Learn the common documents used in international freight, including commercial invoices, packing lists, Bills of Lading, Air Waybills and customs information.
VIEW COMMON DOCUMENTSInternational freight requires information about the goods, parties involved, shipment quantities, cargo value and transportation arrangements.
These details are used by freight forwarders, carriers, customs brokers, customs authorities and other parties involved in moving the shipment.
Missing or inaccurate information can delay booking, export procedures, customs clearance or final delivery.
A commercial invoice provides key transaction and product information used during international trade and customs procedures.
A packing list describes how the shipment is physically packed and helps identify cartons, weights and dimensions.
The Bill of Lading is a key transportation document associated with ocean freight.
An Air Waybill is a transportation document used for air cargo shipments.
Goods need to be classified for customs purposes. The classification can affect duties, taxes and other import requirements.
Some products require additional certificates, reports, permits or declarations before transportation or customs clearance.
Focuses on the transaction, product value and parties involved.
Focuses on how the shipment is packed, measured and organized.
A Bill of Lading is issued in connection with the carriage of goods by sea.
It contains important shipment information such as the shipper, consignee, cargo description, origin and destination.
Depending on the shipping arrangement, customers may encounter different forms or levels of Bills of Lading.
VIEW SEA FREIGHT SERVICES →In freight forwarding arrangements, customers may see documents issued at different levels of the transportation chain.
Commonly associated with the carrier-level ocean transportation arrangement.
May be issued by a freight forwarder or NVOCC in connection with the customer's shipment.
Used at the airline / consolidator level for air transportation.
May identify an individual shipment within a consolidated air-freight movement.
Customs authorities need accurate information about the imported goods and transaction.
Exact requirements depend on the destination country, product and importer structure.
Commonly provides product and commercial information used to prepare shipment documentation.
Provides destination, importer and other information required for the shipping and customs arrangement.
Coordinates transportation documentation and communicates shipment information with the relevant logistics parties.
Batteries, battery-powered goods and other special cargo may require additional documentation or review before a carrier can accept the shipment.
Depending on the product and transport method, documents such as an SDS/MSDS, UN38.3 test information or other supporting reports may be requested.
Generic descriptions can make product classification and customs review more difficult.
Quantity and shipment information should be consistent across relevant documents.
Incorrect weight or dimensions can create pricing and handling problems.
Battery or regulated cargo should be reviewed before booking rather than after pickup.
You do not need every final transport document before requesting a freight quote. Start by sending us accurate cargo and route information.
REQUEST A FREIGHT QUOTEThis page is a general overview of common shipping documents. Exact document, customs, licensing and certification requirements vary by country, product, transportation method and transaction. Shipment-specific requirements should be confirmed before booking.
Tell us what you are shipping, where the cargo is located and where it needs to go. We'll review the logistics requirements with you.
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