Crating Services
Ensure your large and fragile items are expertly packed and protected with International Sea & Air Shipping and our top-notch crating services.
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Start Your International Moving Journey
Relocating to a new destination, whether an interstate move or an international transition, involves numerous logistical hurdles, including maintaining the safety of your large, fragile or valuable items. At International Sea & Air Shipping, we provide expertly engineered crating solutions to safeguard your property and transport it to your destination. We understand your belongings hold immense value, and our team provides the care you require to relocate with confidence.

Expert Custom Crating Services to Support Your Move
Our professional crating services are tailored solutions built around the unique dimensions, weight, fragility and specific shipping requirements of your items. We determine the exact crating needs and engineer bespoke enclosures, support structures and environmental safeguards that protect your property from shock, vibration and moisture during transit. Our team then ships your crate to your chosen location. Whether you require domestic or overseas transport, we have the global network to ship your crate to a wide range of destinations.
To deliver custom protection, we offer crates made from materials such as wood, plywood or metal. The material choice depends on your unique shipping needs. For example, rigid wooden crates are generally used to transport antique furniture, fine art or heavy machinery, while lightweight plywood might be chosen to protect delicate electronics without adding excessive shipping weight.
Streamlining Complex Global Logistics
International moving requires deep knowledge of international laws and border controls. At International Sea & Air Shipping, we stay up to date with the rules governing what can be imported, how it must be packed and the required documentation.
Our dedicated team will help you navigate these complex shipping regulations based on your specific destination country. We help with customs paperwork and clearance support, preparing and submitting the necessary forms, inventories and declarations. This proactive approach prevents costly delays at the border and facilitates smooth customs clearance.
When Do You Need Crating Services?
When standard cardboard boxes and basic packing materials are not sufficient for your property, you need professional crating services from International Sea & Air Shipping. Choose this service for:
- Unusually large or oddly shaped items: We build custom crates to surround and support goods that do not fit into conventional packaging due to irregular dimensions.
- Exceptionally fragile valuables: Delicate items like marble sculptures, crystal chandeliers or high-end electronics require the rigid, reinforced protection that only a custom-engineered crate can provide to prevent compression or impact damage.
- High-value assets and antiques: Inherited family heirlooms, fine art and vintage furniture hold significant sentimental and financial value. Crating shields these irreplaceable items from turbulent seas, shifts in cargo holds and sudden stops during road transport.
- Specialty equipment: Heavy machinery, concert grand pianos and specialized tools require customized structural support and careful balancing to minimize internal movement and friction during transit.
Our Proven and Transparent Crating Process
We have refined our crating services, allowing us to provide a seamless, efficient and transparent process that makes you feel supported at every step. We keep you updated as your property moves through the different stages of crating and shipping through a tracking number.
Our crating process entails:
- Initial consultation and detailed assessment: Through a comprehensive review, we carefully assess the items you want to crate. Our team takes into account exact dimensions, overall weight, fragility and destination to determine the optimal strategy.
- Custom design and precision engineering: Once we gather all specifications, our skilled craftsmen design a custom crate tailored exclusively for your item. We select the appropriate building materials and plan internal cushioning, blocking and bracing to reduce internal movement.
- Professional crate building: Our highly skilled team maintains strict quality control measures, ensuring every single crate meets our rigorous, industry-leading standards for strength and durability.
- Secure packing and expert loading: We carefully wrap your items with the highest-quality materials before securing them in the newly built custom crate. Once crated, we manage the safe loading of your items onto air cargo pallets or shipping containers.
- Transit, customs and final delivery: We handle all complex logistics and export documentation on your behalf. Upon arrival, we bring your items exactly where you want and unload them.
Key Benefits of Professional Crating
Investing in custom crating offers various advantages beyond basic damage prevention:
- Streamlined cargo handling: Custom crates are constructed to be forklift-ready and easily maneuverable by pallet jacks. This flexibility minimizes direct human contact with fragile items and speeds up loading and unloading.
- Optimized space and cost efficiency: Because professional crates are built with strict structural integrity, they can be safely stacked within shipping containers. This can maximize available space, allowing for more efficient consolidation and groupage shipping to help manage overall freight costs.
- Enhanced security and insurance compliance: Properly crated items often meet the strict compliance requirements set by underwriters, enabling your all-risk insurance policies to remain valid.
- Improved weight distribution: Custom crates are engineered with a calculated center of gravity and internal blocking, ensuring the crate remains balanced and upright during transportation.

Why Choose Us for Crating Services?
Since 1948, International Sea & Air Shipping has proudly served as a trusted partner for individuals, families and organizations. Our enduring legacy is built upon a foundation of logistical excellence, reliability and a deep commitment to customer satisfaction.
Partnering with us also provides:
- Specialty handling expertise: We are experts in specialty handling, providing the delicate care required for pianos, automobiles, fine art and heavy machinery. With a Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) license, we meet strict financial and operational requirements and handle your crated goods legally and securely.
- Comprehensive solutions: From full packing and custom crating to storage and the final delivery, we offer complete end-to-end service. You are assigned a dedicated point of contact throughout the entire process to streamline communication. This customer-centric approach promotes peace of mind, allowing you to focus on other matters.
- Expansive global reach: We operate with a large global agent and affiliate network, allowing us to coordinate seamless international relocation almost anywhere in the world.
- Transparent pricing: Our price quotes are honest and up front, enabling you to confidently budget for the crating and relocation.
- Insurance guidance: We help you understand available insurance options, including all-risk marine insurance, so you can choose what works best for your needs and budget.

Request Crating Services Today
Trust the seasoned experts at International Sea & Air Shipping to provide the custom-engineered protection your highly valued items deserve. Contact us online to discuss your crating needs or request a free quote today.
FAQ’s
What materials are custom crates made from?
When designing custom crates, there are several aspects that would determine the type of material selected to create them. For the most part, businesses are using custom wood crates and steel/hybrid custom crates in addition to metal and collapsible plastic crates to get their items from point A to point B safely and securely.
Would crating service be able to ship a multiple sized items with odd shape?
Yes, the vast majority of international crating companies provide custom crate services. In our international company we make wooden crates or strapped boxes (boxes made of different materials) to custom measure, according to the dimensions and fragility levels of your shipment. This procedure makes for a snug fit with whatever you have in the bag. Our crating service professionals can customize their forms to support small, large, or delicate objects or items that are not of a normal shape with optimal protection for the duration of transit.
Do they have domestic AND international crating services?
Yes, for domestic and overseas removals. But they’re mostly used for international moves, where goods take longer to transport.
How can I order a crate for my next international move?
If you are in the process of planning an overseas or international move, you can do a search for “custom crating near me,” but it’s essential to remember that there are many custom crating companies and their costs will differ. To receive personalized advice and a precise estimate, simply click here to request a free consultation with crating specialists who can talk to you about what your particular requirements are
