Apart from obvious costs such as customs duty, transport, and storage, fees you are unaware of could negatively impact your imported cargo. A customs clearance agent in Melbourne or elsewhere in Australia can help you to estimate the cost of importing goods accurately, and a customs clearance agent can negotiate a better rate than when the wharf processes your shipment. Customs Brokers ASAP has helped customers with imports for more than thirty years. When you hire us, we will work out a quote for your cargo so that you aren’t confronted with overlooked costs when your shipment lands.
Costs to Consider When Importing or Exporting Goods
If you are asking yourself ‘do I need a customs broker in Australia?’ consider how much you could save if your cargo is quickly delivered, and what it could cost if something goes wrong. Here are some costs that can make a significant difference to your bottom line:
- Insurance. While it’s not compulsory to take out insurance, it’s always recommended. Marine cargo insurance covers damage, theft, and non-delivery of your shipment, as well as a ‘general average’ situation. While your goods are in transit on a seagoing vessel, the shipment is subject to a maritime law called General Average. If a ship has to jettison part of its cargo to save the vessel in a storm, all cargo owners share equally in the loss (even if your cargo wasn’t lost) and if you aren’t insured, you could end up paying for damages worth more than your own shipment.
- Handling. Apart from the cost of shipping your goods, handling charges for loading, unloading, and storage of your cargo apply in the port of departure as well as locally. Customs clearance agents in Brisbane and other ports can help to get your products cleared quickly, avoiding the cost of lengthy storage and demurrage fees should incomplete documentation delay your cargo.
- Certification. Some imported goods need a certificate of safety compliance. Depending on the products, it might be necessary to test and repackage them to meet Australian standards.
- Quarantine. If you import goods that demand quarantine and fumigation, fees may apply for the products’ storage and fumigation. It’s usually much cheaper to let a customs broker handle the process than pay the rates charged by wharves.
Do I Need a Customs Broker in Australia?
If you are a seasoned importer you might be able to handle your shipment yourself, but if you are new to importing goods and comparing brokerage fees and asking yourself ‘Do I need a customs broker in Australia’, consider that incomplete documentation and unpaid costs can delay your parcel and end up costing you even more. Customs Brokers ASAP offers cartage and transport, freight forwarding, quarantine clearances, and all services associated with importing goods. If you are worried about customs clearance fees in Australia, contact us. Our customs clearance agents in Brisbane and other parts of Australia offer reliable and competitively priced services, and we can handle any size of cargo on your behalf.
