Wednesday, October 4, 2017

A Detailed Guide To What Custom Freight Is All About

By Brenda Brown


If you are in the business of exporting or importing goods and other tangible items from overseas countries, then you must be familiar with the term custom freight. This is one of the ways the government applies to collects revenue to finance its projects to benefit the citizens of a particular country. This article is meant to provide a clear explanation of what the term means and how it applies to inter-country trade.

Many ways exist for which the government can earn revenue through taxation. Countries all over the world have been quick to take advantage of the ever-expanding international trade. Apart from raising revenue, the custom clearance exercise is done to inspect the goods that enter or leave the country. This is meant to put a check on illegal trade practices, and entry of harmful commodities in a state.

To begin the process of customs clearance, you need to be in possession of a few key documents to present to the authorities at the port. The bill of lading is first on the list; it serves as the receipt of the consignment when delivery is made to the intended destination. It is a legal document between the shipper and the carrier, and it provides details of the goods and the final destination.

The packing slip is another requirement that you need to be aware of. This one provides a more detailed explanation on what exactly is in the consignment, the quantities and the mode of packaging. It is usually in the form of an attachment that should be easily noticeable by the inspectors. It is meant to assure both the government and the transport agents that the goods fit the description on the bill of lading.

Exporters will typically be required to provide an extra portion of information to the inspection authorities. Such documents will include the purchase order form the buyer, an invoice of sales as well as a certificate indicating where the goods are from. More provisions may be necessary depending on the state where you conduct your business from.

If you are in the business of imports, then it will be mandatory to present a sales invoice from your overseas supplier, purchase order from the buyer and a certificate of origin indicating the source location of the commodities. Bill of lading or otherwise known as air waybill, packaging lists and the bill of shipping is standard for all import transactions. Additional requirements may be needed by the regulatory agencies if further clarification is necessary.

Each state has a way in which they conduct their customs clearance process; it is advisable that you familiarize yourself with the regulations that apply in your country. The experts who assist in this field are known as customs brokers. They have in-depth knowledge and skills the area of customs brokerage and clearance.

As s shipper, you need to be familiar with all the costs involved in the clearance process. Warehousing and storage fees represent a significant portion of total freight charges. The longer your goods stay at the port, the more you will incur in costs. Brokerage fees also need to be factored in to ensure you have a smooth process.




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