Moving to Spain. Can I send my negatives in the container?

[bomzi]

After almost a decade in New Delhi, my wife and I are moving to Barcelona in January.
It's all very exciting but moving is stressful!

Is it safe for me to pack all my negatives, along with our household furniture, and send it via sea in a 20' container?

The negatives are stored in Print File sleeves which are in plastic Vue-All boxes.
The boxes will be properly packed into cardboard boxes.

I guess I'm worried about the negatives being exposed to humidity inside the container.

The alternative to a sea shipment is to send them via air at considerable expense.

Would love to know what people have done in the past.

Thanks!
Randhir

[Vaidotas]

I’ve had a shipment with wooden view camera and few lenses from Chicago.
Generic cardboard and pile of old newspapers instead of proper packaging.
It was shipped in sea container, via NY, Amsterdam, Gdansk ports.
It came three months later dry as gun powder.
But it was before Suez crisis, before pandemic and war in Ukraine. Now shipment of containers are in big mess, I’d avoid to ship anything valuable this way.

[Doremus Scudder]

Pack them well-sealed in plastic bags along with some desiccant. As long as the container makes it to you and hasn't been flooded completely, the negatives should be alright.

Doremus

[nitroplait]

You don’t know where the container will be placed on the ship. If you have seen a container ship you know what I mean. In my experience, shipping companies don’t insure against damage from humidity or heat - for a reason. Do you feel lucky?

[chuck461]

Sea containers are supposed to be airtight so I think you should be ok. I'd follow Doremus' advice as an extra precaution.

[Delfi_r]

If your negatives have a great importance for you, I would send them by air. I’ts safer and speeder.

You can contact us when you are in Barcelona, we love meet other LFF users

[bomzi]

Thank you for the comments. I will take them via air just to be safe.

Delfi_r I will be in touch once I reach Barcelona! It would be great to meet.

[jnantz]

old college buddy sent whole studio, film, negatives, paper from NYC across Atlantic to Eurozone that way, didn't have trouble. that was 20 years ago maybe things are different now.

[DrakeHeyman]

Hey. My thoughts and advice about moving. Hope it helps someone here. So, about sending your negatives in the container, it should be alright as long as you pack them properly in those plastic Vue-All boxes and store them in cardboard boxes. Just be mindful of the humidity though, as that could affect them. To be safe, you might want to throw in some moisture-absorbing packets or silica gel packs to keep the humidity levels low inside the container. It's also a good idea to check with the shipping company for their recommendations. If you're up for it, you could also consider air shipment, although it might be a bit pricey. And hey, if you need help with your move, you can try using the Three Movers free quote calculator. I'm new here, so just trying to lend a hand.

[Tin Can]

My parents put everything including a new car in one container

USA to Belgium and back

Perfect

3 decades on filled container and packed poorly

UK had no import tax for their repatriate products

Insurance may help