Things work pretty straightforward when you’re calculating the price of domestic shipping for your art items. Yet, the cost of shipping artwork internationally is a compound notion that includes several categories of unavoidable expenditures. How can you estimate the price more or less accurately? Here is a guide to the process.
Cost of Shipping Artwork Internationally: What Is Included?
Many parties are involved in the execution of international art logistics. Therefore, the cost that you pay for a cross-border shipment also includes several service fees.
Shipping Costs
The actual process of shipping will require payment. It typically includes the freight charges, which are different for air, sea, and land transportation. Air freight is faster than other options, but it is the most expensive as well, while sea transportation is slow yet cheap. You may also need to pay for the specialized art courier services, which will ensure safe pick-up and delivery of your art item to the port of departure/arrival.
Packaging
Secure, comprehensive, and professional packaging of your artwork will need to be paid for in addition to shipping. It covers the services of expert art packers and typically involves the cost of custom crating for international artwork deliveries.
Insurance
A transit insurance policy protects artwork sent overseas. This insurance type usually covers damage, loss, theft, and accidental destruction of the art object at any stage of transportation, thus safeguarding your financial and property interests.
Customs Fees and Duties
Though terms differ by state, artwork transportation may, at times, incur import and export duties for the art owner or buyer. You may also need to cover customs clearance fees or broker fees depending on the type and cost of artwork and the purpose of its overseas transportation.
Documentation
As soon as you start planning international artwork transportation, make sure to factor in the costs for arranging all documents for the item. Depending on the artwork type and medium, its cultural significance, value, and the origin and destination countries, these may include an export/import license, certain permits, a commercial invoice, provenance documents, etc.
Turn to Fine Art Shippers for Assistance with International Shipping Arrangements
If the process of planning the trip of your art object seems too tedious and unclear to you, you can always turn to Fine Art Shippers for help. We will calculate the cost of shipping artwork internationally specifically for your freight. Our team can also organize your artwork’s delivery to/from the New York port or airport for its further shipping.