Friday, May 1, 2015

Dealing With Sea Cargo Procedures

By Belinda Norbert


In simple terms, sea freight means the process of transporting consignments to destinations in different parts of the world. Express Bill of Lading is given to the exporter through email about four days after departure. Sea freight rates are calculated based on measurements which are normally in cubic meters. The benchmark is one cubic meter for every booking. The exporter needs to settle terminal charges the moment the cargo arrives at the port of destination.

It is necessary to provide personal and contact details. These are all listed on the booking form. You should also include a list of the merchandise, copies of your passport and identification card. The goods are delivered to the shipping firm's storage depot for appropriate documentation and weighing. The shipper will then give you an equivalent invoice. Incidentally, some service providers are willing to pick up the items from your residence or office for an extra charge.

Be sure to indicate your complete name, business or home address, and telephone numbers. These details must be printed legibly on your booking form. Do not forget to submit the list of goods plus duplicates of your passport for proper identification. You can make arrangements for pick-up of your belongings from the house or place of business. These are delivered to the shipping firm's stockroom for weighing and processing. It is necessary for the shipper to give you an invoice for this particular consignment.

See to it that you make payments before departure. These can be done using credit card or online banking. It is also advisable to call the shipper's agent for any additional instructions. You can find contact details on your Bill of Lading.

All domestic charges are paid to the agent for unloading, container stripping and storage. However, fees vary based on destinations and security conditions. In certain countries, the consignee is required to facilitate customs clearances. All personal belongings are considered duty-free. One of your options is to subcontract custom's clearing to the shipping company's designated representative. Or, choose from agents who offer their services in different ports of call.

You can take care of packing your cargo properly to stay away from unwarranted damages. Close the boxes properly and go through all requirements prescribed by authorities. Remember that there are extra charges that you may incur such as use of pallets. There is no automatic insurance for consignments while maximum liability goes to the shipping company. Confirm conditions for liability coverage as well as separate insurance policies for transport. The invoice for each consignment is sent to the consignee. Likewise, dispatch, storage and shipping procedures are not the same for all countries.




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