My wife and I are planning to move from the United States to the
Netherlands some time in the next year. We have some possesions we'd
like to ship over: our car, a 1993 Honda Civic; some books,
approximately 40; a lazy-boy recliner; 10 pieces of framed artwork;
and three 3' x 2' boxes of odds and ends. Surprisingly, it has proven
very difficult to get even a general idea of what is involved in doing
this, and how much it will cost. Our question is: what is the cheapest
(yet reliable) way for us to ship these things overseas, preferably
together, and what is involved in the shipping process? Assume that we
are willing to transport these things ourselves to New York City or
some other Eastern port and from Rotterdam or some other Dutch port.

---

Clarification of Question by luckyduck-ga on 18 Sep 2002 20:41 PDT

That was a very informative comment from blanketpower (: - ) I love
blankets too!). I'd like to offer a bit of clarification:

when I said I was looking for the cheapest way, I neglected to specify
that I in fact knew that shipping by sea was the cheapest method; what
I meant to say was that I was looking for an actual price quote. This
is what I have had trouble finding. Strangely, the $400 that
blanketpower quoted was half the price currently quoted at the website
he cited--an example of the confusion here, since I have seen
"tentative" quotes upwards of $3000 for the exact same service.

also, blanketpower addressed some issues which I did not know existed
(very thorough!!), but which in fact do not apply to my situation. My
wife is Dutch (Nederlands) and I am an Irishman, so as far as I can
see no special EU restrictions apply.

Thanks!

I am currently living abroad in Chile.. and people in my company get
relocated everywhere. I do not know about the specific requirements
for the Netherlands, but here are some general hints..

1. Get professional assistance. Things that are routine and
run-of-the-mill for a corporation that already has contacts and
customs brokerage services on retainer can be a major and lengthy pain
in the rear for individuals. A search in "international relocation" or
"global relocation" pulls up any one of a number of companies, such as
http://www.gmacglobalrelocation.com/ (who service the Netherlands,
among others). A relocation service will generally subcontract a
transport company and handle all the paperwork, so that from your
perspective the service is door-to-door.

2. If you prefer to do things yourself then the most common way to
ship things overseas is by marine container. Standard containers (that
you can drive a car right into) are 20*8*8 feed, or 40*8*8 feet. Take
a look for example at http://www.kinternational.com/lowrates.htm ...
looks like current costs are about $400 or so for a 20 foot container,
which is what you will need.  then see if the shipping company will
handle customs brokerage. If so, it will save you a pain at the other
end.

For specific requirements for the Netherlands, take a look at
http://www.expatica.com/index.asp?pad=5,27,&item_id=302
Synopsis:

-Even if you come from outside the EU, you may be exempted from
customs duties if the following conditions are met:

-Your residence in a non-EU member state must have been your residence
for at least 12 months before transferring to The Netherlands
-You must have applied for an exemption permit in The Netherlands
before moving. This must be done through the tax office in the area in
which you intend to live. The Dutch embassy in your home country
should be able to give the address, or you can call the helpline on
+31(0)45 574 3031 for more information.
-The personal effects being transported must have been used and in
your possession for at least six months before importation
-Along with your exemption request, you must include a list of
household effects and other goods that you would like to take along
with you
-You must use the goods for the same purpose you would have used the
goods for in your usual place of residence
-The goods must be transported within twelve months of your relocation
to The Netherlands

*** Note on car importation:

Cars and motorcycles imported from non-EU countries are subject to
import duty. You must declare your imported vehicle when you arrive
and pay the duty at that time. The sum due will vary depending on the
age, size and book price of the vehicle.

Regardless of the vehicle's origin, you may have to pay sales tax if
the vehicle does not meet the minimum requirements to be considered
used: 6,000km driven and at least six months since the date of
registration.

P.S. make a specific enquiry about the vehicle at the embassy... I
know a case where a car was successfully imported to Australia but
then could not be licenced or registered because it was not right-hand
drive, and because the safety regulations were different (bumpers, I
believe..).

Good luck with the move... maybe one of the researchers will come up
with some more details... I am just sharing a bit of experience.

Cheers,
Blanketpower