Moving to Cayman may be one of the most exciting decisions of your life but there are a lot of details to consider and take care of before you arrive on the Island, move into your new home, unpack your belongings, start your job and then finally put your feet in the sand. The whole process can be daunting and overwhelming with details but hopefully we can help you understand the process with some good advice in this chapter.
As for the actual process of moving to Cayman, you have three options: first you can do 99% of the work yourself by packing up your belongings and arrange for a company to ship your personal items to Cayman. This may be the least expensive option but it certainly isn’t the easiest, especially if you have never gone through the process before. Be prepared that you then must arrange for the items to be inspected and cleared by customs when they reach Cayman, pay the Port Authority and then arrange for your items to be picked up and delivered to your new home. The second option is to pack everything yourself but then have a freight forwarder organise the collection, shipping and eventual customs clearance in Cayman. The third and final option is to arrange for a moving company to do everything for you from packing to trucking, shipping, customs clearance, delivery to your new home and unpacking. We list all the options here and explain which companies can do what.
THE PROCESS OF MOVING
If you decide to use a moving company you will need to choose them at least 8-10 weeks before your moving day in order to guarantee they are available when you need them. It’s good advice to find out if they are an accredited member of a moving association to make sure they adhere to certain standards and give you recourse if you encounter any problems.
Sort through your personal items and decide what you are going to take. We offer some good advice based on experience about what you should consider bringing to the Island and what you should leave behind. You should then call the moving company so they can visit your home and work out a quote. Having a clear idea of what you will be moving will make the quotation more accurate since they calculate your rate using weight or volume (depending on which is greater). Companies usually offer quotations for free, so it’s a good idea to get a few quotes and compare. Be sure to get the quotes in writing and keep in mind that most quotes expire after thirty days.
Next, establish a time frame for your move and confirm that the insurance policy being offered has sufficient protection to cover the cargo for the duration of the journey, i.e. until you take possession at the new destination. Then ask your mover to provide a copy of the documents with the itinerary, an itemised inventory and the name of the receiving customs agent at the destination (this is relevant whether you are moving to or from Cayman).
Finally, the moving company will expect payment prior to exporting or shipping your personal effects as it will be necessary for them to prepay the freight and any other handling and destination charges.
Below are some locally-based shipping companies, freight forwarders and moving companies who, to one degree or another can help you move your home or business effects to or from Cayman:
Cayman Based Movers & Freight Forwarders Cayman Islands Customs Agency (CICA) Tel: (345) 949 2350 Fax: (345) 949 5240 Email: cica@cicustomsagency.ky Services include weekly ocean consolidations and cargo clearance, daily air shipment handling and clearance, small package service, freight forwarders and customs brokers, freight consolidators and delivery, vehicle clearance and licensing.
Mail Boxes Etc. Tel: (345) 745 1400 Fax: (345) 745 1401 Email: info@mbe.ky Services include air and ocean cargo, freight forwarders and customs clearance.
Sta-Mar Enterprises Ltd. Tel: (345) 949 2399 Fax: (345) 949 7003 Email: stamar@candw.ky Services include freight forwarders and customs broking, customs clearance, sea and air clearance, pre-clearance for perishable cargo, bonded customs agents.
Miami Based Freight Forwarders You can also consolidate your personal items in Miami and have them shipped later. The following are freight forwarders based in Miami who will ship your items to Cayman and clear the shipment through customs and the Port Authority.
Deluxe Freight Inc 11013 NW 30 St, Suite 100, Doral, FL 33172 Phone: (305) 513 0156 Email: cargo@deluxefreight.com Specialise in weekly ocean consolidations, daily air shipments and a small package service (12 cubic feet for CI$67 inclusive of everything but duty).
SeaPack Inc. SeaPack has a New York and a Miami office Miami 2800 NW 105th Ave, Miami, FL 33178 Tel: (305) 592 1150 ext 255 Email: jorryk@miraclebrokers.com New York c/o Carlstone Corp Whse, 737 Atkins Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11208 Tel: (917) 371 5808 Email: mkearns@seapackline.com Both offices specialise in weekly ocean consolidations to Cayman.
Xpress Freight Services Inc. 6306 Nth West 99 Ave, Miami, FL 33178 Tel: (305) 591 0033 Fax: (305) 591 0037 Email:richard@xpressfreight.us Specialises in weekly ocean and daily air cargo to Cayman and worldwide.
Shipping by Air You can ship by air as Cayman Airways Cargo can ship virtually every size and shape of cargo.
Cayman Airways Cargo Export Office 6103-6105 NW 72 Avenue, Miami, FL 33166 Tel: (305) 526 3190 Fax: (305) 871 7971 www.caymancargo.com Their service offers the benefit of speed and one location for all paperwork and retrieval of packages and boxes.
Shipping by Sea Transfer times from Florida to Cayman are usually two days but can be more if the boat goes via Jamaica. Some shipping companies will only accept less than container loads on one of their two weekly sailings. All companies accept dry or refrigerated containers and most can accept break-bulk, machinery and rolling stock. You can ship your personal items through a shipping company or a freight forwarder; the only difference is that if you use one of the shipping companies (see below) you will need to clear the shipment through Customs and the Port Authority yourself and then arrange delivery.
Hydes Shipping For full containers: Hydes Shipping Port Everglades 2000 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 Tel: (305) 913 4914 Cayman: (345) 947 4933 Email: edixon@hydesshipping.com For less than container loads (LCL): c/o Kirk Freight Line, 10025 NW 116 Way, Suite 1, Medley, FL 33178 Tel: (305) 913 5475 They will do full containers or less than container loads (LCL) leaving from Port Everglades (Florida) to Cayman on Mondays and Thursdays. Seaboard Marine 8001 NW 79 Avenue, Miami, FL 33166 Tel: (305) 863 4444 Fax: (305) 863 4788 Local Cayman: (345) 949 4977 Email: info@seaboardcayman.com www.seaboardcayman.com They ship full containers or LCL leaving Miami to Cayman on Mondays and Thursdays and leaving Jamaica to Cayman on Thursdays.
SeaFreight Agencies (USA) Inc. 2800 NE 105th Ave, Doral, FL 33172 Tel: (305) 592 6060 Fax: (305) 592 6228 Cayman: (345) 949 5989 Email: cayman@seafreightagencies.com They ship full containers or less than container loads (LCL) twice a week from Port Everglades Florida) to Cayman every Monday and Thursday.
Thompson Line 9505 NW 108th Ave, Medley, FL 33178 Tel: (305) 805 6620 Fax: (305) 805 6630 Local Cayman: (345) 949 8044 Email: april@thompsonshipping.com They ship full containers or LCL. Their ship leaves Miami three times a week on Monday, Fridays and Saturdays and another ship goes from Tampa to Grand Cayman twice a month.
SHIPPING CONSIDERATIONS Duty The personal and household effects of a person entering to take up employment or residency for a period in excess of 12 months are admitted duty free, although they must be imported within six months of arrival otherwise duty will be applied. These include a reasonable quantity of clothing and instruments and tools of trade. Household effects must have been in use and ownership for at least six months (Note: if the item is still in the box and has not been used but you can show a receipt that proves you bought it over six months ago then the item is considered used and is duty free). Otherwise, duty can range from 10–25% depending on the commodity. It is advisable to bring with you the receipts for anything bought in the last six months. You must show proof of residency: take your passport with you – without a stamp for permanent residence or a one year work permit your household items will not be imported at nil duty value. Please note that certain things, including motor vehicles, are never duty free - see the Transportation chapter.
Most mail-order items are subject to 22% duty. All dutiable gifts sent by family and friends which Customs value at over CI$50 will be charged 22% duty. Books, cameras, musical instruments, leather bags and watches are duty free. A complete list of dutiable items can be found on www.caymanislandscustoms.com.
Excess Baggage Air Cargo & Freight Consolidating If you are only bringing your personal effects with you, other options to consider are using your airline’s excess baggage allowance, or Cayman Airways Cargo (Tel: (345) 743 8547).
Check with your airline to ascertain their excess baggage allowances. If you’re moving from Europe, the website www.excess-baggage.com is worth checking out. Cayman Airways allows each passenger to check up to eight pieces. Two pieces are the regular allowance, with additional pieces within the dimension and weight allowances of 62 linear inches and up to 55lbs are US$100 each for bags 3-5, and US$200 each for bags 6-8. Pieces over 70lbs are charged an additional US$50 (bags 3-5) and US$175 each (bags 6-8). Please note that any bag in excess of 80 linear inches and over 99lbs in weight must be sent by air cargo. The free baggage allowance on British Airways varies depending on the class of travel and ticket type purchased. Fees for extra bags are also less if you check in online. Consult your air carrier’s website to clarify what their excess baggage allowances are prior to your departure.
Cayman Airways Cargo shipment services can prove to be a cost-effective shipping option if you are moving from the US. You need to deliver the items packed for shipping to the cargo area at the airport. Once they are delivered in Cayman you will need to either arrange collection yourself or use a customs broker. This is also a very good option to keep in mind when you go on shopping trips to the US.
Customs Clearance If you have the time, clearing your household effects through Customs is now relatively easy, but we highly recommend that you pay a customs broker to do it for you as they are reasonably priced and they know the process inside out. The cost is usually CI$75-$100. If you do want to handle the process yourself, here is what you need to do:
On arrival of your shipment, pay freight charges and collect your bill of landing from the shipping company.
For air cargo take all paperwork to the Customs Department on Owen Roberts Drive near the airport (Tel: (345) 949 4579). For ocean cargo take all your paperwork to the Customs Department on Portland Road in the Industrial Park (Tel: (345) 914 3778). The paperwork must include insurance documents, export documents, a customs import entry form, a bill of landing, an itemised list of contents and their value, and a copy of your passport showing your work permit stamp.
Arrange for an inspection time for a Customs officer to inspect your items. That’s when you will need to show the proof of purchase of your goods.
Go to the Port Authority on Portland Road in Industrial Park (Tel: (345) 949 2055) to get port clearance of your goods and pay any port fees. For a 20ft container the fee is CI$384, for a 40ft container the fee is CI$768, and for a less than container load (LCL) you’ll have to ask.
Pick up your goods from the warehouse. Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm and Saturday 8am-12pm.
Warehouse Space If you need to store any of your personal or business effects, Cayman is well served with a few very good, fully-managed warehouses:
Mini Warehouse 2 Industrial Park, George Town Tel: (345) 949 7750 Fax: (345) 949 0239 Email: miniwarehouse2@candw.ky They offer clean, air conditioned and non temperature controlled storage facilities that are built 8 feet above sea level. The facilities are accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week with high tech security surveillance system. Prices range from CI$66-CI$520 per month with a wide variety of sizes to meet your needs.

Copyright 2011 The Resident Magazine 2012. All rights reserved. Acorn Publishing Co, PO Box 31403, Grand Cayman KY1-1206, Cayman Islands, Tel: (345) 946 3200 Fax: (345) 946 2830 Email:info@acorn.ky
