Questions and Answers

Because the international supply chain involves so many diverse procedures and participants, professional freight forwarders can be a great help in facilitating cargo movement around the world. Companies that specialize in freight forwarding have extensive knowledge of the complex procedures involved in international trade, including export documentation, international shipping costs, customs clearance procedures, import duties and taxes, port handling fees, domestic distribution, and cargo insurance. Despite the fact that you are dealing with top professionals, you will still need to be actively involved in the process. To begin with, you will need to provide certain details when requesting a quote for transport services:

• Deadline for delivery
• Pickup address
• Final delivery address
• Incoterms (Learn more about Incoterms here)
• Transport mode (if you have a preference)
• Frequency of transports
• Your possibilities as an importer or exporter
• Customs office (preferred place for customs clearance)
• Type of goods
• Shipment dimensions (length, width, height)
• Weight of shipment
• Type of packaging
• Special requirements of your goods (temperature-sensitive, oversized, fragile, valuable, dangerous, flammable etc.)
• Information about your company (tax number and contact person)
• Required insurance and value of goods

The list continues, but these points are essential when requesting a transport quote. Having critical information on hand can drastically speed up the process and reduce the time it takes to get an offer. If your shipment is time-sensitive, make sure to mention this as well. If a logistics company representative requests further information or documents, know that it is absolutely necessary. If you are unfamiliar with the items on the list, don’t worry!cargo-partner’s experts will be delighted to advise you and ensure transparency throughout the entire process. For more information, visit the cargo-partner website or contact us for a detailed consultation!

Buying and selling goods internationally can be challenging, which is why the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) developed the Incoterms.
The Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) are simply rules that specify which party in the supply chain is responsible for certain duties, expenses, and hazards related to the shipment of products.

The Incoterms have been in use for more than 60 years and are acknowledged by all international courts and organizations.
Their primary goal is to decrease or eliminate uncertainty caused by varying interpretations of the rules in different countries. Because of this, theIncoterms are frequently used in contracts all over the world to clearly state what is expected of allinvolved parties.

Understanding the Incoterms is essential, since they will be invoked in the event of a misunderstanding or legal conflict. Any logistics expert will recognize this note on the box or document.

Within these regulations, some phrases have particular definitions. Among the more significant ones are:

• Delivery – The moment in the transaction in which the risk of loss or damage to the goods is transferred from the seller to the buyer
• Arrival – The moment up to which the transport of goods is paid
• Free- Obligation of the seller to deliver the goods to the designated place where the carrier picks them up
• Carrier – Any person/company who undertakes to carry out or provide goods transportation by contract
• Forwarder – A company that arrangesor assists in making arrangements for shipping of goods
• Prepared for export – Transmitting the sender’s export declaration and obtaining an export permit

Visit the cargo-partner website for additional details, or get in touch with us for an in-depth consultation!