Air Freight - UK to Argentina

The Bede

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Out of the frying pan
... Anybody got any recommendations for air freighting a GS to South America, Buenos Aires specifically.

... Tried e-mailing James Cargo, they can't even be bothered to reply :nenau
 
INFO

Try Mark Reid @ Cargo Insurance Services mate.

Tell +44 (0)7771 895118.

Met the bloke in a pub in Tumbridge, seemed like i good bloke and very helpfull about freight and bikes. Think he is the Director.

Good Luck :)
 
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Further info

That last number was his Mob this one is the office Tell 0161 498 4908

Fax 0870 756 7441

Cargo Insurance Service
Room 11
Building 308
World Freight Terminal
Manchester International Airport
Manchester
M90 5PZ

:) :)
 
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all freight companies are a law unto themselves on time keeping...

James cargo are good always best to phone them up, we use Rocket Cargo in Egham very good, very expensive however but very good...
 
... Thanks for the information. I'm wary of the 'law unto themselves' comment about shippers, I would like to see 'The Prawn' and I re-united safely and reasonably promptly in Buenos Aires. But hey-ho a day or three won't make a lot of difference.

... Keep it coming Tossers! :thumb

... John
 
Packing and shipping

Hi Bede,
Shipping bikes no problems as we ship boats in boxes etc all over the world and have a friendly shipper (Premier Shipping and Packing) www.psap.co.uk
would be good to meet up in November as planning to arrive some time then
and then go down to Terria del fuego and Patagonia then up though Chile
My first worry will be clearing customs and not speaking Spanish!
Regards
Roly
 
No personal experience but know a few who've air frieghted their bikes over.

Don't get a return ticket. Cheaper getting airfrieght back from south america than going. A lot cheaper.
 
No personal experience but know a few who've air frieghted their bikes over.

Don't get a return ticket. Cheaper getting airfrieght back from south america than going. A lot cheaper.

... Sage advice and very welcome :thumb2

... TBH I might try and sell it down here, I can probably add $2000 to the UK resale value, then buy another bike when I get back to the UK (Or I'll leave the GS in Argie while I pay a flying visit back to blighty, if I'm coming back here next year too!)

... One quote, air-freight from the UK £1750 one way to Buenos Aires :eek: (and it has to be BsAs). I won't name and shame until they've had a chance to 're-work' the price, I think they've included crating with screen, bars, mirrors, top-box and panniers all in place.

... Roly - I'll let you know what I know, when I know it. There is supposed to be a Horizons Unlimited gathering early-mid december in Viedma, Argentina, which is between BsAs and Tierra Del Fuego if you're route planning. I'm going to be 'skirmishing' from a base :)eyebrow) in BsAs rather than touring the whole continent.

Anyways, anywheres it will be good to greet a fellow tosser on the road in Sarf America - John


P.S. - I did call in on Cordasco Motohaus, BMW main dealer in BsAs. They have a reasonable BWM oriented workshop and I spoke briefly with the after-sales service manager Large Brendan-Finnen (don't ask!), he speaks some English.

I haven't looked at costs yet, but it might be economically advatageous to 're-pack' the bike in an original BWM factory carton (depends on shipping volume/weight equation) and then re-build it locally. Cordasco will not collect bikes from the airport, because they get accused of duty-jumping, but given Cordasco's £20 per hour labour charge it might be easier to just truck the carton from the airport to their shop and leave them to it.

... www.cordasco.bmw.com.ar

... Cordasco Motohaus SA, JA Cabrera 3698 (C1186AR), Capital Federal, Buenos Aires +54 11 4866 5727
 
... TBH I might try and sell it down here, I can probably add $2000 to the UK resale value, then buy another bike when I get back to the UK (Or I'll leave the GS in Argie while I pay a flying visit back to blighty, if I'm coming back here next year too!)

Hi Bede...
Values of all imported bikes here in Argentina are higher than UK but...

Beware...

Currently an individual cannot, without prior authorisation from Customs, permanantly import a used MC into Argentina.
(If permission is obtained, permanent imports are possible but the import duty will be 100% plus other charges,:eek:)

Bikes to use here are therefore brought in on a temporary importation basis which is typically valid for 3 months. :(
This can be 'renewed' by an overnight trip to Chile or Paraguay though. :augie
Your shippers in BsAs may have more detailed info...

As usual, research beforehand and a good shipping agent avoids grief at customs...
DAMHIK!! :blast

Good luck!
Charlie

PS:
Just remembered, Warthog air freighted his 1150 down to BsAs last November so he may be along with a few thoughts. I'll post his blog if I can find it...

and here it is...
http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/London/Heathrow-Airport/blog-89809.html
 
Hi Bede...
Values of all imported bikes here in Argentina are higher than UK but...

Beware...

Currently an individual cannot, without prior authorisation from Customs, permanantly import a used MC into Argentina.
(If permission is obtained, permanent imports are possible but the import duty will be 100% plus other charges,:eek:)

Bikes to use here are therefore brought in on a temporary importation basis which is typically valid for 3 months.

... Thanks for the heads up Charlie, yes I am loosely aware of the 'official' market requirements :nono

... For my own purposes I'll be spinning in and out of BsAs as required to 'renew' the 90 day permit (Fray Bentos is interesting if you fancy a spin into Uruguay and I have 'family' business in Chile so the Mendoza-Santiago trip is a definite).

... Beyond that :nenau ... let's just say I could probably add $4000 if every last 'T' was crossed and 'I' dotted :augie

... Thanks for the link to Warthog's blog.
 
Brasil

If you come to Brasil give me a bell (005519) - 81862762, or email me on fercasado[at]hotmail[dot]com. Will be glad to help!

As Charlie says, VERY difficult to ´permanent import´ a bike into Argentina.
 
If you come to Brasil give me a bell (005519) - 81862762, or email me on fercasado[at]hotmail[dot]com. Will be glad to help!

As Charlie says, VERY difficult to ´permanent import´ a bike into Argentina.

... Thanks for the contact, not sure if I'll get as far north in Brazil as Campinas (not that your very far north), but plans will change during my stay. It will be good to meet fellow tossers 'on the road. :thumb2

... I'm very familiar with South America, particularly Mercosur countries, having the GS with me will be a new experience. The permanent 'official' :)augie ) import situation is difficult and costly into Argentina. But as I don't have a long term visa I'm going to be taking advantage of the 90 'free-pass'. I can get into Uruguay at the Gualeguaychu bridge in three hours by road from BsAs (if it isn't blocked by the Botnia protestors).
 
Highly over-excited Bede

... Freight flights booked with James Cargo
... Bike delivered and crated Wed 25th July, Colnbrook
... Bede delivered and crated Thurs 26th July, Heathrow
... Bede uncrated Fri 27th July, BsAs
... Bike uncrated Mon 30th/Tues 31st, BsAs

... Just got the IDP, all that's needed now is local insurance when I get there.

... Sincere thanks to all who have offered advice and assistance :thumb

... 'Kin aaaaaayyy :roll
 
Doncha just love it when the plan comes together

... And it did :thumb

... Details of Argentinian customs clearance process will follow the happy snappy in due course
 

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The Gruesome Details

... Wrote this up for James Cargo who very succesfully air freighted The Prawn to Buenos Aires for me (+44 (0)1753 68772 - Mark Burgess :thumb) and for anyone else who's interested (sorry it's so long!)...

Jetting a bike into Argentina

You’ve left your pride and joy in the hands of the air freight company and you step nervously onto your flight to Buenos Aires. If everything goes according to plan you will be re-united in a day or two. But what will you have to do to get your bike out of Buenos Aires international airport?

There appear to be two choices, each has its own merits: -

Option 1 – Contact Dakar Motos in Buenos Aires

Dakar Motos, Carlos Tejador 1379, C.P.1604CLA Florida, Vicente Lopez
+54 11 4730 0586 www.dakarmotos.com dakarmotos@hotmail.com

Sandra and Javier have the necessary expertise to help you complete the customs documentation and can arrange transport for your crated machine to their workshop, or to another location, to ready it for the road.

The big benefit of this method is that you have expert assistance to help you negotiate the system as quickly as possible. You will get advice in advance of how and what to pack with you bike and will have experts to assist you with any unanticipated hitches. This will be of interest to anyone who is not confident of dealing with local bureaucracy in Spanish.

You may not want to ride your bike out of the airport fully loaded in unfamiliar territory and the service offered by Sandra and Javier will give you time and space to do things at your own pace. Bear this in mind if you have no prior experience of Argentina.

Option 2 – Do it yourself

If you’re a confident traveller, perhaps with experience of Buenos Aires and Argentina, and with some knowledge of Spanish you may want to go through the process on your own.

You will need: -
- Your national drivers licence and an International Driving Permit (IDP)
- Argentinian 3rd party insurance, acquire from
ATM (Assitencia Total de Motoristas), Sarmiento 930, 3rd Floor
Buenos Aries – Tel +54 11 4394 1750
Mon-Fri Only, this is downtown so do it the day before the bike arrives
- National registration document and title to your machine
UK reg docs are not regarded as ‘titles’ take your original sale invoice
- Passport
- Carnet de Passage if you have one for countries you intend to visit other
than Argentina
- Basic packing list – Bike reg# ‘X’, riders clothes, service spares etc,
avoid excessive detail
- Screwdriver (Phillips), swiss-army knife
- 12v compressor or foot pump, tyre pressure gauge,
- A litre or two of fuel if your bike has been shipped with a totally drained tank.
Plus whatever other ‘rebuild’ tools you need
if they are not packed with the bike.
- A pick-up truck and driver if you need to recover your crate (Dakar Motos!)
- GPS or a map book, available from Shell and other gas stations.
- At least 500 Argentine Pesos, mix of denominations

1 – Go to the freight terminal (Terminal de Cargas) at Ezeiza airport and locate the office of the airline that has shipped your machine. They will provide you with the landing documents for a fee. I paid ArPs150 ($50) which I believe is typical, if not standard.

2 – From the airline office go across to the freight ‘Depositorio B’ and locate the office for ‘Particulares’. You need to start at the Aduana (Customs) Office 2 where they will first try to get you to produce a carnet-de-passage, although this is not strictly required it makes life easier for the customs people. A little charm and politeness will help you to start the process for a temporary tourist import, an initial form is filled out for you.

3 – Your bike must be located ‘in the system’ so you will be transferred to the Terminal de Cargas staff inside the warehouse (not customs) who will get a warehouse address within the Depositorio and reference number for you. It can take an hour or two for this to happen after landing.

4 – Go back to customs administration (office 2) who will then complete their internal documentation before referring you to a customs agent (office 3), who is responsible for checking that what you say you are bringing in is really what is in the crate (engine and frame numbers).

5 – They will ask you to make copies of any documents they feel necessary at the Terminal de Cargas office. You WILL go back and forth for an hour or so getting each box ticked, be patient (or use Dakar Motos). Lunch and other normal interruptions will add delays that you are powerless to deal with. There is a canteen and snack facility by the airlines offices if you need to kick your heels for an hour.

6 – Physical examination of the bike. Make sure you know where your frame and engine numbers are located. This is where you will need the screwdriver and swiss-army knife.

7 – If all goes well you will get permission to uncrate and ‘rebuild’ your bike. You will have to surrender you passport to the Agent and are not allowed to leave yet. Keep the bar-coded Terminal de Cargas label from the crate (swiss army knife)

8 – Return to Office 3, where they will give you the near-completed import document folio and your passport. You may not leave yet.

9 – Go back to the Terminal de Cargas office. You will need to pay ‘storage’ which sounds daft if the bike only arrived that day, but it encompasses ArPS220 ($70) for the fork-truck which moved your ‘heavy-load’ and ArPs70 ($30) because it is also classed as ‘dangerous’ cargo. You can’t fight it pay it, but you can use a credit card if you need to.

10 – Take your receipt back to office 2, and then office 3 as instructed, where the final stamps will be added to the folio and the agent will issue the temporary import document. I had to sign on about 20 dotted lines at this stage. All being well the Agent will shake your hand and wish you ‘suerte’ … luck!

11 – You can go, but only when the security guard in the warehouse has checked your receipt and taken a copy.

12 – Head to the exit gate as directed, about 50 meters from the Depositorio warehouse, here is the final check from a customs Agent. He is looking for an itemised exit receipt and the label from the crate. If you have lots of loose gear, such as tyres and camping stuff strapped on, he/she may well question you, don’t lose your cool tell him everything is ‘juntos’ (together). I am told people have been turned around here, so at the risk of repeating myself be calm and you should be able to ride out

13 – Except that is for getting out through the parking area barrier without paying for parking … I did, but I’m not entirely sure how!

14 – There is a gas station just in front of the terminal buildings, the next one is 10kms towards BsAs, but you need to come off the highway at a junction to reach it.

15 – You will need 1peso and 40 centavos in tolls for the auto-pista to get back to downtown BsAs if that’s where you’re heading - 2007 prices.

Top-Tips

Whatever happens be polite, be charming and let the bureaucrats you deal with understand that this is a great opportunity for you to visit Argentina, that you are a decent friendly person and wish to co-operate. Customs have their job to do, they will let you through if your stuff is in order, if you’re a real charmer they will help you along.

Do not lose your cool and get ‘antsy’ as each new apparent ‘hurdle’ presents itself.

Do not offer any document not asked for, especially your packing list (although you should keep one to hand), you may get a temporary bike import certificate without a hitch and end up paying duty, or the even more complicated ‘agregado’ (added value duty) on spark-plugs, tyres or other spares you are carrying.

Do not underestimate how much time a ‘smooth’ import process will take, 3-4 hours for paperwork and an hour of re-build time and you’re ahead of the crowd, budget all day for a morning flight arrival.

You’ll need to be hell of a packer to get your crate on the back of the bike!

It is entirely possible to get the bike out on your own and intensely satisfying to do so, but it’s not for the fainthearted.

Dakar Motos will charge you for their services, but may save you heartache and additional costs if they can help you avoid additional storage charges and duty payments on tools, riding gear, camping gear and service spares. They can also give you lots of other valuable advice and they offer other bike related services including workshop facilities. I would recommend you pay Sandra and Javier a visit if you’re in Buenos Aires anyway they are great friends to all bike adventurers
 
Hi John,

And so you have arrived, you jammy bastid. Not that I'm jealous or anything. Oh no, not me. :augie :eek:

A detailed and useful post there on the import procedures which will be of interest to others going that way. :clap:clap

Have a great time mate. Post plenty of pics and reports please. :)
 
Good luck on your travels there, John. :thumb2

I've phoned my Uncle Josef in BsAs and told him to have a cold bier ready for you :beerjug:
 


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