Navigating the Seas: Unveiling the Intricacies of LCL (Less than Container Load) Ocean Freight and Customs Clearance

Sea consolidation is a common way of transporting goods, which applies to smaller than full containers.fca incoterms In consolidation, the carrier or agent loads a certain number of goods into a container at the same destination, similar to a car pool. LCL can be divided into direct combination and transshipment combination. Direct combination means that the goods are loaded and unloaded in the same port within the container until the destination port is opened. So, how does LCL transportation work? What matters need to be paid attention to in LCL customs clearance?

The maritime operation flow of LCL is as follows.

1. Request for quotation: Contact with freight forwarder theoretically to understand the transportation cost and cost and related legal terms.

Accept order: Confirm cargo information and accept shipment.

3. Tracking cargo into warehouse: Monitor the transportation process of the cargo to ensure that the cargo is delivered to the warehouse in time.

4. Booking: According to the information and demand of China's cargo proceeding, booking space with shipping companies or freight forwarding business agent services.

Checking information with customers: Confirming cargo information, cost and other details with customers.

6. Customers to provide freight information: Customers need to provide relevant freight documents and information.

7. Check the booking list number before loading: Before loading the container, check the booking list number can ensure that the accurate information of the enterprise is correct.

8. Load the container and make records: Load the goods into the container and make records accordingly.

9. Customs declaration: according to the customs requirements, prepare the documents and information required for customs declaration.

10. Customers to check the shipping documents and bills: Confirm the accuracy of the shipping documents and bills with the customer information.

XI. Payment after departure from port: Collect the fee after the cargoes sail.

12. Customs clearance at destination port: Customs clearance after cargo arrives at the destination port.

13. Cargo for dispatch: Cargo is delivered from the port to a destination.

The following points should be noted when declaring LCL by sea: 1.

1. Pay attention to the relevant transportation terms:Understand the transportation mode and payment mode of LCL cargoes to ensure compliance with the transportation requirements. For example, the letter of credit (Lu002FC) may not accept the forwarder's bill of lading,contract logistics which may lead to the problem of inconsistent letters of credit.

2. Don't appoint a specific shipping company: shipping company enterprises usually only accept the booking of full container cargo, so we need students to consolidate the LCL cargo through the international freight forwarder before booking with the shipping company. Try your best not to specify the shipping company, so as not to be able to get to meet the design requirements and not be able to ship the goods.

3. Accurate tonnage: Customers need to measure the weight of cargo accurately in advance, because the cargo arriving at the warehouse will be re-measured and used as a standard. If there is a change in packaging, the forwarder should be notified in time to avoid delays and extra costs.

4. Consultation before signing:It is wise to consult the relevant personnel before signing to understand the situation of routes and ports, and whether they can bear the delivery of remote ports and inland points as well as the related costs.

5. Pay attention to the completeness of the study materials: For the goods involving specialized intellectual property rights, the enterprise should fill in the "knowledge and property rights declaration form" in advance. At the same time, prepare the relevant registered trademark information or customer's authorization. In the production of customs declarations, should be listed in detail a variety of names and numbers of goods, to avoid us using also a major category of commodity information code instead of the way.

6. Pay attention to the cost budget: Besides the freight cost, we also need to consider the cost of storage, consolidation fee, customs declaration fee, customs clearance fee at destination port, delivery fee and tariff, etc.cross dock and include them into the cost budget.

In a word, LCL shipping is a flexible way of cargo transportation, but you need to pay attention to some details and precautions in the operation process to ensure the smooth completion of transportation and customs declaration procedures.