When shipping container to Africa, many people often worry about what will happen to their personal goods enroute to such a distant continent and what will happen to them when they arrive. They hear frequent stories about piracy off the coast of Somalia. They have seen movies and television shows that depict foreign ports, especially those in Africa, as being wild and lawless places. These are often the images that come to mind when one talks about shipping a container to Africa.
While piracy is an ongoing issue off the coast of Africa, when you ship 40 ft container of personal goods to any nation on the African subcontinent, the odds are still wildly in your favor. For one thing, pirates generally do not attempt to commandeer huge container freight vessels, many of which carry 5000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) or more hits less than a fraction of a percentage of the total daily traffic.
As far as the "lawless shipping ports" myth is concerned, the fact is that container freight shipping is such a vital industry to the economies of most countries, ports are among the safest places in the world. The entire industry is so standardized, it is as if ports share a common heritage and language. Shipping a container to Africa involves exactly the same procedures as shipping to England or any other country. Whether a multi-national corporation ships a thousand TEUs or an individual ship 20 ft container, it will be delivered and processed in the same way.
The key to keeping track of a container to Africa or another foreign destination is the "unit number" of the container. Sometimes also called a "box number," this is the identifying number of a single container. Everyone from the captain of a container vessel to the shore authorities will have a copy of this number and can find out everything they need to know from it.
When a customer signs a contract with a container freight company, a Shipping Order is issued. This is a most important document, because it contains every detail about the container to Africa. The unit number is included on it, as well as an itemized list of the household goods being shipped. In addition, the shipping order contains the name and contact deals of all parties involved in the shipping, from the person who owns the goods to those responsible for its delivery.
Shipping a container to Africa does have its special problems. This is why authorities recommend using a container freight company that has extensive contacts in that country who can ensure a seamless and trouble free delivery. They are able to help with any customs irregularities, problems with the goods, delivery to the client's home and any other issues that may arise.
In the event that something does go drastically wrong with a delivery, an insurance policy issued on the cargo will minimize the damage. For this reason, it is always advisable that the shipper buys adequate insurance above. International container shipping companies usually provide insurance, but the policy may not cover every eventuality in the case of a container to Africa.
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