Lookup and read the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, then tell the agent in Dili to tell you which section of the IMDG "used engine oil less than 5 litres" falls in - it does n't, oil is not a DG. After that tell them to stop f...ing you around and get the crate into the next container going to Vancouver. Make sure that the agent in Dili knows its his problem to fix and not yours.

How did you pay? Credit Card? if so get onto them and make it their problem to expedite the bike for you.

I've never heard of such a ridiculous excuse - I'd suspect that they dont have enough freight going to Vancouver ex SIN to fill a container and are just creating an excuse to make the delay problem yours. I know some freight forwarders dont like any liquids in their containers, but all vehicles are shipped with oil (and fuels on RoRo) and if it was a problem they should have declared that.

Ditto !

Credit card? Lol this was Dili so all cash, natch. They got us by the short n curlies. I started pawing thru the IMDG doc, jeez! Worse than the US tax code

Trying to call the shipper in Sing with crappy Skype, good times. It is ridiculous. We never had to drain oil for air freight. Thanks for the info.

So sorry to hear about your situation.
I cant imagine why you would need to drain oil out of a sealed engine. Thousands of vehicles are transported by ship every day. I have never heard of anyone having to drain oil before. My own bikes were shipped from the USA and oil was never mentioned.

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Sounds like utter bull, I have shipped and flown my bike several times with the oil in it and a lot of new bikes come from the factory with oil in them and are shipped without a problem. As has been stated it sounds like an excuse for something else, good luck with sorting it out quickly and keep us informed about how you get on.

Jeff, niello8/Si's husband, here. Thanks for the advice everyone.

A quick update. We've been in regular contact with Toll Dili. We send one or two emails a day to try to get more information, clarify that the bike fuel is empty and oil is not a DG, etc. They send incomplete responses every couple days or so. They seem to have no expertise in DG themselves and so are simply serving as no-value-add liaisons with their Singapore office. I've asked for direct emails/phones numbers for supervisors and Singapore reps but this is never provided. So I called the main Toll Singapore number and get transferred around, ultimately to a couple rep's voice mails. They're never around.

This morning we began calling the Toll US and Toll Canada offices. The sea import/export reps are both responsive and seem willing to help but both were surprised to find that the only document we have is a standard bill of lading from Perkins, rather than a house bill of lading from Toll. Toll bought Perkins a few years ago, so I can't answer why the Dili office is still using Perkins documentation. I'm starting to think that the bill of lading that Toll Dili sent to us is the one provided to them by the sea carrier, which just happens to have been a boat (named the Kathryn Bay) formerly owned by Perkins, if that makes any sense. Ordinarily, a freight forwarding company would then take this (master) bill of lading and produce a house bill of lading and provide that to us, the shipper/consignee, but they didn't do this. I'm no expert, obviously, but this is my current best guess as to the B/L situation. What do you all think?

Anyway, back to Toll US and Canada. Because I can't provide a house bill of lading, they can't do their own independent research on what's going on. They have to check with the "overseas offices" themselves. Hopefully they'll do this and have better luck than me and Toll Dili.

We'll keep posting updates as we have them. Hopefully this thread will help others avoid these problems!

Thanks again,
Jeff (and Si)

this company sucks but thear are the only one in east timor perkins in australia is also shit lying and tealing untrue storys had may fear shear off headik dealing whid them last year good luck

Hi Jeff

I assume, therefore, that the consignment is not trackable, nor traceable, in the usual way.

Si says in her opening post that 'Our bike is sitting in Singapore ..' Question is: do you know this is a fact, and beyond any doubt whatsoever? Only it occurs to me that, without absolute verification, you are relying on what the Dili-based agent is telling you, which is obviously questionable. Maybe the beast is still on Timor somewhere .. :confused1:

Watching this thread with more than just a little interest. Please do keep us informed. I hope you make good progress with it all .. and quickly.

All the best mates

K&E

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