No More Shipping Headaches by Applying Proven Protocols

As the art world prepares for Art Basel Hong Kong (March 2026), galleries and collectors face a specific set of logistical challenges. Beyond the standard hurdles of international transport, the journey to Hong Kong requires a specialised understanding of strategic timing, tracking and environmental transitions.

End-to-end orchestration

The success of a fair depends on seamless coordination. The Eythos team provides a comprehensive door-to-door service, managing every logistical layer of the journey.

The entire chain of custody can be handled: from specialised local trucking and professional packing at the origin to navigating complex customs clearance and final white-glove delivery to the booth. By overseeing every step, the friction of multiple vendors is eliminated, ensuring that galleries can focus on their artists while we manage the movement, documentation, and security of their assets.

From sub-zero to tropical humidity

The most significant threat to an artwork during the end of winter/early spring period isn’t movement, it’s the atmosphere. A masterpiece packed and departing a winter-bound studio in Korea or a gallery in Europe may depart in sub-zero temperatures with dry air. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, it is met with temperatures around 20°C and humidity levels varying between 80% and 95%.

Preventing the 'sweat'

If a cold crate arrives from a frigid climate is unloaded onto a warm Hong Kong loading dock and opened immediately, the cold surface of the artwork will pull moisture from the saturated air. This causes immediate condensation, often referred to as sweating, a catastrophic event for photography, works on paper, and paintings.

To prevent this, every shipment arriving at the Eythos Hong Kong facility follows a strict stabilisation protocol. Upon arrival, crates are placed in our dedicated climate staging area. The crates are not opened until the internal temperatures have slowly equilibrated with the ambient room temperature. According to the volume of the crate, this process typically requires 24 to 48 hours of acclimatisation, ensuring the dew point is never reached and the artwork remains perfectly dry.

Balancing speed, cost, and carbon footprint

For ABHK 2026, Eythos offers three distinct pathways tailored to different timelines and environmental goals:

• Sea Freight: The most sustainable choice, sea freight reduces carbon emissions by up to 85% compared to air. By utilising climate-controlled, ensuring that artworks remain in perfect condition throughout their entire journey.

• Air Freight with SAF: For urgent shipments that cannot wait for the ocean route, Eythos provides the option of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Through strategic partnerships, clients are able to purchase SAF Credits via "Book & Claim" scheme, reducing the carbon impact of unavoidable flights by up to 80%, a reduction that brings the environmental footprint of air travel close to that of Sea Freight.

• Standard Air Freight: Our white-glove air service remains the gold standard for speed, cost-effectiveness and efficiency, managed with real-time tracking from tarmac to booth.

Post-fair strategy

The closing of the fair is not the end of the artwork's journey. Hong Kong’s status as a free port makes it an ideal strategic hub for post-fair logistics. Artworks can be stored in our Hong Kong facility in Tsing Yi tax-free (only 5 minutes from Container Terminal 5 and 21 minutes from Hong Kong International Airport!) while awaiting a buyer’s green light for release or pending their next international appearance.

As the official shipper for the upcoming Hive Art Fair in Seoul in May 2026, Eythos can provide a seamless transition for works moving to South-Korea. With Eythos facilities located in both Hong Kong and Seoul, our integrated network allows for seamless, consolidated transport between these two major Asian hubs, significantly reducing both operational costs and carbon footprints for galleries on the regional circuit.