Zarate, Argengina

Having researched a lot and spoken to a number of people who’d shipped vehicles to South America, I had prepared for the import process to be somewhat character building.  As I left on the Monday morning to meet Daniel (our shipping agent) at his office, I assured Mel and the little people that I’d be back in the evening with Miss Adventure.  I repeated the same promise to Mel and the little people on the Tuesday morning too.  On Wednesday morning, I downgraded my ‘promise’ to a ‘should be’.

While many people have shipped vehicles to South America, it seems that none have shipped one in a container to the port of Zarate.  Or at least, that’s how it appeared by the complete inability of the Port Authority and Customs to agree how to handle our situation.  The most common method for importing vehicles is by RORO (roll on, roll off) which is how manufactured vehicles are exported and imported.  This is also how most other overlanders ship their vehicles, at least into this port. 

An overland vehicle waiting after arriving via RORO. Lucky people.

RORO is a fairly simple process.  You drop your vehicle off (at the port, or most commonly a bonded warehouse), the shipper arranges for the car to be driven onboard the vessel, it’s shipped, and then driven off – to a location where you can collect it.  Zarate is Argentina’s primary port for importing and exporting vehicles and therefore the RORO process runs very smoothly.  As vehicles roll off the vessel, they are held in the international (fiscal) zone where they are inspected by Customs.  Following this, they are driven to the national zone where the Port Authority will ensure they are sent onward to the consignee. 

Our problem is that we were importing a vehicle inside a container.  We did this, primarily, because our vehicle doesn’t allow the driver’s cabin to be secured independently of the living area (in which we were shipping a variety of things for the trip).  The vehicle is unsecured when shipped via RORO and therefore its contents are subject to theft at any of the stops along the way.  Secondly, the insurance products for shipping in a container have far fewer exclusions (including the ability to insure our additional belongings), particularly useful given the shipping route Miss Adventure was following.

So why is importing a vehicle inside a container such a problem in Zarate?  Well, that’s because the Port Authority treat the container as they would any other type of container – it needs to remain sealed until it leaves the international (fiscal) zone, and can only be opened by the consignee once its in the national zone.   However, Customs have a very specific process for importing vehicles – they need to be physically inspected (or at least, able to be) within the international (fiscal) zone.  In short, there’s a process for importing a container and there’s a process for importing a vehicle – but there isn’t a process for importing a vehicle in a container.

So, along with our ever-patient shipping agent, Daniel, this is a summary of how we went about negotiating the release of Miss Adventure:

Day 1 (Saturday):

  1. Daniel pays the Port Authority and the container is moved into a holding area within the international zone
  2. Daniel agrees with Director of Operations at Zarate that the vehicle can be unloaded in the international zone where Customs can inspect the vehicle.  Following that, I have been given permission to drive the through to the national zone where it can be released. (Obviously this makes a lot of sense and would be very easy)

Day 2 (Monday)

  1. Daniel and I meet at 7am at his office. 
  2. We visit Hamburg Sud’s (the shipping line) office and pay their handling fee
  3. Daniel is feeling confident (based largely on his discussion with the Director of Operations) and thinks we should be done just after lunch.  He suggests we have a coffee before we drive to Zarate.  So we do.
  4. En route, we stop at Campana (where the Customs office responsible for temporary imports is located) and complete the paperwork to import the vehicle.  So far, so good according to Daniel, as he’s normally stuck there for much longer.
  5. At Zarate, we take the completed temporary import permit to the operations office and request that the container is opened for the Customs inspection.  “Not today amigo”, they reply, much to Daniel’s surprise.  Daniel explains the agreement he’d made with the Director of Operations, but sadly, he is away this week.  We are told that the container must be moved (with its seal intact) to the national zone before it can be opened.  The Port Authority ask us to speak to Customs to see if they are willing to inspect the vehicle in the national zone. It’s not an unreasonable solution.
  6. We visit the Customs inspection office (across the hall!) and ask if they will inspect the vehicle in the national zone, as the container needs to pass through with its seal intact.  “Impossible” they say.  As there’s a vehicle inside, it must be inspected in the international zone before proceeding to the national zone. “This is the procedure and it must be followed”, they insist.
  7. The process of brokering a deal between the Port Authority and Customs takes several hours.  The compromise is that we (I, in this case), enter the international zone, unload the vehicle from the container, have it inspected by customs, drive it back into the container, re-seal the container, and then it will be driven by truck 100 meters to the national zone, where I can unload it and then drive it away.  Despite our new “plan” sounding a tad dumb, we agree as at least it’s a way forward. 
  8. That afternoon, I unload the vehicle from the container and spread all the contents out on the forecourt for inspection.  The sniffer dogs and their handlers spend a few minutes sniffing and looking around, and I’m told we are good to go.  Excellent.
  9. We return to the Customs inspection office to have the import paper signed, but there’s a problem – the container needs to have an x-ray.  It should have had a -ray before being inspected apparently.  As it’s nearly 8pm, this needs to wait until the morning.

Day 3 (Tuesday)

  1. Daniel and I meet at 7am at his office. 
  2. Daniel says that yesterday was unusually bad, but today will be better.  He’s feeling confident (again), so we have coffee before the drive to Zarate
  3. The re-sealed container is x-rayed, and there are 9 “anomalies” that require further inspection.
  4. This requires Daniel and I to liaise between the Port Authority and Customs once again, as this is a change to the original plan.  After several hours, we get the parties to agree to the same process as yesterday – unload, inspect, reload and move. 
  5. So, like yesterday, I’m given permission to enter the international zone, unload the vehicle from the container and displace our belongings on the concrete for inspection.
  6. The first set of customs inspectors, guided (I think) by the x-ray images start rummaging through our belongings – nothing found, but they are unsure.  They need to refer it to their superiors.
  7. The superiors come along an hour or so later, they do the same thing – nose about, compare what they are seeing to the images, but again – nothing seems untoward.  But, again, they need to refer it to their superiors.
  8. This happens twice more, until I’m told that the “big boss of all the ports” needs to inspect the vehicle too!  Eventually he (and his sunglass-wearing entourage) arrives and they start their inspection.  Unlike the others, however, the “big boss of all the ports” takes a keen interest in the 8 packets of baby wet wipes I’ve got stashed all through the van.  He’s suspicious.  I’m asked what they are, why I have so many, and why have I tried to hide them throughout the car.  I explain plainly – they were bought at Costco and one can only buy them in bulk there.  When we left the UK, I couldn’t bear the thought of throwing them all out given how useful they are (and how messy our little people still are), I’ll bring them with us.  “Big boss” is sceptical and insists that he opens the packets and “tests” them.  After opening half the packets (thankfully, through the resealable top!) and sniffing inside, he’s convinced. 
  9. At around 7pm and we’re told everything is good, the vehicle can be reloaded and it’s now ready to be imported (to the national side).  Daniel and I almost high five each other.
  10. The man responsible for re-sealing the container has left for the day, but we are told it’s no problem – the container will be safe where it is (there are cameras and security guards).  We are told to return tomorrow morning to re-seal the container before it can be moved to the national side.  Both Daniel and I are disappointed, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel!

  • For the third time I had to unload and reload Miss A, I was provided a ramp.

Day 4 (Wednesday)

  1. Daniel needs a sleep-in so we meet at 8am at his office. Neither of us are feeling particularly confident today. We head straight to the port. Without coffee.
  2. Some bad news awaits us at the port. Because the container wasn’t sealed overnight, Customs insists the vehicle and the contents need to be inspected again. Daniel is devastated. For me, it’s another opportunity to practice driving a van in and out of a shipping container – a skill I’d always wanted to develop.
  3. Again the vehicle is unloaded for inspection. Luckily only two sets of inspectors are required this time. After being given the “all clear” (again), I drive Miss A back into the container. The only man authorised to re-seal containers is present, and Daniel is back to feeling confident again.
  4. Just before 11am, the massive fork-lift thing that moves containers onto trucks has broken down. We have to wait until it’s fixed, as there is only one allowed into the international zone.
  5. Surprisingly quickly, the massive fork-lift truck thing if fixed. Hooray! The truck that will drive the container the 100 meters to the national zone is also present.
  6. More paperwork, including a 20 minute walk to the other side of the Port to get the exit clearances approved.
  7. With the truck loaded with our container, we finally get permission to move to the national zone. We’re on the home stretch. Daniel says reassuringly, “perhaps another 15 minutes, more or less”.
  8. 3 hours later, the container is unloaded from the truck in the national zone. But the container can’t be opened here, it needs to be moved again.
  9. 1 hour later, the container is moved – 20 metres – to the authorised unloading area.
  10. I open the container and unload Miss Adventure, for the fourth time. Expertly, I might add.
  11. Daniel and I almost hug.
  12. At just after 5pm, I’m allowed to drive Miss Adventure out of the national zone.

I was elated as I drove away from the port.  We’d been waiting so long to pick up Miss Adventure and we were all excited at the promise of more freedom, more adventures and for the next phase of our travels to begin.  I couldn’t wait.

As I drove along the highway back to Buenos Aires, I glance at the dashboard to find the engine warning light illuminated.  My heart sank.

Nick, 3rd March 2020

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