Take a look at our list of avoidable charges below and save yourself some time and effort. Different countries have different rules for how they allow personal effects into their borders. And when customs finds that something is incomplete or isn't legal in their country, the bill for additional charges ends up at our front door because we're the team in charge of looking after your stuff. Naturally, we pass that bill onto you. Make sure you don't get any extra nasty bills by reading the page below. It's in your best interests!
Personal Effects:
"Personal Effects" refers to privately-owned items that can be worn or carried on the person or items that are used in the person's residence and are not commercial goods meant for re-sale. They must be bona fide property of the person sending these items for 6 months or more. Actually, let’s break it down a bit.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can I wear it? - Yes, allowed.
- Can I drink it? - Perhaps in certain countries and only a certain amount. Any duty applicable will be charged by Customs at the destination.
- Can I plant it? No. That’s not allowed.
- Can I smoke it? No. Not allowed either.
- Can I take items that are used to fix something? No. Spare parts or car parts are not classified as ‘personal effects’.
- Can I take items that I use for my trade or livelihood? Yep. These are classified as ‘personal effects’.
Incorrectly labelled cartons, suitcases or other items
You probably don’t need us to tell us this but...well we’re going to tell you anyway. Your name, destination address and customer reference number should be clearly written on each carton, suitcase or other item. There will be a charge for each incorrectly-labelled carton, suitcase or other item. You have been warned. Here are the charges:
Australia AUD 5.00 each
Canada CAD 4.00 each
China CNY 30.00 each
Hong Kong HKD 30.00 each
Ireland (Eire) Euros 3.00 each
New Zealand NZD 6.00 each
Singapore SGD 6.00 each
South Africa ZAR 30.00 each
United Kingdom GBP 2.00 each
United States USD 4.00 each
Not securely taped cartons
Australia AUD 5.00 each
Canada CAD 4.00 each
China CNY 30.00 each
Hong Kong HKD 30.00 each
Ireland (Eire) Euros 3.00 each
New Zealand NZD 6.00 each
Singapore SGD 6.00 each
South Africa ZAR 30.00 each
United Kingdom GBP 2.00 each
United States USD 4.00 each
Returned shipping boxes
Seven Seas Worldwide provides you with chemically-hardened shipping boxes to securely pack your personal effects. They’re great. These boxes are made specifically for the Seven Seas Worldwide group and we strongly recommend that you use them to ensure the safe and secure shipment of your unaccompanied excess baggage. You won’t find another box like it.
We understand how difficult it is to estimate the exact numbers of boxes you may require; consequently we suggest that you overestimate the number of boxes you think you’ll require – after all, it’s better to have too many than not enough, right?
All unused boxes will be recollected at the same time as your packed boxes. In circumstances when these boxes may have been soiled (for example, the packing box has been assembled but not used to pack) there will be an additional charge for each carton that is returned in an unusable state or not returned at all. That’s how we roll. The charges are:
Australia AUD 15.00 each
Canada CAD 10.00 each
China CNY 70.00 each
Hong Kong HKD 70.00 each
Ireland (Eire) Euros 10.00 each
New Zealand NZD 15.00 each
Singapore SGD 14.00 each
South Africa ZAR 75.00 each
United Kingdom GBP 5.00 each
United States USD 10.00 each
Boxes exceeding the indicated maximum weight
Each box has a maximum weight allowance of 30kg or 40kg depending on the destination country. You will be advised of the maximum weight allowance at the time of booking, so don’t worry. If any of the boxes in your consignment exceed the maximum weight, an additional charge will be applied. The additional charge will be the accumulated exceeded weight calculated as additional boxes.
Incomplete Shipping Documentation
At the same time as you receive your empty boxes you will also receive all the forms and a list of all the documentation required. All the completed forms and documentation required should be enclosed within the envelope supplied and attached securely to the TOP of the first carton. If the documentation is not returned at the time of collection and we need to contact you to recover the outstanding documentation there will be an additional charge for each attempt:
Australia AUD 6.00 per attempt
Canada CAD 5.00 per attempt
China CNY 35.00 per attempt
Hong Kong HKD 35.00 per attempt
Ireland (Eire) Euros 4.00 per attempt
New Zealand NZD 7.00 per attempt
Singapore SGD 7.00 per attempt
South Africa ZAR 38.00 per attempt
United Kingdom GBP 2.50 per attempt
United States USD 5.00 per attempt
Change to destination address additional charge
Every consignment needs to be custom-cleared on arrival in the destination country. If the destination address is changed after your consignment has arrived and custom-cleared in the destination country, a new custom clearance will have to take place. This will incur an additional charge of:
Australia AUD 60.00
Canada CAD 50.00
China CNY 350.00
Hong Kong HKD 350.00
Ireland (Eire) Euros 36.00
New Zealand NZD 70.00
Singapore SGD 70.00
South Africa ZAR 375.00
United Kingdom GBP 25.00
United States USD 50.00
Bike pedals removal charge
If you are shipping a bike, you should remove the pedals prior to the collection. If the pedals need to be removed by Seven Seas Worldwide staff there will be an additional charge of:
Australia AUD 36.00
Canada CAD 30.00
China CNY 210.00
Hong Kong HKD 350.00
Ireland (Eire) Euros 22.00
New Zealand NZD 42.00
Singapore SGD 41.00
South Africa ZAR 225.00
United Kingdom GBP 15.00
United States USD 30.00
Late Payment Charges
Payment must be made within 7 days of the collection/ invoice date. If not, late payment charges will incur:
Australia
AUD 60.00 after 7 days and AUD 36.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas Worldwide support
Canada
CAD 50.00 after 7 days and CAD 30.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
China
CNY 350.00 after 7 days and CNY 210.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
Hong Kong
HKD 350.00 after 7 days and HKD 210.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
Ireland (Eire)
Euros 36.00 after 7 days and Euros 22.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
New Zealand
NZD 70.00 after 7 days and NZD 42.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
Singapore
SGD 68.00 after 7 days and SGD 41.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
South Africa
ZAR 375.00 after 7 days and ZAR 225.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
United Kingdom
GBP 25.00 after 7 days and GBP 15.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas support
United States
USD 50.00 after 7 days and USD 30.00 for each additional week thereafter, week one starting on the first Monday after day 7, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. After 12 weeks your consignment will be given to a local charity that Seven Seas Support.
Confiscation Fee
All shipments by air are subject to a security inspection including an x-ray scan prior to loading. Seven Seas Worldwide cannot return any confiscated goods under any circumstances. Any Prohibited Hazardous Goods found in your shipment will be removed and destroyed. Confiscation of ‘Prohibited Goods’ will incur an additional charge of:
Australia AUD 180.00
Canada CAD 150.00
China CNY 1050.00
Hong Kong HKD 1050.00
Ireland (Eire) Euros 108.00
New Zealand NZD 210.00
Singapore SGD 210.00
South Africa ZAR 1125.00
United Kingdom GBP 75.00
United States USD 150.00