International Moving Terms
When you are doing research for the best possible company to handle your international move, you may come across some vocabulary that you are unfamiliar with, or just flat out have never seen before. In order to make sure you know exactly what you are getting into, it is important to learn what these terms mean, so you will not be overwhelmed or surprised down the road.
Terms like demurrage and duty refer to payments that you will have to pay for your items. Demurrage refers to a fee for keeping a storage container longer then the time that was previously specified at the time of rental. Duty is similar to tax that you will have to pay on any goods that you import into a country. Items that you pay a duty on have to pass through customs, which is an agency that checks all imported items physically to make sure that they are allowed in the country you are headed to. Once those items has passed inspection, you will need customs clearance which is a document that allows you to get your items from customs. Another term you may hear that relates to fee payment is currency adjustment. This is a fee that is specific to items shipped by sea, which helps compensate for any changes in currency between two different countries.
Of course almost every step of your move will include a number of different documents. Some that you might be familiar with is a bill of lading, which is a contracted receipt for the items you are moving by sea, or air waybill, which is essentially a bill of lading for shipments made through the air. You will also need to get an import permit. This is a permit issued by the government of the country you are moving to that allows specific items into their country. Another document you may see is a certificate of origin. This is a sealed and notarized document that is issued by the Chamber of Commerce that officially certifies what country a certain item originated. Furthermore, you might see a consular invoice. This is a document that some countries need in order to identify goods that are being imported into their land.
Other Terms You Will Find
There are also terms that are designated for certain people or companies that you will have to deal with in order to complete your move. For example, a freight forwarder is a company who is licensed to handle all of the formalities as it relates to shipments internationally. They usually work on behalf of another company to smooth the transition. You might also have to talk to an origin agent and a destination agent. The origin agent assess your shipment, from scheduling, surveying, estimating, and even packing and loading. These agents deal with shipments that go overseas, from their point of origin. The destination agent is the person who you will contact when your items are going into storage at your new destination.
You might come across other terms that you are not familiar with. One such term is containerization. This just means that your company will be using boxes, barrels, cartons, and other things to deliver your goods. Cargo is another word for the items you will be moving. Household goods shipment are shipments that contain items that are personal to you and will be used in your home. And PBO, or packed by owner, means that the particular box or container was packed by the owner and not by a professional packing organization. Many countries do not allow shipments that are labeled PBO, and most goods that are PBO cannot be insured, so it is a good idea to let a company like Allied International do it for you.
