suggestions of other shippers I should check in with that you yourself have used with good results, please post up.

Thanks!

Check out Aladdin Freight in Oakland California.

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Hi XC Rider,

Have you settled on a shipper yet? I'm also looking to ship my bike to Europe this summer, and would appreciate any information/leads you might have.

Thanks,
Smitty

I shipped my KLR from Liverpool to Norfolk,Va last September. Like you,I wanted to fly the bike. And it was twice as much. 680 pounds. See post #352 at the below link.
Russia,Mongolia,Ukraine.....Netherlands on a KLR - Page 12 - ADVrider

Shipping areas are restricted areas. In Liverpool they had a van that took me, and later escorted me on the bike, to there staging area. In Norfolk I had to pay for an escort-$150 rip off. If I had known, Boochdog (ADVrider) at the docks, could have saved me that bill.

Post #383 on the next page has some info from Norfolk. I know you are going the other direction,but it will be similar.

I shipped my bike from the UK to Canada and back a couple of years ago, it was arranged by HC travel using a ro-ro ferry. It was simple, efficient and not too expensive, I believe they also go to and presumably from the US, I would recommend them.
Seafreight

Thanks Doogle and Mark. I'll check your recommendations out.

Smitty

Mark:

Is it necessary to use HC Travel to arrange UK-Canada shipment with this ferry operator, or is it possible to contact the ferry operator directly? Do you recall what the name of the ferry operator was?

Michael

I have used Wallenius... from Elizabeth, NJ to Bremerhaven. For USD 700 + USD 100 each end for forwarding services. Transit time is only 11 days. (AirCargo will still take 3 - 5 days)
If you use air fright or container ship,, make sure you contact local Harley or BMW dealer and get a FREE aluminium pallet.
It is a basic flat pallet with tie downs and covered with a card board box, very light. NO NEED to pay for the crating service ,, NO need to pay for uncrating and disposal of the box fees at the arrival port,, as many ports demand this. Even Wendy (HUBB forwarder in Korea) ,, oh yes her firm charged me 150 for this and I did all the work and my hand had many scratches, with out the proper tool. It was Friday ,, schmucks went home early! Avoid wooden crates!

With Wallenius,, I've shipped the bike on MS Thonborg from Incheon, Korea ,, it let off my bike in Long Beach ,, and went to Panama.. while I crossed the USA, same ship after having did the Panama and Jacksonville was waiting for me again, at New Jersey. She took my bike to Bremerhaven.
No ferry service exists between USA and Europe. You do not ride on the ship with your vehicles. You fly.

Benefits of Ro-Ro ,,
1) No crating ,, saves you 300 - 800 dollars. (800 in European continent)
2) No need to empty the fuel tank.
3) Load all your gear and personal items on the bike and ship.
4) Easy drive on and off ,, cheap stevedoring or handling charge. (USD 30)
5) No customs area holding for goods inspection. Your manifest is good enough. (Bill of Ladding) Very fast customs clearance.
Getting hold of a freighter forwarder (Think of them as a travel agent) or direct quote request to the liner is same. Forwarder gets paid 2.5 - 5% commission ,, but they will make sure you have proper documents and export documentation ,, in case of Elizabeth, New Jersey ,, the actual loading dock and the US customs is 15 minute drive away ,, you can call a taxi ,, but on the way out you are screwed for a ride again. I've used Korea Express USA with offices in Elizabeth. LA and Chicago (Sam Sung group) ,, for 100 bucks,,, they did all the booking ,, documents ,, drove me to the US customs ,, went in together ,, then brought us back to the docks to hand over US Customs declaration ,,, after took me to the NJ Transit for me to catch a bus back to Manhattan. Most of US forwarders will never do this. (Mention my name and Tony below will meet you at the loading dock, with your bike. Wallenius guy will tell you where to park in the bonded area. The gate is then locked. Make sure you have TWO keys,, one for the shipping line guys so they can drive the bike up the boat and one on you as an emergency. I've always carried extra everything around my neck)

Tony Chon / FMS
D. General Manager
Korea Express U.S.A., Inc
11 Commerce CT West
Cranbury, NJ 08512
T)609-860-3070, F)609-395-9771
D)609-860-3094, C)201-988-2886
tony(at)keusa.com

DO NOT SHIP TO BREMERHAVEN!
You will be required to leave a 30% of the value of your bike as a deposit to EU customs. You get it back on the day you leave EU again..i.e., at the non EEC border. (Russia, Turkey, Moldova etc) You have to get a stamp then send it back to Bremerhaven and takes 15 days or so for you to get either cash back or your credit card refunded. This is only happening at Bremerhaven! (Their argument was that so many vehicles comes in and never leaves. i.e., my Harley in US is ca 18,000 , in Europe about 28,000 ,, in Korea 34,000 ,, in Thailand USD 56,000 ,, in Russia 58,000 American dollars! )

I was on my way to pay this but when I saw Stellag 16 type cops at the gate,, just drove off and hauled ass out of there, while they were shooting bull and laughing. They wanted USD 4,800 on my Harley Davidson but negotiated it down to USD 3200. Many Russians bringing Mercedes and Ferraris from USA gets stuck here.
Go read my Bremerhaven saga here.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-customs-56885


Send it to UK ports, French ports, Dutch or Belgian ports only. (Liverpool, Felixtow,Les Harve, Antwerp, Rotterdam)
There are other Ro-Ro carriers doing same route.
https://www.google.co.kr/search?q=ro...m=122&ie=UTF-8

Also in the HUBB ,, tons of info ,,,

Search | Horizons Unlimited

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/sea...o+ro+to+Europe

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/sea...o+ro+to+Europe
Good luck.

Wow SeoulJoe... great info. Thanks!

Would you mind if I contact you directly, if I have more questions?

Thanks again,

Smitty
celticlad@earthlink.net

Great info from Seouljoe.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics is a joint venture between Wallenius who operate the ro-ro ferries and Wilhelmsen who liaise with private customers. There's an article in this month's Adventure Bike Rider magazine (UK mag) in which the author used this line. From US to Europe was £650, insurance and recovery another £150. You should have less than a quarter tank of fuel, and that's it.

Wallenius has a long history of cross-Atlantic ro-ro and my BMW Z3 (built at Spartanburg, South Carolina) came over on route.

The British Ministry of Defence chartered Wallenius' Atlantic Conveyor ro-ro ferry during the Falklands War but it was sunk after being hit by an Exocet missile.

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Thanks Tim,

I'll check out the article, if I can access it.

Currently, I'm struggling between Motorcycle Express and Waleneus Wilhelmsen.

'Smitty'
celticlad@earthlink.net

Have you considered buying in Europe?

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Hi WheatWacker,

No. I have not considered buying in Europe. My wife has suggested this, but I have an attachment to my motorcycle. The attachment is two-fold. Firstly I know how to maintain/repair my KLR. Secondly I am confident that it is a dependable bike.

Having said that, it still might be more cost-effective to buy a bike after I get to Europe. A friend of mine - Carla King - has had good experiences with buying bikes in the destination country.

Thanks for the suggestion WheatWacker

Smitty

Well, speaking of KLR's i have a 2002 for sale here with 12,000 miles in mint condition.

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Hey WheatWacker... how much, and where is it?