Anyone reading this blog has not found themselves here by accident. If you have landed on this page, there are two possibilities. You probably already own property in the Caribbean or are in the process of buying one. Both cases lead us to the same conclusion: shipping belongings to the Dominican Republic. At first glance, the topic may seem quite complicated, even daunting. After a moment, you type the phrase into Google: “shipping belongings/container to the Dominican Republic” and you land right here. In this blog, I will describe step-by-step how container shipping to the Caribbean works and present the most important information related to it.
The Caribbean may be on the “other side of the world,” but it is the 21st century after all. People are flying into space and building structures over 800 meters tall. Why shouldn’t ships with containers sail to the Dominican Republic? Well, they do. There are many shipping companies. They handle the organization of the entire process, where our role will be limited to securing the items that go into the container. They can even do that for us. It is much more convenient than it may seem, but let’s get to the point.
Depending on the quantity of items we need to ship, we will have a choice of containers of various sizes. The most popular ones are 20’ (feet) or 40’ (feet) containers. The former has a capacity of approximately 25m³. A 40’ container is twice as large. These are sufficient capacities to transport the necessary items to furnish an apartment. For the valuation, we will focus on the smaller container.
Cost and Port Fees
The current price as of July 13, 2023, is approximately 8,000 euros. This price includes the delivery of the container to the specified loading address. Once our container arrives at the chosen location, the company should prepare an inventory list and load the packed items into the container. The transport then goes to a port in Poland, where export customs clearance takes place, after which it sets off. The transit time is approximately 32 days from the date of departure from the port in Tricity. When the container arrives in the Dominican Republic, import customs clearance occurs. Once everything is checked, the final stage can begin: delivering the container to the chosen location in the Dominican Republic. As part of the service, the company collects empty packaging and returns the empty container to the port.
The price does not include insurance. Companies will offer their policy, which insures such transport against all unfortunate events during the service. The insurance cost is approximately 2.5% of the declared value. Additionally, port costs in the Dominican Republic – approximately 700 USD, handling fees – 290 USD, and a refundable deposit ranging from 200 – 1200 USD will be on our side. What are handling and port fees? These are fees related to container transshipment in the port, unpacking, storing goods in the warehouse, and transshipment to a truck; in the port of origin and destination; various partial costs for individual operations performed in ports/terminals make up this fee. Any customs and tax fees, storage, deliveries above the second floor in buildings without an elevator, or parking permits must be additionally paid by the transport commissioner. The service is usually paid in two installments – 50% of the price before the service begins and 50% of the price before delivery of the items.
Taxes and Customs Duty
Customs duties will certainly vary depending on the products imported to the island. The customs tax imposed on products can be: 0%, 3%, 8%, 14%, and 20%. For transporting furniture, the customs duty is 20%. There is no difference whether the furniture is new or old. Only individuals with Dominican residency may be exempt from customs duty. Customs duty for cars will vary depending on the model and capacity. Importantly, cars older than 5 years cannot be imported into the Dominican Republic. This is aimed at environmental protection. The car must also not be damaged, accident-involved, or stolen. Below is a website that calculates customs duty depending on the car: https://www.aduanas.gob.do/de-interes/consultas/calculadora-de-impuestos-de-vehiculos/
Shipping a container to the Dominican Republic may seem complicated. However, all organizational matters are handled by the company. Our only responsibility is to pay for the service. What has not yet been emphasized, but is very important, is the collection of the container. Ideally, the recipient and sender should be the same person. This will facilitate the entire transport handover process.
I hope that with this short but concise blog, we have managed to present the most important elements related to shipping a container to the Dominican Republic. Remember that depending on the company you choose, the entire process and price may vary. If you have already had the opportunity to ship a container to the Dominican Republic and have any experience with it, please share it! In the meantime, thank you for reading to the end. Remember to follow and subscribe to our social media, where more such content will appear!
Jędrzej Pacak
