International FAQ
What countries do you serve for international freight shipping? Do you provide international freight rate / quotes and shipping estimates? How do I get started? Do you offer insurance and how much does it cost? What shipping documents do I need? Do you ship vehicles or oversize machinery? What are Incoterms or Terms of delivery? What are the transit time for air and ocean? Are you Customs House Broker? How much are Customs Duties and Taxes? What does it mean to be NVOCC Licensed? What countries do you serve for international freight shipping? Europe, Asia, Far East, Northern Africa, South Africa, South America, Australia, Canada, Mexico and many more. Do you provide international freight rate / quotes and shipping estimates? Yes. We can give you a rate based on the actual shipping information. Our rates are specific to the services required for that shipment and may include rates for inland trucking, ocean or air rate, additonal port fees, handling charges and sometimes insurance (if requested). Customs duty and taxes are not included in our international shipping freight rates. International shipping fees are based on commodity, services, origin, destination and country specific requirements. Due to the dynamic and ever changing international trade rules “Ball Park” estimates will not be given. How do I get started? 1. First contact us. You can use our Contact Form or call us at: 866.310.0497. We will need specific details about your shipment such as: Cargo, Origin, Dest, Services needed etc… 2. We will then contact you with a shipping rate and to further discuss your shipment and the 3. required forms and documents that need to be completed. Do you offer insurance and how much does it cost? Yes we do offer insurance. The rate is based on the commodity and the total value of the International Shipment. What shipping documents do I need? Depending on the commodity of the shipment the required documents may change, however you will always need at least the documents listed below. For export you need: Commercial or Customs Invoice and the Packing List issued by the Shipper. We will provide the AirWay Bill (AWB) or House Bill of Lading. For Import you need: Copies of the shippers invoice and packing list. We will provide the AirWay Bill (AWB) or House Bill of Lading. Do you ship vehicles or oversize machinery? Yes. For vehicles we need at least one week advance notice to prepare the documents. What are Incoterms or Terms of delivery? Incoterms is an abbreviation of International Commercial Terms, which were first published in 1936 by the International Chamber of Commerce. There have been six different revisions and updates to the Incoterms since 1936. These Incoterms provide a common set of rules for the most used international terms of trade. The terms outline who is obligated to take control of and/or insure goods at a particular point in the shipping process. These terms also outline the obligations for the clearance of the goods for export or import. What are the transit time for air and ocean? Transit times vary depending on the origin and destination of the shipment. Air is usually always within a couple of days regardless of location and ocean can vary from 1 day to several weeks. Are you Customs House Broker? No. But we work with many Customer House Brokerages (CHB) and can arrange Customs Clearence for your shipments. How much are Customs Duties and Taxes? There isn’t a standard fee and they will vary accordingly. These fees and taxes are based on the country, commodity and the value of the shipment. What does it mean to be NVOCC Licensed? Smaller shippers, with less-than-containerload (LCL) shipments, can take advantage of the lower costs associated with being a big shipper. Non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) book space on steamships in large quantities at lower rates and sell space to shippers in smaller amounts. NVOCCs consolidate small shipments into containerloads that move under one bill of lading. More favorable rates are passed on to the shipper.