Shipping Liferaft from UK to Greece

[Chief Charlie]

Servicing my ancient life raft has become uneconomical and I want to replace it.

Can anyone advise me how or by whom I can economically ship a replacement life raft from UK to Kilda (Basimakopouloi Shipyard) in Greece before next April?

Chief Charlie
SY ALKIRA

 

[vyv_cox]

Servicing my ancient life raft has become uneconomical and I want to replace it.

Can anyone advise me how or by whom I can economically ship a replacement life raft from UK to Kilda (Basimakopouloi Shipyard) in Greece before next April?

Chief Charlie
SY ALKIRA

Any of the online parcels shippers will do it. Parcel Monkey, Interparcel, etc. I had a new dinghy shipped to Leros for £50 and a passerelle for rather less.

 

[Chief Charlie]

Any of the online parcels shippers will do it. Parcel Monkey, Interparcel, etc. I had a new dinghy shipped to Leros for £50 and a passerelle for rather less.

Unfortunately, these and other couriers I have approached will not transport a life raft because the package contains a gas bottle to inflate the raft.

Chief Charlie

Still looking so any further ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sandyman]

We have friends that moved to Athens a few years ago & used this Company. https://nomad-international.com/moving-to-greece/. Worth a phone call or e-mail to see if they can help. Good luck.

 

[Chief Charlie]

We have friends that moved to Athens a few years ago & used this Company. https://nomad-international.com/moving-to-greece/. Worth a phone call or e-mail to see if they can help. Good luck.

Thanks to all who have contributed to my quest. After some hours on the internet and telephone I have tracked down a boat haulier who will do the deed for me, door to door.

For anyone who is interested, I have had success in finding a willing carrier in 'Overland Boat Movements', a company based in Southampton. No other courier or haulier would touch it because of the presence of the gas bottle. A little strange really when you think that every aircraft in service has these things stashed away in the doors and every ferry has loads of them stowed on deck, all with no worries about accidental inflation - but there it is. I can now buy in UK at UK prices in sterling!

Thanks again to all who helped.

Chief Charlie

 

[MikeCC]

Do you already have the replacement raft or were you buying a new one? I'd have thought most suppliers would be able to get an international shipping quote through the manufacturer/distributor with the attendant hazardous goods requirements.

 

[macd]

We have friends that moved to Athens a few years ago & used this Company. https://nomad-international.com/moving-to-greece/. Worth a phone call or e-mail to see if they can help. Good luck.

Just for completeness, I've used Nomad for a delivery to Crete. Basically they're a household removals company, and just pop other items in with their regular loads to Greece (and to Italy).
They're very accomodating and their rates are highly competitive. No problem with hazard issues (the goods were fridge components, pre-gassed, and everyone else got apoplexy at mention of the 'gas' word). Basically you order the goods, give Nomad in Peterborough as the delivery address, and they take it from there.

However, their prices are to their depots: in Crete, at Chania; not sure where on the mainland. If you ask them to make onward carriage to wherever you are, it's more of a custom arrangement and neither quick, nor cheap. With this proviso, I'd recommend them.

 

[Bertramdriver]

Don't waste your time messing about. Buy locally eg http://shop.nautilus.gr and they'll deliver to your boat. The price difference between uk/ ship and buy locally is negligible. Don't worry the shop managers have good English.

 

[Chief Charlie]

For anyone else in this situation I have the following advice:
A number of specialist chandlers/retailers will ship a life raft to Greece for you with quite reasonable shipping costs. In addition I found one boat-shift contractor who would take a life raft to Greece.
In summary one can buy in UK taking advantage of the £ and special offers available. Anyone wanting specific details please pm me.
Finally a word to the wise - everyone I spoke to advised me that life raft prices are likely to increase in the new year.

 

[<152587>]

Problem is that self inflating liferafts are listed in the Dangerous Goods manual as UN 2990 with a caveat that not only do they contain pressurised gas cylinder but also contain wet strike matches, pyrotechnics and torch batteries. Whilst UK has issued an "authorisation" to transport 1000 Kg/litres of this substance does not mean that all EU countries have this dispensation. Any haulier that is transporting items such as this on a regular basis will have to comply with ADR regulations ( a virtual minefield)
also will need to employ a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor at great expense.
So these liferafts are hung every where around the ship I hear you say. They are stored on the weather decks and can be instantly released to avert in incident not contained in the cargo hold.
I would suggest that this matter is thoroughly investigated before departure as if not documented correctly could lead to confiscation of said goods by customs officials.