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When planning your international move there are many things to take under consideration. To start, make sure you are getting quotes from three companies maximum. You will notice the more companies you speak with the more confused you will become. You also want to make sure you are dealing with FMC licensed shipping companies only. All shipping companies must be licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission in order to handle your cargo or issue a BOL (Bill of Lading). Please keep in mind there are many imposters out there that may not be licensed with the FMC. Please make sure to have a detailed list put together of everything your planning on shipping. You can fill out an online cubic feet calculator to help determine the CFT of your shipment. Feel free to contact a representative with any questions.
Self Packing Customers:
We have many customer that choose to self pack there household goods in order to meet a budget. If you’re planning on self packing your shipment you would need to create a full inventory list of everything
that will be going inside your boxes. Please keep in mind if you have a bulky shipment it may be in your best interest to hire a mover or have our agents handle the packing of your items. No steamship line will accept any household goods that are not properly packed. We can accept any size cardboard boxes, Rubbermaid bins or suitcases. Please make sure all the boxes are seal and properly marked. If you have any questions or need instructions on packing please contact one of our representatives.
If you are interested in an all inclusive door to door service or even a door to port service we can provide you with full packing and loading of your household goods. We have a nationwide network of agents who handle packing, loading and provide professional packing material for any case. We will also provide pallets, lift vans or crates for fragile items. All shipment will be safely placed into your own or consolidated container for shipping. We can also offer full coverage insurance on any shipment that has been professionallyl packed. Please contact us with any questions.
We offer economical solutions for shippers looking to save money on their international move. If you are a college student or just someone looking to save money this may be the best solution for you. With receiving terminals in all major cities you can drop your shipment off at the nearest warehouse facility and pick it up from the port at destination. This is the most economical way to ship your goods overseas. Please contact us with any questions on port to port service.
This is for the customer that is not near a local terminal or does not have transportation to deliver their shipment to the nearest warehouse. We will come to your home and pick up your household goods. We offer a basic freight pick up for self pack customers as well as full packing and loading services if needed. The shipment will go to the nearest port of destination where the shipper would arrange for there own pick up and customs clearance of there cargo. Please make sure to give us enough advance notice to arrange for a door pick up. Please contact us with any questions.
This service if for the customer that is near a local terminal that would like to save money on the trucking charges but would like to have the shipment delivered to their door at destination. The shipper would need to drop off the boxes at the warehouse and we will handle the door delivery, off loading, customs clearance and removal of debris. Please contact us with any questions on a port to door service.
OSI offers Door-to-Door service worldwide. We specialize in the export packing and shipping of household goods and personal effects, automobiles, boats and general cargo.
We handle customs clearance of all cargo as well as door delivery and off loading worldwide.
OSI offers marine insurance for all shipment types. We offer All Risk marine insurance as well as Total Loss marine insurance. For customers that self pack their goods will only be entitled to Total Loss marine insurance meaning the entire shipment must be a loss in order to make an insurance claim. For those customers that have their goods professionally packed we can offer All Risk marine insurance meaning you will be fully covered on any damages. Please contact a representative for more details on marine insurance.
- Check with your local City Hall to see if you need a permit to have a 20’ or 40’ container positioned at your home or facility. Some trucking companies may require a copy of the permit prior to delivering the container. If you fail to acquire a permit where permits are required, any charges that incur will be billed to you.
- When the container arrives at your door, inspect it. Make sure there are no holes in the container BEFORE the driver leaves. Sweep out the container to remove any debris, dirt or dust.
- The container comes to your door 4 feet off the ground. There are no ramps or lifts to assist you when loading. You can make your own ramps, rent your own ramps or hire labor to help you load your container.
- Packing and loading your container well is the key to minimizing damage during transit. Start at the front of the container (opposite of the container doors) and work your way back. Load all heavy items on the floor and load all light items on top.
- There are several ways to secure your items inside the container: There are rings or loopholes throughout the container located on the container walls near the floor. You can use rope, metal straps, bungee cords, etc. to secure your items.
- The walls of the container are corrugated or have grooves. You can use plywood and 4’x4’s to make partitions or to keep things from shifting frontward or backward.
- The floor of the container is wood. You can use nail items down to the floor or you can nail wood to the floor to keep things from shifting.
When you are done loading the container we do suggest using 2’x4’s or 4’x4’s to brace the back of the container. The key to a successful load is a tight fitting load. If your items can easily shift, damage is more likely to occur.
BEFORE the driver leaves your premises with your container, make sure to acquire the driver’s signature as proof that the driver has picked your container. Record the container# and seal# for your records.
Packing your boxes well is key to minimizing damage. We have come up with the following tips to help you:
Make sure all fragile items are heavily bubble-wrapped and secured well in the box. Use Styrofoam peanuts, clothing, pillows, etc to provide extra cushion.
Make sure all boxes are packed FULL. If there are voids in the boxes, they can easily collapse which can cause damage.
Make sure your boxes are securely shut using adhesive tape.
Label your boxes with your first and last name, country your shipping to, and the amount of boxes you have (1 of 8).
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