Sending items from the US to family and friends in the Caribbean is a tradition many decades old. Here’s a list of simple tips to ensure that your shipment is delivered quickly, safely, and accurately to its destination.

Packing Tips

Buy products packaged in plastic containers rather than glass, if possible, then put in a plastic bag before packing.  Should you buy glass containers, wrap them in bubble wrap first then put in a plastic bag. Should breakage occur, the plastic bag will prevent the spillage from ruining your other items in the box or barrel. Pack these in the middle rather than on the outside of the barrel/box.

Paper goods such as toilet paper and paper towels are great for cushioning between glass, plastic, or fragile items.

Pack detergent and bath soaps away from sugar, flour or rice, as they will absorb the taste and smell.

If you have more than one barrel, distribute canned goods between them. Take note of the allowable weight for the size barrel you are using. Packing a barrel too heavy can cause the bottom to fall out and you will incur a loss.

*Ask us about weight limits for your barrel shipment.

If you have only one barrel to pack, then cushion the bottom of the barrel, then pack canned goods, then detergent, etc.

Don’t pack too many canned goods in a single box. Distribute the weight across 2 or more boxes to avoid potential injuries or damage.

Avoid using duct tape to secure boxes going to the Caribbean, the tape can lift off in hot temperatures.

If you are shipping hazardous materials, ask us for assistance and regulations.

Labeling Tips

Labeling your shipment properly eliminates errors and ensures that your package is delivered in a timely manner. Poor or improper labeling can be costly as Customs will charge a fee for any corrections.

Write the name and address of the person the package is going to clearly on two sides of the box or barrel so it can be easily identified. Make sure that the name and address are spelled correctly.

Write the name and address of the person it is coming from in smaller letters on one side.

Secure barrels with a lock or wire.

Boxes should be properly and securely taped.

Alcar International provides repacking services for an additional fee.

The Caribbean Shipping Association’s 48^th Annual General Meeting and Conference will be held in Panama City, Panama at the HotelRiu Plaza. Hosted by the Manzanillo International Terminal, the event is scheduled for October 8-10, 2018. Registration will open in July.

The event will bring shipping and logistics executives, allied service providers, and industry experts to the city for engaging discussion of opportunities and challenges. Visit the Caribbean Shipping Association for more information and to register.

The value of Latin American and Caribbean exports rose 10.6 percent in the first quarter of 2018 against the same period last year, bolstered by higher demand from its main trading partners, particularly from other countries within the region and the European Union, according to a report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

However, this growth was slower than the 11.9 percent registered at the end of 2017, due mainly to lower or flattening commodities prices for such products as coffee, soybeans, sugar and iron ore. This data is included in the six-month update of the publication Trade Trends in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Export volumes continued to grow at annual rates of approximately 4 percent, bolstered by shipments from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina. The rest of South America – and, to a lesser degree, Central America – contributed to the decline in growth in export values in the first quarter.

“After a long period of declining trade, the rise in export volumes is good news,” said Paolo Giordano, the Principal Economist for the Integration and Trade Sector of the IDB and the report’s coordinator. “However, the region must integrate and diversify more to be better prepared against volatility in commodity prices.”

In 2017, the recovery in the total value of Latin American and Caribbean exports was bolstered by greater demand from the region’s main trading partners. The first quarter of 2018 was marked by a sharp slowdown in shipments to China, as sales to the European Union and countries within the region accelerated.

South America, which had registered a 14.9 percent average rise in 2017, increased its sales by 10.4 percent on an annual basis in the first quarter of 2018. The lower growth rate comes when export volumes stand a full 25 percent below their 2011 peak.

In Mesoamerica, exports grew 10.8 percent on a year-on-year basis in the first quarter of 2018, due to the 11.5 percent increase in shipments from Mexico and 4.8 percent from Central American countries. This reflects an improvement in external sales by Mexico in comparison to 2017 (9.5 percent) and a deceleration in Central America (5.8 percent).

The Caribbean saw a 5.3 percent rise in its exports in 2017.

The value of imports to the region jumped 14.3 percent on a year-on-year basis in the first quarter of 2018, after rising 9.6 percent on average in 2017. This growth has picked up throughout 2017 and early 2018, outstripping the rise in exports.

This year Antigua will break ground on its port modernization project designed to attract international container traffic to its St. John’s port. The US$ 90 million project, the largest public-sector investment ever undertaken by the government of Antigua & Barbuda, will greatly increase the port’s cargo handling capability. Expected completion for the project is the middle of 2021.

Also this year, the government is spending US$80 million on an additional cruise berth at Point Wharf designed to accommodate Oasis-class ships. This project is designed to improve walkability, vehicle traffic, and overall aesthetics to increase tourism value in the area. Completion is anticipated for the 2018-19 cruise season.

Both projects are being managed by state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation as part of a 2014 plan to redevelop the St John’s waterfront and coastline.