A big thank you to all our US agents who participated in our 2015 Alaska Cruise Booking Contest. Congratulations to Sullivan Moving & Storage out of San Diego, CA. Enjoy the trip and thank you for your constant support.
Contest is on again for 2016!!! Same rules apply. Rainier Contest – 2016

This year employees of Rainier Overseas Movers Inc purchased and donated Christmas gifts for a mother and her 3 children through a local non-profit organization called DAWN (Domestic Abuse Women’s Network) so that a mother could provide a fun Christmas for her children. DAWN (www.dawnonline.org) is the only provider of comprehensive domestic violence services, including children’s programs, 24-hour Advocacy & Crisis Line, and emergency shelter for domestic violence victims in south King County. Their goal is to help people create healthy, peaceful lives, no matter what their circumstances.
Rainier employee Carrie Bredeson had already been helping raise money for DAWN and when she approached us with this idea we instantly knew that this was something we wanted to be a part of. Seeing the gifts coming in brought a smile to our faces, but picturing a mother providing gifts and Christmas to her children is a present in and of itself to us all.

People choose to move abroad for different reasons – to explore a new job opportunity, to enjoy a better lifestyle, to be closer to their partner who has a job abroad, or simply because they’ve got tired of their home country. But no matter what the reason is, it’s always difficult to leave behind all the things that you’ve been used to your entire life and get adjusted to a new country, a new culture and a new way of doing things. Here are a few ways to help you adjust to expat life in France.

Cost of living in France

Cost of living, like in any other country, is higher in the cities than in the rural regions. On an average, a 40 sq m apartment in Paris can cost you anywhere between 1,280 EUR to 1,520 EUR per month. To add to it, all tenants in France, no matter whether you are living in the city or the countryside, have to pay an annual amount as French residence tax. If you are planning to stay in Paris for the duration of your stay in France, Expatica has some very useful information on the different types of properties and rental contracts in the city.

France has a very good public transportation system, which makes it easy for expats in bigger cities to move around without a vehicle. However, if you are living in the countryside, you will find it easier to buy a car.

Clothes are also much more expensive in France than in the US, so it will make much more sense to bring your entire wardrobe while moving.

Learning the local language

Contrary to popular belief, the French don’t hate people who don’t speak their language. Though you may find some people who prefer to interact in French than English, it may be because they are not comfortable speaking in a language that they don’t use that frequently.

On the other hand, any attempts to speak in French, however clumsy it may be, will win you favor with the French. They will appreciate you more for making an effort to learn their language and will at least try to respond to you in English. So don’t forget to enroll in a French-speaking class or at least learn a few key words and phrases before you make the move!

Mastering French etiquette

Though a handshake is the most common way to greet someone you are meeting for the first time in France, many people kiss each other on the cheeks when greeting someone they know or have met at least once before, bewildering expats who often have no idea how to tackle this tricky social custom. So if in doubt, take it slow, watch what the locals are doing, and take it from there!

In France, the use of first names or the informal tu or toi is restricted only to friends and family, though the younger generation is not very rigid about this. For more tips on proper French etiquette, including gift giving, table manners, and dining and business etiquette, check out this useful link from The Telegraph.

A slower pace of life

Those who are moving from big cities in the US may initially find it difficult to adjust to a slower pace of life in France, especially in the southern regions. Here, people lead a simpler, less extravagant life and prefer to enjoy the moment rather than chase the next big thing.

You’ll notice many shops closed during lunchtime and on Sundays. You’ll also find that people are not always in a hurry to get somewhere or do things. If you are invited for lunch at a restaurant, get ready to set aside at least an hour or even more for a good meal and some great conversation.
Remember that something is not bad just because you are used to a different way of doing it. Give yourself time to adjust to the new life, don’t take yourself too seriously, and tackle everything that comes your way with a smile. Who knows, you may even fall in love with the French way of living and decide to settle in France for good!

Kurt Jacobson is a snowboarding enthusiast with a background in real estate. Having moved 11 times in the past nine years, he thrives on helping others learn from his experiences. When he’s not out shredding the mountain, he writes about all things home related for the website HouseHunter.co.

Rainier Overseas Movers has been alerted that there has been a collision between two ships in the Port of Houston. The port terminals at La Porte and Morgan’s Point are closed for the rest of the day: APM, IMS, Barbours Cut, and RCS. Bayport, Jacintoport and the City Docks are not impacted at this time.
We understand there was a hazardous release that is being managed.
Rainier Overseas Movers will monitor the situation closely.
Our trucks have been turned away since 1:14 pm.
We will advise all Rainier Overseas Movers clients as we learn new information.
For the news story please visit – http://abc13.com/news/two-ships-collide-in-houston-ship-channel/550760/

Ghana: Process for Advance Shipment Information (ASHI)

Rainier Overseas Movers wishes to inform you that for all shipments with a Bill of Lading dated from March 1, 2015, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) is implementing the Advance Shipment Information (ASHI) for all shipments bound for the seaports of Ghana, transit cargoes included.

As from this date, each Bill of Lading (OBL) for maritime shipments to Ghanaian seaports will need to be covered by a validated ASHI number. It is possible to pre-validate and obtain an ASHI number to include on the OBL, after which the ASHI needs to be validated within seven working days.

For this purpose, the GSA signed a representation agreement with Antaser Afrique, who will be in charge of the issuance and validation of the ASHI through its dedicated website www.antaser.com.

The Antaser web-application for Ghana will open in the course of this week.

Please note that the ASHI number needs to be mentioned on the Bill of Lading. Cargoes not covered by a valid ASHI will not be cleared through the Ghana Customs and appropriate fines will be charged.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rainier Overseas Movers….your international household goods moving specialists since 1979.

Rainier Overseas Movers, Inc., along with many other international household goods forwarders, was pleased to hear the west coast port labor slowdown has finally ended.   Negotiators for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association have reached a tentative, coast wide contract agreement for five years after more than nine months of bargaining. Rainier Overseas Movers has been keeping all its clients updated on all vessel schedule changes that have occurred over the last few months. ILWU President Robert McEllrath and PMA President James McKenna said they were pleased to reach the tentative contract agreement. “We are also pleased that our ports can now resume full operations,” they said in a joint release. The membership of both groups must now vote to ratify the contract, a process that could take several weeks. The details of the agreement were not immediately available. The deal was also praised by Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. He thanked President #Obama and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez for helping to push the agreement forward in a difficult negotiating environment. The National Retail Federation said the efforts of management and labor must now be to clear the backlog of containers and vessels at West Coast ports. Rainier Overseas Movers continues to monitor all west coast international household goods shipments as the port congestion slowly clears.

Via: http://www.joc.com/port-news/longshoreman-labor/pacific-maritime-association/west-coast-ports-easing-back-full-production-pma-says_20150223.html?mgs1=81adjjetQE
“With a tentative contract in hand, West Coast ports are easing their way back into full production, although the performance of longshoremen Monday was not consistent up and down coast, according to the Pacific Maritime Association.
In Los Angeles-Long Beach, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union resumed full dispatch of skilled yard crane operators after reducing dispatches from 110 to 35 per day beginning in early November. These operators are crucial to dissipating the container backlog at the largest U.S. port complex because they transfer containers from the stacks to the truckers who dray the containers to distribution facilities and intermodal rail yards.
Employers in Seattle and Tacoma said crane productivity Monday was rapidly approaching normal. During the hard-timing of employers that the PMA said began on Oct. 31, the average container moves per crane, per hour, plunged below 20 from normal levels of 26-28.
Problems surfaced in Oakland over the weekend when ILWU Local 10 called a work stoppage because of a disagreement over dispatching procedures and break times. The area arbitrator was called in to issue a ruling — the first time an arbitrator was allowed to adjudicate a dispute on the West Coast since the previous ILWU contract expired on July 1 — and the arbitrator ruled that Local 10 was engaging in an illegal work stoppage.
Longshoremen in Oakland were working the yards and gates normally on Monday, although the dispatching of crane operators was restricted, so operations at the Northern California port were still compromised. This was reportedly more of an intra-union disagreement between Local 10 officers and steady crane operators.
Nevertheless, the incident demonstrates that even though the new contract is tentative and must still be ratified by the ILWU membership, the grievance and arbitration process in the contract is back in effect. This should go a long way toward preventing local disagreements such as occurred in Oakland from dragging on endlessly as the incidents did in recent months.
Even with these improvements in productivity, however, the cargo and vessel backlogs at West Coast ports are expected to take months to clear. The ports and employers predict it could be two to three months before Los Angeles-Long Beach is completely back to normal, although the northern ports could require somewhat less time than that.
The Marine Exchange of Southern California reported Monday there were 27 containerships at anchor, or three fewer than on Sunday. Oakland reported five ships at anchor and 13 waiting outside of the Golden Gate Bridge. Ten ships were at anchor outside of Seattle and Tacoma on Monday.
The process of ILWU ratification of the proposed contract will begin in March. ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees said the union will hold a caucus attended by 90 democratically-elected delegates. They will meet for one week and determine whether to recommend the agreement to the general membership. If they do recommend approval, the full text of the proposed contract will be submitted to the rank and and file, and membership meetings will be held at the individual ports. Voting will be held by secret ballot.
Merrilees said this process can take several months, but “during the process, work continues as normal at all of the ports.”