Things to remember while shipping abroad

Whether you are first time shipper or a veteran you must know that shipping overseas can be stressful. There is a lot of paperwork to deal with, like – Bill of Lading, export order, certificate of origin, packaging list, certificate of insurance, custom clearance certificate and so on and so forth. When the cargo is sailing abroad a lot of complications can arise. Then it would be wise to have this guidebook in hand so that you can verify the various things before you ship the cargo.

Here are few things to remember before you decide to ship your cargo.

Cost: Shipping involves cost. It will depend upon your shipping liner, mode of transport, volume and amount of the cargo, distance, type of cargo, and more. Depending upon your requirements you need to choose the best solution within your budget. An established shipping company may charge more than less known logistics companies. But it still would be better to go only with the renowned ones. They will have effective cargo tracking and customer service support that will help you track your cargo in transit.

Time: Choice of mode of delivery will depend greatly upon the time you want to deliver the product. Air freight forwarding is faster than sea transfers and also there are time differences between FCL cargo and LCL cargo transit. If you want the consignment to reach its destination in shorter time and at affordable rate air-sea freight forwarding is your option.

Volume: Another factor that will affect both the cost and your choice of shipping method is the volume of the cargo. Air freight forwarding is regarded more suitable for light weight cargo. But for larger consignment you would need to select sea transfer. It will be cost effective too.

Custom regulation: Import-export depends greatly upon the custom regulations of its destination port or air port. Irrespective of the size of the consignment it would need custom clearance. It involves a lot of paper work. If you are engaging the services of a third-party logistics company make sure that they have enough expertise and exposure in offering custom clearance solution.

Packaging: Most of the international shipping liners now offer professional packaging solution to clients. Proper packaging is important to minimize product damage complaints. Improper packaging can increase your cost and loss. Depending upon the destination country products must be packaged and labeled properly. So, if you are not sure how to package your goods hiring the services of a third-party logistics company is the best option.