Origin Services

You can request a 'live load' wherein the container can be scheduled to arrive at your address approximately the time when packing will be complete thus minimizing the container waiting time. 20’ foot containers usually take anywhere between 2 – 4 hours to load depending on the volume being shipped. 40’ foot containers usually take anywhere between 4 – 8 hours to load depending on the volume being shipped. Note: Containers are hauled to your address by licensed trucking companies that have special permits to enter the port/terminal. The trucking companies offer 2…Read more

In most cases the container can arrive in a flat bed truck and can park right outside your house. In the rare occasion where container trucks cannot be parked due to poor accessibility or parking restrictions, your shipment can be loaded into a regular moving truck and shuttled to a warehouse or nearest loading area where parking is possible at an additional cost. 20' 40'Read more

The most common container options for personal effects are 20', 40' and 40' Hi Cube. 20' 40' 40' Hi Cube 20’ Container To give you an idea of how big a 20’ container is, it can hold 25 average size American refrigerators. A 20’ container can typically hold all items in a medium sized (2 bed room) apartment or house. That includes the typical amount of boxes used to hold all the various personal effects belonging to two adults and perhaps a child: a lot of books, clothes, dishes, pictures, pillows, rugs extra…Read more

You can do a realistic estimation of your gross volume and avoid ‘cube shock’ by following the below guidelines: Find out the weight/measurement of what you plan to ship BEFORE you go ahead. This includes doing the math: writing down the total OUTSIDE dimensions of your cargo. Write down all your information including the exact three (3) dimensions and approximate weight of every piece, every case, box, barrel, pallet, crate, or other shipping unit being used for the goods. Know how to calculate volume in cubic feet and cubic meters. 1 cubic foot…Read more

Net volume and Gross volume are pertinent for LCL shipments. Net volume is the estimated volume of your personal effects before palletizing or loading into liftvans (wooden crates). Gross volume is the post palletization or post crating volume of your shipment. LCL shipments are always charged based on gross volume. You should expect palletizing to add 10-15% and liftvans to add 15-20% to your net volume.Read more

Determining what and how much you want to ship can sometimes be a difficult process. Cost is the primary determinant for a majority of shippers. LCL shipments are meant for smaller size cargo. Your LCL shipment will share container space with other LCL shipments and therefore, the cost to you is less than what you would pay for a full container. Let’s say you want to ship only a few boxes, maybe a large LCD TV and perhaps just your couches. It would make economical sense to ship as LCL in that case.…Read more

Chargeable weight is the actual weight of each item placed on a scale, or the volume weight, whichever is greater. Picture a piece of styrofoam, 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft. A child can pick it up, and it will weigh perhaps less than five lbs., right? But, when sending via AIRFREIGHT, the international volume weight comes to over 280-lbs. Volume displacement is a big factor in international air-shipping.Read more

The chargeable weight of cargo intended for air shipment is the actual gross weight (gw) or the volume weight (vw), whichever is greater. Of course, the gw is the figure that is indicated outright on a cargo weighing scale as a carton or a box of cargo is weighed thereon. The vw is calculated based on a cargo's size, measurement or dimensions, and with the use of the following formula: Using the English System: L x W x H in inches (in.) / 165 = vw (in lbs.) Using the Metric System: L…Read more

When shipping by ocean, the most common units of measure are Cubic Feet (Cu Ft or CFT) and Cubic Meter (CBM). Calculating volume is relatively simple. 1 cubic foot is 1728 cubic inches. Volume in CFT is calculated using the formula L x W x H / 1728.Read more

You have two options. You may either ship by air or by ocean. The key differences between the two options are transit time and how freight charges are calculated. Transit Time Ocean shipments can take between 30 – 45 days for FCL shipments and 45 – 60 days door-to-door depending on your origin/destination, ocean transit times, amount of inland transportation required, consolidation, de-consolidation etc. Air shipments on the other hand typically take under a week door-2-door after accounting for flight schedules, road transportation and customs clearance. Freight Charges Ocean freight charges are primarily…Read more