During most expeditions or adventure trips you will need to, at some stage, ship your vehicle across a stretch of water. We have described below, the various options and how we decided to go about getting 'Truck' over the ocean. A vehicle is not the only thing you may want put on board a cargoship though. Perhaps half way through your trip, you decide you don't want to cart around the handcrafted Malawi chairs you bought as souvenirs, so one idea would be to ship them home. So how do you go about it?

1.Container

Safest by far but costly
This is the method by which you can safely ensure your vehicle will not be tampered with in any way. With pre-planning, you can even drive your vehicle into the container yourself, lock it up, watch it being strapped down, and witness the steel container being sealed.
At the destination port, you can watch your pride and joy being unwrapped and drive away feeling safe in the knowledge that nothing has happened (unless you forgot to strap down your equipment inside the vehicle, which by now has been thrown around and bashed to bits in high seas!).

Container size options:
- 20ft container will take any single Land Rover (without roofrack).
- 40ft container will take 2 x most 4x4's or 3 x Defender 90's (without roofrack). This option would be good economy if you are either taking a few vehicles or you can find a couple of people to share it with you. Look on Lonely Planet Website Message Board for travellers who may be needing to ship their own vehicles to the same destination. You'll be surprised, there's bound to be someone out there.
If your vehicle has a roofrack, it can usually travel in the same container if there is room, just not attached due to the height restriction.

For all this security, there is of course a substantial cost involved. If you are carrying a lot of equipment, its definately worth the cost.

Half the price of a container but attractive target for thieves in port assembly areas
After you deliver your vehicle to the docks, you leave the doors open and keys in the lock so that the dock handlers can drive it to the ship to be loaded by crane or driven aboard.

We chose this option for our vehicle, despite warnings from experienced expeditioners, for the simple reason that we were travelling with it. We would be able to keep our beady eyes open. The option of being passenger on board a cargoship is not by any means usual but not impossible either. If the ship's got a spare cabin at the time, you pay your way and your insured to travel on cargoship, then wey hey, its a great way to start an adventure.

We slept onboard while still in dock so we could wake up early and watch 'Truck' being loaded. Even though we were watchful at the docks we discovered, to our annoyance, that a seat cover and a chamois leather had been pilfered by an opportunist while it was 'safely' locked in the pound (assembly area) overnight! We were so glad we'd ignored the Customs Officials and taken our locker keys with us. The car in front of ours was less lucky and it looked as if the stereo had been nicked. The owner wouldn't know a thing until he received the car at its destination. So be warned and lock up your lockables, your seat covers and your chamois leathers if you take this option.

Who We Used
After researching thoroughly, we asked Gibbons Freight Ltd to look after our beloved 'Truck'.
We first heard about the company in Tom Sheppard's 'Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide' which details going rates of the various shipping agents, the different types of shipping to be found the world over, and the precautions you should take to ensure safe passage for your vehicle. Gibbons were recommended to us by the AA (UK Automobile Association). They have been shipping since 1961 so we figured they knew what they were talking about. They are not only experienced in handling cars but also personal and domestic effects. They have offices throughout the UK and we can definately vouch for the friendly staff.

For more information on Gibbons Freight forwarding service for personal effects, click on this logo which will direct you to their own website where you will find email address and contact numbers. If you contact Mike O Connell or Ken Gower at Gibbons, please mention DiveTheDream. Thanks.