Mercator was recently tasked with handling a UK export of cabling for sea freight shipping to Vietnam. Sea freight to Vietnam from the UK typically takes 35 days port to port depending on routing. The routing for this sea freight to Vietnam was Felixstowe to Vung Tau.
Due to the nature of the cabling being out of gauge in height (in excess of 3 meters diameter on the reel), the shipment was deemed most suited to be transported on two 20’ flat rack containers. Utilising flat racks accommodated for the extra height of the shipment, and flexibility with loading and lashing the reels.
Mercator’s export team handled this shipment on a CFR basis – meaning we collected the shipment from the exporter (shipper), loaded and lashed on to the flat racks, transported to the port for export, completed UK export customs clearance, and arranged the sea freight shipping to Vietnam.
Our team has a wealth of experience in handling complex oversized shipments for export from the UK. Whether it is out of gauge, bulky machinery which requires specialist handling for loading and lashing, or heavy plant machinery which cannot be shipped RORO, our team can handle the process for you from start to finish.
Our capabilities cross borders and we can handle complete door to door shipping if required, thanks to our membership of the freight forwarder network MarcoPoloLine. We have vetted and reliable partners across the globe including in Vietnam who we can call on for assistance to get your shipment safely to its destination.
Whether you have an out of gauge shipment requiring specialist equipment, or a single pallet, for sea freight shipping to Vietnam, get in touch with our team who will be glad to provide you with a quote. To get in touch you can call (+44) 02392 756 575, email sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or complete the form below and someone will be in touch.
Whether you are shipping machinery that is used or new internationally from the UK, you will need to consider some important points before beginning the process.
Firstly by selecting the kind of shipping container equipment that is most suitable for your cargo. If you can get the machinery in a standard or high cube 20’ or 40’ container then these are the most readily available pieces of equipment for shipping. However, if the nature of the machinery means that it isn’t possible to load through just one end of the container, then a flat rack or open top shipping container might be the most suitable. An open top is useful when the cargo is out of gauge in height, whereas a flat rack will cater for out of gauge in height and or width.
Other considerations when shipping machinery include relevant paperwork such as commercial invoice for export, UK export customs clearance, certificate of origin (if required by your buyer at destination), and most importantly any export controls or sanctions at destination. Most of these points will either be handled by your UK-based freight forwarder (such as Mercator) or can be advised as to processes to complete these.
The above images are of two mini diggers which Mercator’s export team arranged for shipping from the UK. We organised the loading, lashing, draining of fuel and battery disconnection to prepare for export from the UK. Our team also handled the delivery to the Port of Felixstowe, loading onto the sea freight vessel and export ocean freight.
In this particular example, the machinery was used, so the draining of the fuel tank and disconnection of the battery was required to be able to ship the flat rack container and contents as non hazardous. For some destination countries, used machinery such as this will be required to be cleaned, free from dirt and debris. This is an important point to consider, and something we will be able to clarify with our agent at the destination country upon your enquiry.
If you are looking for a service for shipping machinery from the UK, please get in touch with our team who are well versed in handling out of gauge and unusual loads. You can get in touch with our export team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
Mercator’s export team regularly arranges shipping to the US from the UK. Our team handles a mix of sea freight from LCL (less than container load), FCL (full container load) and out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo.
Our freight forwarding team most regularly handles dry 40’ and 20’ shipping containers as full loads (FCL). For export shipping to the US from the UK, we see a lot of commercial commodities: parts, engineering components, and machinery.
One of the quickest routes is to the East Coast of the US from the UK which can take as little as 7 days port to port. Once you have added a few days in the UK for loading, arriving at the port before the cut off, export customs clearance and VGM, and a few days in the US for the vessel to be unloaded, US import customs clearance and delivery to door, you can achieve a door to door shipment in less than 20 days.
At Mercator we are able to arrange shipping to the US on any incoterm, from FOB through to DDP, thanks to our membership of the freight forwarding network MarcoPoloLine. Once your shipment to the US has arrived in the US, we will appoint our agent to complete the shipping process according to the incoterm that the goods are sold on. The beauty of this arrangement is that you will deal with the same contact in our office for the entire journey, simplifying and streamlining your export processes.
If you have requirements for shipping to the US from the UK, then get in touch with our team who will be happy to provide you with a quote whether it is a single pallet or multiple shipping containers. Mercator has been trading for over 30 years, we have accounts, contacts and rates with the major shipping lines, direct links with the UK ports, and AEO status. So you can be sure that you are dealing with an established and reputable UK-based freight forwarder. To get in touch with our export team, you can call (+44) 02392 756 575, email sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or complete the form below and someone will be in touch.
UK based freight forwarder Mercator is delighted that George (one of our Directors) has been awarded with the qualification of a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA). After rigorous in depth learning and examinations, we are now equipped with an inhouse Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor.
Having a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor is a requirement if you are transporting dangerous goods. Traditionally, Mercator has employed an external consultant to fulfill the role, however, now having George fully qualified means that he will be able to draw up dangerous goods notes (DGN) in a timely manner, directly advise our customers of packaging and packing requirements, and offering a value added service to our customers.
Our team handles various dangerous goods for import and export from the UK. If you are looking for a freight forwarder who can advise and understand your requirements for handling and shipping dangerous goods, then get in touch with us to see how we can work together. You can get in touch with our team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
UK based freight forwarder Mercator has an import team who regularly handle sea freight from South Korea to the UK. We were recently instructed to arrange this FOB shipment which included the sea freight of a full shipping container Busan through to Southampton port and onwards to the importer’s door.
In conjunction with our partner agent based in Seoul, we arranged the sea freight from South Korea to the UK. Once the container arrived in the UK, our import team completed the UK customs clearance, devann and delivery to the importer’s door on trucks with tail lifts due to restrictions at the unloading site.
There are weekly sailings from the major ports in South Korea: Busan, Incheon and Pyeongtaek, calling at various ports in the UK. Sailings of sea freight from South Korea to the UK ordinarily take around 35-40 days, however given the Suez Canal diversions, schedules are taking up to 55 days port to port.
If you have a shipment from South Korea to the UK, whether it is a full container, a single pallet for LCL or you wish to utilise air freight, then get in touch with our import team who will be glad to provide you with a quote. You can get in touch with our team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
We were recently instructed to facilitate the export of a shipping container of UK manufactured engineering components via sea freight to Venezuela.
The UK exporter sold the goods to their customer in Venezuela on an FOB term – free on board. This means that the exporter is responsible for the goods up to when the container is loaded onto the shipping vessel. Mercator’s export team arranged for the shipping containers to be delivered to the exporter in the UK for loading. Once the containers were loaded, we transported them to the port for VGM, export customs clearance and loading onto the vessel destined for South America.
Our agent in Venezuela then took over the remaining transit, including settling the sea freight charges with the carrier, local customs clearance and charges at destination, and onward delivery to the importer’s door.
There are weekly sailings for sea freight to Venezuela from the UK (departing at various ports). Sea freight to Venezuela from the UK typically takes 30 days, plus time either side for loading/unloading and customs clearances. There are daily departures via air freight to Venezuela from the UK, both direct and indirect, ranging from a few days up to a week (including delivering to the airline, customs clearances and collection).
Mercator has a strong network of agents across the globe, including many in South America we have been working with for many years. If you have an export shipment for Venezuela or any other South American countries (even if it is to door), our team will be able to assist you. We can arrange sea and air freight, from a single pallet up to multiple shipping containers and out of gauge cargo.
Get in touch with our team for a quote for shipping to Venezuela or to discuss your requirements by calling us on (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk, or by completing the form below and we will be in touch with you.
When UK based freight forwarder Mercator was established in the early 1990s, we specialised in importing rugs from India and Nepal. Today, our team still facilitates several customers with importing rugs from India, Turkey and Nepal via air and sea freight.
Our import team regularly handles full and part container loads of rugs for import into the UK. Of those imports, there is a mix of EXW, FOB and CFR incoterms. As freight rates fluctuate, we are being increasingly asked by our customers to quote and handle the sea freight element of the import process.
We recently handled a less than container load (LCL) importing rugs from India into the UK. The rugs were rolled and secured to pallets for shipping from India to the UK – rugs are traditionally rolled for shipping to maintain the integrity of the construction.
This shipment was arranged with the shipper (the supplier at origin) in India as FOB – free on board, whereby the shipper arranges export customs clearance, the transport of goods to the port and loading onto an agreed vessel for sea freight shipping to the UK.
Mercator’s import team took control of the cargo at this point, dealing with the sea freight to the UK, UK import customs clearance, import VAT & duty calculation and payment to HMRC, devan at the destination warehouse, and onward delivery to our customer’s door in the UK.
Shipping from India to the UK typically takes around 20 days port to port, however, this does not take into account any delays due to global events such as the Red Sea / Suez diversion which can add up to 20 days extra to the transit time. LCL shipments take longer than full container loads because the goods are required to arrive several days in advance of the sailing date for loading into the shared shipping container. Once the shipping container has arrived at the destination warehouse (in this case in the UK), there will be a few days to add for unloading before your LCL shipment can be collected on another vehicle for delivery to your door.
If you are shipping a few rugs, are in a hurry, or the rugs are of high value, then we find our customers prefer to use an air freight option which takes a matter of days.
Contact our import team today to get a quote for importing rugs from India, Nepal or Turkey. You can call our team on (+44) 02392 756 575, email sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or complete the form below and someone will be in touch.
UK based freight forwarder Mercator was recently appointed to handle an export air freight to the USA from the UK of machinery parts.
Our partner agent in the USA was handling the shipment for their customer who had purchased the goods on an EXW term. Our export team organised the collection of the goods and delivery to the airline, along with export customs clearance and air freight to the USA.
This particular consignment of air freight to the USA included a wooden crate which was considered too large to be accommodated on regular passenger aircraft. Our export air freight team therefore arranged for the entire consignment to transit via a specialist cargo airline which is able to accept larger items on their freighter aircraft.
The routing for this air freight to the USA was indirect from London Heathrow to Atlanta in the USA. Due to the nature of the goods, an indirect flight on a freighter was the only option to the desired airport in the USA. However, there are daily direct flights from London to all the major US airports if cargo can be accepted on regular passenger flights.
Air freight to the USA from the UK transit time is less than a day if on a direct service, adding a few days either side for acceptance and screening by the airline, UK export customs clearance, and customs clearance in the USA. Indirect can add anything over 2 days to the transit time depending on connections.
If you have air freight to the USA and are looking for a quote, get in touch with our team who will be happy to provide full costing to you. We are also able to offer a complete door to door service if required. Contact our team by calling (+44) 02392 756 575, emailing sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or completing the form below and someone will be in touch.
10, St George’s Business Centre,
St Georges Square,
Portsmouth, PO1 3EZ, UK
Mercator is a family-run, UK based independent freight forwarder, offering highly effective sea, road and air freight services around the world.
