International Air Freight
Air Freight is ideally suited for transporting small consignments to far away destinations in a short amount of time. Air freight connects the world faster but is generally expensive and therefore limited to small consignments not exceeding one cubic metre or 167 Kgs. Our proximity to Malaga-Costa del Sol international airport (IATA code AGP) enables us to offer our customers a prompt and reliable freight forwarding service to all major destinations worldwide .
PRICING
Air freight rates are determined either by volume (known as dimensional weight) or actual weight. Dimensional weight is determined by multiplying length x width x height in cms and dividing the sum by 6000. You must calculate dimensional weight on every shipment , compare this to the actual weight, and use the greater of the two to determine the final shipping cost. This is what's known as chargeable weight.
DESTINATIONS
Over the years Britannia Southern has organised air shipments to places such as Saudi Arabia, UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philipinnes, Canada, South Africa, India and the Cayman Islands . European destinations are far less common because there are other more economical transport options available.
OVERSEAS SHIPPING (EXPORT)
Britannia Southern can provide its clients with a door to door removal service thanks to our worldwide network of reputable destination agents . We're very privileged to have three shipping ports ( Malaga, Cadiz and Algeciras ) at our disposal within a 250kms radius of our Mijas Costa depot enabling us to provide our customers with fast loading times and competitive rates. Shipments are generally divided into three categories:
FCL
FCL means Full Container Load. The client has exclusive use of a shipping container, meaning no space sharing takes place. To warrant an FCL shipment the customer ought to be able to fill a considerable proportion of the container to make it cost effective. In most cases the goods are loaded directly at the client's address (subject to good access & parking) where the seal is placed onto the container door. Cargo exclusivity also guarantees added security.
LCL
LCL shipping stands for Less than Container Load. Various consignments will be consolidated into one single container to make the shipment viable. This option is used when the cargo volume doesn't warrant an entire shipping container. Cargo must be placed into crates or liftvans but never loose. The client pays only for the space used in the container. Transit times are generally slower and freight is shipped to the destination port only.
GROUPAGE
The grouping together of several consignments into full container loads, also known as consolidation. It is important to note that the word groupage is in reference to the service offered by a freight forwarder -Britannia Movers International in this case- as opposed to when a shipping line consolidates small loads, in which case it is classed as an LCL service. Consignments don't need to be crated but a full export packing and wrapping service is still required.
OUR SERVICE
-
Survey the goods, advise the client of the different shipping options available and provide a written door to door quotation.
-
Inform the client of the current customs regulations and supply all the relevant customs forms to be completed before the move.
-
Select the most appropriate shipping container based on the volume of the goods and book the container.
-
Export pack and wrap the consignment on site, prepare a full inventory of the goods to be shipped and label each item.
-
Load and stow the goods directly into the shipping container (subject to good access) and place the carrier's seal onto the door.
-
Liaise with the destination agent and forward all relevant documentation to allow customs clearance and delivery.
DESTINATION AGENT (IMPORT)
As destination agents we liaise with the customer, the moving company and our customs clearing agent to make certain all the necessary documentation submitted to us is in order. Once the consignment has been cleared by Spanish customs we can take delivery of the container. On unloading, the inventory lists provided to us by the moving company at origin will be carefully verified by our staff and any signs of damage will be noted. If the final delivery address can be verified as being good for the truck transporting the container (no narrow roads or difficult parking), then we can arrange for the container to be positioned directly outside your new address. Otherwise we can unload the goods into our own warehouse and arrange for prompt delivery using our own smaller vehicles.
CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
To ensure a stress-free move the client must be aware of the customs clearance requirements before the goods are shipped into the container. It's important for the client to understand that no two imports are the same and regulations change constantly. Please don't rely on internet forums or Facebook groups for this type of information.
REQUIRED DOCS
This is a brief list of the documents required for a duty-free import into Spain (revised April 2021). This info is provided for general guidance only and as such Britannia Southern will accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies or outdated information:
CONTAINER DIMENSIONS
There are many types and sizes of shipping containers but for moving household goods we only need to concentrate on three of them: 20ft Standard, 40ft Standard and 40ft High Cube:
COUNTRY GUIDES
Britannia has created a series of guides covering all aspects of moving. We hope you'll find them informative and entertaining.
VIEW GUIDE
