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As members of the international community begin descending upon Iraq to assist the Iraqi
people with their post-Sadaam reconstruction, Move One has commenced operations in Iraq
from our recently opened offices and warehousing facilities at Baghdad International
Airport and the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.
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Roadside Sadaam, Drive-thru at rear
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AES Cargo, Move One's sister company, is also on the ground providing logistical support
to international relief aid efforts. AES Cargo's first shipment of humanitarian aid rolled
into the war torn country at the end of March in the form of 19 trucks loaded with urgent
food rations, cooking oil and medical supplies. The shipment, organized by the nearby Move
One/AES Cargo Kuwait City office, was one of the first humanitarian aid deliveries to reach
the people of southern Iraq. However, this was only the beginning of what is shaping up to
be a massive commitment from the international community to bring stability and development
to Iraq. Indeed, by the end of April 2003 Move One and AES Cargo had organized more than
2000 aid and supply truck deliveries into Iraq.
As the international community bands together to help the Iraqi people, personnel from
NGOs, diplomatic missions and the private sector are gradually beginning to reenter the
country. Move One has already started to coordinate the reentry of the first trickle of
these international workers with their worldly possessions in tow.
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The Move One team in Iraq
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Given the uncertainties created by Iraq's political transition, permission for entering
Iraq needs be obtained from the appropriate authorities. If assistance is needed for
securing entry approval the Move One team can help by providing up-to-date, on the ground
information. In fact if you or your organization have any questions about moving household
goods into Iraq please contact Move One Manager, Andy Taylor
at moving@moveone.info. 
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Amidst a heightened awareness of potential terrorist threats, the US House of Representatives is now
considering a call for mandatory inspections of all US-bound containers.
The proposed draft bill would
require US Customs to inspect and verify every container headed to the US at its foreign port of origin.
An average of 6m containers arrive in the US every year, with only 2% to 3% undergoing inspections. Even
at this relatively low rate of inspection delays on shipments to the US are not uncommon. With this in
mind, it's not difficult to imagine how implementing across the board inspections will create a sharp
rise in demurrage.
For those planning to ship to the US in the near future there are many factors to bear in mind.
- Be aware that delays are possible and plan your shipping schedule accordingly.
- Provide a full manifest of the goods being shipped to minimize delays.
- Ask your moving/shipping company what they are doing to deal with potential delays. This is particularly
important as many moving companies are not involved in freight forwarding and may be unable to satisfy
specific requirements.
- Ensure that your moving company offers licensed customs brokerage and full freight forwarding
services.
As the largest moving company in Central/Eastern Europe, Move One International Movers is well
acquainted with the obstacles posed by international moves and shipments. If you have any questions
or concerns regarding US-bound shipments or any moving requests please contact
us at moving@moveone.info.
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Just as fears of a long, protracted conflict in Iraq begin to subside another threat to a
quick recovery for the global economy has emerged.
By now, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome) is familiar to anyone with even the most casual knowledge of current events. Cases
of the infectious illness were first detected in early 2003 in the Guangdong Province of
southern China. Since then, SARS cases have spread rapidly around the world with the highest
number of cases being reported in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Observers of SARS believe that commercial airline travelers have been responsible for the
global spread of the disease. In light of this, World Health Organization (WHO) officials
have released travel advisories warning against non-essential travel to the most heavily
affected areas such as Hong Kong and China. The advisories have had a significant effect
on companies who already have or are considering relocating employees to SARS-affected
areas.
A survey recently conducted by the Employee Relocation Council based in Washington D.C.
targeted 112 organizations with expatriates placed in SAR-affected areas and hints at the
impact the virus has had on employee relocation plans. In the survey, 72% of respondents
answered that they were not planning to relocate employees to SARS-affected areas while
66% responded that they would be delaying planned relocations to areas cited in the WHO's
travel advisory. However, the results also reveal that 89% of organizations surveyed have
no plans to send expatriate employees out of SARS-affected areas. Furthermore, 66% of
respondents indicated that their expatriate employees had no plans to send their families
out of SARS-affected areas.
In general, the survey suggests that SARS fears have had a measurable effect on employee
mobility. While the majority of respondents are not planning to relocate employees to
SARS-affected areas at the present time, in cases where employees are already placed in
SARS regions the majority of respondents are not planning to move.
The recent attention given to SARS is reminiscent of the fears surrounding Mad Cow Disease
in the late 1990's. However, it's important to note that, unlike Mad Cow Disease,
scientific evidence strongly suggests that SARS transmission can occur only through
human-to-human contact. Indeed, WHO has found no evidence indicating that contact with
goods, products, or animals shipped from SARS-affected areas has been responsible for SARS
infection in humans.
If you have any questions or concerns about how SARS may impact your relocation or
household goods shipment plans please contact Move One
or its sister company ERC.
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Tahmina Nurova, Manager, Move One's Tajikistan office
When reflecting on the best aspects of her homeland, Tahmina Nurova offers an offbeat
observation. "I love Tajikistan because you can buy 20 roses for only $1." Hardly a slogan for
Tajikistan's tourism board but at least it's an honest appraisal from a self-confessed flower lover.
Opening an office in Tajikistan was never going to be a bed of roses, but at least with Tahmina
heading up our operations the endeavor has become infinitely more manageable. A recent addition to
the Move One team, Tahmina has quickly established herself as an indispensable part of our Central
Asian operations. With a university degree in foreign languages and years of experience working as a
translator for various international firms and organizations in Tajikistan, Tahmina has a firm grasp
on the ins and outs of the local market. Not to mention that, as a native Tajik, Tahmina has the know
how to get things done in a country that can pose considerable obstacles for foreigners seeking to do
business.
With a number of Move One's shipments to Tajikistan connected to international efforts to stabilize
and develop the country, Tahmina is clearly relishing the opportunity to be involved first-hand in the
growth of the Tajik economy. "The past few years have been very exciting and encouraging. Tajikistan has
changed a great deal - there has been a lot of foreign investment and hopefully more will follow." Tahmina
expresses considerable confidence regarding Move One's position to take advantage of the country's
growth. "There are other international freight forwarding companies in Tajikistan but they serve a
different client set. The fact that we offer specialized services and have earned the trust of local
authorities gives us a competitive advantage."
Given the skills and enthusiasm she brings to the company, having Tahmina at the helm in Tajikistan
is an advantage in itself. Even Tahmina's family name, Nurova, suggests she's well suited to her new
role. The name Nurova is taken from the local word for 'sunbeam,' appropriate as Tahmina will undoubtedly
help light the way for our operations in a region that is notorious for keeping shippers in
the dark.
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If you have just arrived in a strange country, having negotiated hard with your company on the
conditions of your move and your new job, the last thing you want to do is plunge into negotiating
another contract - the one concerning the place where you will live. Especially if you are unfamiliar
with the local norms and language.
That's why the experts from Move One's sister company, ERC, are here with their experience and
inside knowledge.
Not that they will act as your real estate agent. On the contrary - in some ways they are
better.
Many realtors work for the homeowner, receiving a proportion of the rent as commission. But
ERC's staffers work on behalf of you, the tenant, striving to satisfy you so you will return to ERC
for your other relocation needs.
For example, ERC will write an inventory for you and negotiate with your landlord to establish in
detail what the flat was like when you inherited it and in what state you will hand it back.
ERC will also try to include clauses in your contract covering you in the case of unforeseen
difficulties - for example, if you accidentally damage something, or if something unavoidable
forces you to leave your home at short notice.
If anything suddenly breaks in your flat, ERC can arrange a handyman
for you.
And to help give you an idea of what sort of properties you could choose from in what may be a very
unfamiliar new city, ERC can offer great resources such as a unique CD ROM and a wide database of
available apartments.
ERC also offers an orientation service, helping you find things like schools for your children,
stores that stock the things you're used to, and any specialist medical facilities you or your family
need. Your company's HR staff may be too busy to deal with your relocation in such detail - yet these
things are essential to your living happily. ERC will scout out the possibilities and set up
meetings. And your orientation will be concentrated within a few days, so as not to interrupt
your job more than necessary. 
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In motion is published quarterly byMove One for our
fellow moving companies, partners and members of the
FIDI association.
Send comments, questions, and ideas for this publication
to editor@moveone.info
for other assistance, contact the Move One headquarters
at:
Millennium Center Building
Pesti Barnabás u.
4, 3rd floor
1052 Budapest
Tel.: +36-1-266-0181
Fax:
+36-1-266-3280
moving@moveone.info
www.moveone.info
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The AES family:
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