Ocean freight extra charges for clearing?

[jbeach]

Hi All,
This may be covered in another thread but I did not see anything as current as I would like, so pardon me if it is redundant .
Our last trophy shipment is sitting in a warehouse in Joberg awaiting us to get settled in a new home before shipment. I had originally told them I wanted to do ocean freight just like I did for my first trip in 2011. Got an email from my shipper yesterday and she is telling me that they are now hearing that ocean freight is now getting hit with many additional fees by the US gov. once reaching port, to the tune of around nine to thirteen thousand dollars ???? She was suggesting we might want to reverse our decision and send our trophies air freight. Anyone else heard of these excessive charges ? The lady indicated this information had just began coming in to them. Thanks for your help. Jim

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

This is a question for SSI

 

[jbeach]

I hope they will see this post.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

They should get an email alerting them they've been tagged. If not, look them up and give a call. I do know that they have said ocean gets to be just about and sometimes more expensive than air freight when it's all said and done. And a lot more hassle. I wasn't however under the impression it was on the order you've been told. In the end I'd rather you get the information from Robert or Rosella as I'm not the expert.

 

[jbeach]

Thanks for your input. I have talked to both of them before at either Dallas or Vegas, nice folks. What I heard from that email was quite alarming. Will go with air if it is true, but don't understand why it would be so via ocean freight and not air... ???

 

[BRICKBURN]

I smell

Me thinks they want you to use air.

Did they happen to provide you a copy of the email notification of these new fees and charges?

 

[CAustin]

I smell

Me thinks they want you to use air.

Did they happen to provide you a copy of the email notification of these new fees and charges?

Wayne you always know the question to ask. In this case I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Ryan]

Freight is freight. You don't get charged any more duty for trophies by air or sea. Heck, you don't get charged any duties on personal trophies, just a declaration fee of $9.00 by Customs.

 

[jbeach]

That's what I thought , and what happened last time. I don't know why they would have told me this or why it would make a difference to them one way or the other. Oh well....

 

[Desert Dog]

Yep, Ocean freight not only takes much longer...but now is apparently more expensive according to the last 2 exporters I used.

One email mentioned VACIS and stripping charges that are not charged for air freight. Sea freight requires x-ray exams on the crates, where air freight does not get x-rayed at the ports. I was also told that much less damage from transport occurs with air freight. Also, If you are shipping from Africa the the West Coast of the USA, Air freight makes much more sense.

Perhaps it is not correct, but that is the information I was given by Coppersmith, Oxi-Logitics, and Cedra International.

My last crate was sitting in J0-berg on June 8th, and hanging on the walls of my trophy room in California on June 20th. Not bad.

 

[jbeach]

Thanks Desert Dog, now I at least feel better about my shipper.

 

[Mekaniks]

My trophys are in the air today. 89 kg (about 190lbs) JNB-Anchorage on Delta just under 790.00 for freight.

 

[MarkD]

My trophys are in the air today. 89 kg (about 190lbs) JNB-Anchorage on Delta just under 790.00 for freight.

My trophies left Joberg on May 26th and landed in San Fran on May 28th. Just a dip and pack of 4 animals. The total was $590