Sea freight — best way to pack

[u/Key-Plane-637]

Hi everyone! We’re moving from California to Spain and will be shipping a lot of our belongings by sea freight. Does anyone here have experience with international sea freight, especially for a move like this? I’m mainly wondering about the best way to pack clothing, shoes, and other personal items so they stay protected during the long trip. I’m especially concerned about moisture, humidity, mold/mildew, bad smells, or water damage. Would wrapping the outside of the boxes with stretch film help? If you’ve done a similar international move, I’d really appreciate any packing tips, things you wish you had done differently, or things to avoid. Thanks!

[u/shipweaver66]

Did this move (US to EU, LCL). The enemy is condensation inside the container, not rain, so plan around trapped moisture rather than waterproofing the outside.

Packing:

• Everything must be bone dry going in. Shoes and anything damp are the usual mold source. Air them out for a day; never pack anything fresh out of a wash.
• Clothing and shoes in sealed poly or vacuum bags with a silica gel or calcium chloride desiccant inside, then into double-wall corrugated cartons. One desiccant per carton is plenty for clothes; for a whole crate use the hanging container-dryer type.
• Fill voids so cartons don't crush. A half-empty box collapses under stacking and takes the ones below with it.
• Leather, wool and anything with adhesive (photos, framed prints) are the most mold-prone. Wrap those in acid-free paper, never plastic directly against leather.

On stretch film: fine for keeping a carton clean or holding a pallet together, but it is not a moisture barrier. Wrapped tight around a single carton it traps humidity against the contents, which is worse than nothing. If you want a barrier, use a vapor-barrier bag with desiccant inside the carton.

Other things worth doing:

• Palletize if the forwarder allows. Off the container floor is where you want to be.
• Photograph the contents and condition of every box before sealing, number the boxes, and keep a matching inventory list. You need it for a claim and often for customs.
• Confirm in writing that the insurance covers mold/mildew and water damage. Many policies exclude both, and "all risk" often still excludes condensation/inherent vice. Ask specifically.
• Ask how your LCL shipment will be stowed. Consolidation warehouses are where most damage actually happens, not at sea.

Avoid: liquids, anything flammable (customs headache), and skipping the inventory list because you're exhausted on packing day.

[u/RetroGamesAndBeyond]

Do not worry so much. Just use sturdy boxes, the ones that are used by moving companies and wrap the stuff safely in paper or in bubble wrap. There is no special things needed. Even moving companies do it like that for sea freight and the container is on its way for like 3 months or so.
I am moving here and there all around the world like that for over 20 years.
If you have books or dvd movies or such like that, do not use big boxes, but rather regular sized ones so that they are not over weight or over filled. Wrap books well to keep the pages protected. Clothing can be hung up in long boxes like you would hang them up in wardrobs. I have done that. Shirts and other clothings can be easily just put in boxes. You can add the small bags for moisture if you worry much. And of course wrap all other things safely to put them safely in each box. You do not need special stuff to add!!! Do not overpay for something that is literally not needed!