FAQs: How can we help?

Finding a reliable shipping company to move your personal belongings can be overwhelming. Look for shipping companies with plenty of experience and multilingual customer support, and consider the benefits of their moving services, such as whether they handle customs clearance or provide packaging.

Here are just a few reasons why choosing Seven Seas Worldwide is the right decision:

• No hidden fees: for 100% transparency, our shipping quotes provide a clear, itemised breakdown of all the costs involved. Plus, we never ask for full payment upfront; instead, we charge in affordable instalments.
• Seamless shipping from start to finish: we control a global shipping network of depots, enabling us to handle the entire moving process. That's why we can promise that from the time you place your order to the moment we deliver your shipment, you'll communicate with us and only us (unless you are shipping via our door-to-port service, in which case you are responsible for finding your own agent in the destination country). 
• First-class customer service: our support team successfully guides thousands of customers each year through the shipping process. Our expert team speaks several languages, including Cantonese, Afrikaans, Thai, Mandarin, and English, and is available 24 hours from Monday to Friday, with limited coverage on weekends, to assist with any questions or concerns about your move.
• Over 25 years of experience: we've been shipping personal effects both internationally and domestically for many years, so you can trust your items are in safe hands. Our friendly team are also expert in handling the customs clearance process, thanks to their in-depth local knowledge.
• Convenient collection and delivery: our shipping process is designed to be as seamless and straightforward as possible. Simply, get a free instant quote, and choose a convenient date for us to pick up your boxes and bags shipment or deliver a MoveCube® for you to load. Our team will collect the items from your door, and then, once you've completed the online documentation, they'll handle the rest, including customs clearance and delivery to their destination (unless shipping via our door-to-port service).

International shipping is the process of sending goods from one country to another. At Seven Seas Worldwide, we send large shipments via sea using a MoveCube® shipping container or, for smaller shipments, via air or sea with our Boxes and Bags Shipping service. 

Here's how the international shipping process works in a few simple steps: 

• Get a free online quote: first, enter the from and to addresses and provide as much information as possible about the belongings you want to ship into our instant quote tool. After you've got a clear, itemised price, place your order and pick suitable dates for us to deliver any packing materials you've requested and, if you've ordered a MoveCube®, conduct a site inspection. 
• Pack your items: carefully pack the goods you want to ship into the empty boxes or MoveCube® our team will deliver to your address. To ensure they reach their destination safely, place the heaviest items at the bottom of the box and wrap each piece individually in plenty of bubble wrap.
• Fill in the documentation: finally, log into your online account and complete the inventory list recording the contents of all your containers, optional insurance forms to protect your goods should a mishap occur during their journey, and the customs form (for international shipments). Then, upload scans of your passport pages and, if required, your visa. Once you've arranged collection, we'll handle the rest, transporting your shipment overseas, through customs and to its destination.

The Seven Seas Worldwide MoveCube® is your answer to an easier move. These sturdy and secure wooden crates come in three sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. They are big enough to step into but small enough for us to park outside your home. Essentially, it's your own dedicated shipping container, delivered to your door, ready for you to load.

Here are some significant ways the MoveCube® differs from traditional removals:

• Total security: while other removal companies often pack your personal effects with other households, the MoveCube® is a sole-use container. Once loaded, we seal the MoveCube® in front of you. We won't re-open it until it arrives at your new address unless a customs or quarantine inspection is required, which our trusted team will oversee and document.
• Amend your booking: most removalists charge a penalty fee if you ask to amend a fixed quote, which can put you in an expensive situation if your plans change. Fortunately, our flexible moving service allows you to alter the size or number of MoveCubes® as long as you let us know a few working days before their arrival. 
• Free storage: we offer international moves two weeks of free storage at our secure storage facilities in both the origin and destination (depending on the country and excluding our door-to-port service), allowing you enough time to travel to your new home. 
• We handle customs: instead of passing your removals shipment to another moving company at the destination, where you'll have to complete the shipping documentation, we own depots in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. This enables us to use our global team's vast local knowledge to complete the necessary quarantine and customs clearance procedures, so you don't have to worry!
• Real-time updates: as we control the entire MoveCube® removals process, we can promise that from the moment you book your order through to delivery, you'll be speaking with us and only us, and we pride ourselves on consistently delivering a quality service. We'll even give you access to an online tracker so you can keep an eye on the location of your belongings for total peace of mind.

We can move belongings both internationally and domestically (in most countries) via our MoveCube® and Boxes and Bags Shipping services, whether to and from the door of your property or one of our depots. 

Our door-to-door service differs slightly depending on whether you opt for the Boxes and Bags Shipping service or a MoveCube®. 

If you choose the Boxes and Bags Shipping service, delivery and collection are from the door of the building provided in the origin and destination addresses — for a house, this is the front door, but for an apartment block, it will be the entrance of the building.  

If you choose the MoveCube® service, delivery and collection is similarly from the door of the building provided in the addresses. However, our driver must be able to park within 20 meters of the entrance so they can keep their vehicle within eyesight.

Please note that if we attempt to deliver a MoveCube® but your destination address is unsuitable, we will change your job from door-to-door shipping to our door-to-depot service. 

If we or one of our partners cannot deliver a MoveCube® to your destination address, you can arrange a date to collect your belongings from your nearest Seven Seas Worldwide depot once the container has been shipped and cleared through customs. 

We also offer depot-to-door MoveCube® shipping, where you bring your items to one of our depots and load the MoveCube® there for us to ship, and depot-to-depot, where both loading and unloading occur at depots in your origin and destination countries.

If you choose our door-to-port shipping service, we will collect your packed boxes and bags or loaded MoveCube® from your property and transport them overseas. The receiving agent will notify you when your shipment arrives at the destination country. 

You must then clear your belongings through the customs and, if applicable, quarantine agencies. However, in some countries, you might need to hire a customs broker to arrange this process. 

Once you've paid the destination charges (please note that port charges are not included in your quote, only a price range — you will be billed separately by the receiving agent), your shipment will be available for you to collect from the receiving agent's depot, who will advise you whether this location is inside or outside the port. If you've moved your possessions via a MoveCube®, you must unload the container and then arrange for its disposal. 

Built from double-walled, chemically-hardened cardboard and designed to withstand long journeys, our shipping boxes are the best you'll find.

Do note, though, to keep yourselves and our drivers safe, we can't take any container weighing over 30kg/66lbs. Instead, please split the contents of heavy boxes between two containers and remember the golden rule of packing — you'll always need more boxes than you think. 

Here are the dimensions for the two most common sizes we provide:

Large box

External dimensions:

Height:
61cm / 24 inches

Width: 
51cm / 20 inches

Length: 
41cm / 16.14 inches

Standard box

External dimensions:

Height:
51cm / 20 inches

Width: 
41cm / 16.14 inches

Length: 
31cm / 12.2 inches

Our MoveCubes® are available in three sizes: Large, Medium and Small — see below for their dimensions. Each can carry up to 1.25 tonnes (1 tonne in Europe), and we provide multiples for larger shipments.

Large MoveCube®

Internal dimensions:
146cm/57 inches (W)
187cm/73 inches (H)
226cm/88 inches (D)

 

Medium MoveCube®

Internal dimensions:
111cm/43 inches (W)
187cm/73 inches (H)
146cm/57 inches (D)

 

Small MoveCube®

Internal dimensions:
96cm/35 inches (W)
187cm/73 inches (H)
111cm/43 inches (D)

 

Yes, you can request as many MoveCubes® per order as needed (although they might arrive on separate days). With each order, you'll receive a free Starter Pack, including sticky numbered labels to attach to the interior of the MoveCube®. The numbers must correspond to the number you have assigned to each MoveCube® in your Inventory Packing List.

Below are the three main reasons Seven Seas Worldwide isn't a member of BAR (British Association of Removers): 

Our services are unique compared to those offered by BAR members

BAR members operate as traditional movers and often offer bespoke packing services for removals. 

Conversely, Seven Seas Worldwide's revolutionary international removals solution, the MoveCube®, is essentially your own dedicated shipping container, delivered to your door, ready for you to load with assistance from the driver.

Our transparent pricing is different from BAR members

BAR members charge one lumpsum price upfront before the dates are booked.

However, Seven Seas Worldwide offers a three-stage payment plan for international moves where you pay a security deposit upon booking, the Shipping and Transportation charge following collection and a destination charge once your shipment has cleared customs and is ready for delivery to the destination address. 

Seven Seas Worldwide is with your shipment from start to finish

BAR members only control the shipment until it departs the origin country; your belongings are then handed over to an agent at the destination.

Instead, Seven Seas Worldwide controls your shipment from the point of collection to the point of delivery. While we may not own all the companies involved, they report directly to us, enabling us to provide regular updates on your shipment's progress overseas.

Yes, after getting your free instant quote and selecting your preferred shipping method, the next step is booking and paying a deposit to secure the order. The deposit is calculated based on your overall shipping costs. 

Yes, instead of paying one full payment upfront, we spread the cost of our services by charging in several affordable instalments, allowing you to focus on your move rather than worrying about your finances.

We offer a two-stage payment plan for a domestic move and, in most cases, a three-stage payment plan for international shipping.

Here's how our payment plan works:

• Once you've placed your booking, you'll need to pay a security deposit — this isn't an extra fee but a partial payment of the total Shipping and Transportation charge.
• After we've collected your shipment and you've completed the online documentation, we'll ask you to pay the rest of the Shipping and Transportation charge (with the deposit deducted).
• Finally, if you're shipping internationally, we'll contact you to arrange your shipment's return and the payment of a destination charge.

Destination charges are costs incurred after your shipment has arrived at its destination. These costs apply to most countries regardless of the shipping company you use. A typical breakdown of these charges includes Customs Inspection Fees, Port Document Fees, Port Handling Charges and Warehouse Handling Charges. Each country has specific procedures and costs depending on its laws, customs rules, and your shipment's size, weight, contents or purpose.

Unfortunately, many shipping and removal companies either don't know the cost of these destination charges or intentionally hide them from their quote and state the exclusion in the small print, leading to inaccurate quotes and surprise costs. However, we at Seven Seas Worldwide are committed to 100% transparency.

To cancel a Boxes and Bags Shipping or Student Storage order and receive a full refund, you must cancel the booking before the service commences and within 14 days of paying the deposit.

To cancel an International or Domestic MoveCube® order and receive a full refund, you must cancel the booking before the service commences and within 14 weeks of paying the deposit.

Note that if you cancel the booking following the collection of your shipment, you will be liable for the costs of returning it and must pay any storage fees incurred up to the scheduled return date of your shipment.

Please read our Terms and Conditions page for further information regarding our cancellation policy before placing your order. 

Once you've got your free instant quote and have proceeded to the booking page, you'll be asked to choose convenient dates for the following actions:

• For the Boxes and Bags Shipping service: select a date for us to deliver your empty boxes and any additional packing materials and another date for us to collect your full boxes and bags once you have packed them. 
• For the MoveCube® service: select a date for us to deliver your Starter Pack and another date for us to deliver the MoveCube® for you to load.

If shipping internationally, we will contact you when your belongings arrive in their destination country so you can log into your online Seven Seas Worldwide account, pay the destination charge and arrange a delivery date.

You will receive notification of your time slot the day before your collection or delivery day, offering you a 1 or 2-hour window within which to expect our driver's arrival (subject to traffic on the day) — their operational hours are between 8 AM and 5 PM. 

Please ensure you or a friend or family member are at the address during this time slot, and, if our driver is collecting your shipment, ensure all of your belongings are suitably packed and close to the building's entrance. 

We sometimes use a local partner when unable to send our own vehicle. You can check this by referring to your quote's "Available Days" section —activities with "Partner" in brackets are conducted by a trusted supplier, but they do not always provide guided delivery times.

If the origin or destination address is a house, we collect or deliver your belongings to "the door of the home". However, if the address is an apartment or residential property, the collection or delivery is from the "door of the building". In both circumstances, we advise you to ask friends and family for assistance carrying your items for a seamless experience. 

If we are collecting your belongings, please ensure everything is suitably packed, as close to the entrance as possible, and each bag, box, or suitcase weighs no more than 30kg / 66lbs.

While there are a few countries where a helper accompanies our drivers, Seven Seas Worldwide's shipping and removals process typically operates with one driver per vehicle. In both circumstances, though, our drivers aren't available to pack your boxes, singlehandedly load or unload your MoveCube(s)® or assist with loading and unloading specialist items like pianos — these responsibilities lie with you.

However, our drivers are always happy to offer an extra pair of hands and provide advice on securely packing your possessions. They'll also use their experience to ensure the weight of the MoveCube's® contents has been distributed evenly with heavy goods centralised to prevent the container from becoming a tilting hazard.

We use the number and size of MoveCubes® ordered to work out your loading and unloading timeslot. We'll notify you of this the day before the containers arrive. Below is an estimation of the timeslot length based on the MoveCube's® size:

• Small MoveCube®: 60 mins loading and 30 mins unloading
• Medium MoveCube®: 90 mins loading and 45 mins unloading
• Large MoveCube®: 120 mins loading and 60 mins unloading

For multiple MoveCubes®, we'll multiply your allotted time by the number and the size of your containers. For example, 2 Large MoveCubes® would be 240 minutes (2x120), and the unloading time would be 120 minutes (2x60). Please note that additional charges will accumulate for every fifteen minutes you run over.

However, to ensure everything runs smoothly and on schedule, we suggest bringing all the items you want to load to the lobby or front of your building before we arrive for collection and asking friends or family to help you move. 

Also, if you've arranged a depot drop-off or pick-up instead of from your home address, the process is the same, but if you arrive later than the allocated time, our team might be committed to other activities and unable to assist. 

Once you complete your free instant quote and choose a MoveCube® service, you must pick a convenient date for us to deliver your Starter Pack and conduct a Site Inspection at the origin address. 

During the inspection, the driver will check the angle of the road and assess where best to position their vehicle for you to load the MoveCube® to ensure a smooth collection day.

We strongly recommend you attend the Site Inspection so you can discuss any specific parking concerns in advance. 

To ensure the loading and unloading of your MoveCube® runs as smoothly as possible, our driver will need a suitable spot to park their vehicle, especially if you live in a busy area, apartment block, or on a narrow road. We recommend arranging parking well before the big day and ideally within 20m of the entrances to the addresses where we'll collect and deliver the container. How we drop off our MoveCubes® can vary depending on the country, so give our friendly advisors a call to check whether the driver will be arriving in a secure truck, low loader van, or towing a trailer.

Please note that it's your responsibility to obtain and pay for parking permits. Whether it's buying a ticket from a meter, acquiring a special licence from the local council, arranging access to a gated community, or booking use of a building's loading bay and elevator, we visit so many different property types that it's impossible for us to build these costs into our service. However, we will loan you a trolley to make moving your goods from A to B more convenient. 

Although we can collect or deliver a MoveCube® to or from a storage unit, you or someone you nominate must be physically present to assist the driver.

Please note that storage facility employees cannot be relied upon for assistance, even if promised in advance. Therefore, if no one is present at the storage unit when the driver arrives, the activity will be considered unsuccessful, and a new booking will incur a charge.

Transit time commences once you've completed your online documentation and paid the Shipping and Transportation charge. It ends after your shipment arrives at the depot responsible for its return.

You must provide a destination address so the customs agency in the destination country can grant your shipment entry, and we can generate an accurate shipping quote.  

We understand that providing a concrete destination address can be challenging, as you might not have reached that point in your relocation preparations yet. Therefore, in this circumstance, we suggest providing the address of a friend or family member living close to your estimated future location. 

While this will give you an idea of the shipping cost, be aware that there will be additional charges if you change the address AFTER the shipment arrives at the destination, and might increase significantly if your plans change and you want to move to another state or city.

If you think your shipment's destination address will change after booking, we advise you to get a separate quote for the service area it will likely change to, so you are aware of any cost differences or service limitations.

Typically, when shipping your personal belongings overseas, you must be in the destination country having recently arrived from the origin country for your items to qualify as unaccompanied baggage or household goods. In some instances, you must also arrive BEFORE your shipment reaches the port. Please check our Customs Advice pages for country-specific information.

Failure to be at the destination upon your belonging's arrival can result in customs officials treating your shipment as commercial and assessing it for duties and taxes, which you'll have to pay.
Consequently, we do our best to ensure your shipment arrives just after you do, which may involve us delaying your shipment's departure date.

We offer two weeks of free storage in the origin (depending on the country and excluding our door-to-port service). However, if your expected arrival date exceeds the transit time plus this free storage period, you must decide whether to incur additional storage charges OR ship your belongings as a commercial consignment, for which you will have to pay taxes and duties at the destination.

Yes. For extra peace of mind, we provide you with access to our online tracking tool so you can monitor your shipment's overseas journey. 

Once you've placed your booking, you'll need to log into your Seven Seas Worldwide account and complete the online documentation, including:

• An inventory list accurately detailing the contents of your personal effects and household items shipment. If shipping commercial effects, you must also provide invoices, as you will need to declare these items and pay the relevant taxes. 
• Optional insurance forms (see our Shipping and Storage Insurance Packages).
• Provide a destination address, email, and contact phone number.
• For international shipments, you'll also need to complete a Customs Form (depending on the destination country) and upload a scan of your passport photo page, signature page, and visa if you're not a citizen of the destination country.

Once your shipment is in our safe and capable hands, you don't need to worry about a thing! One of the main benefits of using Seven Seas Worldwide, and what makes us a top international shipping provider, is that we handle all the customs documents (including the stringent quarantine processes for Australia and New Zealand) and speak with the customs agent to ensure your belongings are granted entry.

However, please note that when shipping to Canada, you must be present in the country as you'll need to visit the closest customs office to your shipment and clear your possessions in person.

To provide additional peace of mind, we offer several insurance packages to protect your possessions in case a mishap occurs during their journey. Our specialist insurance covers unaccompanied baggage and household belongings, which traditional travel or household policies generally don't cover.

Here's what the two packages protect:

Basic

• Loss of shipment cover.
• Loss of the whole MoveCube® cover.
• Loss of individual boxes, bags, and suitcases cover (all services except MoveCube®)

Premier

• Loss of shipment cover.
• Loss of the whole MoveCube® cover.
• Loss of individual boxes, bags, and suitcases cover.
• Theft/loss of contents.
• Damage cover.

Before we deliver the MoveCube®, we will drop off your free Starter Pack. This kit contains the following essential packing materials to help you wrap your personal effects securely for transit:

• 1 x roll of parcel tape: use to seal the lid and secure the bottom of cardboard boxes.
• 1 x knife: for opening boxes and cutting parcel tape to size.
• 1 x marker pen: for numbering your boxes and bags to match your inventory. 
• 1 x measuring tape: measure goods to check they fit the container.
• 1 x tape gun: ideal for speedy wrapping and box assembly.
• 3 x floor sheets: one for each MoveCube® size, lay flat and use as a guide to see what they can fit.

Using our free online quote tool, you can add as many boxes as necessary to your Boxes and Bags Shipping order, including our Large and Standard boxes and specialist containers for bulky or awkwardly shaped items like bicycles, golf clubs, skis, snowboards, surfboards, guitars and suitcases (please ensure your items are packed securely before collection).  

Your Boxes and Bags Shipping order also includes 2 metres of bubble wrap per box, parcel tape, and a marker pen to help you start your packing journey! Our top tip is to request more boxes than you think you need (you can add extra after the order). If any are left over after you finish packing, we'll collect them for free as long as they remain unused and in good condition.

To keep yourselves and our drivers safe, we can't take any container weighing over 30kg/66lbs. Instead, before collection day, please weigh everything on bathroom scales and split the contents of boxes that tip the limit between two containers.

If the item is a single unit that can't be divided into containers, such as a desk, we recommend you consider our MoveCube® service as an alternative solution.

While you can pack your belongings in your own containers, we advise you to use the most robust boxes available to guarantee the security of your goods during their travels. That's why Seven Seas Worldwide offers unlimited, purpose-built shipping boxes, as these are made from chemically hardened, double-walled cardboard and designed to withstand long overseas trips. 

However, if you're thinking of using your own containers, here are a few types you should avoid:

• Plastic storage tubs
• Used cardboard boxes, especially those that previously contained organic materials like fruit or vegetables
• Bin liners
• Storage and archive boxes
• Laundry bags

Loading a MoveCube® can feel like playing a giant game of Tetris. Don't worry, though, as below, we've listed our top five tips to help you get everything into the moving containers safely and securely. Plus, our drivers are available on collection day to offer advice:

1. Place the heaviest items, such as your sofa, washing machine, or fridge, on the floor in the centre of the MoveCube® shipping container.
2. Keep everything level and pad any gaps, for example, by using a mattress turned on its side to prevent your goods from moving.
3. When moving belongings to Australia or New Zealand, please place any shoes or boots in the white box provided with the soles facing upwards and load last. Ensuring these items are ready for inspection will make the customs process much smoother, as these countries have strict regulations regarding importing items that might contain dirt and other organic materials.
4. To avoid confusion during the removals process, label two sides of each box with the job number, box number, and shipment owner's destination city and country, ensuring these details correspond with the Inventory Packing List. The numbering on the boxes must correspond with the online numbering. If customs agents open the MoveCube® and find that the boxes numbered on the inventory DO NOT match the contents, they will empty the MoveCube® and inspect all the boxes. 
5. Although you can fill your MoveCube® with your own boxes, we highly suggest using the brand-new, chemically hardened cardboard containers we provide as they're specially designed to withstand long removal trips.

 

Decluttering is essential! Not only can selling those excess goods help fund your big move, but the fewer things you ship, the cheaper it will be. Here are a few of our top decluttering tips to make the process a breeze:

• Start as early as possible and make a solid plan, listing the tasks you need to complete.
• Tackle the smallest room in your home first before moving on to bigger spaces, as this will give you a greater sense of accomplishment.
• Work in short periods to avoid burnout and rope in friends and family to make the process easier and more fun.
• Write down the items you have decluttered as you go from room to room to make your inventory easier to fill in later down the line. 
• Research whether your electronic devices will work in your destination country. If not, consider replacing them after relocating or buying plug adapters (remember that for your safety, these are not designed for long-term use and should be unplugged after a couple of hours).
• Before packing, refer to our Prohibited Goods page and check what items are banned from importation into your destination country. This will help you avoid quarantine delays and fines.

For our Boxes and Bags Shipping and MoveCube® services, we offer two weeks of free storage at one of our safe and secure depots in both the origin and destination (depending on the country and excluding our door-to-port service). You can arrange storage after completing your booking; however, once your shipment has been scheduled for loading, you can no longer amend your booking. 

However, if you require longer, we can store your shipment between collection and delivery dates for an affordable fee. Get in touch to book.

Whether you're swapping student accommodation, visiting family for the holidays or off on a gap year, it can feel like you travel back and forth from university more times than you complete assignments. But, instead of leaving your belongings unguarded for extended periods, use our Student Storage service to take care of them between terms.

For many years, we've been using our highly secure, clean, and dry facilities to provide stress-free storage at an affordable price. Our expert team will also collect and deliver your personal effects to your door and provide materials to help you pack. 

Students can store their boxes at our storage unit for a minimum of four weeks (you can store for less, but the charge will remain the same) up to a total of twenty-six weeks. Of course, we can store your belongings for longer. However, once the maximum period for student storage ends, we'll invoice you for an extra four weeks of storage, which will auto-renew every four weeks after that and ask for payment upfront (without the discount).

Once you've received your no-obligation storage quote, used our online booking tool to place your student storage order, and selected the number of weeks you think you'll need to store your items with us, we'll charge you a deposit of GBP£84 (£70 + VAT). Then, rather than paying one lump sum upfront, you'll only be charged for the balance of your storage when you're ready for us to redeliver your boxes.  

To save you the added stress and expense of sourcing your own wrapping materials, we provide export-grade, double-walled cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and parcel tape to help you securely pack your belongings for student shipping and storage.