Ferry to Vladivostok

DBS Ferry
Procedure & Costs & Details & Info

Direction: Japan via South Korea to Vladivostok
By Alexandra & Andre of Germany in 2012

A  General steps

1.)    Make a passenger reservation at DBS as soon as possible and send a copy of your passport. The ferry fills up quickly
2.)    Get in contact with Mr. Akamine from Kamigumi (see below) regarding your motorcycle.
Send him copies of
- Your passport and
-  Carnet (if you have one).
He will arrange an appointment with customs on the departure day.

3.)    Get in contact with Yuri Melnikov in Vladivostok (see below) and send him copies / pictures of:

- Passport and Russian visa
- Number plate
- Side view of your motorcycle
- Motorcycle registration
- Drivers licence
- Insurance if you have already one (for Europeans, the “Green Card” may be valid in Russia) otherwise Yuri will  arrange insurance for you.

B Cost per bike and person (May 2012)

Passenger fare: 27,600 YEN in a 8-bed room
Bike fare: 61,239 YEN (plus 3,000 RUB for storage / unloading  in Vladivostok & 100  USD for Yuri to do customs clearance)

C Details for Sakaiminato, Japan:

Get in contact with Tatiana from DBS ferry regarding your ticket via email or phone. She will respond very quick,  is very helpful and nice and speaks Japanese, Russian and English. You get a reservation number only. Allowed luggage on board: 30 kg

Payment on the departure day 2 hrs before boarding and in cash only!!!

DBS Cruise Ferry Japan Co., Ltd
684-0034
Tottori, Sakaiminato-city, 
Shouwa-machi 9-23
TEL 0859-30-2332
FAX 0859-30-2313


Then get in contact with Mr. Akamine from Kamiguni next to Tatiana. He is responsible for loading the bikes. He also arranges an appointment with customs on the departure day. It was 15:00 for us bikers.

Mr. Akamine

TEL 0859-45-8707
FAX 0859-45-7182
He never responded to emails. So best is to check via telephone again, if he received all your copies and about your appointment with customs. Loading is afterwards. He can speak English. (Just in case, Tatiana from DBS Ferry can help with getting in contact with him regarding the information).

Payment on the departure day before customs and loading and in cash only! Make sure you can pay everything in YEN

Invoice for bike:
Ocean freight:  600 USD (48,432 Yen @ Y 80.72 exchange rate)
Commission: 10,000 Yen
BAF: 10 USD   (807 Yen @ Y 80.72 exchange rate) 
DOC Fee:  2,000
Total: 61,239 YEN

After customs you can ride your bike on board and can help with securing it. It’s worth watching the guys so you make sure they don’t squeeze anything like your seat.
Take everything with you that you need. After loading, you will have no access to your motorcycles until you receive them from the warehouse in Vladivostok. It will take a couple of days after arriving in Vlad!

INFO:

You also have to give your motorcycle key to the reception on the ferry. They will pass it on to customs or the warehouse guys, who will unload the bikes. (It is a rule. You don't have a choice.).
Also cover with a plastic bag your seat and everything you do not want writing on. The warehouse people in Vladivostok will do some writing / marking on your bike. (We saw that on a Japanese guys MC, who took the ferry and still has the writing on his mc seat)

Timetable:

Saturday: 15:00 Payment motorcycle transport, customs, loading
Saturday: 17:00  Payment passenger ticket and boarding
Saturday 19:00  Ferry departures Sakaiminato
Sunday 9:00  Ferry arrival Donghae / South Korea  (same time as in Japan)
You have to leave the ferry and enter South Korea (no transit area)
You will face the same procedure as at airport: luggage check, passport control, fingerprints, so leave pocket knifes, etc. on board.

IMPORTANT:

You will also get a new boarding ferry ticket for the Donghae –Vladivostok part, so make sure you get it before you go through passport and luggage control.

Sunday: 12:00  Board ferry again
Sunday: 14:00   Ferry leaves Donghae, South Korea
Monday: 14:00  Ferry arrives in Vladivostok, Russia - Russian time (+2 hrs to Japan)

GPS coordinates in Sakaiminato, Japan:

Sakaiminato DBS International Ferry Terminal: N35 32.838 E133 15.173
(for all procedures) 
Plant 5 Mega Super Market: N35 31.185 E133 15.098
(very cheap & good for stocking up)
Sakaiminato Post Office: N35 32.317 E133 13.945

D   Details for Vladivostok, Russia

Get in contact with Yuri Melnikov and send him all necessary documents before, so he can start working on everything.

Links Ltd
Yuri Melnikov
89, Svetlanskaya str, suite 312
690078 VladivostokRussia
www.links-ltd.com
TEL +7 (423) 2220 887
FAX +7 (423) 2221 578
Mobile +7 (902) 5243 447

If you can't reach him at this address, try

Yuri is absolutely reliable and worth his money and a very nice guy. He knows how to deal with customs and everything else. He will call you or your hosts for all appointments at customs, warehouse, etc.

100 USD is Yuri's charge for customs clearance, etc, plus
50 USD if you need insurance (without insurance you don’t get customs clearance)

Coordinates in Vladivostok:
Vladivostok ferry port: N43 06.665 E131 52.986
Warehouse office:   N43 06.615 E131 52.915
Warehouse: N43 06.594 E131 52.902
Customs house: N43 05.802 E131 52.049
Yuri Melnikov’s office:  N43 06.949 E131 54.298
Iron Tigers Bike Club: N43 09.836 E131 55.731
Iron Angels Bike Club: N43 08.754 E131 57.121

Copyright: Chris Lockwood