Shipping guide
Packing, prohibited items, documents and transit times. Read this before you pack.
1. Packing
Containers are lifted by crane, stacked and in motion for weeks. Loose cargo shifts and crushes. Pack on the assumption that the barrel will at some point be on its side.
Do
- Use shipping barrels or double-walled cartons
- Heavy items at the bottom, light on top
- Fill gaps with clothing, foam or paper
- Seal liquids in plastic bags
- Wrap glass and ceramics individually
- Tape the lid and band or lock the barrel ring
- Mark the consignee name and phone on two sides
- Photograph the contents before closing
Do not
- Use supermarket boxes
- Overfill so the lid will not seat
- Pack beyond a weight you can safely lift
- Pack loose rice, oil or powder without inner sealing
- Leave batteries installed in appliances
- Write the address on tape that can peel off
- Include items you have not declared to us
Food and medicine. Dry and tinned food ships without difficulty. Perishables do not survive the transit time. Medicines must be in original, sealed, labelled packaging; loose tablets will be questioned at customs and may be seized.
2. Items that cannot be shipped
These restrictions come from carrier safety rules and from Australian, US and Liberian law. If prohibited items are found, the whole container can be delayed, fined or seized, which affects every other customer in it.
Not accepted
- Explosives, fireworks, ammunition, firearms and parts
- Flammable liquids and gases, including petrol, kerosene, gas cylinders and thinners
- Narcotics and illegal substances
- Cash, gold, jewellery and bearer securities
- Live animals, plants and untreated seeds
- Perishable food, fresh meat and dairy
- Counterfeit and pirated goods
- Hazardous chemicals, corrosives and asbestos
- Pornographic and other prohibited material
Accepted with prior notice
- Lithium batteries in power banks, laptops and solar systems. Regulated; must be declared and packed correctly.
- Generators and engines, drained of fuel and oil.
- Vehicles, with a nearly empty tank, battery disconnected and title documents supplied.
- Aerosols, perfumes and alcohol. Quantity limits apply and duty is charged.
- Medical and laboratory equipment, which may require an import permit.
- Goods for resale, which are treated as commercial cargo.
This covers the common cases. If you are unsure about an item, ask before packing it.
3. Documents
We prepare most of the paperwork. This is what we need from you.
| Document | When | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Your photo ID | At booking | Confirms the shipper |
| Packing list | At intake | Basis of the customs declaration and any claim |
| Consignee name, ID and phone | At booking | Only this person can receive the cargo |
| Consignee TIN | Before arrival | Required for the customs entry in most cases |
| Invoices or proof of value | Before arrival | Used to assess duty |
| Vehicle title and purchase papers | At booking | Vehicles cannot be cleared without them |
4. Common and costly mistakes
- Under-declaring value. Customs reassesses the shipment, adds a penalty and holds the container while storage accrues. It also voids cargo insurance.
- An unreachable consignee. Undeliverable cargo goes into storage, charged daily. Give two numbers.
- Packing prohibited items. One aerosol can delay an entire container.
- Leaving documents until arrival. Free time at the port is short, and late paperwork means demurrage.
- Shipping a single small box. Minimum charges make very small consignments poor value.
5. Transit times
Plan generously, particularly for Christmas, which is the busiest period on this route.
| Route | Mode | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide / Melbourne / Sydney → Freeport of Monrovia | Sea — FCL container | 6 – 9 weeks |
| Australia → Freeport of Monrovia | Sea — shared container (LCL), barrels & boxes | 8 – 12 weeks |
| USA (East Coast) → Freeport of Monrovia | Sea — FCL container | 4 – 7 weeks |
| Australia / USA → Roberts International Airport | Air freight (on request) | 7 – 14 days |
| Freeport of Monrovia → your door (Montserrado) | Customs clearing + delivery | 2 – 5 working days after vessel discharge |
| Freeport of Monrovia → upcountry (other 14 counties) | Customs clearing + delivery | 3 – 10 working days after vessel discharge |
Estimates from the sailing date, not guarantees. Carrier schedules, transshipment and port congestion affect these figures.
Shipping for Christmas. Work back from the date it must arrive and allow a month of margin. For Australian sea freight that usually means booking in August or September.