Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Important Details About International Shipping

By Belinda Norbert


Small export businesses have to be well-informed about the nitty-gritty of international shipping. For a start, tariff concerns are important. Tariffs (import and export duties) are imposed by governments on imported products. Each country has different laws. Therefore, conduct your research regarding taxes. Find out the type of goods allowed as well as those which are prohibited.

Be mindful of customs rules and regulations. All international consignments have to get clearance from customs authorities. Fill in the necessary documents. One set is for the country of origin. The other is for the nation where the cargo will be sent. Fees depend on the value of consignments and destination. It is advisable to check out customs tariff rates before transporting your stuff.

Know relevant directives. You must distinguish between transportation mode as well as provisions for ocean and inland stream transport. Risks are minimized if you know the rules. See to it that you have a formal and well-defined contract. This will lessen disagreements especially since countries have different laws, languages and traditions. There will be no or fewer mistakes in transportation from one port to the other if obligations of exporters and importers are defined properly. However, transacting parties must agree separately regarding the aspects of ownership and transfer of title for commodities.

The merchandise must be packed properly and labeled correctly. Hire a shipping company if you are not clear about the procedure. Look for a provider that takes care of packaging. Decide on the shipment medium. It can be through air or sea freight. The latter is more affordable although it takes longer as against air transportation. There are goods that are prohibited or restricted in certain countries. Expect customs personnel to impound the items in case of any violations. Some of the banned objects are firearms; sharp tools; cigarette lighters; precious metals; foreign currencies; coins; tobacco; and, human skeletons.

Another concern is consolidated warehousing. Your products will be mixed with other merchandise if you do not have an exclusive shipping container. If your cargo requires consolidation, the goods will be stored in a warehouse which is often in the port of origin. The other essential aspects are port of export; fees for port of origin; and, terminal handling charges. These should be included in the estimates.

Computerized techniques also put the shipper in complete control of the process. Instead of employing another person to supervise the shipment, you are able to oversee and monitor everything from the first to the last step.




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