Customs and compliance
Classification, valuation, ISF and entry paperwork — where a shipment stops and why.
Notes from the desk
Short, practical writing on clearance, trade terms and cargo handling. Not market commentary — the questions that arrive before a booking.
-
33
Oversized machinery: can it fit a standard container?
A 6.2 m machine, 3.1 m wide and 3.4 m high: flat rack, not a 40HQ. Booking lead time, lashing plan and the document set for one out-of-gauge unit.
-
34
Don’t rush into DDP: six hidden costs missing from the quote
A Shenzhen to USA furniture container, quoted DDP at USD 9,600, closed at 12,400. The six lines that were never on the quote, and how to price landed cost.
-
35
FOB, CIF, DDP or DDU? Six questions on risk and compliance
Where risk passes, who clears customs, who pays duty — six questions we answer before quoting, plus the compliance points that most often go wrong.
-
36
Assembled in Thailand or Vietnam? One US origin rule
Moving the last process to Thailand or Vietnam does not always change US origin. One rule, two factory cases, and how it changes duty and marking.
-
37
FBA or overseas warehouse first? A common seller question
Where your cargo goes after the first leg depends on sales rhythm, SKU count and return rate. How first leg, overseas warehousing and returns fit together.
-
38
DDP is not always cheaper: 3 cases where FOB wins
DDP bundles duty, VAT and delivery into one number, and hides costs you could recover. Three cases where FOB is the cheaper term, with a worked example.
-
39
DDP or DDU: who carries the risk at destination
Both terms end at the buyer's door, but only DDP makes a seller the importer of record. What changes in cost, liability and paperwork.
-
40
What US import clearance actually asks for
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ISF, bond and entry data — the documents that stop a US-bound container, and who usually forgets them.
-
41
FCL or LCL: where the break-even really sits
LCL looks cheaper per CBM, until CFS handling, documentation and transit time are priced in. A practical way to compare full and less-than-container loads.
New notes are added when the same question reaches the desk three times.
Topics
What we write about
Three themes cover most of the questions our operations desk answers by email.
Ocean and air operations
Booking cut-offs, roll-overs, demurrage and the practical difference between service strings.
Trade terms and e-commerce
DDP, DDU and DAP choices, plus replenishment flow to marketplaces and fulfilment centres.
Question not covered here?
Send it with the lane and the cargo type. If it needs a written answer, we will write one.