The Required Documents for Overseas Shipping

With globalization and reach of consumerism spreading to all parts of the world, as with people moving to different parts of the world be it for personal or career reasons, the need for overseas shipping has increased. There is a great need for means of transporting goods and/or merchandise via overseas shipping, and ensuring that the requirement documents for shipping overseas is at hand and ready makes the process almost always smooth sailing.

What You Will Need

The type of required documents for overseas shipping greatly relies on the content of the shipment, the place of loading (POL), and the place of discharge (POD). Some shipping documentation is optional in certain countries, whereas you may be required to fill out various documentation and submit them based on the type of cargo being shipped as well.  In other times, you may also be required to complete and submit documentation before the process of shipping has commenced whilst others may be required after the cargo for overseas shipping has reached the place of discharge. We simply mean to say that every form or documentation has its underlying purpose. It is always best to relay with your Transco Cargo shipping representative to ensure everything is order.

Essential Shipping Documents for Overseas Shipping

There are some documents that are across board required for all cargo for overseas shipping. One such document is the Bill of Lading (BoL). The Bill of Lading is used for two main reasons; 1 – it factors the type of cargo and the quantity of the overseas cargo shipments,  and 2- it also acts as a receipts of sorts as a verification of the cargo shipment has reached its destination port.

Another form that is considered necessary would be the Commercial Invoice (CI) especially for overseas shipping of business transactions. This piece of required document for overseas shipping acts as a ‘bill of sale” between the buyer and the seller of the cargo being shipped overseas. If we were to define a Bill of Sale, it is “document that transfers ownership of goods from one person to another, used in situations where the former owner retains possession of the goods.” In any event, it is a necessary document from governments as it is also utilised to calculate tariffs and also regulate imports into the destination country.  A commercial invoice will require a detailed product description, as well as its purpose, the product’s commercial value, as well as the manufactured country.

Required Documents for Overseas Shipping

All required documents for overseas shipping have been given authority by governments as a means of regulation and control when considering traffic of international merchandise. In order to ensure a smooth process, it is important that all documents be accurate and getting the help of your shipping representative at Transco Cargo will go a long way as incomplete or inaccurate forms, also those with missing information will suffer delays or even end in lost or missing cargo.