Affordable Cost Of Shipping A Container To Sierra Leone
Published by Chris Townsend
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Container To Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone Container Shipping Cost
Attempting to figure out everything that will affect the cost of what you want to ship can be impossible for someone who hasn’t done it before. You might’ve thought of the effect the volume or size of your cargo will have on the shipping charges. There is also the distance to the destination to consider. Three Men And A Truck is an international shipping company that ships to Sierra Leone, and we will help you understand what you need to know if you intend to send items there.
Factors That Affect the Expense of Relocating
Some factors will affect the cost of shipping as they are the metrics by which freight shipping is calculated. They are:
- The volume and weight of the items to be shipped: If your cargo is heavy, it will be more expensive to ship than if it is lighter. This is particularly true when transporting by plane.
- The type of transportation used: Although air is quicker in its delivery times, it is more expensive, which must be considered.
- Distance: The farther the distance between you and the destination, the higher the expense.
- The destination port: Ports have their own rules and regulations, and these rules might incur higher freight costs.
- The peak period: The peak shipping time to Sierra Leone is Between May and September. Christmas might extend the peak period to December. Cargo shipping during this period might incur more charges than at other times of the year.
Which Size of Container Works Best for Me?
What if you want to ship everything in your three-bedroom flat or your car, or 50 fridges? If you want to ship anything close to this in volume, you will need a 20ft container. If your cargo is more than this, then you should look into using a 40ft container.
There are two types of container loads. There is the Full Container Load (FCL) option which is a container full of a single client’s cargo. Then there is Less Than Container Load (LCL). The container is filled with items from different clients. LCL is measured in cubic meters.
Instant Rates For Shipping Containers To Sierra Leone
Average Container Hauling Rates Estimates
FCL shipping is best for transporting lots of boxes, pallets and anything which will require a full container shipping to Sierra Leone of up to 45,000lbs.
Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping Rates | |
|---|---|
| 20 ft Container | $1481 |
| 40 ft Container | $1681 |
LCL shipping is a more affordable way to transport less than container load shipments to Sierra Leone.
Less Than Container (LCL) Shipping Rates | |
|---|---|
| LCL | $151/CBM |
| Personal Effects | $815 |
| Household Goods | $1110 |
International House moving to Sierra Leone services - quick, easy, and cheap.
International House Moving Costs | |
|---|---|
| Partial House (2000Lbs & Less) | $715 |
| 1 Bedroom (3850 Lbs) | $1510 |
| 2 Bedroom (4500 Lbs) | $2615 |
| 3+ Bedroom (8750 Lbs) | $4510 |
International auto transport services to Sierra Leone via RoRo and container ships. Ship cars, trucks, suvs, atv's, boats, RV's, heavy equipment and more.
Container Car Shipping | |
|---|---|
| Sedan via RORO | $1210 |
| SUV via RORO | $1315 |
| Sedan (Container) | $2150 |
| SUV (Container) | $2210 |
Understanding The Different Types of Freight Transportation
Most items are shipped to countries through air, sea, and land. For Sierra Leone, air and sea are the most popular ways through which cargo is brought into the country. Land transportation is used for door service when the cargo comes from neighboring countries.
The shipping method you use if you have large-volume cargo is sea freight shipments. Items like shipping cars, household items, electronics, and food items are usually shipped by sea. It is important to note that shipping by sea might take a while so if you have time-sensitive items don’t use the sea.
Air freight services is very suitable for items that you need to arrive quickly or fragile items. Air shipping, although more expensive in comparison to sea transportation, is more suitable for small parcels than sea transportation.
Additional Costs
There are always added costs to the main cost of shipping, which are usually factored into the initial estimates. They are:
- Insurance: You might need insurance, which will add to the shipping cost.
- Custom fees: Sierra Leone’s import fees range from 15% of the full value of your items. So, your custom fees will depend on what you are shipping.
- Inspection: Your shipment might be inspected at the port, which will add to the cost.
- General Rate Increase (GRI): If the shipping route is particularly popular or dangerous, the shipping rate might be increased.
- Delivery Times: If you need shorter than average delivery times, you might have to pay a premium.
What’s Next?
Looking at all these factors and added costs, it is clear that you need professional help. Call Three Movers for help at (888) 202-0036 for a free quote.
Find Cargo Containers For Freight Transport & Relocation
Frequently Asked Questions
The design and quality of the container determine the maximum payload that may be carried. The capacity and measurement information is usually written on the container’s doors and CSC plate.
But to give you an idea, a 20ft container’s cargo capacity is generally 25.000 kg/ 55.126 lb.
In Sierra Leone, the types of import paperwork required are governed by the government’s normal trade policy and the items being imported. The documentation required for import into Sierra Leone is influenced by the goods being imported, multilateral, bilateral, or unilateral trade agreements, and the Sierra Leone government’s other trade policies.
However, here are the most common required documents for international shipment:
- Commercial and Proforma Invoices
- Bills of Lading
- Packing List
- Shipper’s Letter of Instructions (SLI)
- Automated Export System (AES) Filing
- Certificate of Origin (CO)
- Incoterms
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Operational Instructions
- Shipping Under a Letter of Credit
A bill of lading (BOL) is a legally binding document between two parties. It includes all of the necessary shipping information, such as the shippers’ and consignees’ names and contact information. A thorough list of the things being carried is also included in the BOL along with the quantity and weight of the cargo.
The bill of lading will also include any special instructions for the international shipment.
Once the cargo has been loaded into an FCL shipment, the container will not be opened. It will simply be transported to the agreed-upon location by the shipping company. It may be re-handled at a different port if direct service between sites is unavailable.
Meanwhile, LCL shipments are made up of a variety of shipments from several consignees. Because it contains cargo from many persons or firms, the container will be opened and modified at several ports. LCL goods take longer to arrive than FCL shipments because of this.
Cargo insurance is required to safeguard shipments against inevitable losses during the transportation process.
The safe delivery of cargo is not guaranteed by carriers. While being transported, the containers could be damaged. If this occurs, the carrier’s liability for cargo loss or damage may be waived.
Under maritime law, ocean carriers, in particular, are well-protected. There is no assurance that the ocean carrier will be held liable if your belongings are lost or damaged while being carried by water.
Each country has its own set of rules and restrictions on international trade.
Check out Sierra Leone’s official website first if you’re transporting cargo there. Doing this will save you time and money by avoiding you from packing items that might cause a delay or raise shipping costs.
Here are some examples of items you can’t carry to Sierra Leone:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chemicals, Haz and Non-Haz
- Coffee
- Cologne and Perfume, Haz and Non-Haz
- Communications equipment
- Computer components & parts
- Cosmetics, Haz and Non-Haz
- Drugs, Prescription and Non-Prescription
- Foodstuffs
- Phones/modems
- Tea
- Telecommunications equipment
It is not always necessary for you to be present on-site. You can easily designate someone to accept and sign the freight delivery documents. However, we highly urge that you be there on the day of delivery so that it may be put in a location that is practical for you.
If nobody is around to supervise the delivery, the shipping company will place your container in the most convenient position.
A freight forwarder is a company or individual that manages the movement of goods from one location to another on behalf of the cargo owner.
Freight forwarding aims to ensure that the cargo is retrieved from the seller and delivered to the buyer at the stated destination, at the agreed cost, and in the same quality as when it was collected from the origin, using the best resources and route possible.
Customs brokers help their customers remove barriers to global trade and help with customs clearance. Whether you’re a single individual, a small business, or a huge multinational, customs brokers use their knowledge to assist items in customs in foreign nations. By simplifying cargo flow across borders, customs brokers reduce the stress associated with international shipments for their clients.
A non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) is an ocean carrier that conveys goods using its own House Bill of Lading or comparable documents rather than ocean transportation boats. An NVOCC rents space from another ocean carrier, known as a Vessel Operating Common Carrier (VOCC), which it then sells to its own clients.
