When you are talking to international shipping companies about a freight quote, you are likely to hear some new vocabulary. Every industry has its own jargon, and personal shipping services are no different. To really understand what you will get for the price quoted, you need to understand some of the common terminology used.
Many international shipping companies offer both commercial and personal shipping services. They understand that individuals making a once-in-a-lifetime move are not as familiar with the industry as companies exporting products regularly. It isn’t overly complicated, but there are a few terms it is important to understand when you are shipping your belongings from one part of the world to another.
- AWB Number: this is the international shipping companies’ shorthand for ‘airways bill number’. It is the tracking number for air freight. Road and sea freight doesn’t have AWB numbers; they have different tracking systems.
- Bonded Warehouse: air freight is sent daily, and sea freight goes weekly. If your shipment has to wait, it will be safe in our secured bonded warehouse. ‘Bonded’ simply refers to the status of customs duties and is not really a concern for private parties shipping their own belongings abroad.
- Container: in shipping terms, a container is not just any box into which you pack items. A shipping container is a huge container that holds all your little boxes. While they come in different standard sizes, a shipping container is large enough to fit a houseful of furniture.
- Groupage Container: often, the possessions a family takes moving abroad do not fill a whole container. When palletised items from various shippers share a container, it is called a groupage container. It is also called a consolidated container. When getting a freight quote, ask if it is for a whole container or a groupage container.
- Door to Door: this is exactly what it sounds like. International shipping companies collect your items from your current home and deliver them to your new home. It’s personal shipping services at their most convenient.
- Door to Port: if your new place is near the port or airport, you can keep your freight quote down by using door to port services. In this scenario, we collect your items from your door, and you collect them from the port or airport.
- Palletise: when we are shipping items by sea, they are placed on wooden pallets and secured. We then wrap the palletised items with super-strong plastic wrap to stabilise and protect them for their journey.
Personal shipping services are easy to understand when you know a bit of the lingo used. International shipping companies want to keep it simple for customers. We know that when people are moving overseas, they are more interested in the adventures that await them than in the mundane regulations about shipping their belongings!
If you have any questions about our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our staff is here to help you understand our services and find the best way to transport your goods with the lowest freight quote.
