ICS2 (Import Control System 2) is the EU’s mandatory advance cargo security screening program. All goods entering or transiting the EU by air, ocean, road, o…

UK Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA) allows VAT-registered importers to declare import VAT on their VAT return instead of paying it at customs. Only duty is pai…

A Certificate of Origin is an official trade document that certifies the country where goods were manufactured or substantially transformed. It helps customs…

Choosing the right shipping container size for ocean freight depends on three core variables: your cargo’s total weight, its cubic volume, and any special ha…

The most common types of special containers include open-top containers for over-height cargo, flat-rack containers for oversized and heavy loads, refrigerat…

A Delivery Order (D/O) is a release document issued by a carrier, freight forwarder, or their agent that authorizes the consignee to collect imported cargo f…

Carriers calculate chargeable weight by comparing actual gross weight against volumetric weight and billing the higher value. Sea freight LCL uses CBM as the…

VGM, or Verified Gross Mass, is the total verified weight of a packed shipping container. It includes the cargo, all packaging, pallets, dunnage, securing ma…

Destination Delivery Charge (DDC) is a carrier-specific fee covering the costs of unloading a container from the vessel, handling it through the destination …