Your first sea freight import: what to agree before ordering

Before paying for your first order, confirm three things: whether the goods can enter the destination market, the exact point where delivery responsibilities pass to you, and the cost of getting the shipment to your warehouse. “Sea freight included” does not answer these questions. Contact a freight forwarder before purchasing, while you can still change packaging, delivery terms or the cargo-ready date.

This article covers the organisation of an ordinary sea freight import. The customs section concerns imports into the European Union. Products with special requirements, such as food, chemicals or goods requiring conformity assessment, need a separate review. Reading the English version does not change the jurisdiction.

Start with the product, not the port

Ask the supplier for an accurate product description, intended use, composition or material, country of origin and packaging specification. “Parts” is too vague for either a freight quotation or a customs review. Establish whether the shipment contains batteries, liquids, aerosols or anything else requiring additional transport assessment. A trade name alone does not determine classification.

Before ordering, ask the appropriate specialist to check tariff classification, origin documentation and product requirements. For an EU import, identify the importer and check whether an Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, or EORI, is required. An EORI number does not establish product compliance or replace permits required for particular goods.

Also agree who will check the supplier’s documents. A customs representative performs the customs work within the agreed scope; do not assume they automatically take over every product-related obligation of the importer. If the answer depends on composition or intended use, provide those details before accepting the order.

Specify the delivery point in the purchase order

Agree an Incoterms® rule with a named place and edition, such as Incoterms® 2020. Record the seller’s tasks, the buyer’s tasks, the allocation of costs and the transfer of risk separately. A supplier paying for freight does not automatically carry the risk all the way to your warehouse.

Do not stop at EXW, FCA or FOB. Ask about collection from the factory, loading onto the collection vehicle, export formalities and delivery to the agreed place. For container shipments, check that the selected rule matches the actual handover to the carrier. A separate blog article compares these rules in detail.

Agree the payment terms for the goods, the type of transport document and how it will be made available. These are three connected but separate decisions. Send the proposed arrangements to the forwarder before the supplier starts preparing the documents.

Give the forwarder information about a defined shipment

Include the collection and final warehouse addresses, proposed ports if already selected, delivery rule and cargo-ready date. For each packaging group, provide the quantity, length, width, height and gross weight per unit. Dimensions must include pallets, crates and protruding parts. Explain stacking restrictions and permitted orientation.

The forwarder can then compare FCL, or full container load, with LCL, or less than container load in shared space. Do not choose solely on total cubic metres. Handling stages, floor space, packaging, timings and charges at both ends of the route also matter.

If the supplier provides estimated dimensions, label them as provisional. Request confirmation after packing. A change in pallet height can affect stackability and the quotation even when the number of products stays the same.

Collect the full-route costs and assign tasks

Separate collection and export costs, ocean freight, destination port handling, agreed customs services and inland delivery. Duty, taxes, insurance and event-dependent costs may need separate arrangements. Ask about the currency, charging unit, validity and exclusions of each item. A blank field does not mean zero cost.

This table supports a discussion; it is not a universal allocation of contractual responsibility. Add a person or department responsible for each confirmation. A common organisational gap is a task that every party believes belongs to someone else.

Plan collection before the vessel arrives

The vessel’s expected arrival is not the warehouse delivery date. The container must be discharged and made available, the required releases obtained, and inland transport arranged. Check the free time for the relevant charges and the empty-container return instructions for the specific booking.

Illustrative situation: the warehouse only accepts deliveries by appointment, while the person approving documents will be away during arrival week. Appointing a substitute and sharing draft documents early may matter more than choosing a sailing that is one day shorter. This is an organisational example, not an actual shipment or a delivery promise.

Checklist before your first purchase order

Turn every missing item into a specific question with an owner and a response deadline. Cargexo helps check cargo layouts and calculate charges from the assumptions you enter. The platform does not book freight, clear goods through customs or approve a product for import.