Shipment Essentials

See below for a breakdown of 8 types of bills of lading by transportation mode.

Incoterms® are used to specify which party arranges for the payment and handling of goods during shipping, from origin to destination.

Use this template to create a commercial invoice for import or export.

You may use third-party cargo insurance when shipping with Flexport.

The commercial invoice and packing list are important documents for customs declaration. Find out what is required in each document.

If you're looking for a fulfillment center to help your company store, package, and ship your products, use these guidelines.

frequently asked questions about pallets

You can estimate how many cartons you will be able to fit onto one pallet using the formula below.

A container will not be ready for pickup at the destination port immediately after the vessel arrives.

Learn more about total transit time for your shipment, whether it's ocean FCL, ocean LCL, or air.

Container capacity guidelines indicating how much cargo can be packed into a shipping container.

During Chinese New Year, factories close down and supply chains are disrupted. If you're importing or exporting goods around this time, find out how to prepare.

Properly loading the ocean container will help prevent goods from getting damaged.

You can choose whether or not to palletize your cargo, and at what point in the shipment you would like to palletize. Your decision to palletize will depend on factors such as the fragility of your cargo, the destination of your cargo, and the mode of transit by which you cargo is being shipped.

The difference between freight and parcel is the total weight of your shipment.

Quality control inspections help ensure that your product is being manufactured according to your standards and expectations. Here's how to get started, how to avoid pitfalls, and how to get the most out of inspections.

Starting December 18, 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has mandated that drivers start logging their hours using an electronic logging device (ELD), an electronic device used to digitally record a truck driver's hours. Carriers will now have increased accountability and will be able to make fewer trips now that their hours are being very precisely recorded.

How to package your goods securely and prevent damage during the shipping process.

Ocean and air capacity begins to tighten and rates start to go up in the months leading up to the holidays as businesses prepare. See below for what you need to know about peak season and what you can do to ship successfully.

A switch bill of lading is used in triangle trades, to ensure that a bill of lading is issued for every transaction taking place.

A bill of lading serves as a receipt for the cargo and can act as proof of ownership of the goods being transported.

See below for a list of markings that Flexport recommends be on your cartons.

Ocean alliances are groups of ocean freight carriers who agree to pool their respective fleets of vessels, in order to extend their geographic coverage and service offerings.

Chargeable weight is what the airline uses to determine the cost of your shipment. It may be either volumetric weight or gross weight, whichever is greater.

BAF is tied to the price of Brent Crude Oil.

Your supplier may ask you who the consignee is on your shipment's bill of lading. You will need to provide the consignee and the consignee's contact information in the format shown below.

Providing dimensions will allow Flexport to provide accurate freight rates based on whether the cargo will be loaded onto a passenger plane or a freighter.

The cost of moving freight is not the same across all trade lanes, for a few reasons.

Cargo insurance will cover your goods if something happens to them in transit. Carriers work hard to limit their liability, which is why cargo insurance is so vital.

Foreign importers importing into the U.S. need a U.S. business to act as the Ultimate Consignee, even if you have an EIN or a CAIN.

FCA will offer the best cost and risk allocation for a containerized shipment and requires that the seller export the goods for clearance.