What to expect when container arrives at Vancouver shipyard
 

After this summer's ride across Russia, I found that Yuri in Vladivostok had a container of three bikes going by ship to Vancouver. I decided to make my VStrom a 4th in the container (The ferry to Korea and onward flight to Canada turned out to be a total hassle as well as more expensive). My bike is USA licensed and insured, and I will take it immediately from Vancouver back to USA. Yuri and his men helped me get my bike absolutely clean, so I anticipate no problems from that. But, I read that once I get to Vancouver I will need an agent to walk the bike through customs, and that it will be about $500 or more, plus it will take a week or so. I had not anticipated this, and thought I could easily do it myself. Any advice or experience you can share with me on this would be greatly appreciated. By the way, the ship is due in Vancouver early in Sept., 2017.

I'm in the same boat (pardon the pun) and my bike on route also to Vancouver from Vladivostok. Due i'm guessing end of September. I understand recovery charges can be from 250-750 Canadian but like yourself would like to hear from someone who has experienced it first hand...

Hi Declan
 

Hi Declan:

I don't see your name on the shipping manifest I got by email from Yuri, so apparently your bike is not in the same container as mine. Mine arrives July 13, Yuri thinks, in Vancouver. Here is the best (only) info I could find about what we will face getting through customs in Vancouver. Eastern Russia to Canada by Sea Freight — Aaron Mitchell

Declan, I am driving a van up to Vancouver and pulling a trailer for the motorcycle from my home in Illinois. If it turns out your bike is on the same ship as mine and is also scheduled to arrive on Sept. 13, send me an email or a message here on this thread and I will be happy to share rides around Vancouver in my van (at no cost to you) while we wait for the bikes to get through Canadian customs. If I a reading the Bill of Lading correctly, my bike is in a container with three other bikes and is on a ship named Fesco Diomid. Yuri says the ship is now in China where the container is being transferred to another ship which will take the container to Vancouver.

Declan: Another quick update just in case your bike is on the same ship as mine-- I just checked, and as of today the container with the four bikes in it is in Hong Kong and has been transferred to the ship named XIN YA ZHOU which
is expected in Vancouver Sept. 13.

True while shipping a bike the highest cost can be at the harbor taking it out of the container and through customs :(

I'm hoping maybe one of you guys could update the process after the fact as I'm looking to do this next year and I'm sure it could help a lot of other travelers.

EVERYONE - PLEASE add your shipment once done to the shipping database to benefit everyone and make it easy to find! :)
Shipments by Travellers | Horizons Unlimited

Thanks!

Unless you are on a ferry where you drive your own vehicle out, you need to expect to pay various port handling, and customs clearance charges for unloading and processing the container. $500-750 seems to be the going rate at most ports. You might be able to split it (in your case 4 ways), if all members show up at the same time to clear their vehicles.
Yuri does a great job in Vladivostok. Used him in August 2015.