International Freight
Many companies begin their economical journey servicing the local community, but with product or service success, expanding beyond national regions is just a matter of time. International shipping enables businesses and shippers to access thousands of potential customers and significantly extend the potential of your company’s growth.
What is International Shipping?
International shipping is the process of importing and exporting goods between different countries via ocean, air, or road-travel. International shipping entails a complex process of moving freight over borders, accompanied by several differing rules and regulations. To successfully import or export freight, businesses have to understand and abide by specific policies of international shipping and collect paperwork so that the freight passes the customs clearance.
Unlike with domestic shipments, international transportation is more intricate since every country has its own set of regulations and laws. Some countries have stricter policies than others and may even completely forbid importing certain products. For example, Canada has a list of prohibited items to import and has specific tax regulations. For these reasons, it is critical to thoroughly learn the regulations or use the expertise of GCL’s freight forwarding services.
How long does international shipping take?
Arranging international shipping can be a complex and daunting task, especially for novice shippers, which is why many businesses utilize freight forwarding companies. Depending on the size of your freight and selected shipping mode, international shipments can range anywhere from two days to four weeks. Whereas air cargo is well known for its fast international delivery, moving freight across an ocean on cargo barges can take more time. Usually, the international shipping process consists of five essential components:
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPONENTS
1. Export Haulage.
This term describes when freight is moved from its origin-destination to the next warehouse, port, or facility hub where it will depart to the border, usually via train or truck.
2. Export Customs Clearance.
When the freight reaches the border of the exporting country, it passes the process of clearance which includes all of the procedures and formalities that must be followed in ofer to export to a particular country. This may include licensing and other export permissions from the competent authorities of the exporting countries.
3. Transportation.
After your load has successfully left the origin country, the process of transportation begins.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPONENTS
4. Import Customs Clearance.
When the freight reaches the border of the importing country, it must endure another process of clearance. This is a critical part of the shipping process since the freight must comply with the customs policies and procedures.
5. Import Haulage.
After successfully clearing customs at the importer country’s border, the freight moves from to the final destination.