Frequently Asked Questions

In many countries, clearing customs requires a lot of paperwork and documentation and if this is your first experience with international moving, this can be very overwhelming. However, your move manager will help you by preparing the documents and making sure that your shipment is ready to clear customs when it arrives. Documentation is important for countries outside the European Union because there are certain “green light” destinations. The process is that the moving company needs to have all documents before shipping to provide the best assistance for the customers and to meet the transit time indications. Customers would like to have their goods on the road as soon as possible but in many cases there are factors which need planning, such as container booking and sea freight. Our partners around the world must be notified of what is arriving before the goods can be transported and the clearance can be completed.

This varies from country to country, so it is a very important question to ask prior to your move. Some countries require the customer who is responsible for the shipment to be present at customs in order for the goods to be cleared. If the customer is obliged to be present and fails to show up, they will often keep the shipment at the port until it clears customs, which can potentially cost you hundreds dollars more in port fees.

When you move internationally, you may need to store some of your goods, even if it is only temporarily, while you get settled and find a place to live. We offer storage services in our own facility in the Netherlands but we can also provide storage via partners at destination. It is always a good idea to ask about this beforehand, even if you are not sure you will need storage – a backup plan if things change during the relocation.

This is one of the most important questions to ask, since moving your belongings overseas will put them at a greater risk of being damaged. It is necessary to have adequate insurance coverage for your goods. Make sure to cover your goods and protect them in the unfortunate event that they are lost or damaged. While purchasing insurance for an international move can be quite costly in comparison with a domestic move, it is worth it in the long run. Obviously, we can inform you about the options for insurance.

There are three methods of transport: by road, sea or air. Which method is appropriate is dependent on location, volume to be moved, preferred time to destination and the budget available.

Moving by road

Road transports are common on mainland Europe and can be in a dedicated vehicle, or as a part-load with other consignments for the same region. This method operates in a similar way as sea consignments when sent by exclusive or groupage containers.

Moving by sea

Moving by sea is one of the most popular shipping methods for relocations overseas. Because it is sea freight it takes relatively long before the container arrives at the destination country, especially when it is on the other side of the world which should be taken into account. Whether you want to ship a just few boxes or an entire household, we assist you with multiple options so you can make the right decision for your relocation.

• Full Container Load [FCL] (the fastest solution for large shipments)

The FCL shipping method is the most direct way to transport your belongings via sea. Your goods will not share space with other families in which the transit times will be fully optimized, will be moved together and remain secured throughout the transit, and can be brought and unloaded directly at your residence (if possible). This method is highly cost-effective because you can move your whole household. A smaller family needs a 20ft container in general, but there are also 40ft containers, 40ft High Cube and a 45ft container. The use of a 45ft container is limited as it cannot be handled everywhere in the world.

• Less Than Container Load [LCL] (the quickest solution for small shipments by sea)

When you do not have enough goods to fill up a container and prefer a shared service with the convenience of fast transit times, LCL shipping is your solution. LCL means a specific crate solely for your goods in a container via sea. Since this shipping method includes sharing space, it usually offers weekly service to all major seaports enabling the goods to be fast and near you in order to complete the clearance and delivery reducing the delivery timeframe.

• Groupage (most economical solution)

When you have flexibility in delivery times and cost is an important consideration, our groupage service is your solution. With this method you share container space with other household goods shipments moving to the same region. With regular services to Australia, the Arab Emirates, Brazil, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, the USA, South Africa and certain Asian countries, Schmidt Global can send your goods for a fraction of the costs.

It is necessary to be aware of that your goods are transported with goods of other households and there are no fixed delivery dates available beforehand. There are always possibilities which can be discussed with our representatives. Often, customers believe only their belongings are loaded and will be shipped directly but with the groupage method this is not the case. Moreover, customers can have the idea and are worried that the goods will not arrive well but with our system there is nothing to be concerned about. All household goods will be labeled and numbered and therefore we know at all time where your goods are and with whom they have been shipped.

Moving by air

(the most expensive but fastest method for smaller shipments)
Airfreight might be a good solution for your in case you need some items urgently at destination, perhaps the essentials to maintain your family while waiting for the main sea shipment. A small consignment can be cost effective. Airfreight is charged based on size or weight, whichever is the greater the costs will be calculated by the airlines. Loading in special palletized airfreight crates is the way professional companies will execute the service and minimize the weight.

We can advise you which is the most appropriate method and make all the arrangements

Smaller shipments that should arrive at the destination faster are good to ship by air. If you are worried about the environment, costs, and in need to ship larger items, sea shipping is for you. The biggest difference between air and sea shipping is the time factor. Usually, you pay for speed with extra charges and a bigger carbon footprint. It really depends on your personal needs and the size of your shipment.