FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – EXPORT CARGO FROM THE USALCL – Shipping Boxed or Crated Cargo & GENERAL QUESTIONS 1. What is an LCL - Less Than Container Load?
2. What can be shipped as LCL with you?
3. How it works? What should I expect on my LCL shipment step by step?
4. Why should I pay that 75% security deposit?
5. Where can I find an address of the shipping terminal to deliver my boxes?
6. What does Express Release Bill of Lading mean?
7. Can I amend my Bill of Lading?
8. What are Cubic Meter and W/M – weight or measurement?
9. Should I palletize my boxes or not?
10. What about insurance on my goods?
11. Do you guarantee transit time on my shipment?
12. Are there any hidden costs in your quote?
12A. What are destination charges?
12B. What is SED?
13. Can I arrange a charity shipment with you?
14. How can I cancel my shipment?
15. What will happen if I not pay your invoices?
16. What shipping documents should I submit to my export shipment? FCL – Full Container Load 1. What is FCL – Full Container Load?
2. What is S.O.C – Shipper Owned Container? Shipping Vehicles Overseas 1. What should I know when ship a vehicle overseas?
2. How it works? What should I expect step by step? LCL – Shipping Boxed or Crated Cargo & GENERAL QUESTIONS 1. What is an LCL - Less Than Container Load? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA LCL – an abbreviation for “Less than Container Load”. This term is commonly used to describe a seafreight service that designed for shipping boxed, crated or palletized cargo that cannot fill an entire 20 or 40 foot sea container. For more information refer to http://www.amid-logistics.com/ser_llc.php. If you are shipping household goods or personal effects not for sale, then we recommend you read this link as well http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipdoc_shg.php. 2. What can be shipped as LCL with you? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA LCL seafreight can be offered for boxed or crated cargo only. Using our system you should be able to complete the entire shipment online. No matter if you travel from place to place. Having an Internet access to our website is all you need to control your shipment. Currently we offer the most economical way for shipping boxed and crated cargo, i.e. terminal-to-terminal service. This means that your cargo has to be self-delivered to a ship terminal at the origin and self-picked up at the destination. We do not offer pickup service at this time. However, if for some reasons you cannot bring your boxes to the ship terminal, you may ask a friend of yours or hire a local cartage company to deliver your goods on your behalf. All he/she needs is a printed copy of Dock Receipt that you will receive in e-mail from us. You may consider the Dock Receipt as “a ticket for your cargo”. 3. How it works? What should I expect on my LCL shipment step by step? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Seven steps that you should be aware of: 1st STEP – BOOK YOUR SHIPMENT ONLINE The first and absolutely necessary step to begin a shipment is to schedule the shipment online in our website. In order to avoid misinterpretation, misspelling and mistyping we do not accept bookings over the phone or via fax. Notice: It is too hard to predict precise volume and weight of shipment at a time of booking. Actual volume and weight on your shipment most likely will differ from those that you had provided in your booking request. When you book your LCL shipment, you may just estimate your total volume and weight. Carrier's ship terminal will define actual volume and weight on your shipment later. See the Step #4.
2nd STEP – FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS PAY A SECURITY DEPOSIT
After submitting your booking request online you will receive our e-mail with a Reference number of your shipment and: - If it is your first shipment with us, then you will receive our e-mail with request to pay a security deposit. Typically this deposit is equal to 75% of the estimated total price obtained on our website when you booked your shipment. The deposit will be applied to the final cost of your shipment. Consider this e-mail an invoice on your deposit.
We accept major credit cards online. We accept business and personal checks, money orders and wire transfers. Please review the Payment Conditions and Return Policy. - Customers who already have an account with us should disregard this deposit request. They wait for our e-mail with shipping instructions and after that for our final invoice based on the actual w/m derived from the carrier’s ship terminal.
3rd STEP – RECEIVE SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS IN E-MAIL, SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS ONLINE AND DELIVER YOUR BOXES TO THE SHIP TERMINAL
We will need at least one business day from the day of booking in order to schedule your shipment. - For new customers time counts from the day of receiving funds on the security deposit request. After we receive the deposit, we send to the payer confirmation e-mail. Consider that e-mail a receipt for your paid deposit.
You will receive our e-mail with complete Shipping Instructions generated individually for your shipment. These Shipping Instructions will contain: - Our Reference No. and Carriers Booking No.;
- Carrier’s terminal address & phone number;
- Sailing details on your shipment, including:
-- ETD - Estimated Time of Departure
-- ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival
-- Vessel, Voyage, Routing - Link for printing your shipping labels;
- Links to fill out and submit your essential ship documents online, including:
-- Dock Receipt
-- Valued Packing List
-- Commercial Invoice (in general applies to commercial shipments only).
Follow these Shipping Instructions and deliver your boxed or crated cargo to the carriers ship terminal. IMPORTANT: You have to complete and submit all documents in the Shipping Instructions before your freight is delivered to the ship terminal NOTICE: You do not have to pay anything at the terminal. Wait for our final invoice via e-mail. The exception is if you request the terminal to palletize your boxes. Then you pay for the palletizing to the terminal. Ensure a receipt is obtained.
4th STEP – PAY THE FINAL INVOICE AND HAVE YOUR CARGO SHIPPED TO THE DESTINATION. VOLUME AND WEIGHT. It is too hard to predict precise volume and weight of shipment at a time of booking. Actual volume and weight on your shipment most likely will differ from those that you had provided in your booking request. After a ship terminal will accept you cargo, the carrier send to us volume and weight verification on your cargo, i.e. the actual volume and weight on your shipment. Based on this information we e-mail you our final invoice with total charges on your shipment less the security deposit that you had paid already. Typically we will we will e-mail you an invoice in few business days after you dropped off cargo at the ship terminal. Upon you payment we will e-mail a confirmation on your final payment, release your freight to the international shipment from the origin and your goods depart as scheduled.
5th STEP – RECEIVE YOUR BILL OF LADING
In few days after Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) (sometimes it takes a little longer) we e-mail to you your carriers Express Release Bill of Lading (consider the B/L a title for your goods). This Bill of Lading will show you complete information on your shipment and contact details of the carrier’s destination receiving station, i.e. your destination agent. Print the Bill of Lading and keep it in your records in order to recover your cargo at the destination. Shipments on Express Release should be released upon providing a copy of the B/L. No originals required.
6th STEP – MEET YOUR GOODS AT THE DESTINATION.
In few days before ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival, carrier’s destination agent should contact consignee/notify party with a Notice of Arrival. If for any reasons you do not receive the Arrival Notice, then we strongly recommend you contact the destination agent on the ETA day in order to find out status of your shipment. You can see contact info of the destination agent in your Bill of Lading within the ‘For Delivery/Pickup Please Apply To’ block of the Bill of Lading. Fax or e-mail them a copy of your Express Release Bill of Lading and ask for recovery instructions on your shipment. Shipment with trans-shipments, i.e. your Bill of Lading shows that a port of discharge is different from the final destination: ETA on shipments with trans-shipments may not be ETA to the final destination. Check ETA port in your ship documents. If it is not to the final destination, then it may take additional 15-25 days to get cargo to the final destination. Some trans-shipments, from Europe to Africa for example, may take longer. Important: Most likely carrier’s destination agent will not receive any information on your shipment until very few days before it actually reaches the destination. If you contact them in advance, then fax or e-mail them a copy of your Bill of Lading, verify your contact info in order to get an arrival notice and wait for the notice of arrival.
7th STEP – CARGO RECOVERY AT THE DESTINATION. DESTINATION CHARGES.
IMPORTANT: All international shipments are subject to destination charges. In general these charges include: 1 - Destination Country Government (Customs) related charges, i.e. duty and taxes (if any), harbor fees, fee on entry filing by a destination Customs Broker etc.; 2 - Destination terminal(s) handling charges and fees (THC); 3 – Service fee from carrier’s destination agent on handling and delivery (if you requesting delivery to your door) of your shipment. Destination charges vary depending on a destination country and carrier. Typically it is out of control of U.S. Freight Forwarder. Guiding importer in the complexity of cargo recovery procedures at the destination is responsibility of carrier’s destination agent. As a rule, you do not have to be present in person to recover your import at the destination. Follow instructions from your destination agent. Provide them all necessary information on your shipment by phone, fax or e-mail; pay destination charges in order to get release on your cargo; and, if you wish, arrange delivery of your goods to your door directly with the destination agent or use any local cartage company of your choice. - For commercial shipments destination charges depend on the commodity.
- Most countries do not charge a duty or tax for personal effects shipments. For personal LCL shipments, if cargo an exempt from paying duty, the total may vary from $60 up to $300 or more. For sizable shipments 8-14+ cubic meters this charges may be comparable to FCL (full container load) - $600-$1000.
You may want to check in advance with your destination country embassy or ask a destination country’s customs broker about Government (Customs) regulations on your shipment. Notice: a part or all destination charges may be required to be paid at a port of entree, but not at the final destination. I.e. you have to obtain Customs release and pay part of THC at a port of entry. Then your cargo will continue travel to the final destination cleared with customs. 4. Why should I pay that 75% security deposit? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA We offer credit to qualified customers who (1) had completed at least two shipments with us, (2) submitted our credit application and (3) been approved. This is our policy. First-time shippers have to provide this 75% security deposit before we proceed with bookings on theirs behalf. The deposit will be applied to the final cost of shipment. Please review payments conditions and return policy. 5. Where can I find an address of the shipping terminal to deliver my boxes? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA We work with numerous carriers. Each carrier has several terminals within a city-zone. All terminals are located near ports and in major cities listed in our website. Upon your booking request we must work on your shipment in order to assign a proper carriers terminal in the requested by you area. Depend on a carrier and routing the address of the ship terminal will be provided in our e-mail containing our shipping instructions, after your booking is completed. 6. What does Express Release Bill of Lading mean? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA By default all shipments with us go on express releases. Express = telex release = means that you do not have to provide originals Bill of Ladings in order to recover your goods at the destination. Shipment on express release should be released at the destination upon providing a copy of the B/L received from us in e-mail. No originals required. Several countries around the world, particularly Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Certain countries in Africa, do not accept express releases. Carrier should specify it upon issue of B/L. Then we will mail you a set of originals Bill of Ladings by USPS First Class Mail within USA/Canada for free. Expedited or international mail must be prepaid. If shipper/receptionist requires a set of originals B/L for shipments to countries that DO accept express release, then $50 fee will be added on top of cost of the mail. Find more about Bill of Lading in this link http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipdoc_bl.php 7. Can I amend my Bill of Lading? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Any amendment in a Bill of Lading after it had been issued is a headache for you. It may not always be possible. Especially when goods had arrived to the destination. We strongly recommend you to pay extreme attention to information that you entering when booking your shipment. While submitting your shipping documents online you will have several opportunities to verify and correct the entered info. However, as soon as a Bill of Lading is issued, any amendments to it are subject to carrier's amendments' fee. This fee varies from $70 to $200 or more.
If you still need amendments, we suggest you to contact a carrier’s destination agent first and request them to re-issue your B/L at the destination, if possible. Otherwise, we will work on these amendments on your behalf (if the amendments will be possible). However, we will charge you for this depending on the complexity on top of the carrier’s amendments fee. Notice that completing B/L amendments is not guaranteed and may take an uncertain amount of time. 8. What are Cubic Meter and W/M – weight or measurement? Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA - One cubic meter is a considerably large volume.
- A cubic meter is a measurement of volume, equal to space that is one meter wide, one meter long, and one meter high.
- One metric meter = 3.28 metric feet.
- ONE CUBIC METER = 35 CUBIC FEET.
Find more about Cubic Meter at http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_cbm.php W/M – weight or measurement, whichever is greater. W/M presents cargo density limit. Typically per Cubic Meter. Find more about W/M at http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_cbm.php#wm 9. Should I palletize my boxes or not? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Palletized and shrink-wrapped cargo has much higher probability to reach its destination without damages or loss. However additional charges for palletized cargo will appear: - Cost of pallet and labor
- A charge due to extra chargeable volume for palletized cargo
Find more on this topic at http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_pon.php 10. What about insurance on my goods? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Find more about insurance at http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_mi.php 11. Do you guarantee transit time on my shipment? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA ETT - Estimated Transit Time, i.e. a time slot between ETD - Estimated Time of Departure and ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival in quotes is not precise and should be verified upon a booking request. Transit time in booking confirmations on shipment by sea cannot be guaranteed as well. Although ocean freight cannot guarantee transit time, normally shipments depart and arrive as scheduled. Notice: for shipments with trans-shipments, that is when your Bill of Lading shows that a port of discharge is different from the final destination, Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) may not be ETA to the final destination. Check ETA port in your ship documents. If it is not to the final destination, then it may take additional 15-25 days to get cargo to the final destination. Some trans-shipments, from Europe to Africa for example, may take longer. 12. Are there any hidden costs in your quote? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA There are no hidden costs on ocean freight offered in quotes and booking confirmations from us. Your rated bill of lading will verify carrier’s ocean freight and surcharges on your shipment as well. However, exporter should be aware of at least general standards in the shipping industry in order to understand what is covered in a price quote obtained from a freight forwarder. That’s why if you are a first-time shipper and/or not familiar with general shipping procedures then WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND READING THIS WEBSITE’S FAQ AND REFERENCES SECTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING TO SCHEDULE YOUR SHIPMENT. Below is a recap on charges that may not be covered in an LCL price offered, based on the volume and weight information provided by you when you quote or book your shipment: I. PICKUP. Currently we offer the most economical way for shipping boxed and crated cargo, i.e. terminal-to-terminal service. This means your cargo has to be self-delivered to a ship terminal at the origin and self-picked up at the destination. If for some reasons you cannot bring your boxes to the ship terminal, you may ask a friend of yours or hire a local cartage company to deliver your goods on your behalf. All he/she needs is a printed copy of Dock Receipt that you will receive in e-mail from us. You may consider the Dock Receipt as “a ticket for your cargo”. If you still need a pickup service from us, then you should provide complete information on your shipment in the booking form online (you are not under obligation when book your shipment), get a Reference No. and request us the pickup in a separate e-mail. We will replay with a possibility to arrange the pickup in your area in one-two business days. Pickup rates for boxed or crated cargo varies from $.45 to $1.20 per pound depend on pickup location. $90 minimum pickup charge. Surcharges for oversized and overweighted pieces will apply. We offer dock or curbside pickups only. No inside pickups can be provided. II. PRICE DIFFERENCE DUE TO DISCREPANCY ON W/M PROVIDED BY YOU IN YOUR BOOKING REQUEST AND THE ACTUAL W/M OF CARGO TENDERED TO THE SHIPMENT. It is hard to predict precise w/m (i.e. total size and weight) of shipment at a time of booking. Actual w/m on your shipment most likely will differ from those that you had provided in your booking request. After a carrier’s ship terminal will accept you boxed goods, the carrier send to us w/m verification on your freight, i.e. the actual size and weight of your freight. Our final invoice will reflect those verified by carrier’s terminal w/m, but not w/m provided in your booking request. If for some reasons you will disagree with the verified w/m, then upon your request, we furnish you with a copy of the w/m verification document. After that you may contact the ship terminal and resolve the issue. III. EXTRA-VOLUME CHARGES DUE TO PALLETIZING YOUR LOOSE BOXES. If you request to palletize your boxes at a ship terminal, where you dropping your cargo off, extra-volume charges due to palletizing will occur: (1) Cost of pallet and labor. Typically vary from $35 to $55 per skid including cost of pallet. It should be paid directly to the ship terminal. Insure an invoice obtained. (2) A charge due to extra chargeable volume for palletized cargo. Click on this link for more information http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_pon.php#gw IV. OPTIONAL $35 FEE FOR FILING SED (SHIPPER’S EXPORT DECLARATION). According to U.S. customs regulations, all export shipments must be declared to the U.S. Census Bureau by filing SED in AES at www.aesdirect.gov Exempts from filing SED (in general): - Domestic shipments (to Hawaii for example). However, SEDs are required for shipments between the USA and Puerto Rico as well as between the USA and Virgin Islands of the United States.
- Shipments containing Household Goods or Personal Propriety not for sale of total value less than $2500.
Shipments without SED (if not exempt) cannot be released to the export. If you file SED online in www.aesdirect.gov by yourself, then we need AES ITN from you BEFORE your cargo will be delivered to the carrier’s ship terminal. Otherwise we can file SED on your behalf based on the commodity description provided in your ship documents for $35 up to two Harmonized Tariff numbers. $15 per Harmonized Tariff number thereafter. Notice: Household Goods or Personal Propriety shipments typically do not require specifying Harmonized Tariff numbers. If you are requesting us to file SED on your behalf, then in order to do so we must have from you at least: - A valued packing list or commercial invoice, which contain: commodity description (1), value of your shipment in USD (2), estimated weight (3) and volume (4). Our online forms for these documents allow you conveniently submit all that info from your computer. You may use this simple form online in order to submit the information to us.
- U.S. federal tax ID (EIN) or your social security number (SSN) or facsimile copy of foreign passport with U.S. visa No. We do not recommend to e-mail sensitive information. Call us or fax it.
Our online booking form provides options on filing SED.
V. SET OF ORIGINALS BILL OF LADING IF REQUIRED. Most shipments with us go on express releases. Express = telex release = surrender means that you do not have to provide originals Bill of Ladings in order to recover your goods at the destination. Shipment on express release should be released at the destination upon providing a copy of the B/L received from us by e-mail. No originals required. However, several countries around the world, particularly Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Certain countries in Africa, do not accept express releases. Carrier should specify it upon issue of B/L. Then we will mail you a set of originals Bill of Ladings by USPS First Class Mail within USA/Canada for free. Expedited or international mail must be prepaid. If you request a set of originals B/L for shipments to countries that DO accept express release, then $50 fee will be added on top of cost of mail. VI. PORT OF ENTRY FEE. Most of the time this fee associates with shipments with transshipments, i.e. your Bill of Lading shows that a port of discharge is different from the final destination. The fee varies from $25 to $50 and included in carrier’s B/L freight charges. VII. DESTINATION CHARGES (Do not apply on domestic shipments. To Hawaii for example). All international shipments are subject to destination charges. In general these charges include: 1 - Destination Country Government (Customs) related charges, i.e. duty and taxes (if any), harbor fees, fee on entry filing by a destination Customs Broker etc.; 2 - Destination terminal(s) handling charges and fees (THC); 3 – Service fee from carrier’s destination agent on handling and delivery (if you are requesting a delivery to your door) of your shipment. Destination charges vary depending on a destination country and carrier. Typically it is out of control of U.S. Freight Forwarder. Guiding importer in the complexity of cargo recovery procedures at the destination is responsibility of carrier’s destination agent. - For commercial shipments destination charges depend on the commodity.
- Most countries do not charge a duty or tax on household goods and personal effects. For personal LCL shipments, if cargo is exempt from paying duty, total destination charges may vary from $60 up to $300 or more. For sizable shipments 8-12+ cubic meters this charges may be comparable to destination charges on FCL (full container load) shipments - $600-$1000.
You may want to check in advance with your destination country embassy or ask a destination country’s customs broker about Government (Customs) regulations on your shipment. Notice: a part or all destination charges may be required to be paid at a port of entree, but not at the final destination. I.e. you have to obtain Customs release and pay part of THC at a port of entry. Then your cargo will continue travel to the final destination cleared with customs. Notice: As a rule, you do not have to be present in person when recover your import at the destination. Follow instructions from your destination agent. Provide them all necessary information on your shipment by phone, fax or in e-mail; pay destination charges in order to get release on your cargo; and, if you wish, arrange delivery of your goods to your door directly with the destination agent or use any local cartage company of your choice. VIII. DELIVERY GOODS TO THE CONSIGNEE AT DESTINATIONS (OPTIONAL). At this time we do not offer delivery service from a destination ship terminal to consignee’s door. Cleared with Customs and released by the destination terminal cargo should be self-picked. However, most destination agents offer delivery service for an adding cost. Otherwise you can hire any local cartage company in your destination country, request them pickup your released goods and bring it to your door. IX. Depend on commodity being shipped, shipment’s conditions, destination country customs etc other specific charges may apply on irregular shipments. 13. Can I arrange a charity shipment with you? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA The answer is yes, you may. However, in the reality, after your donation arrives to the destination the recipient may be unable or do not want to pay destination charges associated with recovery of your aid. Furthermore, officials in certain countries, particularly in South Africa and/or landlocked countries that receive ocean freight via South Africa may deny entries as long as commodity described as a charity, donation, free aid, used goods etc. If you are still going to ship a donation, then before doing so, wisely consider the following situation on your shipment: - Your recipient does not pay destination charges even though you had already transferred to him money to pay for the release.
- You may be involved in a bureaucratic correspondence with destination county officials in order to get an approval on entry for your goods to the destination country. Notice, you cannot avoid carrier’s storage etc fees on your shipment due to delay with this entry.
- If you failed, then be prepared to pay all charges and fees associated with the return of your goods back to you or charges on destruction of your cargo.
Often, as soon as a carrier had recognized that your ship a donation, having bad experience on charity shipments, they may inform you that your shipment must be shipped on DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) basis with all destination charges prepaid. In this event: - Commercial invoice must be presented to the carrier’s destinations agent before your shipment is tendered at the origin in order to estimate total destination charges. Notice, it takes a time and may not be free of charge.
- Actual destination charges may differ from the original estimate. Then typically it requires to be prepaid based on the estimated cost plus 15-30%.
- If actual destination charges will exceed the initial estimation, then the difference is on consignee account. If not paid then funds paid initially go to destruction of the cargo.
As a conclusion: We believe that God blesses your kindness. However, an unconsidered international charity shipment may result to problems for all parties involved in the shipment. Please make your donations prudently. 14. How can I cancel my shipment? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA For new customers, shipments with unpaid deposits will not be processed. There is no obligation to cancel a shipment with unpaid deposit. Existing clients please refer to our return policy. If a security deposit is paid and shipment canceled before cargo tendered to the shipment, the customer will be refunded, minus $25 processing fee. After cargo is submitted to the shipment, but still at the origin and can be returned, then we will request the carrier to put it on hold. The customer will be refunded after his/her written confirmation that goods are taken back. Processing fee $75 minimum and any charges accrued on this return are on account of the customer. All refunds made online are subject to the transaction fee 2.49% or $5 minimum, whichever is greater. After carrier had processed a shipment, i.e. cargo consolidated in the container, loaded aboard a vessel etc or/and after the ship date a refund cannot be provided. 15. What will happen if I not pay your invoices? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA If a new customer does not pay a security deposit then we will not process his/her shipment. If a security deposit is paid, freight is released to the shipment from the origin warehouse, but our final invoice is not paid on the due date, then we cancel the Express Release on the shipment. As the result of express release cancellation consignee will not be able to recover the goods at the destination unless he/she received a set of originals Bill of Ladings from us. Expedited mail with this set of originals will cost USD200 on top of other charges related to issuing the originals B/L. We will not take any responsibilities on any storage, demurrage and other charges connected to delays with the release. We will not take any responsibilities on any charges connected to any delay of the freight at any point on its way to the place of release. Insurance will be canceled as unpaid on the time of express release cancellation as well. If not paid within two weeks from the day of arrival to the destination, the shipment will be considered abandoned, i.e. requested to be destroyed or sold on the action. U.S. and destination security officials will be notified and additional fines levied. 16. What shipping documents should I submit to my export shipment? / Back to LCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Find about shipping documents when exporting goods from the USA at http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipdoc_an.php FCL – Full Container Load 1. What is FCL – Full Container Load? / Back to FCL freight | Back to Export from the USA FCL – an abbreviation for “Full Container Load”. This term is commonly used to describe a seafreight service that is designed for shipments of cargo where shipper has exclusive use of sea multimodal container. As a rule containers are loaded and sealed by shipper at the shipper's facility. Then it transported by ocean, rail and/or truck directly to the point of final destination. Notice: If you have a cargo sufficient to fill a 20 foot sea container, we still recommend you to compare FCL to LCL option. In certain circumstances you may find that using LCL service can be more convenient and cost-effective for you. As an example, when you self-deliver boxed cargo to a ship-terminal, you eliminate container pre-carriage and waiting charges. Also you are not obligated to the container return to a carrier's destination container yard. For more information on FCL shipments follow this link http://www.amid-logistics.com/ser_fcl.php 2. What is S.O.C – Shipper Owned Container? / Back to FCL freight | Back to Export from the USA Find about S.O.C in this link http://www.amid-logistics.com/shipref_rt.php#SOC
Shipping Vehicles Overseas
1. What should I know when ship a vehicle overseas? / Back to ship vehicles overseas | Back to Export from the USA Please click on this link for general information on shipping vehicles overseas http://www.amid-logistics.com/ser_veh.php 2. How it works? What should I expect step by step? / Back to ship vehicles overseas | Back to Export from the USA IMPORTANT!: Before you involve in an international shipment that contains a motor-vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, motor-boat etc) make sure you will be able to furnish the original title at a time of submitting the vehicle to the shipment. MOTOR VEHICLE(S) WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL TITLE(S) CANNOT BE ACCEPTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENT. This is the mandatory U.S. Customs requirement. Seven steps that you should be aware of: 1st STEP – ASK US ABOUT A POSSIBILITY TO SHIP YOUR VEHICLE(S) Provide us with complete information on your shipment: Intended shipping date Make(s), Model(s) and Year(s) of your vehicle(s) Type of service required: Consolidated in 40’/40HC container(s) or Ro-Ro Do you need a pickup at your location (cars auction) or you self-deliver your vehicle(s) to our ship terminal? Confirm status of the original title(s)
Having this info from you we should re-confirm our current possibility to arrange the shipment. 2nd STEP – BOOK YOUR SHIPMENT ONLINE The absolutely necessary step to begin a shipment is to schedule your shipment by filling our booking request form. In order to avoid misinterpretation, misspelling and mistyping we do not accept bookings over the phone. 3rd STEP – FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS PAY A SECURITY DEPOSIT After submitting your booking request online you will receive our e-mail with a Reference# on your shipment and: If it is your first shipment with us, then you will receive our e-mail with request to pay a security deposit. Typically this deposit is $160. However, in certain circumstances we may ask you to pay 50-100% deposit on your total ocean freight in order to proceed with your request.
The deposit will be applied to the final cost of your shipment. Consider this e-mail an invoice on your deposit.
We accept major credit cards online, business and personal checks, money orders and wire transfers. Please review the Payment Conditions and Return Policy on shipping vehicles.
3rd STEP – RECEIVE SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS IN E-MAIL. SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS. We may need up to five business days from the day of booking in order to schedule your shipment. Then you will receive our e-mail with Shipping Instructions on your shipment. These Shipping Instructions will contain: Our Reference No. and Carriers Booking No.;
Carrier’s terminal address & phone# (if vehicles will be self-delivered to carriers’ ship terminal) or
Contact information of trucking company (if vehicle(s) is required to be picked up at a designated location) and a form of Power of Attorney (POA) on pickup of your vehicle(s). This POA has to be completed, undersigned by you and returned back to us in a file attached or via fax);
REQUEST TO SUBMIT TO US A COPY OF YOUR TITLE(S) IN A FILE ATTACHED OR VIA FAX;
Sailing details on your shipment, including:
-- ETD - Estimated Time of Departure
-- ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival
-- Vessel, Voyage, Routing
Follow these instructions. Notice: You have to complete and submit all required documents before your vehicle(s) will be tendered to the shipment. IMPORTANT! ORIGIN TITLE(S) MUST BE SUBMITTED TO A SHIPPING WAREHOUSE REPRESENTATIVE. VEHICLES WITHOUT ORIGINAL TITLES CANNOT BE ACCEPTED TO THE SHIPMENT. AFTER VEHICLES WILL PASS U.S. CUSTOMS, TITLES BE MAILED BACK TO THE SHIPPER. U.S. FIRST CLASS MAIL IS FREE. EXPEDITED OR INTERNATIONAL MAIL MUST BE PREPAID. 4th STEP: PAY THE FINAL INVOICE AND HAVE YOUR VEHICLE(S) SAILED TO THE DESTINATION. After a ship terminal will accept you cargo, the carrier send to us a confirmation. We e-mail you our final invoice with total charges on your shipment less the security deposit that you had paid already. Typically we will invoice you in few business days after you vehicle(s) accepted by the ship terminal. Upon you payment we will e-mail you a confirmation on your final payment, release your vehicle(s) to the international shipment from the origin and your vehicles depart as scheduled. 5th STEP: RECEIVE YOUR BILL OF LADING In few days after Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) (sometimes it takes a little longer) we will e-mail to you a copy of carriers Express Release Bill of Lading (consider the B/L a title for your shipment). This Bill of Lading will show you complete information on your shipment and contact details of the carrier’s destination receiving station, i.e. your destination agent. Print the Bill of Lading and keep it in your records in order to recover your cargo at the destination. Shipments on Express Release should be released upon providing a copy of the B/L. No originals required. If you need a set of originals B/L then please refer to these conditions. 6th STEP: MEET YOUR VEHICLES AT THE DESTINATION. In few days before ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival, carrier’s destination agent should contact consignee/notify party with a Notice of Arrival. If for any reasons you will not receive the Arrival Notice, then we strongly recommend you contact the destination agent on the ETA day in order to find out status of your shipment. You can see contact info of the destination agent in your Bill of Lading within the ‘For Delivery/Pickup Please Apply To’ block of the Bill of Lading. Fax or e-mail them a copy of your Express Release Bill of Lading and ask for recovery instructions on your shipment. Shipment with trans-shipments, i.e. your Bill of Lading shows that a port of discharge is different from the final destination: ETA on shipments with trans-shipments may not be ETA to the final destination. Check ETA port in your ship documents. If it is not to the final destination, then it may take additional 15-25 days to get cargo to the final destination. Some trans-shipments, from Europe to Africa for example, may take longer. Notice: Most likely carrier’s destination agent will not receive any information on your shipment until very few days before it actually reach the destination. If you contact them in advance, then fax or e-mail them a copy of your Bill of Lading, verify your contact info in order to get an arrival notice and wait for the notice of arrival. 7th STEP: CARGO RECOVERY AT THE DESTINATION. DESTINATION CHARGES. IMPORTANT! YOU MUST FURNISH ORIGINAL TITLE(S) ON YOUR VEHICLE(S) TO THE DESTINATION CUSTOMS. WITHOUT THE TITLE(S) YOU VEHICLE(S) CANNOT BE RELEASED BY THE CUSTOMS. MAKE SURE YOUR CONSIGNEE (RECIPIENT) HAD RECEIVED THE TITLE(S) FROM YOU BEFORE ETA ON YOUR SHIPMENT. All international shipments are subject to destination charges. In general these charges include: 1 - Destination Country Government (Customs) related charges, i.e. duty and taxes (if any), harbor fees, fee on entry filing by a destination Customs Broker etc.; 2 - Destination terminal(s) handling charges and fees (THC); 3 – Service fee from carrier’s destination agent on handling and delivery (if you requesting delivery to your door) of your shipment. Destination charges vary depending on a destination country and carrier. Typically it is out of control of U.S. Freight Forwarder. Guiding importer in the complexity of cargo recovery procedures at the destination is responsibility of carrier’s destination agent. You may want to check in advance with your destination country embassy or ask a destination country’s customs broker about Government (Customs) regulations on your shipment. Notice: a part or all destination charges may be required to be paid at a port of entree, but not at the final destination. I.e. you have to obtain Customs release and pay part of THC at a port of entry. Then your cargo will continue travel to the final destination cleared with customs. |