Sebastian Roggeveen

A seller-prepared commercial document indicating the net and gross weights, dimensions and contents of all shipping pieces (boxes, crates, bundles, etc.) in a shipment. Each packing list should reference the shipment for which is made, and the line item totals should agree with the relevant commercial invoice. A packing list should be made for all shipments consisting of more than one shipping piece for the following reasons:

They aid in identifying lost cargo, especially for carrier and insurance claims.

They permit selective inspection by customs authorities, and many government require them for large shipments.

They provide a “map” of the shipment, enabling the buyer to easily unpack and stock the shipped goods.

In certain cases it is advisable elaborate the packing list considering the information requested by the importer, especially for customs purposes, as may be the case that the Customs request a “detailed document”, for example, in the case of a machine, the identification of each of the parts and components.

In simple words, the procedure of passing goods through customs so that they can enter or leave the country is known as custom clearance. However, there's more to it than the limited definition of it stated above. Proper documentation is needed ahead of custom clearance of imported or exported goods. Customs clearance work involves preparation and submission of documentation required to facilitate export or imports into the country, representing client during customs examination, assessment, payment of duty and co taking delivery of cargo from customs after clearance along with documents.

The introduction of ever larger ships into a market that is already over supplied has had the effect of increasing rate volatility. The reason is that not only does the upscaling of vessels increase the capacity deployed but also there is the individual carrier behaviour, especially with this first wave of record ships, where shipping lines don’t want to have the ship sail half empty on its maiden voyage. So on top of the structural effect of increasing supply, we’ve noticed the very short term effect of carriers grabbing extra cargo to assure the ship is nicely full and the only way to do so is by dropping the rates. With the prospect of new ULCV’s entering the trade with a rate of 1 per week between now and the end of the year, we expect freight rate volatility to increase further.

Hello everyone. I just want to add some difficulties in global trade that are of a high importance from my point of view. 1.Frequent market changes: It is difficult to anticipate changes in demand and supply conditions abroad. Prices in international markets may change frequently. Such changes are due to entry of new competitors, changes in buyers' preferences, changes in import duties and freight rates, fluctuations in exchange rates, etc.2.Investment for longer period: There is longer time gap between supply of goods and receipt of payment. Therefore, the exporter's capital remains locked up over a longer period.3. Intense competition: Traders who want to sell goods abroad have to face severe competition from different countries. Considerable market research is necessary to ensure suitability of product in foreign markets. Heavy expenditure on advertising and sales promotion may be necessary.

Working with international shipping procedures for more than 15 years, I could say that most of my clients (65% from 2018-2019) choose dropshipping. They consider this method to be the most secure. Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method used to sell items from the supplier and ship it directly to the customers. Basically, you do not need inventory and keep the products when doing dropshipping. It is less risky and does not require upfront costs. Let me try to explain to you in short how dropshipping works: You post products on an online platform. These are not your products, you just take pictures and write descriptions from your chosen supplier. A customer gets interested in your products, places an order, and pays for it. You contact the supplier who stocks this product, and you place the same order as your customer. You ask the supplier to deliver the order to the address of your customer. The customer receives the order and the deal is completed.