Use these instructions to understand how OBO plans shipments, how to register interest and what happens before vessel departure.
Depot Network
The network is timed around riding seasons, connected overland journeys and practical entry-to-exit windows. View the Depot Network on the home page for illustration of this concept. The magenta lines are the typical overlander trunk lines, and the blue lines are the shipping lanes used to link overland journeys. Primary shipments between primary depots form the foundation of the OBO network timetable. Other shipments connect secondary depots and are timed to link overland journeys to/from primary shipments. Demand-led shipments are timed to link with all of the above.
Shipment Timing
The two estimated dates shown for a shipment are the container pack date at Origin and the date motorcycles will be ready for collection at Destination. An 'operating buffer period' dependent on the intricacies of the specific shipment is also added to the time at destination. OBO aligns the dates with the up-to-date shipping-line schedule three months before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure (ETD).
For example, the 68-day Melbourne to Valparaíso duration is calculated as follows:
8 days at Origin + 45 days port-to-port sea freight + 3 business days at Destination + 12 days operating buffer = 68 days.
No buffer days were required for the most recent Valparaíso shipment. Even so, OBO always recommends that riders use the buffer period rather than relying on earlier availability. Two weeks of free storage is provided at Valparaíso for that contingency.
Building Demand
Building and aligning demand is primarily a question of timing across different riders and their respective journeys. The Register Interest form captures two critical details: what a rider's preferred date relates to and how flexible that date can be before and after.
- When shipping at the end of a journey, the preferred date will normally relate to the container packing date at the Origin Depot.
- When shipping to begin a journey, the preferred date will normally relate to when the motorcycle needs to be available at the Destination Depot.
For example, an Aussie rider shipping to Chandigarh to begin a journey from the Himalayas to Southeast Asia via Tibet will be less concerned about the Origin Depot packing date, provided the motorcycle is where it needs to be in Chandigarh when required.
At the other end of the journey, when the rider wants to ship their motorcycle home from Malaysia, their timing will likely relate to the Origin Depot packing date. They may be less concerned about when the motorcycle becomes available back in Australia.
Good-value secure storage in Chandigarh and Malaysia provides OBO with the flexibility to align this rider's timing with other compatible riders, even allowing a three-month journey plan to align with a seven-month plan.
Onboarding Steps
1. Read the Country Page
From the Motorcycle Shipping page, select the relevant country. Review its available shipments, import and export processes, storage, timings and overland routes to see whether they suit your journey.
2. Register Interest
Complete the Register Interest form to tell OBO which shipment or route you are considering, your preferred timing and your questions.
3. Discuss the Shipment With OBO
OBO will follow up to discuss the shipment, timing, capacity, price and requirements, and answer your questions. If you request a call, OBO can arrange a Google Meet or phone call.
4. Review the Terms and Pay Your Deposit
Before paying a Deposit, read the Terms and Conditions. OBO will provide the payment instructions when the shipment is open for booking. Payment of the Deposit secures your place in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
OBO shipments use Full Container Load processes with finite capacity. Once all available spaces have been secured by riders who have paid their Deposits, the shipment closes.
Preparing for Vessel Departure
After your Deposit has been paid, your shipment moves into operational preparation.
1. Complete Your Tasks by Their Due Dates
OBO will create and share a secure Google Drive folder for your shipment requirements. Read the instructions in the folder and upload the requested information, documents and motorcycle photographs.
OBO will give you a due date for each request. Complete each request by its due date and keep your own copies of the documents you provide.
2. Receive the Major Timings Update
Three months before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure, OBO reviews the current shipping-line schedule and confirms the shipment's major timings. The shipping-line services used tend to operate weekly, so the overall timing is unlikely to move significantly. The update mainly accounts for how the exact sailing dates fall around weekends and allows OBO to define the precise container pack date and, therefore, the motorcycle delivery cut-off date.
3. Shipping-Line Booking and Balance Payment
OBO will notify you when the booking has been made with the shipping line. Your Balance must then be paid within seven days, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
Shipping lines generally open bookings between 6 and 12 weeks before the vessel's Estimated Time of Departure (ETD), with 8 to 10 weeks being the practical expectation.
4. Deliver Your Motorcycle and Complete Origin Handover
Complete your remaining origin requirements and deliver your motorcycle, keys, expedition materials and required documentation by the advised cut-off date. OBO and its Origin Agent take care of the rest.
5. Vessel Departure Confirmed
OBO will notify you when the vessel carrying the container has departed and keep you well informed throughout the sea-freight journey.