SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore
things to look out for when choosing a forwarder
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
things to look out for when choosing a forwarder
reposted here so that everyone can benefit :
for anyone who's keen, here's a basic checklist that one could easily run through while skimming a list of forwarders and hopefully minimise chances of dealing with some dodgy agents :
1. check if if they're a registered cargo agent in singapore. not all agents are registered, but the ones that are are generally more reliable as there's certain criteria to be met before they get issued with the cert.
2. find out if anyone has shipped with the forwarder, could be colleagues, friends, maybe post on here ?
3. check if they are part of international freight alliances, if they are it means door-to-door delivery shouldn't be a problem. also within the major freight alliances there are blacklists of companies that the community recommends avoiding any dealings with.
4. don't let price be the sole decider in your choice of forwarder.
cheers
imran
for anyone who's keen, here's a basic checklist that one could easily run through while skimming a list of forwarders and hopefully minimise chances of dealing with some dodgy agents :
1. check if if they're a registered cargo agent in singapore. not all agents are registered, but the ones that are are generally more reliable as there's certain criteria to be met before they get issued with the cert.
2. find out if anyone has shipped with the forwarder, could be colleagues, friends, maybe post on here ?
3. check if they are part of international freight alliances, if they are it means door-to-door delivery shouldn't be a problem. also within the major freight alliances there are blacklists of companies that the community recommends avoiding any dealings with.
4. don't let price be the sole decider in your choice of forwarder.
cheers
imran
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 39997
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Yeah, I'll give him that. But I guess I'm partially at fault as I told him to use ksl as a guideline as to how for he could go without overtly stepping over the line.pakjohn wrote:lol! Persistence is a virtue...
Also HIGHLY recommend forummers read May issue of Expat magazine for a article detailing several recent moves by Singapore residents. Very enlightening!

Anyway, anyone who is planning of getting a move should make up a package of what they desire exactly (just like getting renovations) and get quotations from at least 3 providers before settling on one. There are a number of forwarders listed in my links page that have been used successfully by member of this forum in the past (I don't vouch for them however - today is another day and their standards may be better or worse).
sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
Oh come on, there's no harm mixing business with pleasuresundaymorningstaple wrote:Yeah, I'll give him that. But I guess I'm partially at fault as I told him to use ksl as a guideline as to how for he could go without overtly stepping over the line.pakjohn wrote:lol! Persistence is a virtue...
Also HIGHLY recommend forummers read May issue of Expat magazine for a article detailing several recent moves by Singapore residents. Very enlightening!![]()
Anyway, anyone who is planning of getting a move should make up a package of what they desire exactly (just like getting renovations) and get quotations from at least 3 providers before settling on one. There are a number of forwarders listed in my links page that have been used successfully by member of this forum in the past (I don't vouch for them however - today is another day and their standards may be better or worse).
sms

Also i'd advise anyone in the process of relocating to make a list of the items they plan to ship out, and from that list, identify the items that are fragile (e.g glass tables, paintings) and the ones that may require fumigation (if you ship out to the US and Europe, you'll need to fumigate all wood-based items). If you're conscious about saving cost, you can opt to leave out the fragile items (high insurance), and the wood-based items (expensive quarantine & fumigation charges).
packjohn, its time for you to packup.
cheers
imran
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
aye no worries pal ! fancy a pint or summat ?pakjohn wrote:Awww, don't take it personal mate.packjohn, its time for you to packup.
It is getting close to time to pack up... done it before and always got a good deal.
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
Well i've got the perfect recommendation, arabic sheesha which is essentially smoking done through a waterpipe. Its class !pakjohn wrote:From another thread is seems I'm the only person from the Southern U.S. that isn't much of a drinker.aye no worries pal ! fancy a pint or summat ?I appreciate the offer though.
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 39997
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Yeah, but the authorities have deemed smoking a waterpipe in restaurants here in Singapore violates the no smoking laws. My daughter found that out! She went to Dubai about a month ago so we now have one in our house. (She's not allowed to smoke it here either! I quit four & half years ago.)
Pakjohn, I believe I've got a copy of that that my boss threw on my desk about a week/10 days ago. Is it a heavy glossy advertising mag? Or is it something like Nexus? I'll have to rummage through all the Singstat Surveys laying on my desk tomorrow to see where it got buried.
Pakjohn, I believe I've got a copy of that that my boss threw on my desk about a week/10 days ago. Is it a heavy glossy advertising mag? Or is it something like Nexus? I'll have to rummage through all the Singstat Surveys laying on my desk tomorrow to see where it got buried.
Last edited by sundaymorningstaple on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
lol, nice one ! to smoke decent shesha here you'll need to venture out to arab street and haji lane, smoking them is allowed inside the cafes so no prob. give us a shout if you intend to head there !sundaymorningstaple wrote:Yeah, but the authorities have deemed smoking a waterpipe in restaurants here in Singapore violates the no smoking laws. My daughter found that out! She went to Dubai about a month ago so we now have one in our house. (She's not allowed to smoke it here either! I quit four & half years ago.)
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 39997
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Not according to the article in the daily birdcage liner a month or two back it's not. I know that they are doing it but is has been clarified as being against the law (so they are allowed only a 10% marked off area apparently just like any hawker centre where it's allowed - not sure if it's allowable within the premises or not (e.g., the 10% area). Had to go check with my daughter just now. I haven't been down to that part of town in probably a dozen or more years.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- imrankassim
- Regular
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:47 am
- Location: Novo Logistics Pte Ltd
- Contact:
There's a dozen sheesha cafes on haji lane and bali lane. Top quality arabic nosh as well i have to add ! Worth checking out.sundaymorningstaple wrote:Not according to the article in the daily birdcage liner a month or two back it's not. I know that they are doing it but is has been clarified as being against the law (so they are allowed only a 10% marked off area apparently just like any hawker centre where it's allowed - not sure if it's allowable within the premises or not (e.g., the 10% area). Had to go check with my daughter just now. I haven't been down to that part of town in probably a dozen or more years.
INT'L RELOCATION. imran@novo-logistics.com
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
Help with freight forwarder recommendations for Texas to Singapore
by HogHollow » Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:43 am » in Relocating, Moving to Singapore - 9 Replies
- 2688 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Wed, 03 Mar 2021 1:15 pm
-
-
-
Need help with choosing a stroller please!
by dinadina » Tue, 26 Mar 2019 3:41 pm » in Parenting, Family & Schools - 2 Replies
- 2124 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Tue, 26 Mar 2019 4:47 pm
-
-
- 5 Replies
- 3122 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Mon, 30 Nov 2020 11:10 pm
-
-
Choosing a race
by malcontent » Wed, 09 Dec 2020 6:08 pm » in PR, Citizenship, Passes & Visas for Foreigners - 12 Replies
- 3046 Views
-
Last post by malcontent
Thu, 10 Dec 2020 8:18 pm
-
-
- 2 Replies
- 1678 Views
-
Last post by sundaymorningstaple
Sun, 01 May 2022 2:31 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests