Shipping the Minivan
Shipping the minivan to Columbia is a long, complicated and frustrating process. To give you a sense of what this entails, I am providing the detailed step by step process.
Prep: Research shipping agencies, make initial contact and receive ship dates. (2 hours)
Monday, May 31: Go to shipping agency to receive shipping requirements. Learn that we need to use a container (instead of roll-on, roll-off service), which changes the ship date to June 13th. Fortunately, the shipping agency is in the building next to our apartment, thereby saving transportation time. (1 hour)
Tuesday, June 1: Go back to the shipping agency with required documents and get the paperwork for the police inspection. (2 hours)
Monday, June 7: We find a fellow traveler, Rick, with a truck driven from Montana via the Internet and decide to share a 40’ container with him to reduce the cost ($950 vs. $1250). We agree to meet at the police station at 10am to do the inspection together. Paul and I get hopelessly lost on the way to the police station and ask a taxi to lead us there (just like in the “Amazing Race”). The police start the inspection, but tell us that the VIN number is not in shown correctly on our Panama customs paperwork. So, we go to customs, getting lost again and following a taxi again. We receive our corrected paperwork at customs after about an hour wait, then go back to the police station. They complete the paperwork and tell us to come back in 2 hours to go to the General Secretary. But there’s an issue – we need to be dressed nicely to visit the secretary, not dressed in shorts and T-shirts as is our standard mode. We take a taxi back to our apartment, change clothes and eat a quick lunch. Then back to the General Secretary and wait about 1 hour for our papers to be signed and stamped. We finally leave around 3:30pm. (Total time: 6 hours)
Tuesday, June 8: Inconveniently, the shipping agency moves to a new office in a neighboring city, so we drive to the office. Wait awhile for more paperwork to bring to the port. (2 hours)
Friday, June 11: Day to drop off the minivan at the port! Drive for 1 hour to Port Manzanillo on the Caribbean side. We are pleased that we do not get lost on the way, a first for us in Panama! Go to the shipping agency at the port, wait, get papers. Drive to the customs office, wait, get papers. Drive to another customs office, wait, walk back to the shipping agency, make more copies of papers, go back to the customs office, wait, pay $5 and receive papers. Drive to port, wait, then the police complete the vehicle inspection with a canine unit. Stand in another customs line for a long time, just to find out that we should not be standing in that line. Wait for awhile longer at the inspection office, then jump in our car and drive to the dock. Wait, wait, wait at the container for a bunch of people to come: customs, security, police, dock workers – not sure who the 12-15 people are… Go through another inspection with the drug sniffing dog. Fortunately, we go through all of this with Rick, who provides good company and comic relief. Finally, watch the dock workers drive the car into the container and secure the vehicle. Next goes Rick’s truck. Back to the customs office to make copies of the latest version of paperwork, then done! But wait, we still need to get back to Panama City. Can’t find a taxi to drive us to the bus station, as they are all watching the opening games of the World Cup. Walk through the blazing heat to the shipping agency, get a ride to the Colon bus terminal, take the supposed express bus to Panama City which stops frequently, arrive at the bus terminal, then take a taxi through rush hour traffic to the apartment. Get home around 5:30pm. (Total time: 10 hours)
Yes, this whole thing is a royal pain in the ass. However, the port is actually really cool; the enormity of the port is astounding. I am fascinated by the huge cranes loading and unloading containers on the ships, as well as the many large vehicles driving around. I feel so miniscule in comparison… Shipping the minivan seems strangely appropriate after spending 2 weeks along the Panama Canal. I just hope that the minivan arrives safely to Columbia!
Tags: Panama, Travel
hwy1alltheway
“Patience is a virtue” sounds like an understatement. I hope you and your van makes it to Columbia safely. Lots of hugs and good vibes from bug free Pacifica to all of you!!
Hey kids,
Beautiful day here on the coastside but you get this everyday on your fabulous journey. Loved the Panama Canal pictures, I had no idea of the size of this operation.
Adios for now.
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