Car shipping update for 2018 and forecasts for 2019
- Exchange Rates – if you have been looking to ship a car in 2018 you will have noticed just how volatile the exchange rates have been, from a UK GBP point of view this has mainly been down to Brexit and the uncertainty of how the UK will leave. We have assisted many clients to ship a car they have recently purchased by keeping our costs low to counteract the falling value of pound sterling. For those clients we have helped relocate to the UK, they have been helped by the falling pound in terms of us being able to move their foreign savings to the UK at the best rates
- Car Shipping Container Haulage – moving containers has been difficult as we approach the end of the year. With delays at UK ports and over worked hauliers it has been much harder to accurately forecast the date of unloading cars here in Milton Keynes – costs have also increased due to tighter time restrictions on unloading containers
- Car Shipping methods – with a growing number of shippers using metal racking systems, such as Transrak’s excellent R-Rak system, we have been able to ship, load and unload vehicles much safer and faster than ever before. We have expanded our UK car container devanning service through investment in equipment and IT systems
- Car Shipping and HMRC – the HMRC Car Team who handle NOVA entries had a much longer processing time over the last few months although they appear to be getting back on top of it again now which is helping throughput of cars shipped to the UK
- Car Shipping and DVSA – cars under ten years of age needing an IVA test have been experiencing long delays due to closures of IVA test stations and lack of trained DVSA staff
- DVLA Registration and imported cars – this has been the longest and most severe issue in regards to car shipping. The processing time of a V55 application can now be over six weeks (if Australian) which has been causing a large backlog of cars shipped needing storage. The DVLA have stated they have been needing to request further information from foreign driving agencies and then await responses – we have been trying to ascertain just what this further information is
So 2018 has not been without its challenges for car shipping. 2019 will no doubt have its own issues in regards to car shipping, mainly from new HMRC import systems, Brexit decisions that will no doubt affect import costs / testing requirements and potential trade barriers or partnerships with US / EU / UK.
At ShipMyCar we will continue to invest in further IT improvements and efficiency improvements to help us deal with external, third party delays to ensure cars shipped are shipped, tested and registered as quickly as possible