We often get asked, “what documentation is required for LCL shipments in sea freight”. The short answer is, “lots”. Sea freight is a complex industry. It requires numerous organizations to work together in order to successfully execute each and every export or import from and to the USA. How these organizations work together is in the supply and processing of documentation.
Detailed list of document names by organization for LCL shipments
What organizations are needed in any particular LCL shipment depending on:
- What is being shipped
- Where it is being shipped from
- Where it is being shipped to
- What incoterms the shipment is being delivered under
The sea freight process and documentation for LCL shipments
The shipment may involve banks, clearing agents, exporters, freight forwarders, haulers, importers, intermodal operators, insurance brokers, shipping lines and surveyors. Each of these organizations may need to prepare or arrange one or more documents while playing their part to successfully execute a shipment for export or import. The list of documents by the type of organization is as follows:
Banks
- Bill of exchanges
- Guarantees
- Letter of credits
- Surety
Clearing agents
- Customs clearance documents
- Port documentation
- Duty and tax exemption documents
Exporters
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Certificate of origin
- Marine insurance depending on the Incoterms agreed upon for the shipment
- Shipping Instructions for the bill of lading
- Permits or licenses
Freight forwarder
- ATA Carnets
- Cargo inspection certificates
- Delivery notes
- Forwarder cargo receipts
- Hazardous packing declarations
- House bill of lading
- Shipping instructions for the bill of lading
- Marine insurance
Haulers
- Border clearance documents
- Overborder permits
- Port entry documents
- Road permits for overweight or oversized shipments
- Route survey documents for overweight or oversized shipments
- Transport Emergency Cards
Importers
- Permits or licenses
- Marine insurance (depends on the agreed Incoterms for shipment)
- Telex Release message or original bill of lading (passed to shipping line for cargo release)
- Delivery instructions to the shipping line for the release of the cargo
- Clearance from health, phytosanitary and other such authorities depending on the cargo
Insurance brokers
- Cargo insurance
- General insurance
- Marine insurance
Intermodal operators
- Border clearance documents
- Inland haulage documentation
- Overborder permits
- Rail transport
- Road permits
Shipping lines
- Arrival notification
- Bills of Lading
- Booking confirmation
- Container release
- Container stowage plans
- Dangerous goods manifest
- Delivery Orders
- Discharge lists
- Freight invoices
- Load and discharge list
- Manifest
- Manifest corrector
- Out of gauge manifests
- Telex release
Surveyors
- Cargo inspection
- Damage survey
- Draft survey
- Quantity survey
- Survey reports
More documentation
We have provided a majority of the documentation required by the majority of organizations that participate in the execution of LCL shipments in sea freight. It is not a complete list. More documentation may be required when unusual factors exist in the:
- Type of cargo
- Who the exporter or importer is
- Which bank is used
- What the country the cargo is coming from or being exported to
- What shipping line is doing the shipping
There are organizations that may be required to process documentation when unusual factors exist such as Port, Customs, Excise, Police, Health and Veterinary authorities.
Shipper’s document responsibilities on import or export LCL shipments to and from the USA
The shipper should understand what documentation they are responsible for when it comes to working with a freight forwarder to execute their import or export LCL shipments. The shipping line’s bill of lading is the title of the shipped goods. It states the ‘shipper load and count’ and also ‘said by shipper to contain’. This means the shipping line and the freight forwarder is not responsible for whatever information has been provided by shipper on what is being imported to the USA or exported from the USA.
Mandatory documents for LCL shipments to and from the USA
A freight forwarder should guide the shipper through the complexities of importing and exporting. However, it is the responsibility of the shipper to provide all documents that will be required by the countries at the origin and destination of the shipment.
Below is the list of mandatory shipping documents for LCL sea freight.
Shipping line’s Bill of Lading
This is the title of goods being shipped and shows the cargo routing, consignor, consignee and cargo description.
Commercial invoice
This is for commercial sea freight shipments. It provides a complete description of the cargo including its value in USD.
Valued packing list
This is for non-commercial shipments of personal effects. It is an inventory of all the personal effects with the value of each item in USD. Some countries require a commercial invoice proforma for these non-commercial shipments. Having a valued packing list as part of your documentation prior to leaving the USA will make it easy to transfer into a commercial invoice proforma if required by the customs in the destination country.
US Customs requires that any commercial invoices or valued packing lists be made out in English and detail the following:
- Value of cargo in USD with the exchange rate set at the export date
- Full name, address and manufacturer’s identification number of the shipper
- Full name and address of the consignee
- Detailed description of the shipment including quantity, weight, and country of origin
Note that further documents may be required depending on cargo and country of origin.
Packing List
A description of the packing including weights, pieces and the packing materials used.
Fumigation Certificate
A certificate issued when fumigation of the shipment and packing materials has occurred.
Other shipping documents
- Anti-Dumping
- Certificate of origin
- Consular legalized documents
- Dangerous goods declaration
- Fish and wildlife declaration
- Packing declaration
- NAFTA certificate of origin
- Quota
- Visa
It is daunting to see that each and every shipment depends on the co-operation and co-ordination of so many organizations to make it succeed. So if you need help with your LCL shipments and looking for a freight forwarder to help with all that documentation, feel free to contact us. You can also check us out on Facebook,
