Auto Container Shipping Fact Sheet
from our director of sales
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
The points listed below are to help you get a better understanding
of the shipping services and costs offered by Sefco.
These services may or may not effect your above rate,
but it is advisable for you to read them.
For further detailed explanations please click here.
This is our fact sheet on our US agents auto warehouses. Whether it is an exclusive 20 ft container or 40 ft.
by consolidation into a 40 ft / 40 ft High Cube, our skilled people at these warehouses along with our document
specialists at the ports are able to provide you, shippers, with the highest quality of care for your auto shipping
needs at an affordable price. Please take the time to read up and if you should have any questions, please let
us know.
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We have warehouses that specialize in the loading of autos at all the major ports in the US:
Boston, NY/NJ, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles,
Oakland, and Seattle. When delivering your vehicle to the warehouse please note: All vehicles must have less than 1/8 of a tank of gas.
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These warehouses aren't your typical origin/moving warehouse in that they can
handle larger volumes of autos because they have the facilities like loading docks
where the autos are driven straight up and into the containers. Many origin
warehouses don't have this and have to rely on ramps or a flatbed with a tilt-back
to load the autos. This causes delays and additional overtime in trucking and you
the shipper end up paying for it in these trucking charges.
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When it comes to the actual blocking and bracing of the auto our warehouses
use brand-new wood products that conform to the new wood-standards that are the norm
in many European countries.
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When it comes to why you should have your auto shipped at a warehouse
closer to the port rather than from an inland warehouse, the reasons are as follows:
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The way containers are transported from most inland cities like Detroit,
Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis, Denver etc. is via the rail system.
This system is very hard on the autos inside the containers. When you
hook up a freight train the process is called "Cobbling" and it's where
the freight cars are rolled down a hill and slammed into one another.
This type of jarring can easily cause the autos to become disconnected
inside the container causing damage to both the auto and container.
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If your auto isn't transported by rail then it will go by truck on the roads
and the wear and tear of the roads frequently causes the autos to come
loose inside the container resulting in damage to the auto and in some
instances resulting in accidents on these roads.
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Another thing to keep in mind is that when the freight is delivered to the
port either by rail or truck it can sometimes be put on to the vessel and
if the autos haven't been properly cleared through US Customs and the
vessel has left the port then you have a major problem on your hands.
Your auto will then have to be put on another vessel and returned to the
original port of loading and then cleared and then reshipped.
These charges are passed to the shipper. This happens a lot, and it is
something you should be made aware of!
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Our document specialists are at the ports and are there to prevent
this and other document mistakes from happening.
- About US Customs:
They have always checked the paperwork on autos in containers being exported
out of this country. But since 9/11 security has tightened and physical inspections are
happening on a daily basis of autos inside a container. Besides checking the VIN
(vehicle Identification Numbers), they are looking at how the auto has been loaded and
if there is any doubt on the paper work in hand or it hasn't been properly loaded,
then your container will be put on hold until the situation is straightened out.
Physical examinations can run on average of $100.00 extra for quick glance
to well over $500.00 when the freight is unloaded from the container. You the shipper
will end up paying these additional costs.
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Insurance is an important issue when it comes to the loading and unloading of autos
in a container. Our "All Risks Policy" is an all inclusive policy with no deductible and
provides you the shipper with most comprehensive coverage while your freight is in transit.
For more information on this policy please visit:
www.sefco-export.com/insure.htm
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What type of autos would I recommend being put into a container rather than being
shipped by Ro Ro: brand-new autos, high end autos valued over $100K, classic and vintage
autos and one of a kind models.
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Do you have to drive your auto to our warehouses? No, we work with some
of the best car carriers in the nation. They are full licensed, bonded and insured.
They will come to your door on a scheduled date and pickup your auto and transport
the auto to the designated warehouse. There are 2 types of auto carriers:
Regular, Open and Enclosed. Enclosed car carriers frequently run $500.00 more
than the regular carriers and are commonly used for transporting high-end autos.
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Can you ship some boxes of personal effects with your auto? The answer is yes,
but remember these are "auto warehouses," not "origin warehouses,"
and they expect you to have your freight prepacked and in boxes.
There will be an additional charge for this at $2.00 cuft. for receiving and loading.
Normally they will try and put the boxes in the front part of the container and
then load the auto. This rate doesn't include the building of walls, partitions or platforms.
This can be done but there will be additional charges for these services and the costs
can vary on the size of the load to the type of services rendered to the location of
the warehouse. These prices and services are subject to confirmation.
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If you have any doubt about our services or want to see what other past customers
have said about our work, then please go the following reference page:
www.sefco-export.com/references.htm
v.05/2007 ©J.Quinn/sefco-export.com
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