As the art market has expanded globally, international art shipping has become a crucial component of the industry. Whether one is buying or selling art, need to move artwork for an exhibition, or are transporting their personal collection to another country, shipping artwork is not an easy task. It requires a lot of attention, care and expertise to ensure the art pieces are safe and secure during transit. Therefore, in this article, we will explore everything you need to know about international art shipping.
Before shipping
Before you even begin the shipping process, it is essential to ensure that the art piece is prepared for transport. That means packing it correctly, so it is safe during shipping. Various types of packaging materials are available, including bubble wrap, foam wrap, corrugated cardboard, and custom-made wood crates. Ensure you have packing materials correctly sized to cover your art, and avoid overpacking, you don’t want to add too much weight, or work with fragile materials. Additionally, consider the climate conditions affecting the time of the year and the destination of your artwork.
Hire a professional Art Shipping Company
When the artwork is ready and prepared for shipping, it is time to entrust the job to a professional art shipping company. A good art shipping company should have a reputation for handling artworks excellently, have experience in the industry, and proper credentials. Do your homework and research on the art shipping company before selecting them. You can consult a trusted art advisor, collector, or gallery owner to ask for recommendations. Once you have a list of potential art shippers, get quotes from each of them and compare their services, features and considerations such as insurance offered, size of artwork they can handle, modes of transport they use, and bespoke packaging provided.
Modes of transportation
Art shipping companies use various modes of transport to move artwork between countries and continents. The mode chosen depends on the size, weight, and material of the art pieces. The common modes of transportation used in art shipping include air, sea, and road. Air transport is a quick and efficient way of shipping artworks, especially for small and delicate art pieces. Shipping art by sea is a popular option for transporting large art pieces, such as sculptures, and heavy art pieces. Shipping art by road is another excellent option, especially for local transportation.
Clearance and documentation
When shipping art internationally, there are several aspects of clearance and documentation to consider, such as customs regulations. You must understand the import/export regulations and what documents are required for customs clearance. The art shipping company can assist with the paperwork and transport documentation, such as air waybills, bills of lading, and customs declarations. The documentation should be correct and complete to avoid any hold-ups, demurrage charges or confiscation at customs line.
Insurance
Protecting your artwork during transit is crucial, and that is the reason why art insurance is advocated and recommended. Art insurance policies serve to ensure that any loss, damage or theft that occurs during transport is covered. Various art shipping companies provide insurance coverage for your artwork during transit. Consider purchasing an insurance policy that covers the actual value of the artwork you are shipping.
Final Destination
Once the artwork arrives at the final destination, it is necessary to work with the consignee or a customs broker to clear the artwork through the customs. The consignee will then transport the artwork to its final destination, installing or unpacking them, as necessary. Ensure you keep an eye on the art piece once it arrives to avoid any damage or loss that may occur during unpacking.
Costs
Art shipping is not cheap. The cost of shipping an artwork internationally is dependent on various factors, including the size, weight, material of the artwork, and mode of transportation used. Additionally, the more valuable the artwork, the more insurance coverage you will need, increasing the shipping costs. Although there are shipping costs associated with art shipping, it is crucial to hire an expert art shipping company to ensure the artwork retains its value and avoids any damages, which would lead to further loss of money.
Conclusion
international art shipping is a complex process that requires a lot of attention and care to ensure the artworks are safe during transit. Hiring a professional and experienced art shipping company is crucial, not selecting the correct company may lead to loss of artwork, theft and damage, which is an art collector’s worst nightmare. Therefore, when shipping art, ensure that it is correctly packed, understand what mode of transportation is used and purchase insurance coverage to protect against loss and damage.