| Common phases of international shipment |

EXPORT AND IMPORT BY SEA IN RESPECT OF DEALING WITH U.S. FREIGHT FORWARDER

As U.S. Freight Forwarder (U.S. OTI or in other words International Transportation Company. Do not confuse with International moving companies) we performs both Export and Import for shipping freight from and to the USA by sea. However, in respect of dealing with an International Transportation Company shipper should understand responsibilities of Freight Forwarder on his/her shipment by sea depending on service selected – Export or Import and country, which the Freight Forwarder represents.   

Nowadays, ocean carriers throughout the world are governed by a variety of the global sea freight industry standards and regulation. They also adopted and extend the rules promulgated by international organizations (IMO - International Maritime Organization for example). In general international shipments by sea are regulated regardless of country of origin and destination in safety, environmental protection, documents turnover, customs procedures, commercial practices, cargo liability and other issues.    

However different carriers in different countries have different approaches to sea freight tendering at theirs origins and destinations stations. Knowing basic details of local rules in countries of origin and destination gives you an advantage to plan your shipment and forecast shipping cost related to it.   

U.S. OTI - Ocean Transportation Intermediaries or Freight Forwarders mostly concentrate on the U.S. Import and Export Regulations and handle issues related to Export and Import sea freight procedures in the USA. They also provide general details related to cargo tendering outside of the USA along with information for carrier’s handling station’s agents overseas.

In respect of dealing with an U.S. Freight Forwarder on shipping cargo by sea from or to the USA shipper should be prepared to deal directly with an ocean carrier/carrier’s agent, which will handle cargo on shippers' behalf as soon as cargo is out of the U.S. Commerce zone.

Information about the agents should be available:

• On Export goods from the USA - in carrier’s bill of lading - the final document in ocean freight industry, that acts as a title on shipped goods;
• On Import goods to the USA - in U.S. Freight Forwarder's shipping instructions, before shipment is tendered to the Export by sea from the country of origin.  

It is very important that shipper is aware of common phases of international shipments by sea. Shipper should understand that each phase of ocean shipment may correspond with charges related to the phase. Shipper should divide parts of shipping costs collected by U.S. freight forwarder from parts of shipping costs by ocean carrier/carrier’s destination agent. 

Notice: When deal with an International Moving company (most of the time when shipping Household Googs from or to the USA), but International Transportation company, these rules on separating shipping costs for Import or Export goods to or from USA by sea may not apply.

COMMON PHASES OF INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENT BY SEA 

I. ORIGIN - SEA FREIGHT IS AT THE ORIGIN YET:

• Cargo Pickup and delivery at named place of: frontier, terminal, quay (if cargo is not self-delivered to the named place - an International Shipping Company sea freight terminal).
• Origin county's Customs formalities.
• Cargo handling at the International Shipping Company's terminal in country of origin, export documents turnover etc.

II. OCEAN FREIGHT ITSELF - FREIGHT IS IN TRANSIT (SAILING) FROM PORT OF ORIGIN TO PORT OF DESTINATION: 

• Goods are on board of vessel. Actual sailing of the freight by sea. Ocean carrier’s messaging and documents turnover. Notice that ocean freight either for Import or Export may be subject to surcharges (samples of surcharges: war risk, Panama channel passing etc).

III. DESTINATION - SEA FREIGHT ENTERED IN COMMERCE ZONE OF THE DESTINATION COUNTRY:

• Discharging ocean freight at a port of entry, carriers/carrier’s destination agent messaging, handling of cargo at the port of entry and documents turnover.
• Completing destination customs formalities by a destination customs broker in order to obtain a customs release on the ocean freight, i.e. entry filing, assessing customs duty, taxes (if any) and other applicable destination country’s governments' related charges.
• Delivery of the sea freight to the final destination terminal (if the terminal is not a port of entry itself). Handling the cargo at the terminal, documents turnover and a warehouse release at the final destination terminal.
• Delivery of sea freight by land to a named by consignee place (if it will not be self-picked up by the consignee from the final destination warehouse).

You should find more complete and comprehensive explanation about shipping procedures in respect of dealing with an International Shipping Company and charges related to sea freight in FAQ sections of our website (For Export from USA by sea refer to -- this link. For Import to the USA by sea refer to -- this link).

In respect of dealing with an U.S. Freight Forwarder (i.e. an International Shipping Company located and operated in the USA), you should initially clear understand in what kind of shipment you are going to be involved – Export from the USA or Import to the USA. Having it clear, you will be able to predicts on which phases of your international shipment you mostly transact with an U.S. Freight Forwarder and on which phases with an ocean freight carrier/carrier’s agent designated to your shipment by the Freight Forwarder. 

Then shipping costs related to each phase of your sea freight shipment, in invoices received from the International Shipping Company that you use on your Import or Export to or from the USA, will be clear and comprehensive. I.e. you will be able to understand and control your entire international shipment by sea - the procedure and the shipping cost.