Delays at customs create inconvenience for all participants in the logistics chain. However, if you fill out the necessary documents in a certain way, you can protect yourself from problems and downtime.
What documents are required for international cargo transportation
International transportation requires a fairly large package of documents. This list depends on the transport, type of cargo and country of destination.
What documents are required for international transportation:
- invoice;
- waybill, for example, CMR for road transportation;
- packing list;
- customs documents (declaration, international book Carnet TIR);
- vehicle documents (vehicle registration certificate, insurance policy, Euro 5 / Euro 6, etc.);
- carrier documents (license for international cargo transportation, delivery contract, etc.);
- driver documents (ID, international driver’s license, tachograph card, etc.);
- certificate of origin of goods (EUR.1, Certificate of Origin);
- permits for international cargo transportation;
- insurance.
In general, the necessary documents for transportation abroad can be divided into 4 groups: driver, vehicle, carrier and customs documents.
Basic transport documents for transportation abroad
Transport documents for international transportation accompany the cargo from the sender to the recipient. They confirm the conditions of transportation, ownership and liability of the parties.
Basic transport documents depend on the type of transport:
| Type of transport | Transport document |
| Road | CMR |
| Sea | Bill of Lading |
| Air | Air Waybill |
| Rail | CIM |
Commercial documents for export and import
Documents for export and documents for import are not only transport and carrier, but also, no less importantly, a commercial component. For international logistics, purchase and sale agreements, calculations and other evidence of legal activity and correct prices are necessary.
Commercial documents for international freight transportation include:
- Foreign economic contract (FEA contract) – an important agreement on delivery, payment and liability of the parties;
- Commercial invoice – confirms the fact of purchase and sale and the cost of the goods;
- Proforma invoice – a preliminary invoice;
- Packing list – a document detailing the weight, quantity and type of packaging;
- Price list – shows the cost of products and terms of sale;
- Certificate of origin of the goods;
- Specification – clarification of the composition of the batch;
- Manufacturer’s or inspection certificate, warranty certificate.
Commercial transportation documents are required for customs, bank settlements and logistics. They are usually formed by the exporter and transferred to the importer.
Customs declaration and customs clearance of goods
A customs declaration is a statement of a prescribed form, which is now submitted mainly in electronic form to customs inspectors. This is necessary for customs control, tax assessment (customs duty, VAT, excise duty) and country statistics.
A customs declaration is mandatory among the documents for export and documents for import.
How to fill out a customs declaration correctly
The declaration is filled out by the importer/exporter or, most often, by a customs broker hired by them.
What must be clearly and correctly indicated in the customs declaration:
- company name, its legal address and EDRPOU code;
- country of departure and country of destination;
- description of the goods – name, quantity, weight;
- customs value;
- customs regime (import, export, transit).
After customs inspection, the goods are released into the appropriate customs regime.
What documents are required for customs clearance
Customs clearance of goods usually requires 5–7 basic documents, but their number may increase depending on the type of goods, country and customs regime.
Customs documents:
| Document | What is needed for |
| Customs declaration | the main document with all the data on the goods and their movement |
| Foreign economic contract (FEA-contract) | confirm the legality of the agreement between the seller and the buyer from different countries |
| Invoice | confirm the value of the goods to determine the customs value and charge customs payments |
| Packing list | describe the packaging and composition of the cargo |
| Transport documents | certify the fact of transportation of the goods |
| Permission certificates | special permits or certificates required for certain types of goods (most often for food, pharmaceuticals, products of animal origin) |
| Certificate of origin | certify in which country the goods were produced |
| Documents for determining the customs value | confirm the price of the goods using payment documents, bank statements, price lists, cost calculations |
Additional documents may be required for certain types of goods: certificate of conformity or quality, phytosanitary, permits for the transportation of oversized cargo, permits for the transport of hazardous materials (ADR). The exact list for a specific case can be provided by a customs broker.
Features of document processing for different types of transport
The main feature of document processing in international transportation is that each type of transport has its own standard document and rules for its processing
established by international conventions.
| Type of transport | Main document | Functions | Features |
| Road | CMR | Confirms the contract of carriage, but not the right of ownership | Issued by the sender or forwarder before the start of transportation; usually has 3 main copies. |
| Sea | Bill of Lading | Confirms the right of ownership of the cargo, without it it is impossible to receive the goods at the port | Issued by the carrier or shipping company after loading the cargo onto the vessel |
| Aviation | Air Waybill (AWB) | Confirms the contract of carriage, but not the right of ownership | Issued by the airline or agent; contains a unique AWB number; allows you to track the goods |
| Railway | CIM | Used to control the transportation, accompanies the cargo throughout the route | Issued by the railway or sender; is drawn up at the departure station |
Typical errors when preparing documents for freight transportation
Freight transportation involves working with a large number of documents, and inaccuracies often occur in them. Especially if the business does not have much experience in foreign economic activity and international logistics.
The most common errors when filling out a customs declaration:
- incorrect UKT foreign economic activity code;
- mismatch of the description of the goods with the documents;
- incorrectly calculated customs value;
- incorrectly selected customs regime;
- incomplete description of the goods.
If the data in the documents do not correspond to the actual cargo, the customs office appoints an additional inspection or requests additional documents.
What mistakes are most often made by small businesses when organizing logistics:
- lack of logistics planning;
- opaque logistics chain;
- choosing the wrong delivery partners;
- underestimation of transportation costs;
- lack of automation of logistics processes.
Incorrectly filling out customs documents and transport documents can cost businesses large financial losses due to fines and downtime. That is why many companies entrust this procedure to customs brokers and logistics partners in order to avoid mistakes and speed up customs clearance. In this case, most inaccuracies are detected at the stage of verification by the logistics company and customs brokers.
How to avoid delays in international transportation
Cooperation with an experienced logistics company definitely saves customers time and nerves, providing a full cycle of services – without intermediaries and with full control at all stages.
When planning a route, specialists take into account possible traffic jams and choose the least busy routes to avoid unforeseen delays. And customs brokers fill out documents in this way so that there are no questions at customs.
Conclusion
Do you or your business need to carry out cargo transportation abroad? Contact reliable carriers and forwarders. Professional logisticians, including TVL companies, carry out all deliveries on time and even faster.
