Resources
Prepare it right, the first time.
Practical guidance on packing, documentation and terminology, plus a checklist you can work through before a shipment moves.
Shipping preparation
A guide to getting cargo ready to move.
These are the details that most often decide whether a shipment moves smoothly through booking, the main leg and customs — or gets held up somewhere along the way.
Packing & palletising
Pack to survive multiple handling points, not just the trip you can picture. Use packaging rated for the cargo weight, brace against movement inside the box, and palletise where volume allows — a stable pallet is handled and stacked far more safely than loose cartons.
Labelling
Label every piece with consignee name, destination address, piece count (e.g. 3 of 10) and any handling marks such as 'fragile' or 'this way up'. Consistent labelling across all pieces reduces the chance of a piece being separated from the shipment.
Commercial invoice contents
A commercial invoice generally states the shipper and consignee, a clear description of the goods, quantity, unit and total value, currency, country of origin, and the agreed Incoterm. Customs authorities use this document to assess the shipment.
Packing list contents
A packing list itemises what is in each package — piece count, weight and dimensions per package — separately from the invoice's value information. Together, the two documents let a customs officer or carrier verify the shipment without opening every box.
Dimensions & weights
Provide accurate length, width and height plus gross weight for each package. Freight is frequently charged on chargeable weight — the greater of actual and volumetric weight — so accurate figures avoid pricing surprises later.
Photos
Clear photos of the cargo and its packaging, taken before collection, are useful for booking accuracy and for reference if a condition query arises later in the journey.
Dangerous goods awareness
If the cargo could be classified as dangerous goods — batteries, aerosols, chemicals and similar categories — flag this as early as possible. Dangerous goods generally require a specific declaration and compliant packaging, and requirements are confirmed per shipment rather than assumed.
Requirements vary by shipment
Glossary
Logistics terms, in plain language.
Search or filter the terms you're likely to encounter on a quotation, a bill of lading or a customs form.
17 terms
- FCL — Sea freight
- Full Container Load — a shipment that fills, or is booked to occupy, an entire container by itself.
- LCL — Sea freight
- Less than Container Load — cargo that shares container space with other shipments, priced by volume or weight rather than a whole container.
- CBM — Measurement
- Cubic metre — the standard unit for measuring the volume of cargo, used alongside weight to calculate freight.
- Chargeable weight — Measurement
- The weight used to calculate freight cost — the greater of a shipment's actual weight and its volumetric (dimensional) weight.
- HS code — Customs & documentation
- Harmonized System code — an internationally standardised numeric code used to classify traded goods for customs purposes.
- Bill of lading — Sea freight
- The document issued for a sea freight shipment that serves as a receipt of goods, evidence of the carriage contract, and often a document of title.
- Air waybill — Air freight
- The document issued for an air freight shipment that serves as a receipt of goods and a contract of carriage, similar in role to a bill of lading for sea freight.
- Incoterms — Trade terms
- A set of internationally recognised trade terms that define which party — buyer or seller — is responsible for costs, risk and tasks at each stage of a shipment.
- EXW — Trade terms
- Ex Works — the seller makes goods available at their own premises; the buyer generally arranges and bears the cost and risk of transport from that point onward.
- FOB — Trade terms
- Free on Board — the seller is generally responsible for the goods until they are loaded onto the vessel at the port of origin, after which risk and further transport pass to the buyer.
- CIF — Trade terms
- Cost, Insurance and Freight — the seller generally covers the cost of transport and insurance to the destination port, though risk can pass to the buyer earlier in the journey.
- DAP — Trade terms
- Delivered at Place — the seller generally arranges and bears the cost and risk of transport to an agreed destination, not including import clearance or duties at that destination.
- DDP — Trade terms
- Delivered Duty Paid — the seller generally bears the cost and risk of transport all the way to the destination, including import clearance and duties, so the buyer receives cleared goods.
- Demurrage — Charges
- A charge applied by a shipping line when a container is not moved out of the port or terminal within the free time allowed.
- Detention — Charges
- A charge applied by a shipping line when a container is not returned to the carrier's depot within the free time allowed, distinct from demurrage which relates to time inside the port.
- Customs declaration — Customs & documentation
- The formal statement submitted to a customs authority describing a shipment's contents, value and classification, required for the goods to be cleared for import or export.
- Delivery order — Customs & documentation
- A document issued, typically by the shipping line or its agent, authorising the release of cargo to the consignee or their appointed transporter after charges are settled.
Pre-shipment checklist
Work through it before collection day.
Tick items off as you go — progress is saved to this browser tab, so you can leave and come back before your shipment moves.
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This checklist is saved to this browser session only and clears when the tab closes. Requirements are confirmed per shipment by our team — treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee of what will be needed.
Ready to move a shipment?
Take what you've prepared here into the guided quote flow, or talk to us first if the details are still taking shape.