Vehicle Import/Export

Importing from the USA

The Canadian Government has developed a unique national program of vehicle inspection, certification and registration, known as the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV). When importing into Canada, one must register their vehicle with the RIV. Your CrossBorder Specialist will help you navigate through the process to make sure your vehicle can be imported quickly and safely.

WE OFFER

• Canada Customs clearance includes: cargo tariff classification, duty & tax calculating, Government payment facilitation
• Canada Border Services Agency and RIV document preparation
• NAFTA certificate guidance and preparation
• Electronic document transmission (EDI) to government agencies and suppliers
• Coordinated Door to Door transport via enclosed trailer or open car carrier
• Personal support and shipment tracking by your appointed CBS Coordinator
• All Risk cargo insurance coverage

YOU RECEIVE

• Single point of contact throughout the process
• Electronic filing of customs entries
• Guidance and advice on best practices
• Remittance of duty/tax and fees payable to government agencies
• When combined with our transport services, a seamless door to door service that gets your vehicle to destination ahead of the rest, at the best price

HOW YOU BENEFIT

With one live call your CrossBorder specialist is working as your Customs broker, vehicle import advisor and personal assistant. The results:

• Reduced overall cost as a result of fast, compliant border clearance
• Saved transport costs knowing that the market has been shopped for best rate/route every time
• Save time by letting us coordinate your shipment, source & manage transport providers and government agencies
• The security of knowing that your CBS Coordinator is looking out for your best interests and is always available to you
• For detailed process information on what is required to formally import a vehicle, go to www.riv.ca

Importing or Exporting Internationally

When considering buying a car for export to another country, one needs to understand the process, costs and hurdles that come with this decision as well as the shipping options.

Shipping cars to other countries is done most commonly via ocean freight using one of the following shipping methods.

Steel Shipping Container aka Container/Can/20 Footer

This is a metal box that is a standard in the world of shipping. It measure roughly 20' long, 8' wide and 8'6" high. It easily fits most standard vehicles and once loaded, the vehicle is fully protected from all elements. A container seal and/or lock are put on the container to safeguard entry by unauthorized parties. Containers can be transported to almost any inland point for loading, providing the facility has a loading ramp and loading dock.

Professional blocking, bracing & immobilization of the car within the container are required, being careful to use only materials that are compliant with global wood restrictions. The second standard size of shipping container is the 40' long container, 8' wide and 8'6' high, called a 40 footer. This container typically holds 2 vehicles but only costs about 1/3 more than shipping a 20' from port to port.

Roll-on Roll-off aka RORO

In this method the vehicle is driven directly into the hold of the vessel by dock workers/longshoremen, and lashed down. From receipt at the port or terminal, the vehicle is continuously exposed to the elements and the risks that that brings. Vehicles can originate at inland points and open car carrier transport can be arranged to take the vehicle from inland to the port of export. Ro-Ro services are not offered to/from all countries. Contact us to inquire.

Costing Elements

At Origin

• Cleaning of the vehicle.
  Thorough pressurized cleaning of the underside, tires, wheel wells and engine mount areas is highly recommended prior to tendering the car for export. Certificates confirming professional cleaning can help to avoid costly Agricultural examinations and ordered cleanings at destination to release.
• Loading, blocking and bracing of the car.
  Care must be taken in how the car is braced and secured within the shipping container. This should be done by professionals familiar with shipping cars overseas. In addition, the materials used for the bracing must comply with IPPC regulations in force around the world that help prevent the international spread of pests and plant diseases through wood contamination.
• Inland container transport.
  Containers are not on wheels so special flat bed chassis's are used by Trucking companies specializing in intermodal transport. Their familiarity with local security and the protocol of international shipping ports and terminal is vital in helping to avoid extra costs and missed shipping deadlines.
• Preparation of export documents
  International rules and regulations for exporting and shipping are ever changing. Compliance to current security, transport and other governing bodies' regulations is paramount in successfully exporting and importing vehicles to foreign countries.
• Ocean Freight shipping costs
  Consist of a combination of charges covering the transport, port congestion fees, security fees, currency & fuel surcharges, feeder vessels or inland linehaul costs etc. Be sure that shipping quotes you receive are specific about which of the various fees are included in their rate and which remain outstanding at destination.
• All Risk Marine Cargo Insurance
  Unless you buy insurance, the vehicle travels uninsured, protected only by the carrier's liability which is required by law. Like your baggage when you take a flight, carriers limit the amount they pay, under which specific conditions AND you have to prove that they were liable. Insurance does not require you to prove which of the several carriers caused the damage and they pay under a much wider scope of possible damages to the full replacement value of the item. Insurance coverage is highly recommended for vehicle shipping.

At Destination

• Port/terminal handling charges at the destination shipping port
  Once the vessel docks overseas, anything that the receiving port or terminal does results in what are called port/terminal handling fees.
• Inland transport of container to a private warehouse for offloading
• Secondary Terminal/Warehouse handling fees
  If shipping in a container, a fee is charged for offloading, inspecting, temporary storage and handing over the vehicle from their premises.
• Customs clearance services
• Destination Duty/Tax
  If applicable and based on the status of the importer and current Import regulations of the destination country.
• Cost of modifications
  If required according to the destination country's transport regulations.
• Customs or Agriculture department examination fees
  Arbitrarily done and impossible to predict. Can vary from $1-200 to several hundred, depending on the country and extensiveness of the exam.
• Storage costs
  Apply if the vehicle cannot be customs cleared, released and removed within the time limits imposed by the receiving terminals. Typically, only one week is given free.

Transit Time

When shipping in a container, the total transit time will depend on the distance from origin to a major city or port city, the total distance that needs to be covered, the frequency of vessel departures between the two points and having all import documents in order for efficient clearance at destination.

Distance and proximity to major centers or ports of call i.e. Montreal, Vancouver, New York, London, Hong Kong; will reduce the overall transit time. Typical transit time if shipping in a container from the day it is surrendered in Toronto Canada or New York, USA to pick up in a main European port area i.e. London, Hamburg, would be 5-6 weeks. More distant or less travelled routes may take 2-3 weeks more. Container ships typically sail weekly from North America to Europe and Asia.

RORO services do not typically sail every week as container ships do. Areas of trade between established countries and areas give the most choice on types of shipping lines, their services and frequency. Transit times vary so contact us for more information.

Getting through Customs and finally Registering the car at destination

If the vehicle is being purchased by a private individual for personal use, before going ahead you need to check on the following:

Does the country I want to ship to allow me to import a car?

Import rules need to be checked by the importer as ultimately, they are responsible for the car, irrespective of how much guidance or advice is given by third party shipping or logistics companies.

How will my status in that country impact the importation of my vehicle?

Some countries only allow citizens or residents of the country to import. Others will allow visitors or those on work permits to import but later they must be exported again and are not allowed to be re-sold in the country. Still other countries will not allow you to import a vehicle under any conditions. For definitive answers, you need to contact the government agencies in the destination countries that control Trade/Customs & Revenue and Transportation. Local Consular or Embassy offices of these governments can be of assistance.

What will be involved in getting the vehicle registered?

Most countries have specific emission and safety criteria for vehicles operating in their country. Before shipping, again be sure to check with the jurisdictions in the destination country that govern these areas as you may find that you will need to make modifications to your vehicle before you can get it registered.

When you are ready to go ahead, your CrossBorder Specialist can help advise you and arrange for the Door to door transport of your vehicle.

WE OFFER

• Pre advise & planning regarding Import regulations, permits, duty & tax calculating
• Pre-shipment coordination and arranging with our partner Agents at origin/destination
• Fully qualified international partners experienced in secure loading and shipping of vehicles overseas
• Canada Border Services Agency including, cargo tariff classification, duty & tax calculating, Government payment facilitation if shipping into Canada
• Overseas Customs clearance assistance through our Agent partners
• All Risk cargo insurance coverage

YOU RECEIVE

• Professional vehicle transport services
• Single point of contact throughout the entire process
• Personal support and shipment tracking by your appointed CBS Coordinator for a seamless door to door move
• Remittance of duty/tax and fees payable to government agencies

HOW YOU BENEFIT

With one live call your CrossBorder specialist is working as your freight forwarder, Customs broker and advisor. The results:

• Safe transport of your vehicle to destination
• Smooth navigation through all the bureaucratic requirements
• Saved transport costs knowing that the market has been shopped for best rate/route every time
• Time saved by letting us coordinate your shipment, source & manage transport providers and government agencies
• The security of knowing that your CBS Coordinator is looking out for your best interests and is always available to you

We give you TIME TO FOCUS on YOUR BUSINESS and what you do best. Stay confident. You have experienced partners in the shipping of vehicles supporting your efforts.