middle east

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT
1

Hi does any one now any companys running to the middle east etc

cheers

2

babet:
Hi does any one now any companys running to the middle east etc

cheers

Yes, British Airways. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

3

babet:
Hi does any one now any companys running to the middle east etc

cheers

For many years now, only individuals rather than companies, have run overland M/E. I think Karl (Scania with Astran tilt) and Nick Bull were doing occasional trips earlier last year. I don’t know for certain, but I imagine that even those have dried up for the time being. They can’t transit Syria anymore, and probably not Iraq: both war zones. Reaching Saudi and the Gulf by crossing the Red Sea is very difficult now that the Sinai Peninsular in Egypt is so lawless, Israel / Palestine is problematic and even Turkey is becoming embroiled on a variety of fronts. Someone jump in and say if I’m wrong! Archie’s right - I think Qatar Airways is quite good too! :laughing: Robert

4

Hi Robert et al.
Actually you are wrong.
It is very easy to get to the Gulf nowadays, The Turkish ferry goes from Iskenderun direct to Duba in Saudi, eliminating the Egypt transit. One UK subbie just got to Bahrain in around 12 days using that route.
The problem is that the main UK Middle-East freight forwarder doesn’t have any loads for UK trucks, it is mostly going on Turkish trucks who can do the job cheaper than UK trucks. However overland is still the cheapest and quickest method by far and it is door to door.

GS

5

Hi Gavin! So how many trips for you 2015 then?

6

GS OVERLAND:
Hi Robert et al.
Actually you are wrong.
It is very easy to get to the Gulf nowadays, The Turkish ferry goes from Iskenderun direct to Duba in Saudi, eliminating the Egypt transit. One UK subbie just got to Bahrain in around 12 days using that route.
The problem is that the main UK Middle-East freight forwarder doesn’t have any loads for UK trucks, it is mostly going on Turkish trucks who can do the job cheaper than UK trucks. However overland is still the cheapest and quickest method by far and it is door to door.

GS

Excellent: a great response, GS - that is exactly what I hoped to hear! Mind you, for overlanders, Iskenderun to Duba is a fair old distance. Never mind: it’s brilliant to hear that, as always, the die-hard M/E lads have found a way round the obstacles. All power to their elbows! Robert

7

If you look at Roger Gool’s Facebook page (not sure if this counts as Facebook stalking??), he has put some great photos up of a trip in November, via the Iskenderum - duba ferry as GS mentioned

8

Overland was quick but never cheaper , and lucky to get boat from turkey straight away you can wait days to get on , and then wait in Egypt for days , so ye man was going well in 12 days , the Turks will do it 2-3 k cheaper but they slow and trailer gets dropped in Trieste and can be lost for a few days !!! But general cargo can be shipped very cheap to M/e in containers so only oversize or urgent ever shipped overland , and the Turks now carving up their own job to get the loads , when we loading them you had to have a lump of cash running money to give driver to get him started in the direction of Dover , that was first payment , rest before he tip other end .

9

toureg123:
Overland was quick but never cheaper , and lucky to get boat from turkey straight away you can wait days to get on , and then wait in Egypt for days , so ye man was going well in 12 days , the Turks will do it 2-3 k cheaper but they slow and trailer gets dropped in Trieste and can be lost for a few days !!! But general cargo can be shipped very cheap to M/e in containers so only oversize or urgent ever shipped overland , and the Turks now carving up their own job to get the loads , when we loading them you had to have a lump of cash running money to give driver to get him started in the direction of Dover , that was first payment , rest before he tip other end .

Hi Toureg
My mistake, I should have been more specific.
Cheaper if it is your own work as in my case. And yes, the Turks get “lost” and take for ever but the freight forwarder earns more by using them. Express overland door to door is what we are specialists in and always were, long wait for the boat will certainly delay the job as you say, and can cause a week delay if you dont get it right but its all in the timing and knowing when the boat departs. :wink:
Happy New Year to all of you guys.
Best regards
GS