International removals, groupage, container or parcels: which to use?

Key rules

• Choose by volume: Parcels suit a few boxes, groupage suits about 3 to 20 m3, and a container or full removal suits a whole home.
• Quotes: Get at least three written quotes, each based on an in-person or video survey.
• Destination costs: Duties, taxes and inspection fees at the destination are usually not in the quote and are paid by you.
• Mover checks: Verify accreditation with the issuing body and check the company's CIF and Registro Mercantil entry before you pay.

Prices, transit times and parcel limits vary by carrier, destination and season, so confirm them in each written quote and with the carrier or destination customs.

Pick by volume first

Work out how many cubic metres (m3) you have. That number decides the mode.

• A few boxes or small items: send them as parcels by post or courier. Parcels are priced by weight and size. They are fast but expensive per kilo, and they have size and weight limits.
• About 3 to 20 m3: use groupage, where your goods share a container or lorry with other people's. It is priced per m3 and is cheaper, but slower because the mover waits to fill the load, and your goods are handled more.
• A whole home: book a 20 ft or 40 ft container at a flat rate. It is cost-effective when full. Sea transit takes weeks.
• Roughly 20 m3 or more: a full removal gives you a dedicated truck or container, door-to-door service and the lowest handling risk. It costs the most, with a price based on volume, packing and distance.
• Air freight is the fastest and the most expensive. Keep it for urgent essentials.

Your route changes the answer

• UK: goods go by road, which is the cheapest of the three routes. Groupage usually takes about 1 to 3 weeks. A full container or van load takes about 3 to 10 days. Post-Brexit customs paperwork adds cost.
• US: goods go by sea. A container usually takes about 4 to 8 weeks door to door, and groupage about 6 to 10 weeks.
• Latin America: goods go by sea. A container usually takes about 5 to 10 weeks, and groupage 8 to 12 weeks or more. Pacific-coast ports, Argentina and Chile are often slower.

Customs clearance, port congestion and sailing schedules add time. Island origins take longer. A full container usually works out cheaper per m3 than groupage, and the price per m3 usually falls as volume rises. Compare quotes for both if you are near the boundary.

Sending parcels

Weight limits are commonly about 20 to 30 kg per parcel for postal services and up to about 70 kg for express couriers. They vary by carrier and destination, so check before you pack. Used goods sent outside the EU need a customs declaration listing contents and values, marked as used personal effects. The destination's customs decide on duty and tax. Many countries give relief to movers only if the goods arrive with you or under set conditions, so ask them first. Batteries, liquids, food and plants are usually prohibited.

Get quotes you can compare

Ask for at least three written quotes, each after an in-person or video survey. A comparable quote states:

• the mode, container size and estimated volume;
• addresses and access at both ends (floors, lift, parking permits, long carry);
• who packs, with what materials, and whether unpacking, debris removal and crating of fragile items are included;
• furniture dismantling and reassembly;
• scope: door-to-door, door-to-port or port-to-port;
• export clearance in Spain and import clearance at destination, and who handles each;
• port, terminal and documentation charges, and fuel and currency surcharges;
• destination duties, taxes and inspection fees, which are usually excluded and paid by you;
• insurance type, declared value, excess and premium;
• storage terms, delivery timeframe and free days;
• payment schedule, how long the quote is valid, and cancellation terms;
• exclusions such as vehicles, pets, plants and alcohol;
• whether VAT applies, and whether the price is fixed or based on final volume.

If one quote leaves out items the others include, ask for them in writing before you compare prices. Quotes vary by destination and season.

Check the mover

• Look for FIDI-FAIM accreditation, the quality label of the international movers' federation. Confirm it in FIDI's online member directory, not on the mover's own website.
• Check membership of a national movers' association.
• Check the company's CIF (tax number), its Registro Mercantil entry (the company register) and its transport authorisation.
• Get a written contract stating the volume, price, insurance cover, transit date and liability limits.
• Confirm the goods-in-transit insurance.
• Pay by traceable methods and keep an inventory with photos.

Walk away if you see a very low quote, no survey, a demand for a large cash deposit, no physical address, pressure to sign, or no company name on the truck. A price that changes on loading day is also a warning sign. In a hostage-goods scam, the mover demands extra payment before it delivers your goods.

If something goes wrong in transit, see the section on delays, damage and loss below.

Choosing between options

Which way should you ship your belongings out of Spain?

• Parcel or courier: You have a few boxes or small items.

• Container (20 ft or 40 ft): You are moving a whole home. It is a flat rate, good value when full, and sea transit takes weeks.

• Full removal: You have roughly 20 m3 or more and want door-to-door service with the lowest handling risk. It costs the most.

Choose by volume: a few boxes by parcel, about 3 to 20 m3 by groupage, a whole home by container or full removal. Then compare written quotes that cover the same things.

Timeline and deadlines

• Road groupage to the UK: about 1 to 3 weeks door to door

• Full container or van load to the UK: about 3 to 10 days door to door

• Sea container to Latin America: about 5 to 10 weeks door to door

• Groupage to Latin America: 8 to 12 weeks or more door to door

• Air freight to any of these: about 1 to 2 weeks

Documents you need

• Written contract from the mover stating the volume, price, insurance cover, transit date and liability limits

• At least three written quotes, each based on an in-person or video survey of your belongings

• Proof of goods-in-transit insurance, showing the type of cover, declared value and excess

• The mover's company registration number (CIF), Registro Mercantil entry and transport authorisation

• Proof of FIDI-FAIM accreditation, if the mover claims it

• Inventory of your belongings with photos

Checklist

• Estimate your volume in cubic metres to choose between parcels, groupage, a container or a full removal

• Check that each quote states the shipping mode, volume, packing, scope (door-to-door or port-to-port) and customs clearance at both ends

• Ask each mover which port charges, documentation fees and surcharges are included

• Confirm that destination duties, taxes and inspection fees are listed, and who pays them

• Look the mover up in the FIDI online member directory and check its CIF and Registro Mercantil entry

• Check the carrier's weight and size limits for the destination before sending parcels

• Photograph your belongings and keep an inventory before loading

• Pay by a traceable method

What to watch out for

• Very low quotes and no survey: A very low quote, or one given without a survey, can be a sign of an unreliable mover, and the price often rises later.

• Hostage goods: Some movers demand extra payment on delivery before they release your belongings. A price that changes on loading day is a warning sign. Get a written contract with a fixed price, avoid large cash deposits, and pay by traceable methods.

• Movers you cannot trace: No physical address, no company name on the truck or pressure to sign quickly suggest a mover you cannot hold to account. Check the CIF, the Registro Mercantil entry and the transport authorisation before you sign.

• Quotes that leave out costs: Quotes often leave out destination duties, taxes, inspection fees and port charges, so a cheap quote can end up costing more. Ask each mover to list what is included and what you pay on arrival.

• Limited mover liability: A mover's liability for lost or damaged goods is usually limited to 8.33 SDR per kilogram on international road removals. Consider extra transit insurance.

What if your shipment out of Spain is delayed, damaged or lost?

Short answer

Report damage the day your goods arrive, put every claim in writing, and buy extra transit insurance. The mover's legal liability is low, and it does not cover what your things are worth.

What the mover owes you

For international removals by road, the mover's liability for lost or damaged goods is usually limited to 8.33 SDR per kilogram. SDR means special drawing rights, an international unit whose euro value changes with exchange rates. The limit is by weight, not by value, so a lost 10 kg box of fragile items pays out the same as 10 kg of old books. Delay compensation is capped at the transport charge.

Shipping by sea has a different limit: 666.67 SDR per package or 2 SDR per kilogram, whichever is higher. A mover's own terms may offer even less unless you buy extra cover. Read the cover section of the quote before you sign.

Deadlines

• Visible damage: write it on the delivery note when the goods arrive, before the crew leaves. Photograph it too.
• Hidden damage: give written notice within 7 days of delivery.
• Delay by road: give written notice within 21 days of delivery.
• Sea shipments: give notice at delivery, or within 3 days if the damage is not visible.
• Court action: you have 1 year from delivery, or 3 years if the carrier acted with wilful misconduct. For sea shipments, the 1 year applies.

How to claim

1. Write to the mover. Do not rely on phone calls or chat messages.
2. Attach the transport document, your inventory, photos, and invoices or other proof of value.
3. State what is damaged or missing and the amount you claim.
4. Tell your transit insurer straight away, too. Do this even if you expect the mover to pay.

Contract terms and the type of transport can change these deadlines, so check the ones in your contract.

What extra transit insurance covers

Transit insurance pays for physical loss or damage during packing, loading, transport and unloading. It is sold on the replacement value of your goods that you declare. The cover is either all-risks or limited to named dangers such as fire, accident, theft or sinking. The typical cost is roughly 1% to 3% of the declared value, depending on transport mode and cover.

Common exclusions:

• Goods you packed yourself, unless a professional checks the packing
• Wear and tear, inherent defects, moths and vermin
• Delay and customs seizure
• War
• Cash, jewellery and documents, unless you declare them
• High-value items that are not listed

Premiums and terms differ between insurers, so read the policy wording before you buy. Declare your valuable items, and keep the packing professional if you want the cover to hold.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping a container to the US take?

A sea container to the US usually takes about 4 to 8 weeks door to door. The East Coast is faster and the West Coast slower. Groupage takes longer, about 6 to 10 weeks, because the mover waits to fill the shared container.

Is shipping to the UK cheaper than to the US or Latin America?

Yes, shipping to the UK is usually the cheapest of the three, because it goes by road rather than by sea. Post-Brexit customs paperwork and the UK's import rules still add costs, so ask each mover to include them in writing.

Does a full container always cost less than groupage?

Per cubic metre, yes: a full 20 ft or 40 ft container usually works out cheaper than groupage. Prices per m3 also tend to fall as your volume rises, so a nearly full container is the best value.