Shipping India to Nica

Submitted by Mike on 24 June, 2008 - 12:53.

Hi I'm back with my dumb questions of the day.

I'm interested in freighting a machine from Mumbay India to Nica and get it through customs. The machine costs less than $US 2,000, weighs 500 kilograms and the package size is 0.8 x 0.7 x 1.4 m. I'm not in a rush so it could go by sea rather than air. It would be used to make a special type of clay tile.

I am trying to estimate how much it would cost me to ship it and clear customs, including the customs broker's fee.

I have to gather all this info from Canada as I will not be back in Nica for many months.

Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

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I used...

Submitted by Doug on 27 June, 2008 - 16:44.

Sonia Vigil;

(505) 248-8143

svigil@ibw.com.ni

I shipped 2 engines from India to Managua

-Doug ©

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate

Shipping from India

Submitted by dirtbag on 24 June, 2008 - 14:13.

if you are still in Toronto then you will know that we have a HUGE East Indian population and many different commerce/merchant facilities that ship all the time from India. One of those would have sources in India that ship around the world including Nicaragua. P.M me and I will get a couple of contacts for you to call and check out prices. I have a number of business clients from India.

Half the information

Submitted by fyl on 24 June, 2008 - 13:30.

If it costs less than $2000, you don't need a customs broker. That's the good news. But, even if you hire one, they get a percentage of the cost so I don't think it would be much.

I shipped a 2000 kilogram generator that is about 1 x 1.5 x 2.2 meters from China to here and the freight was only about $500. Your package is less than 1/3 the size of what I shipped and size is what matters. There could, however, be a minimum cost for LCL freight.

That's the stuff I know. Who ships from India I don't know.

When you say percentage of cost re-custom brokers

Submitted by dirtbag on 26 June, 2008 - 20:58.

do you mean a commission on the freight /shipping charges?with your consignment(s) for instance there must have been a minimum charge, I assume for LTL or LCL (less tha a container load) What was your cost(s)? 15% is not uncommon with a North American Broker. What was your experience in terms of finding the "Right" Broker to land your goods, including domes etc, maybe an unfair question as you are dealing with this as I post. I am genuinely curious as to how that procedure of bringing in "Goods" works and costs. Also if its hit and miss. Or Welcome to Nicaragua and you take your chances! research amongst regular importers/Transporters I realise one could find this out, with some effort,(My Spanish is Lousy) however, as the poster and yourself (Geek Ranch Enterprise) are not mass commercial freight people I am curious as to the options. There are some members on here that just say, damn the torpedoes, I will just drive down and haul my stuff with me. I just think its worth sharing the knowledge of how in practical terms getting "STUFF" into Nicaragua. With the cost of transportation increasing, it would be helpful to know as many real options, as possible.

A lot depends on where the goods are coming from

Submitted by bluewater on 27 June, 2008 - 09:50.

For example, going to the Atlantic Coast from Miami there are brokers that work with Bernuth ocean freight and deliver to Rama, Bluff/Bluefields, Corn Island and Puerto Cabezas. This is a competitive market due to all of the shipping from Miami by transplanted Nicaraguans. Some of the forwarder charges are negotiable due to competition. Included in the services are baggage forwading wherein vacationers can send bags via airfreight to arrive at the destinations when the passengers arrive. We have never tried this service but it is popular with many Nicaraguans. You can find three pages of freight forwarders if you check the "yellow pages" of the online edition of the Estrella de Nicaragua a weekly news magazine found at www.estrelladenicaragua.com

We have used Glomar Shipping with excellent results for shipments to Rama, Bluefields and Corn Island the owner is an english speaker from Bluefields, the number is (786) 423 0973 in Miami, The address is 855 N.E. 171st Street Miami, Fla, 33162. Ask for Gladys. Coming to Managua, I would use ALPESA it is owned by Grupo Pellas and is professional, be forwarned they are not inexpensive. However, when you consider that just the ocean freight for a forty foot container shipped from Los Angeles cost $3,944.00,perhaps they are not bad. I would not use ALPAC as they are very disorganized.

Custom Duty?

Submitted by ATZ on 24 June, 2008 - 13:43.

Is there a standard formula (percent) for the duty?

ATZ

DGA maintains a list

Submitted by bluewater on 24 June, 2008 - 16:46.

The Direcion General de Aduana maintains a list of products and the accompanying tariffs. Any good customs broker keeps the list and should be able to give you an estimate before you ship. Many times they are reluctant to do so as this pins them down on their charges and the government can be difficult about classification of odd items. Vehicles have a separate listing which has much to due with the age, size of the engine and accessories. A lot of the variation on other goods is due to whether the items are classified as luxury which triggers a consumption tax (ISC) on top of the statutory duty and IVA tax. Be aware that when they calculate your bill they add the freight charge and an actual or assumed insurance charge for transport of the goods to the purchase price before they calculate the total tax. If you paid sales tax on the goods when you purchased them you can not discount the tax from the total bill. There are certain items that are exempt but really very few.

That's very helpful, thanks

Submitted by dirtbag on 26 June, 2008 - 21:06.

Can you give any comment as to Transportation of goods, costs, reliability, freight brokering, logistics, up to the points you describe, and does the same Broker giving you the Landed estimates provide you with a transport Company?

Thanks

Submitted by Mike on 24 June, 2008 - 16:57.

Guys, thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.

Just got a quote

Submitted by Mike on 28 June, 2008 - 12:36.

Hi folks, I just got a quote from the company in India that makes the machine I'm interested. They'll arrange shipping of the 500 kilo package FOB Chennai India to Nica for $265 + $14 insurance, not including customs charges due upon arrival.