Slow Boat to Brazil

February 11, 2010 8:30 AM

Asking for a friend, anyone use a shipping container to bring their household goods to South America, specifically Brazil. How fast, how safe, any issues, that good old general "need to know" list.
posted by Freedomboy to Travel & Transportation around Brazil (1 answer total)

That's a pretty big question. The timeline can really vary. Ours took about three months to get to port and just over two weeks to clear customs in the port. Our colleagues' container took almost six months. Every thing we shipped made it without incident; their shipment was gone through thoroughly and some things were pulled out (mainly food items that were considered too close to the expiration date--we'd never heard of that one before!).

General advice we were given:
-Be thorough but general as you list contents. Make sure it's clear that you're listing everything but you don't have to describe everything in detail. If it's five shirts, say that and not "a blue button-down, a black t-shirt, etc.)

-Don't ship anything you can't live without for a few months. As I said above, the timeline can really vary. If it's really important, bring it on the plane. Having a computer printer, a skillet or a basic set of towels can make a huge difference when you first arrive.

If your friend has specific questions, feel free to memail me. I moved to Brazil five years ago.
posted by wallaby at 10:18 AM on February 11, 2010