1) The first step
is to contact your country's Department of Agriculture to learn what regulations are
required for the importation of live plants from Florida. There may be restrictions to
certain types of plants, soil, nematode certification of the exporting nursery, specific
chemical treatments, and import permits. Since the requirements of all countries are
different and the laws do change this is the first step to take. Additionally, there may
be import duties as well when importing plants.
2) The second step is to determine the most
efficient mode of transportation, with live plants time is the most important
consideration when multi week shipping is involved. Freight forwarders in your country can
be of invaluable service given their years of experience and knowledge of the most
efficient carriers, companies, and routes. Determine the type of transportation and
confirm the estimated length of transit, of both the ocean freight, and the inland
freight, if ocean freight is the chosen mode. If the plant material are small seedlings,
propagation material, or highly perishable some mode of air transport is best, be it
air-freight or air parcel post.
3) The third step is made once the mode of transport has
been determined to be ocean freight. The transport time, as well as the type of material
determines the choice of container type. There are three types of containers commonly used
for the transport of plant material. The most common are the refrigerated containers of 20
and 40 feet in length, used most often when transport time exceeds three weeks, and or
when there are smaller and or more sensitive plants involved in the load. The second most
common is the open top container which are often used with loads that have a large
percentage of palm trees. They are loaded from the top with cranes which allow for the
most efficient space utilization of large material. The third most common container is the
"flat-rack", which has the front and back bulkhead, but is open on the top and
sides, not unlike a flat bed trailer. It offers the easiest loading and unloading but the
loads tend to be smaller.
