4 Seas International Shipping

Shipment tracking services has become a major actor on which the sender bases his decision to use a carrier’s services. It enables the sender to know the status of the consignment during the whole delivery process. It keeps both the sender and receiver updated with the recent information about the status of the cargo. It enables the receiver to make special arrangements before the cargo is received. It also ensures that the cargo is safe.

Due to the delays experienced in the past as well as the losses that the companies had to bear due to those delays, most of the shipment companies today have incorporated tracking systems. This system acts as a remedy to all the worries of the shipment companies.

The service is usually available on the company’s website. In order to determine the status of a consignment, one has to enter the container number, name to the tracking list, details of origin and destination. The system then provides access to the required information such as where the cargo is and how long will it take to reach the destination. A part from enabling the receiver t prepare for the arrival of cargo in time as well as being assured of its safety, it also brings peace of mind to the sender as well as receiver. It helps in establishing trust and good relations between the company and the customers.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

In order to hire a reliable carrier, you must b very well familiar with the shipment market. Before committing to a carrier, make sure that you are in agreement about the level of service required, proper packing procedures and other essential aspects when it comes to freight shipping. A lack of knowledge can prove to be dangerous.

1. Inaccurate weight: it is very important to precisely weigh the parcel before passing it on for shipment. The shipment companies have very strict rules for weight as the cost of shipment is dependent upon it. One should know the precise dimensions of weighing that are acceptable to the intended carrier.
2. Transit time not guaranteed: Contact your carrier to know about the transit time and ask if the time given by them is reliable or not. It is important to know such things as; the pickup time and other service conditions.
3. Improper packaging: Proper packaging ensures safe delivery. Carefully follow the packaging guidelines provided by the carrier in order to avoid any damage to the goods during delivery.
4. Hidden fees: Get a precise estimate of the total cost by the carrier. Sometimes in order to lure the customers, companies apparently chare less and then add hidden fees to the final cost which comes as a shock. So be clear from the beginning.
5. Inefficient shipment tracking: Check if the service provider offers a shipment tracking system in order to update you with the status of consignment. It updated you about any possible delays, how long it will take to get it delivered, where it is at the moment, the routes they will take, and other consignment information.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

International shipping is almost similar to domestic shipping with the only difference being it has more regulations to comprehend and more forms to consider. Besides it is also expensive as compared to domestic shipment.  However, before sending your goods to some other country, you should get yourself familiarized with the following things:

Custom forms

Once you decide to ship internationally, you will be requires to fill in two forms one of the country you are living in and other of the country of destination.

Value fees

These fees depend on the value of the goods that you want to send higher the vale higher will be the fees. Also these fees vary with the country of destination.

Transit time

Note that there could be far more variations in the time your goods will be delivered as compared to domestic shipment. Even if you opt for overseas shipment, keep a buffer for any delays.

Packing

Make sure that you pack your goods in a manner that they pass the requirements fpr packaging of both country of origin and destination.

Insurance

It is a good idea to get your goods insured in order to avoid any mishaps.  Remember that your goods are exposed to possible damages/losses that can be caused by natural or man-made accidents. Never ship anything that isn’t insured.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

If you are shipping for the first time, the following tips will prove to be very helpful:

Get quotes

Ask for the prices of different sizes as well as what amount the insurance will add to the final price of your parcel.

Weigh your stuff

It is very important to weigh the parcel yourself before handing it over to the carrier. Make sure that you weigh it after packaging as the shipment companies also do the same.

Get a container

If you provide the container yourself, you will be saving cost that the shipper is going to charge you.

Clearly state the contents of the package

If you intend to put any organic material in the package, declare it clearly as it will be treated differently and will add on the cost.

Insure your cargo

In order to avoid any loses; it is good to spend a few more bucks on cargo insurance.

Understand the contract you are signing

Do not sign the contract without being clear about each and every point. Understand it completely before signing.

Get ready for delivery.

Be sure to know when the expected time of delivery is. If you think you will be out, prepare an authorization letter so that whoever is at home can receive the package. Don’t forget to provide at least a photocopy of your identification card. Be aware of some additional charges that you have to pay when the package comes, if there is any.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

When it comes to shipping your vehicle, the shipping companies provide you with the option of either driving your car to the destination or taking it via a truck in order to save the extra mileage. The cost of the service will be determined by the type of service you demand. Before arriving on the final decision to entrust the job to a shipper, following research about the company is in order:

After you have shortlisted some companies to assign the job to, refer to the Better Business Bureau in order to further research about those companies. Try to find out if you can get some reports on your selected companies. These reports contain the information on any grievances filled ad also the details of the resolution of those grievances. You will get the idea of the level of during and after delivery service that you should come to expect. There is rarely any company that does not have an unhappy customer. The key is to find whether the company was able to resolve the grievances successfully or not. Go through the report thoroughly and if you are thinking to us a specific company that has any such case filled, ask the company directly about that specific case and inquire how it was resolved. Depending on the severity of the complaint, you may choose not to use this company.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

You might think of transporting your vehicle to be as simple a process as getting the vehicle loaded onto the back of a truck which takes it to the destined location in a matter of few days while you pay for the service. In reality, it is not as simple a job as it appears to you. It not only requires participation from your chosen carrier, also a part of the job has to be performed by you and that we call ‘preparation’.

If you do not prepare your vehicle for shipment, you may end up paying more money resulting from unexpected damage. You can get your vehicle prepared by following these simple steps:

• Keep in mind that carriers charge more for certain vehicles than others. For example, it costs more to ship an SUV than to ship a compact.
• Wash the vehicle one day before shipment so that you can be well aware of the physical condition of the car before transport and you will be better able to locate any damage after transportation.
• Clean the interior. Remove all the personal and valuable stuff. This is also important to avoid damage resulting from the shifting of items during shipment.
• Disable the car alarm to make the job easier for the transporter.
• Make sure that the car does not have more than a quarter tank of fuel. This is important to keep the weight as less as possible.
• If the vehicle has customized accessories, it is better to remove and secure them before hand.
• In case you are shipping a convertible, you need to make sure that the top is firmly secured ad there are no spaces to let the moisture in and the interior remains safe.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

If you are moving from one place to another and decide to hire a mover instead of performing the job yourself, there are a few most common mistakes that you need to avoid. Despite the bulk of information available from various sources, choosing the right mover can be challenging. However, the job can be made easier by avoiding these common mistakes:

1. Getting quotes from only a few movers: whenever you plan to hire a mover, make sure that you collect quotes from at least 5 movers before arriving to a final decision. Gather estimates, compare costs and if possible ask people who have a prior experience with that company.
2. Not having movers visit your home before hiring:  it is always good to have the mover visit your place to examine whatever you are planning to move. This helps the mover provide you with an accurate estimate of transportation cost and an idea of those few items that require special handling.
3. Hiring the least cost mover: it sounds good to choose the least cost mover. However, if you have gathered quotes from at least 5 companies and you find that one of them is the providing the service at the minimum cost. It is a clear indication that this company must be avoided. This is because rouge moving companies often try to lure customers at low costs and providing free services and other enticements.
4. Not asking the right questions: hiring a mover that is best suited to your needs is not an easy job. You need to make sure that the service provider is reliable and for that you need to relevant question.
5. Not asking about the extra cost the mover might charge you: Extra costs might include charges for moving things up and down stairs, not having a close parking space for the moving truck and packing supplies fees for items not properly packed. This will give you an idea of the total cost that you will be charged.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

If you are preparing to ship your car, you need to consider the following tips carefully;

1. Get the price quotes from at least 5 to 10 companies. This can be done by visiting the websites of these companies. To obtain accurate estimates, fill in the required information carefully. If you are already interested in some company, you can contact that company directly and ask for an estimated quote.
2. Do not just go for the lowest price bid, this can be tempting but may prove to be a headache one you book yourself with the company.
3. Research bout the companies that you have shortlisted. This can be done either by searching for the online reviews or by collecting information from the customers or acquaintances that have already used the services of that particular carrier. This is important in order to get a true idea about the quality of service.
4. Make a final decision and book your transport. It is very important to receive a confirmation via e-mail or fax from the company and even more important to red each and everything that the company sends you before signing.
5. Remove all your personal belongings from the vehicle before shipping it. Most carriers prefer that you do not have more than a quarter of fuel tank in order to keep the weight and hence cost less.
6. Make sure that the carrier inspects your vehicle and hands you over the inspection report which is to be kept safe until delivery.
7. On receiving, Inspect the car to ensure there are no additional dings, dents or scratches. In case of any damage, file a claim and make sure that the carrier signs it.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

The strategies listed in the post are based on the survey conducted among shippers who were asked about the steps they have taken over the past 12 months in order to reduce the shipping cost. The responses varied but the most common ones are mentioned here:

1. Renegotiate parcel pricing agreement with your carriers. This involves analyses of service usage, expenditures, accessorial charges and other variables. This provides an understanding of the variables that need to be negotiated. Add on fees for residential deliveries must also be taken into account. These add on fees include; extended areas, fuel surcharges, weekly service fees and other handling charges.
2. Increase the Use of Regional Carriers and Deferred Shipping Options. Most shippers today have shifted from national to regional carriers due to their reduced costs. These carriers charge you almost 70% less than the similar service provided by the national carriers..
3. Pass along the shipping cost to the customer. But this can be challenging. Usually customers are charges in the following ways:

• Usually the carriers charge like Address Correction fees ($11 Air/Ground, $50 Freight)
• Residential surcharges ($2.55 Ground, $3 Express)
• Additional Handling Service ($8.50)
• Large Package Surcharges ($55)
• Delivery Area Surcharges ($2 commercial DAS, $3 residential DAS)
• Invalid Account Number ($11)
• Dimensional adjustments, duties and taxes, and additional fuel surcharges.

1. 23% of the respondents stated that a considerable amount of cost saving can occur by thoroughly auditing the invoices from the carriers. Shippers should audit for missing discounts, overcharges, shipments manifested but never shipped, and other erroneous charges common with parcel invoices.
2. Zone skipping and drop shipping are two other cost saving strategies. Zone skipping involves bypassing parts of the initial transportation segment by dropping off packages closer to the final destination within a carrier network. On the other hand drop shipping involves shipping directly from vendor to customer. Both the strategies are effectively used to reduce shipping costs.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.

Million miles of public roads, 140,000 miles of railroad tracks, 25,000 miles of navigable waterways, 9,800 coastal and inland waterway facilities, and 5,200 public-use airports make United States the world’s largest country in terms of freight transportation system. Choosing the right mode of transportation is critical to the success of your business a wrong mode can prove to be extremely costly and damaging. Here are the various modes of shipment that can be used:

By Rail

This is the best suited mode of transportation for shipping over longer distances. Besides that it is highly cost effective. A car load can carry as much freight as 3 trucks. But it can take a while as it is not very efficient. Shipping through rail across countries can take as long as 7 days.

By Sea

It is much cheaper mode of shipment as compared to air freight but is also slower. 90% of the world’s trade is carried out through sea. Shipping containers come in two sizes 20 feet LCL and 40 feet FCL. Cost of shipment varies according to weight, size and nature of the product.

By Air

This is the fastest mode of shipping goods from one place to another. Also it is the most expensive way of moving freight.  It is the ideal and most suited for transporting perishable goods. Surprisingly, Hong Kong and Shanghai currently play second and third fiddles to the largest cargo airport in the world: Memphis International Airport.

By Road

Trucking is the most common method of transporting raw materials and consumer goods. This mode of transportation is seeing rise in prices. Trucking rates depend on the weight and the distance traveled, but expect a coast-to-coast trip to cost anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000.

4 Seas International Shipping, Inc. is an FMC licensed (#4600NF) International Freight Forwarder and NVOCC comprised of dedicated professionals whose primary focus is “To go the extra mile” for their customers. Through the years the transportation specialists at 4 Seas have handled a wide variety of general cargo and special needs cargo such as boats, motor vehicles, project cargo and personal effects to Europe, Latin. If you have something waiting to be shipped, give us a call and leave the rest to us.