Loading and sending a sea container. How do we do that?

Schalkhaar, 10-02-2023

On 6 October 2022, we loaded the 35th container in Deventer.

On November 24, 2022, the container arrived at its destination in Beirut.

What happens in the meantime?

After sealing the container door, the driver drives directly to the port of Rotterdam. From Rotterdam, the container is shipped  to Beirut, usually after a few weeks. Upon arrival there, the  most exciting part of the container journey follows, because it is never certain how quickly it will be released from the port of Beirut.

The fact   that it can sometimes take a very long time has a number of causes. We prefer to ship the goods collected in the Netherlands as quickly and affordably as possible. First of all, we  ensure that we load and ship one container together with several parties. This keeps costs low and  allows us  to bring goods to Lebanon more quickly.  Unfortunately, a disadvantage of these combined partial loads is that many different ministries have to approve the customs clearance. That takes 'customs' time, especially in Lebanon. The costs for container transport can increase considerably.  Every day on which the container remains in the  port, extra port dues must be paid.

The October mission included a lot of material for 'our' school, Saints Coeurs in Beirut. Among other things, components for  the school's digital network,  including 60 desktop computers and 50 laptops. In addition, we had collected various physiotherapy devices for the physio practice in Zahle in the Netherlands. Furthermore, goods for the psychiatric clinic and  boxes of clothing and shelf-stable products for a family in southern Lebanon.  They, in turn, help Syrian refugees with clothing and relief supplies.  And a large part of the cargo consisted of relief goods for the Containers or Love foundation,  with whom we have been working closely since our inception, 2 years ago.

Finally, there were many packages of clothing, including especially a lot of winter clothing, for the aid organization  . A Spanish aid organization that is also active in Lebanon.
The clothing was collected by a Dutch former intern of 26Letters, who had followed her internship at this organization in Lebanon.

On November 24, we were of course very happy to hear that the customs clearance had succeeded again and also relatively quickly. This allowed the  volunteers on site  to unload  the  goods  the same day  and distribute them in the following days. Sowe  were happy organizations, which in turn we were able to make a lot of people happy.

So know that we are very happy with your donation, in goods, but also in money. After all, sending the containers is very expensive.  With the monetary donations, we pay  the transport costs of the containers.  For sending  the ze container (October-November 2022) we paid  a total of € 3200.-.

Would you also like to help please donate your contribution to NL71 ABNA 0118 7463 91 tnv VVL Veteranen Libanon

All other costs, such as bringing the items together and loading, we do together with the fantastic efforts of various volunteers who are happy to come and help us. Amongthem, it would not be possible for us to organize this.  Together we are strong and very proud that it has succeeded again. On to the next one!

Bert Kleine Schaars