How to embark on a cargo ship

Who to contact, how does it work, what to expect ... All the information on becoming a passenger aboard a container ship!

I had already taken cargo ships in the past: in southern Japan in particular, and on the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan. But these ships also carried trucks and occasionally served as ferries.

This time, we are really talking about a container ship that goes around the globe repeatedly.

Several months in advance, I knew I was going to be at the end of the Singapore peninsula, at the end of the overland route. I wanted to find a way to go back somewhere to Taiwan, across the South China Sea, without taking a plane.

So I wrote a bit at random to a few shipowners. The most positive response came from the French company CMA CGM. *

Itinerary and timetable

First, forget about the work on the boat. Jobs today are specialized and too risky for a company to waste time and money taking on a novice.

CGA CMG is therefore one of the rare companies to offer a few seats for passengers on its transoceanic ships, but is however far from being a travel agency. Better to know what you're looking for before sending them too many emails. The first step is to ask them for their routes. They have ready-made routes to just about every major seaport on the planet. I was looking to travel from Malaysia or Singapore to Taiwan or its surroundings. I found a link that made just this way, before continuing to China and Korea, before crossing the Pacific to stop at a few ports in South America, then returning to Singapore. 

The duration of each link is also indicated in the documentation they send. So I knew that my boat would go around the world in approximately 76 days, and that my specific link would take 7. But before asking for the specific dates for a route, I suggest you add some alternatives as well, in case the dates would not be suitable.

So I asked for 2 or 3 routes. One of them was fine for me, so I planned my schedule around one of these routes. It should be noted that the dates are always approximate. At the beginning and at the end of the journey, you should therefore plan 2 to 3 free days in case the ship is more or less fast, especially depending on the weather.

Signatures

Once the itinerary and dates have been chosen, you have to start signing several documents. As there is no doctor on board, I was asked for a medical certificate proving that I was in good health. I also needed to have travel insurance, which is always a good idea.

Preview of the cabin (and my big face).

I also had to sign various disclaimers. And get a Chinese visa, in case I had to disembark in China (the ship stopping there at a port). And finally, you have to accept the specific conditions of the ship (on what you have the right to bring or not, what you can do on the boat, etc.).

Living conditions, moreover, are very good. The food is simple but excellent and plentiful. In my case, the cook was Ukrainian, so the food was Slavic in inspiration. There is also always unlimited tea, coffee and cookies.

Passengers each have their own bedroom, with bathroom, sitting area, desk, double bed and a few windows. It was even frankly bigger than I would have expected.

The cost

Here is the Achilles heel. It is quite expensive. Even more than a lot of cruises, and certainly a lot more expensive than flying. But the goal is above all to have a different experience, out of the ordinary.

It therefore cost me 120 euros per day (around $ 180 Canadian). Plus 45 euros for management fees. This price is however almost the same for a couple. It is therefore quite advantageous to share your cabin. 

In addition, I had to pay to get to the port in Singapore. You don't enter a freight port like a mill, so my transport had to be organized by the company. However, I did not have to pay to leave the port of Kaohsiung once I arrived in Taiwan. Customs are also crossed at different ports, with local agents in different countries. There is no additional charge for this.

I had high expectations for this experience. Especially considering the rather high cost. But I couldn't have been more satisfied. I loved this experience, as I told you about it in my previous article, and I would do it again tomorrow. Granted, my legs did roll a bit for a day or two after making it back to dry land, but that only made the fun last a little longer!

* You can reach CMA CGM via their contact page. As a category, you must then choose "Our products and services", then "Leave by cargo" in a sub-category. I did not receive any discounts or sponsorship from them.

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