Shipping Container, Freight Container, Container, Box, TEU, FEU – many of the synonyms and acronyms by which the common shipping container is referred to as, depending on who is talking..
Universally hailed as one of the greatest inventions of the modern world, the ubiquitous shipping container has really and truly made the world a smaller place and in my view, can be termed the one true architect of Globalisation..
The shipping container has evolved from being just a dumb box to being a smart container capable of being tracked anywhere in the world, in some cases even to the bottom of the ocean..
The shipping container comes in different sizes and types.. This is a refresher on the various types of shipping containers including some unusual shipping containers in use today, its dimensions and information relating to its use and purpose..
– Is there a connection between Incoterms® and the shipping line..??
– Should Shipping Lines be concerned with Incoterms®..??
– How does Incoterms® affect the shipping line..??
These are few of the questions raised by readers who have complained that their booking was on FCA, FOB, CIF etc but the carrier refuses to show this commercial information on the bill of lading.. Commercial information includes details about the Incoterms®..
You would have seen this terminology called HS Code across many trade documentation or correspondences..
What does this HS Code mean, who uses it and what is it used for..??
HS Code stands for Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System..
This is the common standard worldwide for describing the type of commodity..
Every commodity that enters or crosses most international borders have to be declared to customs by means of a HS code.. This helps in standardizing the commodity codes worldwide..
Many a time, shippers have asked shipping lines for “CLEAN ON BOARD” clause on a bill of lading and if the request relates to a container shipment, this might have very well been rejected by the shipping line..
Why do the shipping lines reject this..??
Many of you would have come across the term Letter of Credit (L/C)..
If you are a shipping line, you would have heard this term from various customers asking you to expedite the draft bill of lading for checking by the bank or for the release of the bill of lading to be expedited because the shipment is under L/C..
If you a freight forwarder or agent, you may have been put under pressure by the BCO to get all the documents required by the L/C sent to them in time..
If you are a BCO, you may have been told by your bank that the documents submitted do not match the requirements of the L/C and some of the documentation may need to be redone..
So what exactly is a Letter of Credit, what is the need for a letter of credit, who issues it and how does it work..
A manifest is one of the key documents in the process of shipping..
A manifest lists all bills of lading issued for cargo loaded on a specific ship.. Kind of a summary if you wish..
A manifest lists the details of the cargo, the shipper, consignee, weight, measurement, packing.. There are different types of manifests:
So what is a manifest correct and why is it required..??
This article explains what is a manifest corrector, its uses, where it can and cannot be used and how the process works..
Cargo covered by a bill of lading may only be released to the entity to whom it is consigned..
The shipping line and/or their agents at the destination must take cognisance of the type of bill of lading issued, the endorsements required on the bill of lading for the type of bill of lading before releasing the cargo..
Some lines are releasing cargo without the endorsement , some are strictly following above, some are content with releasing cargo to whoever is in possession of the bill of lading and are not seeking any endorsement or authorisation letter (in the case of release to an agent)..
What is your viewpoint on this issue and let us take a vote to see how strictly these endorsement requirements are followed..
After two decades of experience in export and freight forwarding sectors, CoLoadX CEO Fauad Shariff has seen it all. In his current position at the helm of a marketplace for freight forwarders and NVOCCs, he’s trying to help freight forwarders solve the complexities of international logistics, rather than waste time and effort shopping for rates, or tracking shipments.
If you work in logistics, there’s a good chance that your company, and even your position, will look very different in a few years. That’s because the technology that makes our jobs possible is improving so fast that we’re still struggling to catch up!
The emphasis is being placed on client satisfaction, customer management, and finances affecting the profit margins. Good organization and planning have become critical in exporting and importing. As the years have passed, the freight industry has turned to technology to increase profits by streamlining their business.
At this point, you should be asking yourself, is my company heading the right direction? If the answer is yes, the five new trends in digital technology posted below will be of particular importance. If you haven’t been keeping up, now is a great time to get on board.
Shippers load, stow and count or Shippers load and count or SLAC is a term that you would have seen in the description of the bill of lading for all shipments.. What does it mean to the line and to the shipper..??
The difference between pre-carriage and on-carriage needs to be understood very clearly by the exporter, importer, shipping line, forwarder, clearing agent, insurance and everyone else involved in order to ensure that the relevant roles, responsibilities, costs and risks are clearly defined..
Riaz had this question about Note of Sea Protest
Does the production of a Note of Sea Protest absolve the shipping line of all the claim for damages the cargo may have purportedly suffered due to the rough seas recorded in the Note of Sea Protest and vetted by the port authorities, based on the log book, but not notarised?
How does one differentiate between such incidental damage and damage which may have been caused by negligent handling?
Name: Kelly Wong Email: kellywongiw@sinababy.com Ask your question here..: Is it a discrepancy if B/L on board date later than B/L issue date?
Name: Charlott King Email: hydrafab Website: http://hydra-jett.com Ask your question here..: Why is the state of Alabama charging us sales tax on the product because we are not taking it … Read more here..