Every year, a small percentage of American workers relocate to another country, either for a new job or for personal travel. The number of expatriate workers is estimated at almost 200 million, and if you are looking to move abroad, you may have a thousand questions. How will I ship my furniture and personal possessions to a new country? Should I ship via plane or through sea freight shipping? Air and ocean cargo options are both widely available, but which one you pick depends upon your individual shipping needs.
There are airlines that only fly cargo: every year, they generate more than $75 billion and the figures keep increasing. Surprisingly, airlines do offer door to door moving services around the world, and studies show that moving via airplane is generally less expensive than by ship. What you want to look for in an air cargo moving company is a broad insurance policy that will cover you in the event of any damage to your personal possessions. Air freight usually ships more quickly than cargo that is sent via ocean freighter.
What air and ocean cargo have in common is the widespread availability for insurance. In general, the cost for air shipping is determined by volume instead of by weight: if you’re relocating to another country for work, you may want to try and pare down the amount of furniture you are bringing with you. If your relocation is temporary, talk to a relocation expert about door to door service both ways. You may find that you want to bring furniture and collectibles back to the United States when it’s time to come home. Air and ocean cargo shipping experts can discuss your options with you in advance of your move.
One things that expatriates often mention is that some countries have much narrower hallways: you should measure your entire apartment or home, if possible, well in advance of your move. You could receive your belongings, only to find out that it’s impossible to get them upstairs. Also, some countries keep slightly different business hours than the United States does: can door to door moving companies deliver outside of your working hours? It could be best to schedule deliveries before you start your new job. You can also ship your belongings in stages if you have someone in the United States that can pack your furniture for you. If you get to your new home and discover that you do not need a particular item, you can arrange to have it stored while you are working abroad.
Air and ocean cargo should be packaged to prevent damage to delicate or fragile items. If you are planning to bring valuables with you to another country, you need to assess their value so that you can purchase insurance. It’s best to arrive in your destination country two or three days in advance of your belongings so that you can be available to receive them when they arrive: door to door movers may ask you to be home during a certain timeframe. Check with your moving company if you would like them to deliver on weekends or after normal business hours, and focus on air and ocean cargo options that work well for your schedule. Moving to another country can be an adventure, but air freight aims to make your move a smooth one.
