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In the event of shipment damage or even a total loss, shipping companies have limited liability and you will not recoup the value of your goods, lost sales, and reputational harm.  Shipping insurance is a cost-effective safeguard against these issues.

Read more about cargo insurance here.

An online store offers your customers 24/7 shopping availability, but those orders need to be packed and shipped somewhere.  Leveraging a Section 321 program with near-shore fulfilment could offer you a lower landed cost to maximize your profits.

Read more about eCommerce opportunities in this article.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act enforcement strategies by the Department of Homeland Security include shipment seizure should you’re the DHA have suspicion that components within your product utilized forced labor in their development.  A supply chain de-risking strategy is a must.

Find out more in this webinar.

TEUs or Twenty foot Equivalent Units is the standard unit of measure for container shipping but there are lots of different sizes.  Read our article to learn more.

A bill of lading is a crucial document in the shipping world.  Essentially it’s the ticket for your freight.  But why is a bill of lading necessary?  Read this article to learn more.

Some general guidelines for gross weight in North America are:

• Do not exceed 20,000 lbs on a single axle.
• Do not exceed 34,000 lbs on a tandem axle.
• Do not exceed 80,000 lbs of gross weight on a single-vehicle.

Find out more in our Ultimate Guide to Road Weight Limits article.

Intermodal is the ability to load a container with product, and have that container be able to switch between transportation modes (ship, truck, train) seamlessly and without being unloaded and loaded again.

Read more about intermodal transportation in this article.

It’s a simple metal or plastic, single-use band with a code on it.  Once a container’s or truck’s doors are closed and the container seal is looped between the doors and fastened, the doors cannot be opened unless the container seal is broken.  The original seal’s code is recorded on the shipment’s documentation.  When it comes time to open the truck or container doors, if the seal is missing or the seal’s code doesn’t match the code on the documentation, one can assume the contents of the truck or container have been exposed.

Read more about container seals in this article.

Sometimes you may not need to ship much product and you may not be able to fill a shipping container.  In these situations, you can leverage LCL shipping where a consolidator will combine your shipments with another shippers shipments heading in the same direction.

Read more in this article.

There are two main groups involved – the shipper and the consignee.  But sometimes the consignee requires assistance in the importation process and so designates a Notify Party – here’s how they all work together.

Most shipments can be processed with the following documents:

• packing list
• certificate of origin
• commercial invoice
• letter of credit

Read more in this article.

A customs broker prepares and submits the required information and payments on behalf of the client. They have a tremendous amount of knowledge regarding classification, procedures, admissibility, evaluations, applicable fees and taxes, and the rates of duty for imported or exported merchandise of countries globally.

Read more about customs brokers here.

Every product that comes into the US is covered by a code in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.  That codes helps Customs and Border Protection understand what’s being brought into the country and what the applicable duties are.

Accurate classification and coding are a must for a customs broker and their importer. These product codes, like HTS codes, can change over time, and importers need to ensure that their databases used for product code maintenance contain the most accurate information.

Read more about HTS codes.

There’s a methodology behind that jumble of digits – we’ll explain more in this article.

Two of the most important parties involved in an international shipment are the freight forwarder and the customs broker. Many shippers use both, however, the freight forwarder and customs broker can be independent of each other. While seemingly fulfilling the same role, both satisfy different requirements of trade businesses, and each delivers an advantage which their clients would not be able to achieve in other ways.

Read more about the differences in this article.

Use this link to view our infographic