DOCUMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL CARGO TRANSPORTATION FROM THE USA BY SEA

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Any international cargo transportation from the USA overseas should be considered as:

1. THE ACTUAL CARGO TRANSPORTING FROM THE USA THE DESTINATION COUNTRY supported by an international Ocean freight carrier on behalf of the international shipper and;

2. A LEGAL EXPORT DOCUMENTS FLOW during the international shipping from the USA. I.e., the path taken by shipping documents as they are processing through record handling systems of all parties involved in the international shipping from the USA.

International shipper should divide international shipping documents into two main categories:

1. "Outgoing documents" in international shipping cargo from the USA
2. "Incoming documents" in international shipping cargo from the USA

"OUTGOING DOCUMENTS" in international shipping are documents that an international cargo transportation company (U.S. Freight Forwarder, NVOCC or VOCC) will furnish to an international shipper to initiate, process and, prove an international shipment. EXAMPLES of "Outgoing documents" would be:

• International freight price quotes,
• Bookings and booking confirmations/shipping instructions,
• Documents related to US domestic cargo carriage,
• Carrier's dock receipts as proofs of the shipping cargo receipt,
• Sea freight bill of ladings of different kinds,
• Notices of arrival,
• Customs clearance documents and release, etc.

"INCOMING DOCUMENTS" in international cargo transportation from the USA by sea are documents that international shippers must furnish to different parties involved in the international shipping from the USA in order to provide and prove shippers/consignee identity, cargo description and value, special condition and requirements on the international shipment (if any), etc. Samples of "Incoming documents" would be:

• Commercial invoice or/and packing list submitted to cargo transporting from the USA,
• Shipper's identity evidence on filing shipper's export declaration (Tax ID or a copy of foreign passport),
• Different documents and copies of licenses for goods that require such documents on exporting from the United States,
• Dangerous goods declaration if an international shipment contains dangerous goods,
• Different types of legal documents that will be needed by the destination country's authorities on cargo recovery at the destination, etc.

IN RESPECT OF DEALING WITH AN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANY ON SHIPPING CARGO FROM THE USA BY SEA, INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS SHOULD CLEAR UNDERSTAND THAT FURNISHING OF "INCOMING DOCUMENTS" IN PROPER FORMS ACCEPTABLE BY OCEAN FREIGHT CARRIERS, AUTHORITIES AND THIRD PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FROM THE USA IS SHIPPER/CONSIGNEE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

Sea freight bill of lading, which is the final document issued on any international sea freight shipping, that acts as a title on international shipping from the USA goods, typically states 'SHIPPER'S LOAD AND COUNT' and/or 'SAID BY SHIPPER TO CONTAIN'. That means that international shipping company (U.S. Freight Forwarder, NVOCC or VOCC) is NOT responsible for any information provided by the shipper on international shipment. An international shipping company utilized on international shipping from the USA should guide shipper in the complexity of international shipping documents and procedures. However, it is shipper's/consignee responsibilities to provide all necessary legal documents related to his/her international shipment. LACK OR DELAY WITH PROVIDING SHIPPING DOCUMENTS ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FROM THE USA IN PROPER FORMS MAY RESULT IN SHIPPING DELAYS, SIGNIFICANT CHARGES AND/OR PENALTIES OR EVEN CIVIL ACTIONS BY ORIGIN'S OR DESTINATION'S COUNTRY GOVERNMENT.

Note: International shipper/consigner will need to fill out and submit to us all international shipping documents that require to be sent to the international sea freight carrier and to the US Customs before his/her cargo is self-delivered to a carrier's freight terminal (CFS) OR picked up by a trucker for the domestic inland carriage to the CFS. Otherwise, shipper/consigner may experience problems in the international shipping from the USA at the origin and then at the destination.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING DOCUMENTS ON SHIPPING SEA FREIGHT FROM THE USA WITH AMID LOGISTICS, LLC

With AMID Logistics, LLC you should be able to submit and receive the most common used "Outgoing" international shipping documents online.

These international shipping documents, as a rule, is the NECESSARY MINIMUM to initiate a regular international sea freight shipment and to enter your shipping from the USA goods to the destination country commerce zone. I.e., to deliver your goods to an international carrier bonded terminal (CFS) in the country of destination:

• Sea freight price quotations
• Booking confirmations
• Shipping Instructions
• AES ITN on U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration*
• Dock Receipt
• Valued Packing Lists and Commercial Invoices
• Insurance Certificates
• Freight Invoice
• Inland (if necessary) and finally the sea freight Bill of Lading on your international shipment

*GENERAL RULE ON FILING U.S. SHIPPER'S EXPORT DECLARATION (SED) TO SHIP GOODS FROM THE USA

All goods shipping from the USA (or trans-shipping from the USA) must be declared by filing U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration in ace.cbp.dhs.gov

However, here is the most often used exempt from filing U.S. Sipper's Export Declaration in the U.S. Customs regulations on exporting goods from the USA: If the value of an international shipment is under the US $2,500.00, then NO filing U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) required [REF: 15 CFR 30.55 (h)].

AMID Logistics, LLC can file the SED on international shipper's behalf for the fee of $35.00, limited by up to two (2) Harmonized Tariff Codes. $20.00 per Harmonized Tariff number after that. Note: International shipping from the USA of Household Goods or Personal Effects typically require just one Harmonized Code in the SED filing.
 
At a time of booking of an international shipment in our online booking form, the international shipper/consigner MUST request the SED filing OR provide ITN as the proof on filing U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration in separate e-mail no later than in 72 hours prior to the ETD (Estimated Time of Departure of cargo shipping from the USA). In general, no international shipments without the ITN number will be permitted to the international shipping from the United States, unless it is exempt from filing SED.

IMPORTANT!: In order to file a shipper's export declaration the consigner/shipper, besides of complete shipping commodity description in a commercial invoice or valued packing list, must designate the value, estimate weight of cargo, and PROVIDE A U.S. FEDERAL TAX ID# (EIN) or IF A A NOT U.S. RESIDENT, THEN A COPY OF HIS/HER FOREIGN PASSPORT and U.S. VISA. 

NOTE: Since 2009, U.S. Social Security Numbers (SSN) are NOT acceptable by U.S. Customs for filing SEDs. All U.S. residents or visitors, no matter individuals or businesses, must obtain a TAX ID (EIN) from IRS. Refer to this website http://www.irs.gov/ 

OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT MAY REQUIRE IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FROM THE USA BY SEA

Some destination countries (particularly countries in South America, Africa, countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe) and/or depending on internationally shipping commodity may require more comprehensive lists of items exporting from the USA and/or additional international shipping documents. You may want to check with a local consulate or ask a destination's customs broker about other documents that may be necessary at a time of shipping from the USA and recovery of your goods at the destination. Below is a list you can refer.

MANDATORY DOCUMENTS ON SHIPPING CARGO FROM THE USA:

A. International Sea freight Bill of Lading – Ocean Freight Carrier's transport document. Shows cargo routing, consigner, consignee, cargo description, etc. The title on goods transporting from the USA.

B. For international commercial shipments - Commercial Invoice. A complete description of the commodity being shipped.

C. For shipping from the USA of Household Goods and Personal Belongings – Valued Packing List. An inventory list with the value assigned to each item being shipped.

Note: Some countries require proforma commercial invoices for personal international shipments as well. However, having a complete Valued Packing List submitted at the origin, upon destination country's customs request, will make it easy to transfer your Valued Packing List in the form of a proforma commercial invoice.
 
In respect of U.S. Customs, all Commercial Invoices (and Valued Packing Lists) must be in English and show:

• Value of cargo in US Dollars (exchange rate = date of export);
• Shipper's full name and address (M.I.D. - manufacturer's identification);
• Consignee full name and address;
• A detailed description of cargo/freight;
• The quantity of cargo shipped;
• The weight of cargo shipped;
• Cargo's Country of Origin

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS IN SHIPPING CARGO FROM THE USA DEPENDING ON COMMODITY AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

D. Packing List for an international commercial shipment - Breakdown description: pieces, weights, and packing materials. (Examples - Wood Pallets, Skids, Crates, Boxes, Dunnage, Straw Packing, etc.)

E. Fumigation Certificate - Certification that internationally shipped cargo and its packing materials were fumigated, and it is free of infestation.

F. Special International Shipping Documents - Depends on commodity and country of origin, such as:

• Visa
• Quota
• Visa/Quota
• Certificate of Origin
• North American Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (N.A.F.T.A.)
• Packing Declaration
• Dangerous Goods Declaration - hazardous materials
• Fish and Wildlife Declaration
• Consular Legalized documents
• F.D.A.
• U.S.D.A.
• Anti-Dumping