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If you decide to transport cargo from place A to place B, you should be ready to do a tremendous amount of work. And if you think that the first step you should take is to find a proper truck or container to load your cargo, you are wrong.
Like in any other business, in logistics, paperwork is of prime importance, too. To be able to transport even one box from point A to point B, you have to prepare lots of papers documents and permissions. Below you find a detailed list of the most important points.
● Commercial invoice.
No matter whether it comes to less than truckload shipping or full truckload transportation, the commercial invoice is one of the most significant documents. It’s necessary when you deal with international trades. The main task of the commercial invoice is to calculate and assess the duties and taxes due.
● Packing list.
This element is also crucial when it comes to international transportation. It indicates all the items encompassed by the commercial invoice. It also shows how the objects were packed and what labels were used.
● Export or import custom declaration.
It is applied when it comes to customs clearance. It is to calculate the duties or taxes applicable to the cargo. It is prepared by a customs broker on the basis of the invoice and packing list.
● Bill of lading.
Everyone who has ever dealt with shipping knows the name of this document for sure. It is a legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper. It details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried.
● Various types of certificates.
The number and type of documents you are to provide depend on the type of cargo you transport. The most popular variants include production certificate, vessel certificate, and phytosanitary certificate. It’s only a few possible variations.
● Certificate of origin.
This document certifies that the transported goods are entirely obtained, produced, manufactured, or processed in a certain country.
● Importer security filing.
It’s necessary when it comes to shipments being imported to the United States via ocean.
● Letter of credit.
The paper indicates that the seller has to ship the cargo and deliver all the documents required for clearance of the cargo at the buyer’s end, to the nominated bank before he can get paid.
Moreover, when it comes to shipping dangerous or hazardous products, it’s also important to obtain permission for dealing with such substances. You should keep in mind that the process may take lots of time. It’s better to start gathering all the necessary papers in advance.
Yet, if you cooperate with credible and reliable freight shipping companies, the experts are able to do everything for you. You are to place an order and the managers do the greater part of the work for you. By the way, nowadays it’s possible to place an order online even via your smartphone.
So, shipping is not only about trucks, highways, and packages. In order to make the cargo move, tones of papers should be prepared. If you are not sure you may cope with this task on your own, it’s better to entrust it to professionals.
