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Robert van Straten Bianco Tomson van Straten New Horizons World Wide Shipping & Logistics
UPDATE 29 maart 2024

Ter info: Robert van Straten (Robert, Jan van Straten) heeft vrijwel direct een nieuwe bv opgericht in Nederland. Deze BV staat, op naam van zijn vrouw Bianca Tomson, geregistreerd bij de Kamer van Koophandel: New Horizons Worldwide Shipping en Logistics BV. Kamer van Koophandel nummer: 93443293. 

UPDATE 8 februari 2024:
Ter info: *Robert Wolrd Wilde Shipping (RWWS) is failliet verklaard*
 
Wij kregen this link van het faillissementendossier toegestuurd.
Een nare ervaring
This blog is about our experience regarding shipping our motorhome. We invite everyone to do their own research and make a choice based on it.
 
Op het moment dat wij de camperovertocht van Antwerpen naar Halifax gingen boeken, had Robert Jan van Straten – Robertwws.com – Robert World Wide Shipping (=hetzelfde als camper shipping.com) zowel positieve als negatieve reviews. We twijfelden om voor hem te kiezen en hebben deze twijfel naar hem uitgesproken. Uiteindelijk hebben we toch voor hem gekozen. Maar we hadden beter naar ons onderbuikgevoel moeten luisteren?
The first shock
  • We were supposed to hand over the camper on April 17 and on April 20 the camper would be shipped from Antwerp to Halifax with shipping company ACL. On April 12, we received an email from Robert WWS that the port in Antwerp was overcrowded and things were delayed. The boat was to be loaded April 25 (instead of April 17) and leave April 29 (instead of April 20)
  • Robert WWS sent via email a screenshot of a shipping booking system. We immediately saw that this was not showing the (as per the agreement) booked ship Atlantic Sky, but the Atlantic Sea. When we presented this to him, his response came across to us as if he felt caught and he then indicated that a new reference number would follow. You need a reference number to hand over the motorhome at the port
  • The next Robert WWS message reported that commercial freight took priority over motorhomes and that we had been removed from the shipping list. He also reported that broker NMT located in the city of Purmerend would suddenly stop shipping used RVs. We did not know then that NMT Shipping is also a broker. He would immediately "kick into high gear" (that's what he always says) and look for an alternative.
  • When we asked if we had a spot on a boat at all, he replied that he was working in top gear and that for reasons of "congestion in the port" and priority to commercial cargo we had been thrown off
  • All boats are full until the end of June, so an alternative remains out
  • Robert WWS says to request a quote for shipping via container (flatrack) through Maersk, a quote did not come. We indicate unwillingness to pay extra, since transport via flatrack is far more expensive
The second shock
  • After over a week of waiting (and asking him for an update every day at the end of the day) and a booked flight getting closer and closer, we are fed up! We contact shipping company ACL directly. The reference number provided by Robert WWS turns out to belong to an entirely different client and that ship has long since departed. We also learn that no booking can be found in our name or chassis number. He never booked for us! We are advised by shipping company ACL to contact NMT shipping at Purmerend, because their code is mentioned in the number used by Robert WWS.
  • As with ACL, they are also very helpful here. We learn that Robert WWS made inquiries on April 12, over 2 months after our agreement with him. But he never made a booking/reservation with ACL. Of course, we had already learned that through ACL. By the way, booking with NMT Shipping is not possible because they do not ship private vehicles and unfortunately they do not want to make an exception for us.

Both ACL and NMT indicated - independently - that at the mention of Robert WWS' name all alarm bells rang.

How to move forward?

First, we immediately dissolved the agreement with Robert WWS and summoned him via mail and registered letter, to refund our money.

We hebben uiteraard al geboekte tickets voor de vliegreis, waarvan de datum steeds dichterbij komt en een camper die (ooit??) naar een haven gebracht moet worden. Er passeerden zoveel scenario’s door ons hoofd:

  • When is there space on a ship?
  • Should we "pass up" the airline tickets?
  • What do we do with all-risk RV Insurance in Canada/America?
  • Do we fly and then rent an airbnb for a few months?
  • So who will bring the camper to the port of Antwerp?
A stroke of luck

When we ended the agreement with Robert WWS, we did not yet have an equivalent and reserved alternative. One thing we knew for sure was that we would stop working with a company that would take your money and then not reserve a spot on a boat for you. We called several companies and at one we were told that there was a cancellation, but that it was not certain if a reservation was still possible on such short notice. Much later than planned, we were still able to get our RV on a boat.

What did we learn about shipping a vehicle?
  • You never have to pay for a shipment in advance unless you agree otherwise with a broker. The latter is very unusual
  • All brokers make bookings/reservations without any direct payment to the shipping company
  • One reason for this is that everything is measured on site on delivery (H x W x L) and this determines the cost
  • Shortly after the ship leaves the port, the shipping company sends the note to the broker
  • From the broker you will receive a bill for shipping the vehicle
  • The broker will send a data freight receipt upon receipt of payment
  • This document is also sent to the forwarder located in the harbour of arrival
  • The forwarder will send you an email with the ship's expected arrival date and an invitation (date/time) when you can pick up the motorhome
  • You pay another 150 CAD "documentation and handling fee" to the forwarder in advance
Wat hebben we geleerd over Robert (Jan) van Straten?
  • Robert van Straten, before founding Robert WWS, had a company called Robert International Maritime & Logistic solutions Ltd.
  • This company has been declared bankrupt
  • Robert WWS has red numbers year on year
  • Robert WWS, after repeated summons to refund our money, sends screenshots of "reservations". He never made the initial reservation as part of the agreement!
  • Robert WWS accuses us, that we called ACL and NMT behind his back. How fortunate that we did this and did not put "our fate" even more in the hands of this man!
  • Robert WWS has not accepted the registered letter
  • Robert WWS heeft vele mensen gedupeerd, lees aub de google reviews (update: zijn er niet meer!)
  • Most aggrieved people have experienced the following: customers pay in advance - do have a reference number = place on the ship - due to Robert WWS's failure to pay the shipping company, the customers do not get the vehicle. As a result, customers are also fined because the vehicle has been in port too long. 
  • Bailiffs and collection agencies have no legal basis and many aggrieved people, even after years, have still not received their money back
  • Robert WWS has a company in the UK-, a Limited company (ltd). This is an English limited company, which means that Robert WWS cannot be held liable in his private assets. In the event of bankruptcy, no claim to your money.
  • The Dutch Chamber of Commerce says there is nothing it can do
  • The CoC of Great Britain is called Companies house, and we have heard that you can file a fraud complaint there.
  • There is also a possibility to report to the police in the Netherlands
  • Robert WWS' company was incorporated at 80 Sidney Street in Folkestone, Kent. There were 4300 companies registered at this address and, according to the Internet, is (has been?) affiliated with the Panama Papers
  • We are in contact with fellow victims, the stories are really sad! But these victims have also gained a lot of knowledge and unite
  • Robert WWS, according to some fellow duped people, uses different facebook accounts (we have no knowledge of) in order to get in touch
  • And much more.............
Lees aub de reviews op Trustpilot en in Facebook groepen! 
De google reviews zijn er niet meer. Er zijn enkele gedupeerden die reviews Trustpilot geplaatst hebben, klik here.
 
Our main purpose for sharing this is to try to avoid unnecessary stress and negative financial consequences prior to a special and joyful trip.
 
Want to ship a vehicle?
Then read this blog.