Namibian Customs Changes

Recently Namibian customs and harbour authority have issued a memo banning personal effects and other items in cars, 4x4s , vans and trucks.

This comes into effect on vessels arriving in Walvis Bay from 1st February 2013, items found can be seized by customs along with the vehicle.

An alternative is to ship into Durban and onto Beitbridge or ship to Dar Es Salaam where there are no penalties for items in vehicles and destination changes in Dar Es Salaam are similar to those in Walvis Bay.

Thinking of Moving to Australia?

Popular Destinations throughout Australia.

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Shipping To Brunei

We were invited to attend the Sultan of Brunei?s birthday celebrations on Saturday 14th July in London. Our reason for the invitation is that we handle shipping for the Brunei High Commission and we ship their returning officers personal effects back to Brunei into the port of Muara Port and by airfreight into the airport of Bander Seri Begawan. We also ship cars in containers to Muara Port and our Brunei agents can handle the clearance of both personal effects and cars into our clients residences in Brunei.

Vehicle Shipping

We have revised our website & added its own vehicle page giving costs & other relevant information together with an application form so you may book your vehicles on line if you wish. For the link see below

http://www.atlantisltd.co.uk/vehicle-shipping.html

Our next vessel to Durban & Walvis Bay is scheduled to sail early September with the following vessel expected around the 23rd of September. With the ban on vehicle over 5 years of age still coming into effect on the 31st. of October this may be the last vessel to beat the deadline but by shipping into Walvis Bay only as the transit time to Beitbridge via Durban may exceed the time limit.

We have received special rates on full containers to Harare via Durban only. The congestion in Beira is meaning containers are taking over 12 weeks to arrive at destination whilst via Durban only approximately 6 weeks.

If you would like a quote please advise loading address & contents & we would be pleased to quote.

Shipping to Zimbabwe

The rules regarding the importation of cars into Zimbabwe is still unclear. It was expected that from the 1st of July all Left Hand Drive vehicles & vehicles over 5 years were to be banned from entering Zimbabwe & left hand drive vehicles from transiting Zimbabwe . This caused a huge increase in the number of vehicles being exported into Zimbabwe as people tried to beat the deadline &  queues of traffic were reported at the border posts at Beitbridge & Plumtree. Plumtree the border post for Namibia / Zimbabwe is becoming increasingly popular as more people ship into the Namibian port of Walvis Bay & then travel to Walvis Bay to clear the vehicles & drive up to Plumtree. Our recommendation would be for trucks n& larger vehicles Walvis bay would be the preferred port of entry whilst on saloon cars & small vans Durban would still be the recommended port with the vehicles being transported to B eitbridge by car transporter & coolected from the border post at Beitbride.

At the moment the deadline for importing LHD drive vehicles & those over 5 years of age has been moved to the 31st of October with the ministry of transport advising that even this date has not been set in stone & the whole issue to be reviewed.

Shipping to Australia

Geraldton  is 430 km North of Perth & recently the Queensland Railway company ARG has won the contact to operate the new rail line from the mining areas of Western Australia to Geraldton where a new port is under construction for the export of the minerals.

ARG is recruiting mainly,  from South Africa & the UK,  Drivers & ancillary staff to operate the new line. Geraldton is a town  with a population of 70000 expecting to grew rapidly over the next few years. ARG expect  the railway line to be in operation early 2012 with Train drivers arriving between August to October for initial training,  housing & schooling.

We at Atlantis have obtained some excellent rates from Shipping Companies operating into Fremantle & have obtained special discounted rates from our partners in Perth "Transglobal Shipping & Storage" who we have been working alongside for the past 20 years

Shipping to Zimbabwe

Confusion still reigns  as we approach the deadline, see the article below in the Zimbabwean Herald

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Shipping to Zimbabwe

 

Although the ban on vehicles over 5 years enters the statute books on the 1st of July, The Government have allowed importation until the 31st of October on vehicles over 5 years including cars, vans, trucks and buses.


Left hand drive vehicles are banned from immediate effect. This applies to cars, vans, trucks and buses.


Due to increase charges in Durban by Durban Port Authorities & increase in fuel charges in South Africa, rates to Beitbridge have increased. Rates to Walvis Bay remain the same.


Our next container is leaving early May ex our Birmingham depot, so any enquiries please contact Birmingham.

Vehicle importation ban suspended for shipping to Zimbabwe

Chronicle Correspondent

Government has suspended implementing a ban on second hand cars more than five years old by six months, an official said yesterday.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Mr Partson Mbiriri said implementation of the ban would no longer be effected on 1 March as previously gazetted but in September 2011.
Government gazetted its intention to ban imports of cars more than five years old citing the need to protect the environment. The government felt that older cars were responsible for emitting high amounts of noxious carbons. The ban, spearheaded by the Environmental Management Authority, was met with an outcry in a country where the price of new cars is beyond the reach of the majority and the only way many people could drive was through buying second hand cars from mostly Japan and Singapore.
Close to 400 second hand cars come into the country everyday mostly through the Beitbridge border post.
Mr Mbiriri said the Road Traffic, Construction and Equipment Regulations would be amended.
“In the transport industry there are a few operators who import new vehicles and government has taken that into account. Government has gazetted road traffic, construction and equipment regulation to pave way for this extension which will give many motorists and those who want to import second hand vehicles a life line,” he said.
However, Mr Mbiriri said the extension was not applicable to vehicles in transit.
“The same policy does not apply to those vehicles on transit as this is a revenue issue that has been enshrined in the mid-term monetary policy by the minister of finance,” he said.
In the mid-term monetary policy announced by Mr Tendai Biti the government said imported vehicles on transit were not supposed to be driven but to be transported on carriers to their destination.
Meanwhile, the Motor Industry Association of Zimbabwe has welcomed the extension of the deadline to ban imports of used vehicles.
The association’s regional chairman, Mr Reggies Sibanda, said the move would go a long way in supporting local industry.
Mr Sibanda said it was important to note that there was enough expertise in the country to inspect and monitor that imported vehicles were in good condition.
“MIAZ welcomes the Government move to extend the importation of used vehicles. Whilst we appreciate the importation of second hand cars, we have realised that some of the vehicles don’t have back up spares. It would be beneficial to the country if some experts in the motor industry can be put at the ports of entry to monitor that imported cars are in a good condition,” said Mr Sibanda.
He expressed concern over the overpricing of some of the imported vehicles.
Mr Sibanda said the association was fully behind recently gazetted regulations which require motorists to have tyres of a certain tread depth as well as carry fire extinguishers and red reflector triangles.
“The regulations are not for the Government but are there to benefit the motorist and will reduce road accidents. As we are now in the rainy season and approaching the festive season, we encourage all motorists to have tyres with good grip and ensure that wipers are working properly,”

Push and pull factors for international removals

Push factors are the reasons why people arrange an international removal and leave an area. They include:
- Lack of services
- Lack of safety
- High crime
- Crop failure
- Drought
- Flooding
- Poverty
- war


Pull factors are the reasons why people arrange an international removal and move to a particular area. They include:
- Higher employment
- More wealth
- Better services
- Good climate
- Safer, less crime
- Political stability
- More fertile land
- Lower risk from natural hazards

Look Ahead, Plan Ahead, Move Ahead, Ship Atlantis