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Case Studies
Services: Customs Clearance & Import and Export Services
Industry: Manufacturing, Construction, and Automotive Imports
Overview: The High Cost of Non-Compliance
Australia maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding asbestos. For importers, the presence of even trace amounts of asbestos in goods—ranging from gaskets and brake pads to building materials—can lead to shipment seizures, massive fines, and criminal prosecution. Clarke Global Logistics (CGL) provides specialised auditing and due diligence to ensure importers meet the strict requirements of the Australian Border Force (ABF).
Challenge: Zero Tolerance and “Reasonable Enquiries”
The Australian Border Force has significantly increased its focus on asbestos, particularly in goods originating from countries where asbestos use is still legal.
- The Risk: Importers are legally responsible for ensuring their goods are asbestos-free. Claiming “ignorance” is not a valid legal defence.
- The Penalty: Fines for individuals and companies can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, alongside the total loss of the cargo and high storage/destruction costs.
Approach: Proactive Due Diligence and Expert Verification
CGL moves beyond standard paperwork to implement a rigorous risk-management framework for clients:
- Supplier Auditing: Evaluating overseas suppliers’ manufacturing processes and their understanding of Australian standards.
- Testing Protocols: Advising on NATA-accredited testing (or international equivalents) to be performed before the goods leave the origin country.
- Documentation Management: Managing the specific “Asbestos-Free” declarations and supporting evidence required by the ABF to satisfy the “reasonable enquiries” legal threshold.
Results: Protecting the Importer’s Bottom Line
By implementing these specialist customs brokerage strategies, CGL has successfully protected clients from:
- Seizure of Goods: Ensuring shipments pass through customs without being flagged for inspection.
- Financial Penalties: Avoiding the maximum penalties and legal fees associated with ABF infringements.
- Supply Chain Continuity: Preventing months of delays that occur when shipments are held for testing at the border.
Takeaway: Expertise is the Best Insurance
The “Asbestos-Free” label from an overseas supplier is often insufficient for Australian law. This case study demonstrates that Clarke Global Logistics’ expertise in Customs Brokerage and Compliance acts as a critical safeguard, ensuring that Australian businesses can import with confidence in a high-risk regulatory environment.
March 26, 2018Vintage Maserati cars to be sent back overseas due to asbestos risk.
Recently, it was reported that eight Maserati cars arrived here from London for a 7 day motoring tour that started at Torquay last Tuesday, and drove along the Great Ocean Road to Sydney. Six of the eight cars shipped to Australia were not able to partake in the rally and were held back in a […]
February 22, 2017Heavy furniture shipment from Bali
From time to time, the team at Clarke Global Logistics are asked to manage some unusual and challenging projects, a recent example being a new office set up for a highly awarded media agency in Melbourne and Sydney furnished with heavy furniture specially ordered and manufactured in Bali. Clarke Global coordinated the customs clearance and […]
November 25, 2015Shipping a classic car – a case study
Vintage and classic cars are more than functional vehicles for their owners. They are collectors’ or sentimental items that may have taken years to obtain and involve specialised care to transport, as the following case study demonstrates. After two years of negotiation with a European owner and at great personal expense, a classic car enthusiast […]
September 23, 2013Shipping my Bike to the Middle East with Clarke Global: A Positive Experience
This review from Damien Coke first appeared on www.horizonsunlimited.com. I searched for a while in Australia to find a shipper that was even interested in shiping my bike to the middle east, particularly as I wanted to send it by air. I finally came across Clarke Global, who turned out to be great Importnatly, as […]
February 3, 2020Clarke Global Logistics Helps Grill’d Launch Its First International Restaurant in Bali
Services: International Trade Consulting, Customs Brokerage, Air Freight, Temperature-Controlled Freight Industry: Food & Beverage / Retail (Quick Service Restaurant) Client: Grill’d Healthy Burgers Location: Bali, Indonesia Date: Project completed December 2019 Overview: Establishing a Global Footprint in a Complex Market Grill’d Healthy Burgers sought to expand its operations into the competitive and highly regulated Bali, […]
July 29, 2015How to import a caravan into Australia
The team at Clarke Global are often asked to facilitate the import of caravans to Australia to individuals or to a distributor/seller. Their customs clearance and import logistics experience in this area has provided them with a track record in hassle free shipping, avoiding unnecessary costs at the ports of exit and destination. One of […]
February 1, 2017Landcruiser sails home after completing World Motor Challenge
After the trip of a lifetime driving to destinations most people can only read about, such as the untouched rugged coastline of Newfoundland (setting of The Shipping News), the ancient trading route known as the Silk Road and the surreal landscapes of remote Middle East, this treasured 1991 Toyota Landcruiser has successfully returned to Australia […]
November 23, 2016Tips to avoiding online car purchasing scams – plus an actual case
Recently Director at Clarke Global Logistics, Martin Moyano, was contacted by an unknown shipper to provide a quote for the shipment of a classic car purchased from Melbourne, destined for a New Zealand customer. The quote was provided. Martin and the team did not hear back from him, however, were contacted at a later stage […]
October 27, 2015Securely Transport Your Boat Using Container, Flat Rack, or Break Bulk Methods
No matter what size or shape your boat is, it can be shipped securely and efficiently using any of the following three methods: By Container If your boat fits into the dimensions of a 20ft or 40ft container (this could be an open-top container), it can be shipped this way. With custom or ready-made shipping […]
August 23, 2013Journey for Brain Cancer Research
Clarke Global is proud to support the Heads In The Clouds, Wheels On The Ground cause to raise funds for research into a cure for brain cancer. We have donated our professional fees and freight costs to assist two young Australians who embarked on a 6 month motorbike journey from Alaska to Argentina in August […]
December 11, 2015Shipping of an over sized drilling rig by roll on /roll off (RORO) vessel
The team at Clarke Global were asked to send an over dimensional drilling rig (pictured) which is used on large civil engineering projects, from Fremantle WA to Vietnam. Oversized freight such as this that do not fit into standard 20 or 40 foot sea freight containers are generally packed and shipped differently. In this case, it […]
August 26, 2015Challenges faced by break bulk and roll on / roll off shipments
Freight items that don’t fit into standard 20 or 40 foot sea containers can be shipped as individual units referred to as break bulk (BB) cargo. If possible, they can also be rolled on and off (RORO) special vessels that are not only designed to carry ‘static’ cargo but mobile or wheeled cargo, a solution which is […]
November 24, 2014Global Boat Shipping: Transporting a High-Value Vessel from Canada to PNG
Services: Sea Freight & Logistics Services Industry: Manufacturing, Construction, and Automotive Imports Industry: Leisure Marine / International Trade Client: Private/Commercial Marine Route: Kelowna, Canada ➔ Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Overview: A Complex Multi-Continental Transit Moving a high-value asset like a Campion boat across the globe requires more than just a booking; it requires meticulous […]
October 16, 2014Get your RORO measurements right
Precision is important, especially when calculating dimensions for roll on/roll off shipments such as a client’s wheel loader shipment to Dubai. The booked measurements for the vehicle were almost 18m3 less than the measurements calculated by the ships surveyor on delivery to the vessel at Port Kembla, so last minute adjustments were made to ensure […]
September 8, 2014Clarke Global helped Former World Champion Hayden Virtue in shipping his sailing canoe 2014 Sailing Canoe World Championship
Former world champion Hayden Virtue is currently competing in the 2014 Sailing Canoe World Championships with some help from the team at Clarke Global. Clarke Global facilitated the shipping of Hayden’s canoe from his home base in Wodonga to the current World Championships in San Francisco, which run until September 16th. “My goal is to […]
August 11, 2014Importing a Caravan to Australia
Importing luxury vehicles and caravans into Australia can be challenging and recent first time importer Ben Gray of Canberra says it pays to be well organised. “I’m generally a well organised person, but it pays to organise things weeks ahead. I started organising it six weeks ahead and it made everything run much smoother, there […]
July 17, 2014Shipping Oversized Machinery & Items: A Case Study on Clarke Global’s Successful Transport of Machinery Tyres
Shipping machinery and over dimensional items can be a tricky business, especially when those items don’t fit into standard shipping containers. A recent project required the Clarke Global team to arrange collect and packing of eight machinery tyres for shipment from Brisbane to Jebel Ali, Dubai UAE. A major challenge was that the tyres wouldn’t […]
June 13, 2014Extra cargo to Russia
Once a shipment has been organised it’s important to ensure that all deadlines for packing, transport and loading are met so that clients don’t face unplanned delays due to items not being ready when they are required. During the packing of a recent shipment of 15 containers from Australia to Russia the client discovered the […]
May 1, 2014Transport logistics challenge
Some jobs may seem impossible, but they’re the kind of challenges the Clarke Global Logistics team really enjoy. This client had a seemingly impossible task. A 40ft container needed to be collected from Fremantle Wharf on Easter Saturday. The job included unpacking the container, repacking and organising transport to move it some 1700 kilometres to Port […]
What our Clients Say
Our high-quality, personalised service delivers consistent
results and creative solutions for any logistics problem.
“Carlos Altuna”
"Excellent service and communication. Martin and his team know how to smoothly handle Amazon FBA deliveries in Australia. Besides, their advice regarding imports regulations and international logistics is really helpful".
“Connie”
“The Quang have been doing business with Clarke Global for more than 20 years, the staff is always helpful and complete the job on time.
We appreciated their great job to have our shipment cleared smoothly.”
“Fatima Babaei”
“Just wanted to let you know we have so much respect and appreciation for you, Assunta and Martin for your services.
We love this group of People and their company.
Assunta and Martin truly care about their customers and the services they provide. They will go above and beyond to make sure you have all the information about your shipment until it gets to destination on time and unharmed.
They come highly recommended, and anyone would be lucky to have them as their agents.”
“Chris Georgiou”
“Martin took on the heavy lifting of local registrations and ingredient specifications in a challenging and complex market. Basically we outsourced the documentation and customs preparation to him. That the restaurant is open and trading is testament that it all went well.”
"According to Martin Moyano “the Grill’d project has been a different service approach for Clarke Global Logistics which usually manages the shipping aspects of clients’ businesses. This focus on business auditing and international trade advice from inception to delivery has been an interesting and educational new challenge."
“Greg”
“Clarke Global imported a 40 foot container [of recreational paddle boats and parts] for me from Michigan U.S. This was my first overseas purchase and it could not have been easier, Martin and Assunta organised everything and I did very little.
My emails were responded to from Martin and Assunta so fast that I thought they were working 24 hours a day.
I will use Clarke Global again and would recommend them to you.”
“Victoria McKeown”
“After using tricky flights of stairs, the delivery teams put the heavy furniture shipment from Bali safely in place and took the rubbish away. The Sydney team arranged a lifter for the windows, four trucks for the wharf and basically worked all day, unpacking!”
“Alan Clarke”
“Initially the plan was to ship the car [Landcruiser] back from Los Angeles to Fremantle after completing World Motor Challenge. We contacted three shipping organisations, Clarke Global being one of them.
The Landcruiser arrived in Fremantle unscathed. Australian Customs charged approximately $325 to give it a steam clean (which was in Martin’s quote as a Provisional Item), everything else was covered in the quote!
To say my wife Lynn and I are happy with Clarke Global’s service is an understatement.”
“Damien Coke”
“I searched for a while in Australia to find a shipper that was even interested in shipping my bike to the middle east, particularly as I wanted to send it by air. I finally came across Clarke Global, who turned out to be great. Importantly, as I was transporting by air, they use airlines that designate bikes as Non-DG or ‘non-dangerous goods’, which pretty much halved the price from the other quotes I got.
I was stoked with Clarke Global performance and professionalism – I’d definitely use them again.”
“Tom and Bashar”
“My partner and I decided to import a caravan recently from the UK. Finding a local agent to facilitate the process can be a daunting task.
The team at Clarke Global were very professional, the quote was clear and itemised and the communication was brilliant. We were kept informed throughout the whole process and we received our caravan on time and without any hassles or complications.
Thank you very much Clarke Global team and especially Assunta and Martin for your assistance. It was a pleasure dealing with you and I would definitely be recommending your services to anyone that asks.”
“Denis Pickwell”
“I recently imported a caravan from the UK and asked if they could recommend a customs agent. Clarke Global was nominated.
They kept me informed as to the ship movements and estimated arrival date. They replied promptly to all my queries and arranged for the unpacking of the caravan from its container, inspection by Dept. of Agriculture, Customs clearance and port handling.
The caravan was in excellent condition. I can recommend their service and would use them again should I have need of a Customs Agent.”
“David and Helen”
“Thanks Martin for your assistance in the speedy delivery of our Caravan. A special thanks to Assunta for her courteous and efficient manner in which she helped us with a few small problems we had. Once again thankyou … I will have no hesitation in recommending your company to anyone wishing to import and in need of a Customs Agent.”
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