If you deal in cross-border exchanges, hiring a professional customs broker can streamline your shipping operations significantly. Navigating foreign customs clearance is undoubtedly something you can handle yourself, but if you regularly ship to other nations, the process can be complicated, costly, and frustrating. The shipping of products overseas can be easier if you only ship to a handful of countries, but even in that case, foreign custom departments can change procedures without notice. Some
International business transactions requiring the delivery of goods can result in misunderstandings if the sellers do not clearly agree on terms in advance. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) developed the International Commercial Terms, or Incoterms, to give all parties in a transaction clear sets of rules for which costs a buyer or seller is responsible for paying. Two of the most popular Incoterms for international trade are DDU and DDP. DDU means Delivered Duty
Cutting transportation costs is one of the most significant challenges for businesses involved in international trade. However, there are other issues relating to improving business processes, communication, improving customer service, and keeping up with technological advancements. Falling behind competitors in any one of these areas can be costly and could lead to business loss. Partnering with an international third-party logistics (3PL) company allows you to use their resources to remain competitive. Keeping ahead of developments
The container shipping industry involves many companies operating in various environments, attempting to move goods as cost-efficiently and as quickly as possible. The industry is a huge business and is set to grow according to consumer demand, and advances in technology are crucial to meeting customer expectations. Keeping abreast of the following global trends could help you thrive in a fast-paced environment. 1. Increases in Port Utilization There has been a substantial increase in the
The term drayage is used within the logistics industry to describe the transportation of goods over short distances, often within the same metropolitan area. You may hear professionals within the shipping industry refer to intermodal shipping and intermodal drayage, which describes the use of two or more forms of transportation to take goods from one location to another. What is Drayage Transportation The history of drayage transport goes back to the horse-drawn cart, which was
International Commercial Terms, also known as Incoterms, are set contractual terms designed by the International Chamber of Commerce to help importers and exporters determine who is responsible for paying which costs. Since shipping, storage, and customs fees can add up to tens of thousands of dollars, these terms are very important to decide in advance. DDP (Delivered Duty Paid, or Delivery Duty Paid) is almost the same thing as DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid, or Delivery
