I work in exports, but have a fair understanding of imports.

It seems odd that someone would pay for a container to ship one bike in the 1st place. And about 2K sounds reasonable for one bike if that includes all loading/unloading customs clearing. 12K sounds extremely expensive though even for a full container..

Also when you refer to shipping line, they don't normally deal with personal goods, which in shipping terms, these are. So to me without knowing the facts, it sounds like someone is really marking things up... Did they send you a copy of the invoice? I can help with a breakdown and explaining what each charge is etc..

PM me if you want more specific answers, however I will check back over the weekend.