There are a number of considerations when selecting the most appropriate service for moving your home contents. The overall quantity of goods, urgency of delivery, insurance considerations, access and budget all play a part in choosing the service that is right for you.

SEA FREIGHT：This is the most common mode of shipment. Household goods are export packed and stowed in steel water-resistant containers. Containerization of cargo is the key to safety. Containers travel secured in an upright position on modern purpose-built vessels. The normal internal height is 8ft, so even the tallest items of furniture remain upright and contents rarely shift. With rear doors that are customs-sealed, the containers are virtually pilferage-free.

AIR FREIGHT
：Airfreight has the obvious advantage of speed and is recommended for items that need to be there without delay such as wedding gifts, computers, business clothing and tools of trade. Airfreight can be cost-effective, normally for smaller consignments, particularly those to inland destinations many miles from a container port. Consignments are export packed and loaded into transit modules, waterproofed and security sealed, and transported in the cargo hold of passenger or freight aircraft. Transit time by air is typically between 10 and 14 days, however please be mindful that there are strict security regulations.

EXCLUSIVE CONTAINER (FCL): If you are shipping sufficient quantities we will recommend a container for your exclusive use. Often the container can be delivered direct from the destination terminal to your new home, subject to local customs and quarantine formalities, thereby avoiding any unnecessary handling throughout the journey. This method is also known as a Full Container Load. Port to port average transit time by exclusive container varies as below:

1. East Coast USA 4 weeks.

2. West Coast USA 3 weeks

3. South Africa 4 weeks

4. Australia 3 weeks

5. New Zealand 4 weeks

6. Far East 2 weeks

7. Middle East 4 weeks

8. Africa Varies depending on country and if land locked – please discuss with your Excel Customer Service Rep

9. South America 4-5 weeks

This method can also apply if you are shipping a motor vehicle with your household goods where the combined volume amounts to a full container load. Using specialist equipment, the car will be loaded and over-cased with your household goods.

GROUPAGE CONTAINER: The alternative to the exclusive container is the groupage container, whereby your belongings share container space with other consignments bound for the same destination, as soon as sufficient volumes are available. Groupage is a cost-effective solution for smaller shipments as you pay only for the container space utilized. Other terms for groupage include consolidation and part load. Transit by groupage container varies typically from an average of 10 to 16 weeks depending on the destination.

LESS THAN CONTAINER (LCL): Consignments destined for countries not served by regular groupage container services are export wrapped and then packed in (heat treated, from sustainable timber sources) sturdy outer plywood cases (lift vans) and delivered to the container terminal for containerization by our shipping line. This method is known as LCL (less than container load). As bookings can be made for a specific sailing transit times are similar to those by exclusive container.

Once your shipment is dispatched from China, Excel customer service representative will send you the shipping details concerning your shipment: container number, seal number, vessel and voyage number, Estimated departure date and Estimated arrival date. We would also show you how to track the status of your shipment on the website of the shipping lines.

The tracking system of the shipping lines gives you a real time update on the status of your shipment.

Containers are generally available in:
20ft (feet long) (1050 cubic feet capacity, which will apply to a typical 3 bedroom home and a minimalistic 4 bedroom home) and 40ft (2100 cubic feet capacity, which will apply to an average 4 to 5 bedroom home) Service are available to most destinations around the world via direct sea transport and inland haulage where the city / country is land locked.

Smaller (20ft long) insulated containers (or called reefer / NOR) (850 cubic feet capacity – as the container is insulated and there is a none operating refrigerated unit at one end) are also available to Australia and New Zealand

Larger (40ft long) High Cube (2400 cu ft. capacity) that have an additional height to a normal 40ft container of 9ft their entire length – hence the term High Cube!

45ft Super Cube containers (2700 cubic feet capacity) are also available on selected routes where vessels allow. These are as the name depicts 45feet in length.

Whilst internal container dimensions can vary marginally from one shipping line to another the following configurations are generally accepted as industry standard: