Business background

A museum in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, needed to ship a newly cast seated bronze statue of an ancient medical scientist, including its base, scroll, herb basket and walking stick, from Jingdezhen to an exhibition area in Malta for permanent display. The statue is high in value, irregular in shape and fragile as an artwork. After evaluating several providers, the client learned that Shipping Whale International Logistics has proven experience in FCL ocean freight for crafts and exhibits, and is particularly skilled in custom wooden crate packing for large artworks and coordinating customs clearance with delivery. The client therefore commissioned us to handle the full FCL ocean transport and supporting services.

Business process

The shipment consists of one seated figure cast in bronze, with an imitation stone base.

Given the artwork's high value, the many protruding parts that are easily knocked, the inland origin, and Malta being an island country requiring transshipment and feeder connections, we customized a dedicated end-to-end plan: "onsite custom packing → inland trucking to port → container loading and securing → export customs declaration → direct ocean freight → destination customs clearance → delivery to the museum." The process is as follows:

  1. Dedicated team coordination: A senior exhibit transport specialist visits the site to survey the statue's dimensions, weight and lifting conditions, confirm the port of loading, port of destination and installation deadline, and sign a formal cooperation agreement.
  2. Custom wooden crate packing on site: An open plywood crate is assembled on site. A pallet and thickened EPE foam are laid at the bottom; the statue is wrapped all over in stretch film; before sealing, the surrounding space is filled with foam boards and braced with timber battens to ensure zero movement.
  3. Container loading and securing: A 20ft standard container (20GP) is used. The crate is placed in the center and leveled with dunnage. At the container doors, lashing straps are crossed in an X pattern and tightened, with timber braces at the four corners to prevent shifting from vessel rolling at sea.
  4. Export customs declaration and documentation: Prepare the invoice, packing list, contract, customs declaration authorization, certificate of origin and casting certificate.
  5. Ocean shipment and tracking: Provide the vessel name, voyage number and B/L number. Real-time ocean shipment updates are pushed through the Shipping Whale system so the client can track the cargo's location.
  6. Destination customs clearance and delivery: Coordinate a local heavy-duty truck team to deliver the crate to the designated installation position in the exhibition hall and assist with unpacking and acceptance inspection.

Notes on FCL ocean shipping

Q1: What special requirements apply when loading bronze statue artworks into containers?

  1. Custom wooden crates are mandatory; shipping the statue bare or in simple cartons is prohibited. Foam inside the crate should fit the statue's contours, with extra reinforcement at protruding parts such as the head, fingers and scroll.
  2. The crate bottom must have a pallet or dunnage for forklift handling. Dragging it across the floor is strictly prohibited to prevent stress cracking at the base.
  3. The statue must be fully secured inside with zero movement. Outside, straps should be crossed in an X pattern and tightened, with timber bracing added. The securing plan must meet international ocean shipping safety standards.
  4. High-value artworks must be insured against all risks at their cargo value. Lift and set down gently throughout loading and unloading; rolling and placing upside down are prohibited.

Q2: What key information must be provided before booking?

  1. Basic information: origin, destination port/delivery address, planned dispatch date, installation deadline.
  2. Cargo parameters: dimensions of the statue including the base (L × W × H), net weight, material, whether it can be dismantled.
  3. Nature of cargo: newly cast work or cultural relic, single or multiple pieces, whether a casting certificate is available, declared value.
  4. Documentation: whether an invoice, packing list, contract and certificate of origin can be provided; whether the Maltese consignee has import qualification or an exhibition permit.
  5. Special requirements: whether delivery to the museum is required at the destination, whether assistance with unpacking and positioning is needed, and whether the vessel schedule should be planned backward from the installation date.