Optimum Shipping Methods

Boat Transport Services

Our Role is to Make the Transportation of Your Property Seamless for You

When you transport your valuable property, you need to know that it will happen without stress. The team at Panamax Container Line has been shipping multi-million-dollar goods, from luxury boats to helicopters and vehicles, for more than 25 years.

We understand that our most important role is to make the project as seamless as possible for our clients. From the moment it leaves your hands to the time it arrives at its destination, we take care of the myriad technical issues in transporting your property. Whether you are shipping to the next city or across the world, we have the skills, resources and experience to offer transport by road, ship or air.

We provide worldwide boat transport services to many of the premier boat manufacturers, including Grand Banks, Ocean Alexander, Horizon Yachts and Clipper Motor Yachts as well as many private boat owners. We produce regular confidential reports on current shipping pricing and changing conditions so our clients have the best information at all times.

Whether you are selling your product overseas, buying or simply shipping your own boat, we know the best, most economical and stress-free way to achieve the right outcome. We advise on the best mode of transport, the optimum shipping methods and the best terms under which to transport.

FAQ

What insurance do I need?

Check with your current insurer to ensure you are covered for transportation. The maximum insurable value is the cost of the boat, plus the cost of the freight as well as an additional 10%.

Older boats may be insured against total loss only at a reduced premium.

Make sure the boat transportation company offers voyage insurance that will adequately protect your vessel if anything should go wrong.

What information do you need?

Make sure your dimensions are accurate. Remember that we book specific space according to the information you provide. If it is inaccurate, you could find you are paying more than you need or, more important, an excess charge is applied – or the boat simply misses its allocation.

What are the major pitfalls in importing a boat?

Australia has stringent controls on the import of many products, particularly boats. There are also issues of compliance with local regulations.

An obvious example is shore power. Australia has an international electrical system of 230 volt, 50Hz. However, many other countries operate different systems. An important example is the United States which uses a 110 volt, 60Hz structure. A boat with a shore power facility imported from the United States will need to be rewired for local electrical compliance.

Australia has strict rules on the use of refrigerant gases. Many boats built overseas do not comply with these rules, so these systems must be degassed, decommissioned and a certificate issued before they leave the overseas port.

The refrigerant systems may need to be modified and will have to be re-gassed with approved refrigerants.

What do I need to do to prepare for transport?

When preparing your boat for transport, it’s important to secure everything. Even if your boat is travelling only a short distance, secure it as if it were crossing an ocean. Secure hatches with tape to avoid water leaking into the boat and latch all cabin windows. Secure all doors closed, including cabinet, locker and cabin doors and lock all exterior doors.

Remove anchors from the deck, remove drain plugs from the hull and make sure there is no water in the bilge. You may also want to flush and sanitise your tanks with a chlorine bleach solution.

Inspect your boat for damages and take pictures to document any that already exist. If you dismantle any parts to fit size requirements or prevent them from getting damaged, be sure to take pictures of their location and set-up.

Unless it is in a container, you will probably need to protect your goods. Shrink wrap is the simplest solution. We recommend our sister company Ova Wrap. See the Ova Wrap web site for details.

Empty the fuel and water tanks as much as possible, but remember to keep enough fuel on board to motor to and from the transport ship.

What should I do if I find damage at the destination?

As soon as you are given access to your boat, you must carefully inspect it throughout and take detailed photographs and notes of any damage. If there is damage, report it immediately to the carrier and arrange a survey with a local agent for the insurance company.

A claim against the agents of the vessel owner or other carrier must be filed in writing and, if possible, before removing the boat from their custody. Failure to do this may negate your right to claim.