It is important to know that items that will be shipped by your relocation or moving company should be packed by them. Boxes that you pack yourself will be marked “owner packed” on the inventory and will draw increased scrutiny from customs officials and significantly in- crease the chances of your shipment being flagged for a full inspection, which is not what you want. If there are items that you wish to pack your- self, leave the cartons open for the moving crew to inspect for condition and properly inventory. In most cases owner packed cartons will not receive full insurance coverage so prepare for losses if you DIY.
You should not pack essential items such as travel documents, passports/ visas, medicine and the luggage that you will be taking with you on the plane. Consult our section on cli- mate to assess what you will need for clothing according to the time of year you are arriving in Shanghai. As well, items such as jewelry, cash, stocks, furs, coin collections (or any other valuable collectables such as writing instruments, etc), tax returns, medical papers and educational documents such as diplomas or school reports should be hand packed and taken with you personally. Check with your moving company or agency as they may be able to provide you with premium insurance for these items or advise you as to how to obtain this type of insurance.
Prohibited items such as contraband, weapons, ammunition, pornography, drugs, alcohol and perishable goods should obviously not be taken over- seas. Hazardous or flammable mate- rials such as gasoline, paint and aerosols should also not be packed. Items such as lawn mowers should have their fluids removed before packing. Your company may also have specific guidelines regarding what can and cannot be shipped overseas so it is a good idea to check with them to ensure you are compliant with all of their policies.
In addition, you should be present during the packing and loading process ensuring that you properly inspect and sign the inventory, ship- ping documents and insurance documents.
Depending on where you are located it can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks for your shipment to arrive in Shanghai. Your mover or agent can confirm the length of time it will take for your shipment to arrive. With this timeframe in mind you should prepare to be without your shipped items for a period of time.
