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Glossary of Terms
The fee for unloading or stripping a vehicle from a container includes the cost of the Terminal Handling Charge paid to the shipping line, as well as the cost of transporting the container from the port to the unloading yard and the cost of removing the vehicle from the container and placing it in the yard.
Vehicles are continually removed from the container using a forklift to prevent engine damage, as they typically do not start. The cars are delicately lifted out with the forklift and then securely stored.
The fee for a container to stay at the port, which varies depending on the shipping line it belongs to, ranges from 3 to 5 days. Usually, this fee does not apply in 90% of cases, but it may be incurred in situations where the Customs Office conducts inspections on the container and delays its release. Additionally, if the required documentation from the sender is incomplete, this can also cause a delay in releasing the container.
LCL shipping is a way to ship your cargo when you don’t have enough to fill a full container. With LCL shipping, your cargo is consolidated with other small shipments to fill a full container. This means you only pay for the space you use.
With an FCL shipment, the complete capacity of a container is provided to just one customer.
Fee for a vehicle to remain in the yard after unloading, which begins from the day the container is unpacked. The first 10 days are free, after which there is a cost of 5€ per day until the vehicle is picked up.
X-ray container. The Customs Office determines when and which containers will undergo X-ray examination, and the shipping line that the container belongs to is responsible for ordering this operation. They will provide a receipt that will be distributed among all vehicles in the container.
When doubts arise about the price of a vehicle at the Customs Office, an Expert is summoned to evaluate its value through examination.
Inspection by customs officials in the warehouse. The customs office settles the travel and working time of the officials, which we charge on.
Remove debris and any other unnecessary items from the vehicle before presenting it to the customs office.
Cost for acquiring a vehicle from another organization or intermediary, as well as additional services.
Verification by a professional that the air conditioning system is devoid of contaminants. Specifically for older vehicles with R12 air conditioning system.
Cost for completing customs formalities for a vehicle to be imported to a private individual or organization.
It is a tax levied by customs when goods from third countries subject to VAT are imported into the Federal Republic of Germany.
Customs and import taxes which we will pay on behalf of the customer to the customs office.
Value of the vehicle at the EU border, including all the expenses of purchase and transportation to the entry port.
Inclusion of transportation terms in the purchase agreement. The most commonly used are: CIF, CFR, EXW, DAP.
FAQ's
For most shipments, customs clearance typically takes 1-2 business days. However, in rare cases, it may take longer. Especially when there’s necessity to provide additional documents, certificates (e.g. CITES) or fulfil special formalities (e.g. veterinary inspection), the process may take longer.
As customs are a governmental authority, we are unable to expedite the clearance process.
At Portagent, moving goods is a regular part of our operations. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We will be happy to provide you with a personalized offer.
If you already a customer of us, you can easily track your vehicle’s current location using our website’s tracking feature. Once it arrives at the destination port, we will keep you informed of every subsequent step through email updates.
For exporting goods following documents are required:
- EORI-Number (Economic Operators’ Registration and Identification number) – Commercial exports only
- Commercial, or pro forma invoice
- Package quantity
- Gross weight
- Net weight
- Detailed description of merchandise and it’s usage
For importing goods following documents are required:
- EORI-Number (Economic Operators’ Registration and Identification number) – Commercial imports only
- Commercial, or pro forma invoice
- Pre paper (T1, ATB-No.)
- Consignment note (CMR, AWB, SWB)
- If need be, Proof of preference (Form A, A.TR., EUR.1)
- Freight bill
- Detailed description of merchandise and it’s usage
At Portagent, we specialize in transporting your shipment from the port of destination to our company premises. Additionally, we have a network of trusted partners who can assist with domestic transportation within the USA and Canada, as well as within Germany and Poland.