Ocean Freight Forwarders- Guide Ii

By Author: Ricardo Lumbardo
Total Articles: 1131
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International Shipping Costs

When you contact ocean freight forwarders for international shipping, there would be many factors which would decide the cost that you would have to bear. There are mainly two elements, the actual cost for sea freight that would be charged by the operator and the costs which you would have to bear for the clearance and handling at the ports.

The Factors Influencing the Costs:

There are several factors which would decide how the charges for international shipping would be calculated by the ocean freight forwarders:

* The actual freight would be charged as per the standard tariff, however, the larger freight forwarders and shippers would be able to negotiate discounts.
* The rates for the charter vessels would depend on the demand and supply conditions at the time that you charter the vessel
* The rates for the specific cargo category
* The congestion charges applicable at busier ports
* CAF or the currency adjustment factor which would consider the exchange rates during transit
* BAF or the bunker adjustment factor which ...
... would consider the fuel price changes
* The surcharges which are levied by the shipping lines and ports for covering the charges associated with regulatory regimes.

When it comes to container goods, whether you ship a full container load would also make a difference. Most ocean freight forwarders have the tariffs based on the container rates which would make it more economical to ship the full container. If your goods are less than the container load, you would have to find a shipping company which would provide you that particular service where you would be able to consolidate your cargo with others which would reduce the overall cost for you.

The Documents Required

When you transport your goods through ocean freight forwarders, you would need a lot of documents, which are as discussed below:

The first document you would need is the Export Cargo shipping Instruction which would provide the details about your goods to the shipping company and instructions for the shipment. You would also need one document from the following:

* DGN or a Dangerous Goods Note for hazardous goods
* SSN or Standard Shipping Note for cargo which is non hazardous

Other than the documents given above, you would also need one of the below mentioned documents:

* Bill of Lading which is issued by the company and indicates that the cargo has been received. It is a proof of the contract and would act as the document of title for the goods.
* Sea Waybill is similar to BOL but the main difference is that it would not confer title and thus it is easier and quicker to use. This document is used when there is a good relationship between the two parties and when the ownership does not really change hands like when goods are being sent between different divisions within a company.

These were the main documents which would be required when you send cargo through ship. However, depending on your particular situation, ocean freight forwarders might ask for more specific documents.

To know more about ocean freight forwarders and efficient and stress free international shipping, please visit us at http://www.globalforwarding.com/.