FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

The different terms in shipment are like CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid to), CFR (Cost and Freight), CPT (Carriage paid to), DAT (Delivered at Terminal), DAP (Delivered at Place), DDP (Delivery Duty Paid), EXW (Ex Works) etc.

It’s important for a freight forwarder to have a reliable and established international network. This helps to facilitate the shipping process for their clients for a more streamlined end-to-end process. The larger the network, the more likely the freight forwarder can meet shippers’ demands and requirements.

Customs clearance is an integral part of any ocean freight process and one that can make or break not only your shipment but also throw your entire supply chain into disarray. Most freight forwarders handle customs clearance. But some may just strictly be forwarders, meaning they handle only the transportation and logistics of your shipment. In such a case, you’ll need to find a separate broker to handle customs clearance for your shipment.

Rates vary depending on many different factors including sail date, carrier, volume of merchandise, etc. So the sooner you get a quote, the earlier you can begin to plan your shipment to make sure you can meet your deadlines.

A large portion of the ocean freight industry remains opaque even today. There may be many leading digital freight forwarders that are working towards injecting price transparency, it’s still always good to get a breakdown of what services their container shipping rates include. For example, certain services such as documentation and customs-related charges may be included by some forwarders but not by others.

There are always destination costs for shipments. The costs, however, vary from port to port and shipment to shipment. Some of the more common destination surcharges include release fees, terminal handling charges, and other delivery charges if your shipment is door-to-door.

There are many elements that can go into the overall price of your shipment. These depend on seasonality, commodity, destination, and other factors beyond your control. Surcharges such as the General Rate Increase (GRI) and Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) can be announced at the last minute and be applicable to your shipment.

Import requirements differ from country to country – even for the same commodity. This is especially so if you’re moving overseas. Some countries have very strict rules on specific personal items and vehicles. Make sure to check with your freight forwarder or your agent at destination if there are any special requirements you need to know about at destination. This could be special licenses for your cargo, extra documents.

Some freight forwarders offer packing services. These may be in-house or outsourced to an external company. Other freight forwarders may not, which means it’ll be up to the shipper to pack the cargo.

If you have urgent cargo, let your freight forwarder know immediately so they can plan for it. Keep in mind that getting your cargo onto the first-available sail date and vessel as that may sometimes mean higher prices. Sometimes, it may be worth it to pay a little bit more to get a faster transit or a direct service for better reliability. Some shippers prefer to get their cargo to destination as soon as possible, while others prefer a more affordable option. Make sure to let your freight forwarder know what your priorities are.

If you are shipping one pallet or a few pallets, it’s best to ship by Less than Container Load (LCL). This option allows you to only pay for the volume you need within the container and save money as your cargo is “consolidated” with other shippers in a 20 or 40 foot container. If you’re shipping multiple pallets (the final volume will depend on your exact dimensions) it is best to ship by Full Container Load (FCL) either a 20 or 40 foot container.

I am sure that there must be some criteria to check whether the company chartering a vessel has a strong financial standing.

What type of ship is it, what type of cargo and what type of damage and where, when and how did this damage happen..?? The bill of lading does not have anything to do with who discharges what, when, where and how.. It is only an “evidence” of the contract of carriage. The contract of carriage determines who is responsible for what.

What type of ship is it, what type of cargo and what type of damage and where, when and how did this damage happen..?? The bill of lading does not have anything to do with who discharges what, when, where and how.. It is only an “evidence” of the contract of carriage. The contract of carriage determines who is responsible for what.

This depends on the shipping line and how bill of lading is consigned and what the Incoterms are.

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