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A quick question for anyone who has shipped stuff from the mainland here to the Big Island.
We are returning to the Bay Area in a few weeks to gather up our remaining possessions and send them here -- can anyone recommend the least expensive way to do so. (No furniture, just boxes upon boxes upon boxes...) We'd especially like the name of companies you've had good experience with. We have nowhere near a container full, which we know ends up costing more.
Thanks for any ideas and for this wonderful website!
Aloha,
Christina & Rainer
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I just came back to the Bay Area to do the exact same thing. I'll let you know what I find out. So far I've heard Matson from most folks who have shipped. I'm interested in sharing a container with you if I run out of room in the container I'm slated to share. Are you thinking you can't fill a 20' container or a 40'? I'd be hard pressed to even fill a 10' at this point
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *
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We wouldn't fill a 10' either, but definitely let's keep in touch, so maybe we could help reduce both of our costs!
Aloha!
Posts: 15
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Joined: Sep 2007
I just checked Matson's website and the smallest they offer is a 20' -- I think there are other companies that offer less than full containers. Do let us know if you have some extra space -- almost everything we have is in boxes and we'll know more when we get to California, but I think we have something that equates to about 60 medium-sized boxes, along with perhaps a few odd sized items.
Aloha...
Posts: 397
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krysinge, I just sent a private email to your yahoo account.
For anyone else that's interested, here's the matson quote to ship port to port (oakland to hilo)
20' $3520
40' $5993
note that this is port to port, NOT door to door. You have to find someplace to pack up your container. You can't pack it at the Matson yard. You have to pay to have the container delived to the pack up location and returned to port. (aka Door to Door service).
The shipping price is the same whether you own your container or use Matson's. Matson will NOT sell you one of their seaworthy containers. If you ship your own container it must be ISO certified for ocean travel which takes time and money if the certification has lapsed. There's a recent thread about certification on Punaweb, search function should find it.
whee....
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *
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We used Movers Pac Man when we moved. They do door-to-door and did a great job for us.
We had a full container but I think they do smaller units as well.
Robin
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Robin did Pac Man make you leave the container unlocked? Matson's tell us they put these flimzy aluminum seal straps because if Homeland Security or Port Authority wants inside to check things out they can. Leaves an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach having such easy access to all our posessions.
Did you have an inventory list, pictures ....Insurance was it a new policy or a ryder from your previous homeowners.
The pressure, I'm getting to old for this....hahaha not really...well maybe a little too old.......
Aloha HADave aka Old Man Wyntah
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
The best things in life are free.... or have no interest or payments for one full year.
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Thinking again about this locking issue I just called Matson's again on the lock issue. First let make it clear that I have been dealing with one rep for quite some time now but he was unavailable this evening/afternoon. Anyway this new rep tells me that your container can be locked and if yours is singled out by HLS or PA they will cut the lock off and replace it with a seal. Makes me feel quite abit better. However is Matson's our best choice for shippers?? hmmm.
The Red Tape just keeps getting reddah ; )
HADave
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
The best things in life are free.... or have no interest or payments for one full year.
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The biggest problem I'm running into is where to put the darn container while I load it. I've already moved, so the option of getting a permit to drop a container on 'my street' isn't an option. Is anyone else in the same predicament? I may have a lead on a load spot in west oakland.. hopefully they'll say yes. If it goes well I hope to open it up as a loading option for all of us HI-bound containerati.
cripes it's cold in Oakland right now! I wanna come home to Puna!
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *
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Has anyone used West Point Relocation? They advertise in Hawaii Magazine. We are planning a January move to out house in Leilani from So. California.
