There are thousands of freight broker software for all sizes of businesses but if it’s difficult for you to find the freight broker software best for your business, as a professional freight forwarder in China, Tj chinafreight collects the best 50 freight broker software in the world, select the best ones and start your operation now!

Logitude World

Longitude World is a logistics solution that gives authority to businesses in the freight forwarding industry. This can help in terms of streamline procedures related to customer relationship management (CRM), invoicing, profit/loss analysis, transport management, and more.

Longitude World also has key features like email templates, contact management, email notifications, and shipment tracking. It allows users to examine sale conversions, handle outgoing/incoming documents, and maintain a log of emails, meetings, and calls.

Magaya Cargo System

Magaya Cargo System defines as a freight management solution that assists small to midsize businesses handles freight/cargo operations, relationships with carrier and shipper networks. It presents a multi-deployment option and can be hosted on-premise or on a cloud.

Accounting features of Magaya Cargo System includes invoicing, accounts receiving, banking reconciliations, and accounts payable. It let users work on export and import shipping transactions for the ocean, ground, and air shipping.

Infoplus

Infoplus WMS was known as a web-based warehouse management software solution for small and midsize wholesalers, eCommerce retailers, and 3PLs. Its focus is to manage overall warehouse operations, shipping, and inventory.

Infoplus` key features involve the ability to control the unique workflows of different businesses. It gives your business the ability to scale based to overcome the business change or next need with just clicks of a mouse.

Omnna ERP

Omnna ERP is a cloud-based ERP that allows all sizes of business to control processes for the point of sale, supply chain lifecycle, customer relationship management, warehousing, and more. This also provides further additional benefits to minimize your expenses while increasing your profitability and productivity.

Omnna gives overall solutions for inventory management, warehouse management, customer relationship management, back-office, invoicing, vendor management, point-of-sale, logistics, and sales order ops.

Rose Rocket

The transportation management software (TMS) platform of Rose Rocket supports any business to improve communications with systems, people who move freights, and customers.

Rose Rocket`s open platform makes it easy to connect to the software that operates your company.

However, its key features include track and trace shipment visibility, industry-leading customer and partner portals, driver mobile app, real-time reporting, invoicing and billing, and lastly, planning and dispatching modules.

Logistically

Logistically is a cloud-based TMS designed for brokers, shippers, and 3PLs of all sizes. Its features include order management, load management, scheduling, shipment management, billing and invoicing, routing, and so on.

Moreover, Logistically assist shippers to handle relationships with customers and control costs. Its tracking application and real-time visibility let users to keep track of their cargos. When the goods are off schedule, it also sends alerts or notifications to users.

ShippersEdge

As a cloud-based transportation management solution (TMS), ShippersEdge focuses on managing shipping logistics. It helps users take control of their shipments, manage multiple carriers, and submit claims.

ShippersEdge can help companies control costs and save time. It accommodates shipping industries like restaurant equipment and supplies, 3PL, paper products, and building materials.

2Ship

2Ship is also a cloud-based transportation management solution designed for small businesses, home offices, distribution, and enterprise centers for 3PL firms. Its features include bills of lading, import and export, warehouse management, shipment tracking, and more.

2Ship provides solutions for users to keep track of their cargos, check delivery performance, export to excel, and search particular shipments.

UROUTE

As one of the transportation management solution providers, UROUTE designed to consolidate the link between carriers and shippers. Furthermore, this can be implemented at midsized and larger companies. It is more efficient and can help every business reduce costs.

UROUTE presents a complete suite of logistics tools including spot procurement, carrier management, RFQ development, appointment management, cube optimization, waterfall tendering, plus freight route, and weighted KPIs.

 BluJay Solutions

BluJay Solutions` transportation management serves cloud-based engagement, provides chain planning, settlement, and execution transportation.

Someway, BluJay Solutions are scalable and is perfect for a range of industries like automotive, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and building materials, and so forth.

Users of BluJay Solutions have access to reporting features and business intelligence data.

 NorthStar WMS

NorthStar WMS is created for small, midsize to large businesses since it is a cloud-based warehouse management system. It highly offers food processing, wholesale distribution, supply chain industries, manufacturing, and e-commerce industries.

Main features of NorthStar WMS include work order management, order tracking, inventory management, cycle counting, document reporting/ management, and kitting.

NorthStar WMS offers pack, ship, and pick capabilities and can connect with professional carriers like USPS, FedEx, Stamps.com, and UPS.

 Kuebix TMS

One of the Trimble Company, Kuebix TMS is also known as cloud-based TMS. It is designed for carriers and shippers involved in outbound and inbound logistics.

Kuebix TMS also offers an integrated platform to book, track, and rate shipments. On the other side, users can have access to Kuebix TMS on their mobile devices to manage, create, and book shipments remotely.

 Trimble TMS

Was formerly known as TMW systems, Trimble TMS solutions help carrier industry from small, midsized, and large to keep their services and costs competitive while supplying essential value each day.

Trimble TMS helps companies with route optimization, load planning, fleet management, equipment management, and fleet maintenance, also in administrative functions including settlements, payroll, invoicing, critical integrations, and document management and accounting.

 FreightPOP

FreightPOP is one of the leading cloud-based solutions that helps different businesses control the whole freight shipping lifecycle through label printing, tracking of carriers in transit, and invoicing. Its key features are shipment tracking, warehouse management, air/ocean shipping, bills of lading, and export/import.

FreightPOP is designed for manufacturers, retailers, and distributors. It comes with a dashboard to schedule pick-up timings, streamline batch delivery, and display freight carriers over multiple locations.

 Chondrion

Chondrion`s cloud-based fulfillment suite and selling is designed to focus on automation. It offers an all-in-one solution which integrated popularly in advertising revenues, payment processors, shopping carts, carriers, marketplace, and more.

Chondrion is also capable of maintaining and creating distinct messaging for 3PL clients, a boundless number of brands, and corporate identities.

 FASCOR

FASCOR is well-known for providing transportation management software and warehouse management for distribution, manufacturing companies, and warehousing. It is designed to maximize accuracy, improve inventory accuracy, reduce labor requirements, and control costs.

FASCOR`s software helps in optimizing your resource scheduling, empowers your entire organization, and enhances productivity to serve better customer service. FASCOR`s technology can boost all sizes of companies.

Alpega TMS

As a provider of cloud-based and modular TMS, Alpega TMS helps carriers and logistics service providers to manage their logistics processes with cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

By using Alpega TMS, you can settle, optimize, plan, analyze, and execute the end-to-end transportation processes of your cargos. This helps you reduced overall freight spend and at the same time, increased capacity consumptions.

 JAGGAER ONE

JAGGAER ONE is one of the major cloud-based solutions. This can activate businesses to handle procedures related to sourcing, invoicing, eProcurement, contract management, and supply chain collaboration. It has the ability to help provide chain teams together with several stakeholders for performance feedback, delivery schedule, and material purchasing, etc.

Through using JAGGAER ONE, users can auto-replenish and track inventory levels over multiple settings, ensure compliance, and accomplish purchase request according to regulatory standards.

 HighJump Warehouse Advantage

HighJump Warehouse Advantage is designed to be fitted to companies` uncommon business practice. It is a process-based and adaptable warehouse management system (WMS). Because of its modular design, users can pick from a suite of applications to perfectly fit their needs. This solution is set up for companies of different industries like food and beverage, retail, third-party logistics, manufacturing, and CPG.

Users of HighJump Warehouse Advantage can have access via any web browser on any mobile device.

FreightPath

FreightPath is an all-inclusive transportation management software (TMS) and dispatches made for freight brokers, carriers, and trucking industries. It helps handle track & trace, dispatch, digital paperwork, and collaboration.

This solution also provides tools that help you remove the stress of miscommunication. It can also get your teamwork in an industrious manner to make sure your customers get the benefits they deserve.

Latitude WMS

Latitude WMS is one of the warehouse management solutions for wholesale and retail distributors of all business sizes. Its key features are performance metrics, cycle counting, WMS training, putaway, picking, and receiving.

Latitude WMS grants users with embedded support for voice and RF, real-time control over inventory status, the capability to handle branch operations and warehouse distribution centers.

With the help of Latitude WMS, users can to manifest processes for carrier shipments and make connected paperwork and labels. Users can have accessed with Latitude WMS on-premise or on the cloud.

Form.com

Form.com works as a field service solution that supplies tools that can optimize the workflow of traditional field service progress. It helps prevent miscommunications or issues by establishing an automated workflow. It also creates an effective and sleek way to facilitate and track field service motions.

This solution provides various modular plugins that surpass the system`s core practicality. These plugins are file upload, Geo-Location Mapping, calendars, calculations, barcode scanning, and sliders.

BlueCherry

BlueCherry is perfectly suitable for midsize to large apparel manufacturers while offering cloud-based and on-premise deployments. It is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite presenting modules for logistics, shop floor control, product lifecycle management (PLM), omnichannel planning, electronic and finance data interchange.

This solution has the ability to help users with product development, planning, logistics, sourcing, sales functions, and manufacturing.

Apprise

Apprise offers any company an enterprise resource management (ERP) and provides chain management solution designed for distributors, importers, and consumer goods manufacturers. It offers mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices, very appropriate for companies running internationally.

Apprise is a great software solution built to help you track, manage, and automate business processes, project revenue and costs, and general activities.

Manhattan TMS

As a hybrid supply chain management solution, Manhattan`s transportation management system (TMS) helps organizations address transportation optimization troubles. It provides a suite of tools such as execution and planning, yard management, logistics gateways, and fleet management.

The solution assists you to handle the freight settlement process by managing filing claims, automating payment processes, and invoices.

Manhattan`s TMS accommodates multiple industries like wholesale and retail, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

 Transplace TMS

Transplace TMS is a cloud-based and robust management software system built for all sizes of shippers. It can support all shippers which require optimized route plans and fast executions.

Transplace TMS operates with all operating systems. Key features include real-time visibility, Transplace Control Tower, shipment monitoring, service prediction, load consolidation and routing, business intelligence and reporting, carrier freight audit and payment, costs comparisons across modes, and mode and carrier selection.

Best Ship

The best ship software has many shipping options and features involved. It caters to all levels of order accomplishment including overnight, same day, standard, expedited, and 2-day.

This desktop solution presents reliability and speed while providing the flexibility that a company needs to boost its business. When using Best ship software no postage refunds and no prepay of postage.

FreightWise Logistics Cost Management

FreightWise is one of the logistics service provider proposing a cloud-based transportation management system (TMS). It is also cost management for small to midsized U.S companies, focusing on Parcel shipping and LTL.

Freightwise Logistics Cost Management integrates with eCommerce, WMS, ERP, and many other industrial systems. This can automate a robust pack and pick solution and ship processes.

Ramco Logistics

Ramco Logistics` platform serves as a cloud-based solution tailor-made for freight forwarders, express parcel service providers, and third-partyt logistics. This software helps to succeed key paint points such as operational costs, supply shortages, new compliance rules, the surge in demand, and limited resources.

The platform is backed with NextGen AI & ML features that help logistics service providers and distributors acquire new customers and at the same time, reduce costs.

Silver Bullet Technologies

This Silver bullet technology is one of the on-premise logistics solutions built for inland terminals, trucking companies, 3PLs, container freight stations, and shipping agencies. Silver Bullet`s key features include customer management, order management, inventory management, barcoding, container tracking, and LTL management.

The solution`s export and import modules assist users to automate their inbound freights management and logistics activities with air, trucking, and ocean carriers. These also allow its users to trace, handle and automate operations, billing routines, and customer service.

Ariba

Ariba more concentrates on streamlining source-to-pay operational procedures. This kind of software solution provides supply chain management solutions and e-procurement that enable small to large companies to achieve great digital transformation.

Through Ariba wise spend solutions, many businesses can connect business processes and incorporate comprehensive transaction data. This can guide employees to buy from the best suppliers and help reduce transactional spending.

Pirate Ship

As a major cloud-based shipping management solution, Pirate Ship helps growing businesses streamline and manage all processes connected to printing and purchasing of shipping labels. Pirate Ship`s centralized platform allows users to make USPS scan form through batches or labels and easily search shipments.

Major features of Pirate ship incorporate import/export, ground shipping, parcel shipping, air shipping, shipment tracking, and quotes/estimates. This also let shippers import eCommerce orders from WooCommerce, eBay, Cratejoy, Etsy, Shopify, and others.

 DiCentral

DiCentral is known as a cloud-based solution built purposely to help businesses handle the overall supply chain lifecycle by dropshipping, electronic data interchange, warehouse management, accounting, and more. Decentral’s software solution is perfect for distribution business, third-party logistics, e-commerce, automotive, IT, manufacturing, merchandising/retail, and other industries.

Prime Dicentral`s features include forecasting, data format translation, order fulfillment/tracking, multiple messaging formats, exception management, and EDI testing. Those companies using Dicentral software can automate processes for inventory control, manage transaction data, and product quality. This can enhance customer profitability and experience.

AscendTMS Logistics

AscendTMS Logistics is an SCM cloud-based solution designed for all sizes of businesses. Its included key features are accounting, load management, payment management, branch management, and finance management.

The solution`s load management functionality let users trace shipments, carriers, distances, and delivery date in the dashboard. AscendTMS Logistics` users can also track their load assignments` financials to determine the best productive ones.

Samsara

This cloud-based fleet management solution present features like trailer tracking, GPS tracking, dispatch and routing, reefer monitoring, dashboard camera, and many others. Samsara is built to help small to midsize fleet business managers track their fleets` physical locations. This can also help in monitoring their drivers` to keep complaints with regulations of FMCSA and ELD.

SAP Business One

Operating as integrated and modular ERP solution, SAP Business One is suitable for any small and mid-sized manufacturing industries, size accounting, distribution and retail industries.  This cloud-based platform integrates CRM, financials, operations, and sales management modules.

SAP Business One measure service management`s efficiency and manage inventory and MRP, manage the sales pipeline and track procurement. This has multi-lingual capabilities and also supports multi-currency transactions for any businesses that is running worldwide.

Finale Inventory

Finale Inventory is also cloud-based supply chain management solution and inventory built to help growing and mid-size businesses. It mainly proposes in purchasing, stock management, reporting functionalities within a suite and order management.

Finale Inventory allows its users to manage orders from e-commerce websites. At the same time, it offers integration with selling platforms, like Amazon and eBay.

AppointmentPlus

As the leading cloud-based scheduling tool, AppointmentPlus find suitable for all different sizes of industries. This also offers embeddable features and configurable appointment setting tools, calendar management, and a HIPAA-compliant appointment program.

While using AppointmentPlus, you can maintain and create individual calendars for your employees. It also enables users to create waiting lists, set available hours, and to book rooms.

JDEdwards EnterpriseOne

JDEdwards EnterpriseOne is an on-premise and cloud-based integrated ERP suite, helping small and large businesses such as distribution, consumer goods operations, and manufacturing. Its involved features are asset lifecycle management, workflow control, budgeting, and reporting.

Any real estate businesses can utilize the solution to control contracts and tenants, manage security deposits and recurring bills, and lastly, performs sales forecasting. You can have access to JDEdwards EnterpriseOne on your Android or iOS devices.

OptimoRoute

Helping small, midsized to large enterprises track scheduled deliveries, plan routes, and streamlining fleet operations, is what OptimoRoute is performing. This software platform allows its users to gain a deep intuitive understanding of organizational performance. This can also help you automatically generate reports and monitor employee performance remotely.

However, OptimoRoute is offering great mobile applications for both Android and iOS devices. These apps enable dispatchers to view canceled orders, send route maps to assigned drivers, and track delivery status.

Skubana

Skubana`s focus is to grow and monitor the profitability of inventory operations. The users of Skubana can concur data from every sales channel they are selling on, that includes big-box retailers, 3PLs, marketplaces, POS systems, warehouses, and so on. A business using Skubana has an entire overall objective which to strengthen software operations into one cloud-based tool.

Skubana`s major highlights are built-in FBA forecasting, automated purchasing, an open API, fast implementation times, consolidated order management, automated fulfillment logic, and powerful marketplace features.

LogiNext Mile

LogiNext Mile is a cloud-based transportation management solution (TMS) that let users to track vehicles and plan delivery routes. This solution is best for various industries such as pharmaceutical, insurance, manufacturing, banking, and retail.

The system also provides a map interface to trace the locations and activities of driver and communicate to them through push notifications. Additionally, it offers visualization tools that assist users to compare planned routes contrary to actual routes.

ShipMonk

ShipMonk was designed for e-commerce businesses, start-ups, crowdfunding campaigns, and subscription box enterprises. It is one cloud-based inventory management solution that features warehouse management, multi-channel management, reporting, kitting, barcoding, analytics, forecasting, and so on.

To help its users strategize, the solution provides them diversified B2B fulfillment capabilities, helping them execute and plan their retail fulfilment strategies.

SAP S/4HANA

SAP S/4HANA is an integrated ERP or enterprise resource planning software suite built for all kinds and sizes of businesses. The solution accommodates multiple verticals of industry, including retail, distribution, service, and manufacturing.

For the distribution process, SAP also suitable since it delivers management, tracking, reporting, analytics, collaboration, and reporting processes. Additionally, this also presents a business intelligence module, lets users create customizable reports.

Hybrent

Use Hybrent to purchase from all your vendors on both mobile and desktop devices. When you use Hybrent, you can edit and approve your purchase orders electronically to vendors. You can totally manage your orders and take the benefits of standard reports.

At Hybrent, you can also make custom reports for insights to create smarter purchasing conclusions. With access to Hybrent`s Knowledge Base, you can surely achieve an optimal supply chain!

 GoFrugal POS

GoFrugal POS is a hybrid POS (point of sale) that assists retailers over different industries, to automate financial transactions and handle their billing and distribution routines. This solution system can be deployed whether hosted or on-premise in the cloud.

The inventory management module of GoFrugal let users to make inventory reports, set up automated ordering, and fill orders for clients. Its users also have access to a principal customer database, which helps you track personal details, payment histories, and purchases.

Global Visibility Platform by IntelliTrans

Global Visibility Platform boost integrations with 3^rd party systems, which includes inventory management, ERP, GPS, TMS, ELD, and more. This is one of excellent supply chain management software built to help land, sea, and air freight forwarding businesses handle shipments. This platform incorporates yard and dock management systems, enabling enterprises to monitor warehouse activities and view in-transit shipments.

By using the solution, managers can get insights into operations using data visualization and alert tools.

Track-POD

Track-POD caters to enterprises over numerous industries including 3PL, logistics, distribution, parcel and food delivery, courier services, manufacturing, and more.

Key features of Track-POD consider safety management, visual communication, delivery management, proof of delivery, and vehicle routing and tracking. Track-POD`s users can check departure and arrival times for any sites. You can also use numerous analysis tools to create reports.

Teknowlogi TMS

Teknowlogi TMS is a leading pioneer of transportation management software (TMS). It offer an outstanding cloud-based solution that integrated Artificial Intelligence to supply consulting intelligence, logistics management, mobile intelligence, business intelligence, and integration intelligence in one platform.

This system involves integration capability with load boards, mobile tracking applications, and carriers. Nevertheless, Teknowlogi TMS always addressed each aspect of the shipment lifecycle, making the TMS best solution for 3PL enterprises, freight forwarders, freight brokers, asset-based carriers, and professional shippers.

VISCO – Distribution

VISCO was built particularly for distributors and importers which underpressure on plastics, chemical, wine and seafood. Additionally, it is a consolidated system with inventory management, procurement features, and warehouse management.

When issues arise while in the distribution process VISCO will immediately evaluate the issues. It also sent email alerts to the team member, so that management check the problem and find quick solution.

Research shows that most people don’t really understand what exactly an EORI number is, what it is used for, and whether or not they should apply for it.

The confusion iseven worse now that the UK has left the EU.

The affected traders have numerous questions. Now, what next?

Relax; I got you covered.

This article will shed more light on EORI.

It will answer all your questions and give you a clear understanding of the subject.

Stay tuned.

Define EORI Number

EORI is a term that stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification number.

It is a must-have number plate used by businesses or individuals who import or export goods within and without the EU countries.

It is issued according to your business location.

Why you Need an EORI Number for your Business?

Here are some of the reasons why you need an EORI:

i. You need an EORI number irrespective of the means of transport you use. Whether it’s the sea, air, or freight.

Hence it acts as a delivery person in the transport of goods.

ii. To register a customs and temporary storage statement in the EU Member State.

iii. It is a requirement used to register and submit an entry (ENS) and exit (EXS)summary declaration.

iv. Itacts as a messenger who links the Custom Management System and international traders.

Can Companies Outside EU have EORI Number?

The answer is yes.

Companies outside the EU that are willing to trade internationally with EU countries for commercial purposes are required to have an EORI number.

EORI is required in every customs declaration document.

This document is then used by customs authorities to access imports and exports in and out of the countries respectively.

Apply for a relevant EORI number according to your location or business location.

History of EORI Number

This system was introduced in EU countries on 1^st July 2009.

Its purpose was to ease the process of record-keeping of goods getting in and out of EU countries.

EORI replaced Traders Unique Reference Number System(TURN).

TURN was a system that monitored international business shipments.

Traders have requested the European Commission to provide a numeration system that is distinctive and justifiable to everyone in the EU.

This has not yet happened. Maybe it will when EU countries merge into one state.

EORI is provided to customs authorities before the arrival or departure of goods entering or leaving the customs authorities.

Additionally, different customs authorities share your EORI information just in case your goods cross different customs areas in transit to the final destination.

How EORI Number Facilitates Trade within the EU

i. EORI has ensured smooth trade between the EU and other countries.

ii. It has created order in international trade.

iii. EORI has provided the EU with the necessary documentation needed by businesses such as customs declaration.

iv. It has ensured customs authorities in the EU identify with imports and exports to and from the countries.

v. Also, it has helped custom authorities to identify traders wishing to apply for postponed VAT accounting.

vi. It has been used as an identifier by a computerized custom system.

vii. EORI number has provided reliable paperwork for businesses that can be used for future references.

Besides, it has ensured custom security within the European territory.

viii. It has helped the customs authorities to monitor the circulation of goods.

How EORI Number compares to VAT Identification Number

There is a thin line between the EORI number and the VAT number. People mostly confuse the two.

Here is the reason why: EORI is basically an elongation of VAT.

Once you apply for an EORI number as a VAT registered business, HMRC links all your imports to your VAT.

For example, if your VAT is 9 digits it will be prefixed with two-letter codes of the issuing country ie‘GB ‘and suffixed with ‘000.’

In UK the EORI number is GB-9 VAT digits-000.

Ensure your custom agent correctly enters your import declaration because the import VAT is only refunded by the tax authorities if the EORI number mentioned is correct.

In case your imports are declared against your VAT linked EORI number, HMRC will assist you by sending you a C79 form.

The form is meant to help you reclaim your import VAT on your standard VAT return.

Recommended Format for EORI Number

An EORI number has two parts.

i. The country code of the issuing member state

ii. The code number unique to the member state.

There are two different formats of an EORI number;

i. Those for VAT registered businesses.

ii. Those for businesses that are not VAT registered.

EORI for VAT registered business consists of prefix ‘GB’ for example followed by the company VAT number then suffix ‘000.’

For instance, in the UK the EORI number begins with GB followed by 12 other digits according to the traders’ VAT then 000. Ie GB 111 222 333 000.

EORI for non VAT registered businesses comprises of a country code such as ‘GB’ followed by a unique number issued by HMRC.

Businesses and Individuals who need EORI Number

You can register for an EORI number as an individual or as a business.

Businesses and individuals that need EORI number include:

i. An individual or business established in the EU needs to obtain an EORI number for their national customs authorities before commencing customs activities in the EU.

ii. Any economic operator established outside the EU needs to be assigned an EORI number if they intend to lodge a customs declaration or an entry or exit declaration.

iii. Authorized economic operates also need to have an EORI number.

Anyone importing and exporting commercial goods with EU countries or moves goods from Northern Ireland needs an EORI number.

Note you may not need an EORI number if you are offering digital services or if your business moves goods between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland only.

However, you can apply for an EORI number just in case your business grows and there is a need to trade with countries outside the Republic of Ireland.

If your company is operating under a larger one, let the parent company do the application.

EORI number acts as an identification number in all customs procedures when they are exchanging information with the customs administrations.

Information you Need to Apply for EORI Number

You need the following documents to apply for an EORI number:

i. If you are a sole trader/proprietor, you need to provide your insurance number.

ii. Provide a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for your business. If you are a sole proprietor, you can find this information on your tax returns.

iii. Provide the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for your business. You can easily get the information in the Companies House register entry for your business.

iv. Provide Government ID and passport together with any mobile device you might have used to put together to complete two-factor authentication.

This could either be the one for your business or organization. It could also be your own if you are applying as an individual.

v. If your business is registered for UK VAT, you are required to provide a VAT number and the effective date of registration. You can check the details on the VAT registration certificate.

How to Apply for EORI Number

Application for an EORI number is a process. However, it is simpler than you think.

Before applying it’s worth noting that after BREXIT, you may need three types of EORIdepending on the kind of trade you do with the EU. They include;

i. Trade in Great Britain-If you are trading goods with EU countries, you need an EORI number that starts with GB.

Nonetheless, if your business deals with trade within Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, you may not require an EORI number.

ii. Business moving goods to and from Northern Ireland- If you are importing and exporting from Northern Ireland, you need a second EORI that starts with XI.

Remember before getting an EORI that starts with XI, you need to already have one starting with GB.

This involves whether you move goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Or whether you are moving goods between Northern Ireland and outside non-EU countries.

iii. If your business gets custom decisions in EU countries, then you need an EORI number from customs authorities in EU countries where you request or submit your first declaration.

The application process differs in various EU countries.

In some countries, you are required to fill a form then send it via email (ancient right).

Nonetheless, in most countries, the process is done online.

All you need to do is to fill a form on the HMRC website.

There are three different ways of applying which depends on whether you are:

i. Anon VAT registered application form if you are exporting.

ii. A non VAT registered application form if you are importing.

iii. A VAT registered applicant.

The EU has not yet merged into one big state; hence EORI numbers differ from country to country.

EORI number is issued according to where you or your business is located.

There are different forms online.

You need to apply according to your circumstances.

Ensure you select the right one.

To apply for an EORI number, fill in an online form provided by HMRC using the Government Gateway account.

For example, in the UK you are required to fill in paperwork before getting an EORI number

Steps for obtaining an EORI number in the UK include:

i. Visit an EORI information page on the UK government website.

ii. Carefully select the form that suits you and answer correctly based on your location and business type.

iii. Submit the form online.

iv. You may receive an email within 3 working days

v. You can then use your EORI number or pass it forward to be used in the customs declaration.

Note there are several forms online you should choose to depend on whether you are applying an EORI number to complete customs declaration by yourself.

If you need to use CHIEF, NES, or NTC system or if you use it for courier or freight forwarding services to import or export.

The process of applying for an EORI might be easy and hard at the same time.

Easy if you have all the information required and you answer correctly.

For instance, you may be required to give information onthe shipment you are currently intending to clear in or out of the EU.

Hard if you don’t follow instructions; your application may be rejected.

How Long It Takes to get EORI Number After Successful Application

Time is money, right?

According to HMRC, after a successful application, you should receive your EORI number immediately.

In the real sense, you will receive it within three business days.

It’s worth noting that the estimated time might not be accurate.

Businesses are realizing the importance of EORI; thanks to the internet.

Hence the process may experience congestion due to many applications.

Therefore, it’s wise to apply for one as soon as possible.

Preferably a few weeks before shipment to avoid any inconveniences.

However, if the process takes more than a week, fill out the contact EORI team form online.

Go to queries and tick the box that says ‘it’s a query regarding a current EORI number application.

You can as well check the status of the application you have made online.

How to Verify EORI Number

Are you worried whether the information you filled in while applying for an EORI number is correct or whether your business already has an EORI number?

Well, worry no more because the EORI number validator got you covered.

Remember if your company is registered for VAT, it has already been issued with an EORI number.

You need not stress. However, you can check just to be sure.

Additionally, an EORI number has a lasting association with the company it is issued to.

So just in case you had one but forgot all about it, you won’t be issued a new one.

The issued EORI number will show up.

The EORI number issued is valid irrespective of how many transactions you make on imports and export of commodities.

Uses of EORI Number on Import and Export to Business

EORI number has numerous benefits on imports and exports.

They include;

i. It is basically a tracking method used by the EU to assess imports and exports getting and leaving the EU respectively.

ii. Ensures traders’ goods are safe by implementing any security measures necessary.

iii. It eases the process of identifying shipments by categorizing goods.

iv. Helps if you need to provide customs authorities with pre-arrival and pre-departure of your goods.

v. It is used by customs authorities when exchanging information with government departments and agencies.

vi. Also, it is used when the movement of goods involves custom procedures.

vii. Provides relevant statistics to the authorities in international trade.

viii. It helps to identify customs for import and export of goods outside the EU zone.

Can you have More than One EORI Number

The answer is yes.

While applying for an EORI number you may finally be relieved; huh am done. Sadly, that’s not the case.

As long as your company is established in more than one EU State, you will need a separate EORI number for each.

The more businesses you have in the different EU States the more EORI numbers you may need.

This may include businesses in landlocked countries or those that import goods through a port that is different from the EU state.

Number of Digits in EORI Number

An EORI number consists of an ISO country code from a member state which is usually two characters plus other additional digits.

The maximum number of digits is fifteen.

For example, an EORI number issued in Sweden consists of country code SE plus other 10 digits. I.e. SE5512345678.

The 10 digits’ is linked to your business registration number or personal identity if you are an individual.

For traders outside the EU applying for an EORI number in Sweden, the EORI is formed by SE plus 10 other digits starting with 502 0R302 that is if you have registered for VAT in Sweden.

For non- VAT operators use supplementary number SE plus other random digits.

Note the 2 digits’ supplementary number provided by the Swedish Customs is not part of the EORI.

It only adds to the business registration number or personal identification number for individuals.

In Dutch EORI number consists of prefix NL followed by 9 other digits.

The 9 digits are basically the company fiscal code.

For UK and EU, the prefix is GB followed by 12 other digits. In short, the total number of EORI digits differs in countries. However, the maximum number is 15 digits.

Cost of Applying for EORI Number

So how much do I need to apply for an EORI? Will I really afford it?

Guess what the application process is free.

Huh! Relieved right. Everyone loves a free deal so am sure you are.

So now that the process is free and fast, what is stopping you from getting an EORI number?

Go get it.

Why you need an EORI Number to Import from China

China is not a member of the EU so why do I need an EORI number while importing from them?

Yes, it is not.

Nonetheless, China is one of the World’s biggest economies.

It can manufacture large amounts of goods at an affordable price hence it’s the world’s largest exporter.

It is also UK’s third-largest partner, hence an EORI number is needed for the two countries to trade.

All businesses in the EU importing commercial goods from china needs an EORI number.

UK customs need an EORI number to keep records of imported and exported goods.

The number is also required when submitting an electronic export declaration, when submitting a commercial invoice and when the CHIEF system is being used.

You still need an EORI number even if you use a courier or freight forwarder.

Do Non-Business Entity Require EORI Number

Non-business entities do not require an EORI number to import or export goods from EU countries.

If you are importing or exporting goods for personal purposes could be a gift or any other personal product, you may not require an EORI number.

This applies especially to those who import goods temporarily then re-export them afterward.

In Sweden, citizens are required to provide personal identification number for transactions of import and exports if the value of the goods exceed 10000 SEK.

Non-citizens are required to produce their date of birth.

It worth noting that other individuals carrying custom trade activities must have an EORI number.

If the consignee or the exporter is an individual who is not an economic exporter, a national code PRIVA ‘Natural Person without EORI number’ is included on box 44 as additional information in custom declaration.

For the individuals who have no EORI number or Swedish ID, they are required to enter a country code followed by the date of birth.

Ie DE+19880903 (YYMMDD)

Impacts of BREXIT on EORI Number

BREXIT agreement between the UK and the EU came along with various effects:

i. EORI number post BREXIT biggest question is whether you need both UK and EU EORI numbers.

UK published a detailed guidance document ‘EORI mythbuster’ to share its perspective on the issue.

Not all businesses will need both UK and EU EORI number.

Your business may not need both EORI numbers if it only deals with import or export declaration in the UK.

Whereby the customer completing the equivalent declaration is on the EU side of the border.

If you are registered for UK VAT, the UK EORI number should be issued by HMRC. If not registered for UK VAT, you should register for UK EORI.

On the other hand, if your business deals with both export declaration as goods leave the UK and import declaration as goods are imported to the EU, you will need both UK and EU EORI number.

This applies to a situation where you are the importer on record in the EU and exported on record from the UK.

ii. Before BREXIT or at the end of the transition period, many businesses in the UK dint need to have an EORI number. This is because as a member of the EU, the UK enjoyed the benefits of free trade.

They only needed an EORI number while exporting from third countries (non-EU countries).

However, after BREXIT, the UK is required to have an EORI number to trade with the EU.

iii. The European Commission guidance published in March 2019, confirmed UK EORI number will not be valid in the EU post BREXIT.

The Commission advised businesses with UK EORI numbers to apply for relevant EU customs authority for an EU EORI number.

This is meant to be activated when the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

iv. In case there is no amicable agreement between the UK and the EU, BREXIT will affect French companies operating in the UK and British companies running in France.

Meaning for those French companies running in the UK, companies carrying imports and exports will be required to obtain a UK EORI number.

Equally, for those British companies operating in France, British EORI will no longer be valid within the EU.

Hence the affected companies will be expected to apply for an EORI in the first member state where they carry custom operations.

That is, they will be required to apply for an EORI number in France to be able to operate smoothly.

Whenever you’re importing from China to Europe, worry no more about all procedures during customs clearance.

Tj chinafreight will handle everything for you, contact us now for best rates on all freight forwarding services.

A ship comprise of invisible and visible structural parts made using steel and composite materials.

This guide will explore the different parts of ships found in all types of cargo vessels.

Types of Cargo Ships

There are a number of cargo vessels and means of shipping depending on sea freight cargo available.

Container Vessels

The design of these cargo ship types are for transporting freight inside containers.

They take care of majority of international dry-load shipping.

This type of ship uses gantry cranes to load and unload ISO containers.

It is presently the most popular mode of sea transport for shipping 20′, 40′ and 45′ standard containers.

You measure the carrying capacity of container ship in twenty foot equivalent unit (TEU).

A 1 TEU cargo container carries about 21,000 Kg of goods within it.

Though the size of most container used is 1x20ft, there exist also other larger and smaller container sizes.

This results in variation in actual containers numbers on the container vessel by +/- 250 cargo containers.

Bulk Vessels

The design of bulk vessels make them ideal for shipping dry cargo.

They are especially suitable for goods such as power sources including coal and ore, fertilizers, sugar, grains among other items.

They come in different sizes and designs to cater to a range of shipping requirements.

Different from other types of cargo ships that use cranes for loading and unloading, bulk vessels utilize a pump or conveyor.

These cargo vessels can carry about 200,000 DWT of load though they travel at a modestly lower speed.

Break Bulk Vessels

Breakbulk ships are ideal for transporting general cargo that otherwise needed individual loading in absence of an intermodal container.

These cargo ship types remain the backbone of sea freighting, carrying both liquid cargo and dry cargo.

They can ship cargoes such as bags of sugar, cement, or flour.

You can also use this type of cargo ship to transport palletized goods like paint, chemicals, and even timber.

Ro-Ro Vessels

Ro-Ro ships help in the transportation of wheeled freight such as excavators, trucks, buses, cars among others.

If the choice is available, you can equally employ the vessels in the carriage of certain project cargoes.

This is possible if you load the goods on mafi trailers or other wheeled modes.

There are two further classes of Ro-Ro vessels: Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) and Pure Car Carriers (PCC).

The names explicitly describe their purposes.

Multi-purpose Vessels

These type of ships are capable of shipping various cargo types all-in-one.

As hinted by the name, they are versatile vessels and utilized for several purposes.

Multipurpose vessels are the most common type of cargo ships.

This is due to the fact that they allow you to transport many types of cargo with a single vessel.

Therefore, there is no need of paying for specialty cargo vessels.

The cargo ship is particularly useful along some routes that need self-geared ships and lack shore handling facilities.

Tanker Vessels

The design of tanker vessels is specifically for transporting liquid cargo.

They are the best choice when you want to ship oil or chemicals.

Moreover, there exist crude oil carriers distinctly designed for the transportation of crude oil.

There are ultra large and very large crude oil carriers.

Conversely, chemical tanker vessels have various tanks to prevent the mixing of the different chemicals they are carrying.

Gas Carriers

These cargo vessels feature more complex technology to hold liquid gas.

They commonly fall in a similar class as oil tankers.

There are two broad categories of gas carriers which consist of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) carrier and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier.

Main dissimilarity is technical because LPG carry gas at -50 degrees Celsius and 18 Kg/cm2 pressure while LNG at -170 degrees Celsius.

Moreover, LNGs are noticeable unique due to their massive spherical tanks on top of deck.

Reefer Vessel

Reefer cargo vessels have a design specifically meant for carrying cargo that you must freeze or control their temperature during shipment.

They are the best choice for transporting farm produce, some alcohol meat and fish.

Therefore, if your cargo is temperature-sensitive, then this type of cargo ship is the best selection for you.

Livestock Vessels

This a very sensitive kind of cargo vessel, because it carries live animals.

They are unique since the vessels have animals feeding zones.

Some livestock ships even have open-air corrals, though most have the corrals enclosed.

Different Parts of Ship and Their Function

Here are the basic ship parts that you need to know:

Bridge

At times referred to as a navigation bridge, it bridge represents the ship’s commanding station.

It is from here where you control the movement of ship by the help of navigational equipment.

The ship bridge controls main engine, vital deck machinery and navigation system of cargo ship.

The main functions commonly carried out in the bridge include:

• Controlling direction and speed (navigation)
• Monitoring sea conditions and weather
• Enabling internal and external communication

Monkey Island

This part of a ship refers to a kind of deck found at uppermost accessible ship height and just over the bridge.

Sometimes referred to as a flying bridge, it is an instrumental part of ship that navigation equipment such as:

• AIS Tx/Rx antennae
• VDR capsule
• Radar scanner(s) linked to radar mast
• Communication equipment gear
• Sat C/F77 Tx/Rx antennae
• Weather vane
• Several halyards attached to the yardarm for hoisting flags
• Mast leading to aft whistle of ship and navigation lights (‘Christmas Tree’)

Funnel

Also known as the stack, a funnel represents a chimney on a ship utilized to discharge boiler and engine smoke.

It helps in the safe release of exhaust gas generated inside the engine room to the external atmosphere.

This ship part allows you to easily move exhaust gas from the vessel preventing likely impedance to ship navigation.

Also, this is possible because of the inclination of the funnel toward the aft and forward movement of the marine vessel.

Bow

Bow refers to the foremost part of ship that cuts water through its edges as the vessel moves.

They are instrumental in enabling easy propulsion of ship.

There are three main types of ship bow including:

• Bulbous Bow

This is the common type of bow used in most marine vessels including cargo ships.

You can easily identify it by its unique protruding bulb-like shape just below the waterline.

• Inverted Bow

Inverted bow design has its section of bow and hull turned upside down similar to that of submarine featuring extended waterline.

• Axe Bow

This type of ship bow features vertical stem line hull construction and deep axe-like construction in front most segment of vessel.

Because of its design, axe bow helps in improving ship’s speed for similar power.

Hold

Ship hold describes the area where you keep the cargo.

In vessels that transport liquid products, the holds are in the form of tanks within which you carry the cargo.

This is why you refer to cargo ships carrying liquid as tankers.

Bow Thrusters

Bow thruster describes a propeller-like apparatus installed on both edges of ship’s bow.

It is instrumental in increasing ship maneuverability in congested waters at an extremely slow speed similar to that near ports/canals.

Accommodation

The accommodation section that houses the ship’s crews and lives.

This part of the ship features all amenities including crew cabins, offices, hospital, gym, gallery, common rooms, laundry, salon, recreation room, and laundry.

The accommodation also has a freshwater system, domestic refrigeration system, air conditioning system, garbage disposal system and sewage treatment plant.

Deck

Deck describes the floor of the hull structure of the ship.

The vessel can have several decks at different segments.

There are six main types of ship deck depending on its level and position:

• main deck
• upper deck
• weather deck
• lower deck
• poop deck
• Foredeck

Being an essential part of ship, deck carries the hull structure offering various ceiling floor to vessels.

Moreover, it gives floor and space for equipment and crew to stand and operate whilst guarding them against external weather.

Hull

The hull describes a ship’s watertight body which can be open or partly covered with deck.

It includes several watertight bulkheads and decks as the main transverse members.

Intermediate member of hull comprises of stringers, webs and girders.

Based on structural patterns, there can be longitudinal member used for reinforcement purpose.

Freeboard

Freeboard describes the distance from waterline to higher edge of deck/freeboard plating at margins of amidships.

The purpose of freeboard amongst parts a ship includes maintaining ships stability and preventing it from capsizing.

The classification society must approve minimum calculation of freeboard for the cargo ship.

Besides, the freeboard calculation serves an important purpose in defining the vessel’s load line marks.

The load line directly relates to the earning or cargo carrying capacity of the ship.

Engine Room

This is the ship’s power house found within the lowest deck aft of the vessel.

It carries essential machinery including:

• Main engine
• Fresh water generator
• Alternator (auxiliary engine)
• Air compressor
• Boiler
• Heat exchanger
• Shafting
• Purifier
• Calorifier
• Pumps
• Incinerator
• Workshop equipment among others.

The engine room serves the primary function of holding all the basic equipment and auxiliaries needed for various ship operations.

Deck House

Deck house is the part of ship represented by the house-like structure on upper deck.

Stem

This describes the foremost segment of ship’s bow.

There are two main types ship stem including plumb and raked stems.

Plumb stem is perpendicular to waterline while raked stem is inclined at a certain angle to waterline.

Stern

Stern refers to aft end structure, with its design ensuring low resistance, top propulsion efficiency and prevent vibrations.

This is the rearmost ship part which is instrumental in keeping the water out.

Typically, you will have the propellers and rudders hanged to this part of ship.

It can be have flat, sharp, tapered, or canoe-like shape to help in cutting water along its way.

Side Thrusters

Also known as tunnel thruster, side thrusters resemble a propeller and mounted on either edge of the vessel’s bow.

It assists in ship maneuvering under reduced speed in clogged waters close to canals or ports.

Side thrusters of ship affect the overall running cost of the vessel to a greater percentage.

You can power them either electrically or hydraulically.

Forecastle

This describes the foremost section of ship.

A forecastle is the foremost parts of ship.

It is part of the front section of the upper deck and does not exceed 7 percent of total length of deck.

It represents the part of ship often utilized for anchoring activity and maintaining or checking navigation lights mounted on foremast.

Deck Crane

These cranes are important parts of cargo ship and you will always find them mounted on deck.

Operated using an electric motor or at times hydraulically, deck cranes can lift up to 50 tones load.

Though not present in all ships, deck crane aid in cargo operation and cargo readjustment during shipping if necessary.

Moreover, you can equally use them for loading and unloading machinery, tools and hose from the cargo vessel.

Propeller

This is a mechanical apparatus having blades attached to a central shaft.

The blades spin, with the rotational energy transformed into pressure energy, which generates thrust needed for propulsion.

The propeller, shaft and engine together form propulsion unit.

Propeller ought to be made of materials such as aluminum, manganese, or bronze since they are outstanding corrosion-resistant.

Rudder

Rudder refers to a flat void structure contained within the aft of propeller.

It assists in steering the ship, and has steering gear system that controls the rudder movement.

Components of ship rudder comprise of rudder trunk, main rudder blade, moveable flap, rudder carrier bearing, hinge system, and links.

Further, there exist three types of rudder of ship including unbalanced type, semi-balanced type and balance type.

Rudder Pintles

This is a pin or bolt which you insert in a gudgeon to join the rudder to ship.

Modern ships utilize synthetic materials such as Teflon to make the bearings and sometimes stainless steel for liners.

Either scenario uses the water which submerges the bearing to lubricate it.

Paint Room

This is the part of ship used for handling and storing paint.

It has special features to take care of explosion and emission of chemical vapors and gases from the room.

The paint room of ship should have explosion proof lighting.

Moreover, it should have brackets to offer flexible paint handling and storage.

Emergency Generator Room

In this ship part is where you find emergency generator that supplies power for emergency loads if main electricity supply goes out.

Its location is above the uppermost deck, away from secondary and main machine and collision bulkhead.

The emergency generator features its specific switchboard within its surroundings.

It should be easy to operate and you can start it even at 0 degrees Celsius.

Ballast Tanks

These refer to compartments fabricated particularly to hold water, which is instrumental in ballasting and balancing the cargo ship.

Appropriate care should be given to ballast tanks to protect them against corrosion due to sea water.

Bunker Tanks

Bunker tank is where you store lube oils and fuel. They are separated from other parts of ship and located far from areas prone to ignition.

These is due to the fact that the tanks can catch fire easily because of their content.

Duct Keel

Duct keel describes a hollow structure comprising of two solid plates and longitudinal girder welded to create box type structure.

You will often find it in dual hull ships.

The duct keel of ship needs to offer a watertight passage through the length of vessel. It comprises of sounding pipe that helps in leakage detection.

Duct keel is a multi-purpose part of ship that performs functions including providing loads resistance, carrying oil pipes, ballast pipelines, water pipeline, among others.

Ship Cargo Gear

General cargo ships typically have deck cranes or derricks for loading and unloading of cargo without help.

Most cargo tankers dispense cargo using installed pumps and typically carry adequate cargo hose to link to receiving terminals.

Majority of tankers have cranes or derricks to lift the cargo hose.

However, most modern types of cargo ships lack capability to handle their cargoes.

They are able to load and unload the goods only with the assistance of specialized port equipment.

When mounted, ship cargo gear might comprise of traveling aerial gantry crane, rotating cranes, or derricks.

Majority of bulk carrier vessels are gearless though there are some with conveyor systems or derrick grabs for cargo handling.

Ro-Ro vessels load cargo utilizing ramps through bow, side ports, or stern.

However, in the situation of vehicles, train cars, and trailers, part of cargo gear system is vital to cargo itself.

If mounted and operable, the cargo gear part of ship can be of great importance during salvage operation.

Lightering operation is most efficient and cost-effective when carried out using the cargo gear of the ship.

Cranes and derricks installed in general cargo vessels help in loading salvage items and positioning them in their rightful place.

Overhead gantry cranes mounted on deck are specifically helpful for longitudinal shifting of weight for ground reaction, adjust trim or weight distribution.

Moreover, it is possible to shift the cranes for ease of operation.

King Post/Samson Post

It describes a heavy upright post that holds the cargo booms. Samson post sits on Keelson and holds the ship’s deck beams.

Cargo Hold

This is an enclosed area used to hold and store freight container or cargo.

Its position is below the ship deck and features holding capacity spanning from 20 to 200000 tons.

The primary function of this cargo ship part is to retain cargo during transportation.

Hatch Cover

Hatch cover is part of ship that prevents spoilage in cargo storage.

It is instrumental in making storage spaces water- and airtight, thus protecting the cargo from external conditions during voyage.

The hatch cover design changes based on the vessel type. However, it is a requirement to make it fast enough to offer quicker cargo handling operations.

Mast

Mast refers to vertical ship structure installed above bridge of ship and forward of forecastle towards bow of the vessel.

It is part of support platform for derrick and carries necessary equipment like navigation light, radars, and horn in foremast.

Moreover, the main mast of a ship also hoists the flag of vessel.

The material used to make this part of ship is high tensile steel having added rigidity depending on the derricks size it holds.

Bulkheads

These refer to vertical partition walls that subdivide the interior of ship into watertight compartments.

They minimize extent of flooding by water in the event of damage and give extra firmness to hull girder.

There are different types of bulkheads, which can be corrugated or flat including:

• After Peak Bulkhead

Bulkhead type which makes the forward margin of aft peak.

• Collision Bulkhead

This is the foremost primary transverse watertight bulkhead of ship.

It stretches from the hold bottom to forecastle deck or freeboard deck.

Its design enables collision bulkhead to restrain water from forward in the event of collision damage of bow.

• Corrugated Bulkheads

Bulkheads having corrugating plating hence doing away with the necessity for welded stiffeners.

• Engine Room Bulkhead

This refers to transverse bulkhead positioned either directly aft or forward of engine room of a ship.

• Removable/Portable Bulkhead

Steel structure utilized to separate an extended hold into partitioned sections.

• Strength Bulkhead

This type of bulkhead is a ship part that plays a role in the strength of cargo vessel.

• Swash Bulkhead

Transverse or longitudinal non-tight bulkhead fixed inside tank to minimize liquid surge when the ship pitches or rolls.

Consequently, this cargo ship part minimizes the liquid dynamic effect (sloshing forces) on surrounding structure.

A swash plate describes the plate employed for this purpose though not stretching to the tank bottom.

Girders

This describes the hollow or solid longitudinal part of a ship applied in construction of base of the cargo vessel.

There are two main types of girders of ship:

• Center Girders: Located above the keel. This is usually a single continuous piece which you must fasten to the keel using a continuous weld.
• Side girders: Spaced equivalent distances from the keel. They may be continuous or partitioned by floor segments (intercostal girders).

Girders should stretch as far as practical from forward to aft edge of the marine cargo vessel.

Keel

The keel refers to a member or sequence of members extending longitudinally that creates the structural ship base.

It normally corresponds to centerline of the vessel.

It is a key part of ship in giving longitudinal strength and effectively spreads local stresses during dry docking of ship.

The two main types of keels employed in shipbuilding are duct keel and flat keel.

Floors

These parts of ship comprise of cross members mounted at right angle to the girders and keel.

The three main types of ship floor include plate floor, solid floor and open/bracket floor.

Frames

These describe the vertical parts of ship that form the framing of upright part of ship hull.

The spacing and type of frame differ significantly based on construction of ship.

Transverse

Transverse is short form for “transverse stiffeners”, which differ from frames in 2 ways.

Unlike frames, transverses do not stretch to full compartment height.

Moreover, they have lesser thickness and strength in comparison to frames.

Depending on its position, there are three types of transverse consisting of deck transverse, inner bottom transverse and bottom transverse.

Deck Beams

These are transverse parts of ship that link the frames top ends, creating the transverse framing for ship deck.

Deck Girders

These refer to the longitudinal parts that together with the beams form the deck longitudinal framing.

Longitudinals

This is a general terminology for identifying any small longitudinal part of ship that you can use for various purposes.

The term specifically finds use in longitudinal framing.

Hull Plating

The hull plating refers to chain of steel plates that creates the watertight structure of the ship.

There are three key types of hull plating of ship comprising of:

• Deck Platingwhich describes the plate forming the primary ship deck.
• Shell Platingcreates the watertight exterior of the ship. Moreover, it counters vertical shear forces and play a role in longitudinal strength of your ship. The internal reinforcement using shell plating maybe both longitudinal and transverse.
• Bottom Plating are the parts of ship that create the watertight base of the marine vessel.

Both side shell plating and bottom plating comprise of a sequence of curved and flat steel plates butt-welded together.

‘Seams’ represent horizontal welded joints while ‘butts’ refer to vertical welded joints.

Bilge Plating

This ship part refers describes the longitudinal plating instrumental in linking bottom plating to side shell plating

Web Frames

These are oversized ship parts that substitute frame at specific locations on the cargo vessel.

Bracket

A general terminology that describes any part of ship utilized to link two members.

Beam Knee

Bracket found at the edge of deck beams which link the frame and beam to shell plating.

Pillar

Vertical members within a ship that link deck to base of ship, where you mount them between tween decks, particularly around hatches.

Pillars are quite massive and make cargo handling in holds complex.

You find these parts of ship mostly in general cargo ships for intermediate and upper deck support.

Pillars compensate for the strains due to water pressure stresses, dry docking, heavy weights and racking.

Bilge Keel

The main function of bilge keel of a ship is to aid damp the vessel’s rolling motion.

Other comparatively minor benefits of bilge keel are to enhance longitudinal strength and protection of bilge on grounding.

It is important to carefully position it on the ship to prevent extreme drag when the vessel is in motion.

Intercostal

Refers to longitudinal reinforcement part of the base structure of a ship, which binds athwartships floors together.

It is a steel girder employed as centerline intercostal in place of plate keel, stretching from forward of vessel to aft.

The alignment of side intercostal found on both sides of centerline is in appropriate space apart to ensure strength continuity.

Typically, you will have the side intercostal and centerline Centre line interspersed with auxiliary longitudinals.

However, they have smaller depth size and they make lesser strength parts of a ship.

Panting Beams

Athwartships steel members located forward of collision bulkhead, abaft the stem, in forepart of cargo ship.

The function of panting beams is to reinforce side plating of ship within the bow region to minimize in/out plates movement.

The movement of plates is due to increased pressure by sea water depth impacting the hull, as the vessel is pitching.

· Tank Side Bracket

An interlinking plate positioned between the frame and margin plate.

Its role is to reinforce the joint at the bilge turn on the path of double bottom structure.

· Panting Stringers

These describe horizontal steel plates that join the panting plates located at the edges of the ship.

· Tank Tops

The covering deck plates above double bottom structure. You will find them at the base of the cargo vessel’s holds.

They have a protective wood covering, which shields the tanks tops from heavy duty goods landed on them.

Anchoring System

Complete anchoring system of a ship comprises of:

i. Anchor

An anchor comprises of five key parts including:

• Tripping ring
• Shank
• Flute
• Crown
• Stack

A shank represents the fixed stem structure joined with flute by tripping pin going across the shank hole.

Collectively, these connecting framework together with stack form the anchor crowns.

Stack refers to a crossbar that aids in turning the anchor to help fluke go into the ground.

Fluke on the other hand is the anchor part thatdigs deep into water to keep the vessel grounded.

Anchor serves a crucial purpose in maneuvering of ship coupled with aiding in safe docking on high seas and at ports.

Anchor head gives the resistive forces instrumental in keeping the whole vessel in place.

ii. Chain Cable

Offers the weight needed to maintain the anchor horizontal while resting on seafloor or ocean bed.

iii. Chain Locker

This refers to a small section found below the windlass.

It is forward of collision bulkhead beneath main deck securing or storing anchor chain cables.

You store both aft and port anchor chains within the various locker subsections or inside starboard and port chain lockers.

Then, you fasten the chain to top structure or sides of chain locker.

iv. SpurlingPipe

This is a pipe connection to anchor windlass.

v. Hawse Pipe

The primary role of this part of ship is to lead the chain out of deck level to exterior of shell plating.

Hawse pipe construction should be sufficiently large to allow smooth running of chain in addition to providing secure anchor stowage.

vi. Anchor Lashing

The function of this part of anchor system of ship is to tightly fasten anchor if in stowed position.

vii. Windlass System

Anchor windlass assembly refers to mechanical device that assists in lowering and raising the anchor from the seafloor or ocean bed.

It incorporates a pulley system applied in moving massive weights in horizontal or vertical direction.

The key components of anchor windlass system of a ship include:

• Drum (storage)
• Drum (wrapping)
• Dog clutch
• Shaft
• Manual brake wheel
• Clutch lever
• Hydraulic brake
• Gypsy wheel
• Cable
• Gear
• Winch reel
• Anchor chain
• Control pedestrian
• Chain stopper
• Speed lever
• Riding powel
• Electric motor

Materials for Making Parts of Ship

The commonly used material for making cargo ship parts consist of:

Steel

This an exceptionally versatile shipbuilding material used extensively to make integral framework and parts of ship.

Steel is the most popular ship construction material due to its outstanding mechanical features and low cost.

However, weight of steel is one main disadvantage of using steel in shipbuilding.

For ship hull construction, you should use mild steel consisting of 0.15 to 0.23 percent carbon, and considerably high manganese content.

It is essential to keep phosphorus and sulfur contents in mild steel to a minimum (lower than 0.05 percent).

This because high phosphorus and sulfur contents affect the welding characteristics of the steel.

Moreover, cracks and the like may form easily during process of rolling when the steel has high sulfur content.

High Tensile Steels having higher strength compared to mild steel find application in more stressed locations of cargo ships.

Further, larger tankers normally use them for the bottom and deck regions.

This type of steel reduces scantlings of the ship structural parts, making it beneficial for both owner and shipbuilder.

Some of the key parts of ship made using steel comprise of:

• Main deck plating
• Bottom plating
• Thickness stringer plate
• Keel
• Sheer strake
• Longitudinal bulkheads upper strake
• Rounded gunwales
• Deck strake in the way of the longitudinal bulkheads
• Bilge strake

You can fabricate crosstrees, mast tables among other ship parts using welded steel sections and plates.

As a general rule, derrick booms consist of welded seamless tubular steel length.

Aluminum Alloys

The three main advantages of Aluminum alloys in fabrication of parts of ship over mild steel include:

i. Aluminum is lighter in comparison to mild steel and using it can save you about 60 percent of steel structure weight. For cargo ships, this is an important benefit for raising cargo carrying capacity of the vessel.

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Freight forwarder refers to a company or individual that conducts services of receiving goods and shipping them on behalf of other companies or individuals.

The purpose of this guide is to elaborate the various functions, types, benefits, and responsibilities of freight forwarders, among other features.

It will grant you a clear understanding of when you want to do business with freight forwarders.

Responsibility of Freight Forwarder when Shipping from China

Responsibilities of Freight Forwarder when Shipping from China include:

• The freight forwarder’s primary responsibility is to plan for cargo movement from China to its destination point.
• Freight forwarders prepare and process import documents required for international freight forwarding.
• They are responsible for coordinating communication with the companies participating in the international freight forwarding process.
• Reviewing and making documentation ready such as commercial invoice and bills of lading.

Responsibilities of Freight Forwarder Specified by International Conventions include:

• Providing CMR insurance that will cover the entire transportation period.
• Notifying the parties involved before the transportation process commences.
• When forwarding dangerous cargo, it is important for freight forwarders to comply with the provisions of ADR convention.
• They should comply with requirements for transport of goods that are oversized in locations through which their forwarding services are located.
• Making price quotations ready.
• Giving information about freight prices, cost of exceptional documents charges at the port, insurance, and cost of handling goods.
• Advising on the best packaging for goods, which will ensure that they are not damaged in transit.

Responsibilities of Freight Forwarder in International Road Freight Forwarding using Automobile Transport Include:

• Providing valid insurance for the vehicles to be used in transportation
• Planning for efficient transportation with their trucks or subcontractors’ vehicles.
• Paying road tolls and providing all necessary licensing authorization.
• Ensuring that the appropriate transportation means with adequate load capacity is used.
• Giving information daily regarding the vehicle’s location using the latest technology in location systems.
• Appropriate and swift notice if there is any deviation from the route and if you should incur any cost.

Responsibilities of Freight Forwarder Regarding Loading and Unloading include:

• Provision of written notification about the expected date that the cargo will reach its destination. This information should be not later than a day before the arrival day of the shipment.
• Compliance with the timeline for loading and unloading.

Responsibilities of a Freight Forwarder for Claims for Incurred Damages include:

• Giving information and documents certifying the compliance to deadlines.
• Presentation of information that states adherence to the timelines of transportation of the cargo.

How Freight Forwarder compare to Customs Broker

• Freight forwarder refers to a company that conducts services of receiving goods and shipping them on behalf of other companies.

They are experts in the supply chain, and they concentrate on the logistics process and transportation of cargo.

• On the other hand, a Customs broker is a private individual, corporation, or association regulated, licensed, and regulated by the government to assist importers and exporters meet government requirements.
• Freight forwarder term is wide-ranging, whereas a custom broker in particular.
• Many freight forwarders can easily carry out custom brokers’ functions, but not every custom broker can carry out freight forwarders’ tasks.
• In an export transaction, custom brokers only focus on the import side, whereas freight forwarder focuses on both the import and export sides.
• Freight forwarders of an exporter can work in conjunction with a customs broker to facilitate issues within an export transaction.

Difference between China Sourcing Agent and China Freight Forwarder

• Freight forwarder refers to a company or person that plans and organizes for shipment for individuals or companies to a final destination.

The China sourcing agent acts as a go-between you and the manufacturer when you have no time to visit China to meet with the suppliers on your own.

• A freight forwarder’s primary purpose to their clients is to organize cargo from the manufacturer to the final destination.

Sourcing agents’ primary objective is to assist clients with locating sources and manufacturers in china.

• Sourcing agents require knowledge of the Chinese language to transact on their client’s behalf with the manufacturers.

On the other hand, freight forwarders do not necessarily require multiple language know-how as their primary purpose is cargo transportation.

• Freight forwarders enter a contact, mostly long-term, with the client, while sourcing agents are legal entities in China.
• A sourcing agent in China is well informed on the business environment, including the purchasing cost, quality, and delivery time.

A freight forwarder is well-versed in the logistics process and will help you ship your products with so much ease to your specified destination.

• Using freight forwarders will enable you to focus on your business as they take care of complex transport and customs procedures.

Specialization of sourcing agents in your trading area may help you plan to expand or launch new products.

How Freight Forwarders Work

Freight forwarders organize and facilitate goods’ shipment to the destination using either railway freight, freight air, or ocean freight.

It is essential to have all the necessary information about freight forwarders if you participate in international business to avoid being intimidated.

They work with several transportation services and manage documentation used in the import and export process.

Freight forwarders help clients receive effective and efficient transportation services by acting as middlemen.

It is essential to choose a well-established freight forwarder who is reliable.

Such freight forwarders have experience and larger network for seamless shipping process.

Experienced freight forwarders are also able to solve challenges that might be encountered in the logistics process.

You should ensure that the documents for transporting the cargo are completed before entrusting your shipment to a freight forwarder.

Popular Types of Freight Forwarding Services

Some of the popular freight forwarding services include:

• Customs clearance
• Supplying cargo Insurance
• Packing
• International export and import documentation
• Inventory management
• Storage
• Consolidating freight
• Warehousing

Benefits of Working with Freight Forwarder when Importing from China

Some of the benefits of working with freight forwarder include:

• Have a thorough knowledge of cargo movement over the border, and will ensure efficiency.
• Experienced in all modes of transport; therefore, they can choose an appropriate model that suits the client’s cargo.
• Technology versed freight forwarders can provide you with instant quotes.
• Able to use their contract to book cargo with the shipping line as per your requirement.
• They enable you to focus on your business as they take care of complex transport and customs procedures.
• Freight forwarders will help you move the shipment from China to your location in a smooth manner.
• Freight forwarders’ expertise in China’s logistics process will enable them to easily contract airlines, shipping lines, and haulers on your behalf and negotiate freight rates.
• Cargo passage through the series of processes and regulations required by different countries will be easier for you when you use freight forwarders.
• Freight forwarders will effectively meet handling unprojected objects like delayed goods.
• Ensuring that your shipment is insured from loss or damage as they supply insurance.
• They leverage their buying power to reduce transport costs.
• Cost savings: they can negotiate costs due to the large number of containers shipped each day.
• Contract free: freight forwarders do not work with binding agreements. Thus, they have the freedom to deal with anyone they want.
• Saving you money by ensuring the goods arrive at your specific destinations.
• Assistance in packaging, warehouse customs, and any other shipping requirements.
• All big freight forwarders, in most cases, have their warehouses where they can arrange storage of customer’s cargo.

Depending on the region where you’re shipping good from, here is a List of all International Freight Forwarders.

But when it comes to shipping from China, Tj chinafreight is your trusted freight forwarder.

Certifications required to be a Freight Forwarder in China

Freight forwarders require operating within specific legalities, standards, and regulations.

Some of the certifications needed to be a freight forwarder in China include:

Authorized Economic Operator (AEO)

AEO has point missions for international trade, which include:

• Ensuring a basis for legitimate trade.
• Reinforcement of safety and security.
• Standardization of the applications of custom controls.
• Provision of an electronic environment.

AEO ensures that freight forwarders are bound by anti-smuggling measures and measures to prevent terrorist threats and people trafficking.

When a freight forwarder has an AEO status, they portray to clients that they are trustworthy and reliable.

ISO 90001:2015

Continuous business improvement and being at the peak of meeting ISO 9001:2015 enables freight forwarders to attract potential partners.

This certification will ensure the following factors:

• Continuous improvement: freight forwarder’s business partners are assured that they are working with a proactive partner.
• Leadership: the freight forwarder’s management strives to meet their standards and set new ones to be achieved.
• Integrated approach: this part of ISO 9001:2015 standard ensures that management systems are well integrated to contribute to a responsive and streamlined business.
• Management of both risk and opportunity: opportunities need to be found and developed and weak areas identified, and solutions created.

Dangerous Goods Certificate

It makes the freight forwarder able to ship dangerous or hazardous goods as they are well educated on how to handle them.

Several hazardous goods can be highly reactive when they meet factors such as water, air, or other types of reagents.

Holding this kind of certification will open new opportunities to the freight forwarder when trading conditions are harsh.

How to Ship Imports from China using Freight Forwarder

Shipping imports from china using a freight forwarder entails the following process:

1) Importer Requests Quotes and Orders the Goods

First in line is when the importer places an order for the supplier’s goods.

The buyer requests suppliers for a quote, which in most cases is accompanied by a proforma invoice.

A proforma invoice provides an estimate, but this can be subject to change.

Once the quote has been approved, the buyer can place a purchase order.

A contract that states the details of the agreement, projected shipping date, points of origin and destination, and the goods’ prices is known as a purchase order.

2) Agreeing on Shipping Incoterms

After a purchase order is made to the goods’ supplier, the agreement should be governed by many incoterms.

The buyer and supplier, at this point, go ahead and put in place incoterms which are most appropriate to the transaction to be made.

The incoterms determine which of the contract parties should engage a freight forwarder in the shipping process’s specific stages.

EXW terms, which are the most used, state that the importer will be responsible for all the shipping process steps.

3) Engaging a Freight Forwarder

After a purchase order has been made and incoterm selected, the importer then identifies and arranges for a freight forwarder.

They will help to ship the goods from the point of origin to the end of destination.

4) Freight forwarder Arranges Export

After identifying a freight forwarder, they will arrange to collect goods by contacting the relevant supplier and planning to export the importer’s goods.

The process will entail preparing several critical documents required in the entire shipping process for customs purposes.

Some of the documents that the supplier will need to prepare to include:

• Packing list
• Certificate of origin
• Shipper’s letter of instruction
• Packing declaration
• Manufacturer’s declaration
• Dangerous goods form

Some of the documents that the seller will be required to prepare to include:

• Export declaration
• Permit to export or import prohibited goods
• Import declaration

5) Booking of Freight

As soon as all shipping documentation is ready, the freight forwarder books for export shipment.

Booking of freight should be made very early to avoid disappointing the importer, especially during peak seasons for shipping.

6) Goods to Travel to International Port or Depot

When the cargo is ready and well packed for shipment, the freight forwarder will organize for it to be transported to a depot or port where it should be shipped.

7) Goods Processed through Export Customs Clearance and Placed in Transit

Before the goods are dispatched from the port or depot, the freight forwarder processes them through custom clearance.

The documentation required by governing agencies is verified to ascertain that the goods being shipped comply with regulations and standards.

8) Goods Arrive in the Importer’s Country for Import Clearance

The importer’s goods undergo custom clearance once they reach their country destination.

9) Goods are Transported from the Port to the Buyer.

After the goods undergo custom clearance, the freight forwarder will organize them to be delivered to the final destination.

Difference between Freight Forwarding and Logistics

Freight forwarders organize and facilitate goods’ shipment to the final destination by using either railway freight, freight air, or ocean freight.

On the other hand, logistics companies are responsible for taking care of the physical movement of goods in the supply chain.

Freight forwarders have a lot of knowledge and experience concerning the shipment of goods, unlike logistics companies.

Freight forwarding companies have a partnership with several logistics companies, but they do not possess assets themselves.

On the other hand, logistics companies own all the assets such as fleets of trucks, planes, or boats.

Freight forwarders have access to all shipping routes and can organize for shipment across borders efficiently.

On the other hand, most logistics companies only possess transport modes but lack access to shipping routes.

How NVOCC Services compare to Freight Forwarding Services

Non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) refers to a company that plans shipment for either corporations or individuals.

That is, they obtain goods from manufacturers to a final point of delivery, market, or customer.

NVOCC agree with shipping lines shipment of a given number of containers each year and sign a contract.

They help individuals and corporations cut on sales, staffing, and transportation costs.

Some of the differences between NVOCC and freight forwarding services include:

• Shipping documentation: freight forwarders give their Bill of lading, which is dependent on standardized documentation provided.

The Bill of lading supplied by NVOCC may not be dependent on any global standard.

• Containers: freight forwarders do not own most equipment used in the shipment of products, while NVOCC has and operates their containers’ fleet.
• Specific role: freight forwarders act as agents to their clients while NVOCC acts as middles men to their clients as they fulfill most of the work for them.

Cost of using Freight Forwarders in China

Before giving their shipping quotation, freight forwarders require the following information:

• Total cargo volume.
• Port of loading.
• Supplier incoterm.
• Total weight.
• Port of destination.
• Delivery incoterm.

The final cost you will pay a freight forwarder is determined after the manufacturing and packaging of the products.

At times, you can an estimate of the total cost.

Shipping cost estimates by freight forwarder will be based on the various stages of the shipping process, as shown below:

• Factory to port transportation: the cost of transporting an FCL 20’’ container ranges between $ 50 to $ 480 depending on the distance to be covered.
• China export clearance: export clearance documents that should be obtained by a freight forwarder range between $ 100 to $ 300.
• Freight cost depends on the location, weight destination, and cargo volume, and the price ranges between $ 30 to $ 40 per cubic meter.
• Insurance: most freight forwarders use an insurance rate of 0.2% * 1.1* cargo value.
• Port of destination charges: port charges range between $ 100 to $ 450.

The quotation offered by freight forwarders tends to be complicated and challenging to denote for someone not experienced in the logistics field.

The quote tends to be something like this:

• CFS charges: $69.30
• ENS fee exempt: $30.00
• Origin documentation fee: $30.00
• Re-weighting and VGM sending fee LCL: $15.00
• Freight: $277.20
• Export customs clearance fee: $23.00
• Destination other charges: $590.62
• Cargo insurance: $63.15

It is important to note that the freight cost is the only one which many consider.

Requesting a total DAP or DDU price based on weight, volume, the port of loading, the port of destination, and the final address point will minimize costs.

Freight Forwarding Documents need to Ship from China.

Before your shipment from China can reach your destination, you need to file proper documentation to the relevant authorities adequately.

Freight forwarding agents will help you achieve the required documentation.

But it’s essential you know what is needed.

Keeping track of your freight forwarding documentation will limit encountering a lot of mishaps along the way.

The purpose of freight forwarding documents when shipping from China includes:

• Identifies the goods you want to ship.
• Act as proof of ownership of goods.
• Allows you to prepare accordingly.
• They are documentary evidence for claiming compensation.
• Confirms the delivery of goods in perfect condition.
• Respects the contract of carriage.

Some of the main elements of freight forwarding documents include:

• Date of issue.
• Description of merchandise.
• Volume and weight of cargo.
• Payment terms.
• Corresponding signatures.
• Notices of the shipping duration.

The following are some of the essential documents required in shipping from China:

Commercial Invoice

It is a formal note for payment and is used in customs to declare that the goods are exported across international borders.

The exporter prepares this invoice.

Some sellers might want to pay fewer taxes to escape some formalities.

If the commercial invoice is checked carefully, and this is established, might your goods be withheld, and you may suffer losses.

Information contained in the commercial invoice includes:

• Description of goods.
• Tax identification numbers of both seller and buyer and their information.
• HS code.
• Currency to be used.
• Exportation date.
• The number of bills of lading.
• Instructions for payment.
• The destination of the goods.
• Delivery terms.

Bill of Lading (B/L, BOL)

The Bill of landing is a document that will give you details of a shipment of merchandise.

It states the goods’ title and requires the freight forwarder to release the cargo in a specified port.

The Bill of landing is issued to you by the shipping company, and you can use it as proof of shipment for insurance companies and customs.

You can also deliver it to the bank as proof so that the seller can execute the letter of credit.

This document can also be sent to you as the buyer to pay off the contract.

The various types of lading documents include:

• Inland bill of lading
• Ocean bill of lading
• Airway bill of lading

Packing List

A shipping company issued a packing list that will show you all goods shipped and the packing information.

The importance of a shipping list in the shipping process includes:

• It informs all the parties involved in the importation process about the contents of the baggage.
• When the buyer confirms the number of goods received, it can be used as a guide.
• The packing list is essential in booking space for shipping goods with international carriers.
• The details in the packing list make it possible to obtain a certificate of origin.
• Serves as proof for an inland bill of lading.

Information provided in the packing list includes:

• Each package’s quantity.
• The number of commercial invoices.
• A detailed description of each package.
• Delivery destination.
• Contact address of the Consignee.
• Details and contact of the shipper.

Pro Forma Invoice

Proforma invoice gives you all the essential information about the shipment: how many goods are shipped, the features and dimensions of the goods.

This invoice also contains the final pricing of the goods, which helps you make the final purchasing decision.

A Proforma invoice is not a valid invoice but is viewed as a legally binding agreement.

The exporter of the goods prepares it.

Certificate of Origin

The certificate of origin will help you prove that the goods in the shipment have been wholly obtained, produced, manufactured, or processed in a particular country.

This document is provided to you by the exporter.

Situations that you may need the certificate of origin include:

• When an importer needs it
• During the shipping process, when customs order it.
• To meet the country’s requirements.

Information that must be stated in a certificate of origin include:

• Mode of transport
• HS code about customs declaration.
• Exporter details.
• Number, quantity, and the packages type.
• The number of the certificate.
• Invoice number and date.

There are two types of certificates of origin, namely:

• A non-preferential certificate of origin specifies where they processed the goods, but the goods do not qualify for exceptional treatment.
• Preferential certificate of origin: this will state the manufactured goods’ location with some trade agreement with your country.

For example, when you are trading within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Import/Export Declaration

Import/ Export declaration is a document prepared by either you or the exporter, and you will be required to submit it to the customs office.

The form of this declaration will be different depending on the requirements of a particular customs office.

You may find the samples online for your perusal.

CE Certificate

CE certificate helps you prove that the goods are compliant with EU laws and directives, usually concerning health and safety.

This certificate is obtained by notified bodies, which you can access online.

You must note that you will not require this document in every case as sometimes the manufacturer of the goods can self-certify them.

In other cases, you may require an independent quality checking procedure.

Certificate of Manufacture

Certificate of manufacture is a document used by the exporter to communicate to the buyer the goods are ready for ordering.

Besides, it also indicates that the goods are of the right quality and adhere to required standards.

Information contained in the certificate of manufacture includes:

• Product name.
• The date on which the manufacturer got the product.
• Name and signature of the inspector of quality control.
• Quality and quantity of goods.
• Batch number.
• Output number.
• Amount charged on the product and applicable duty.
• Date of signing.

Inspection Certificate

An inspection certificate is an essential requirement when shipping goods of high value as it proves that they are of good quality as specified.

Some of the benefits of getting an inspection certificate include:

• It gives assurance about the quality of the goods to be shipped.
• Provides evidence through a third party. And under the letter of the credit transaction.

Goods Insurance Certificate

Goods insurance certificate provides information on:

• Policy number.
• Premium amounts.
• Liability of the freight forwarder to third parties
• Contact information of the settlement agents
• Validity period.
• Coverage limit.
• Circumstances for compensation.
• Shipping information.
• Details of the policyholder.
• The process to follow in case of a loss.

Dangerous Goods Certificate

This is a certificate used for goods that might be a risk to the health, safety, and environment.

It must be completed and signed by well trained and experienced personnel.

Role of 3PLs in Freight Forwarding

3PL (third party logistics) refers to a company that allows you to outsource logistics functions from warehousing up to delivery and grants you the chance to focus on other parts of the business.

Some of the logistics services covered by 3PL include:

• Transportation
• Warehousing
• Picking
• Packing
• Inventory forecasting.
• Order fulfillment.
• Freight forwarding.

The role of 3PL in freight forwarding entails:

• 3PL oversees all the client’s logistics operations and supply chain.
• They assist in picking, managing inventory, packing, order management, processing and reporting, distribution, shipping, and return logistics.
• Ensuring domestic and international transport.
• Warehousing of cargo.
• Customer brokerage.

How to Find Reliable Freight Forwarder in China

Finding a reliable freight forwarder is very important in the overall process.

The following steps are essential in obtaining a reliable freight forwarder:

Knowing the Type of Freight Forwarder, you need

Freight forwarders function in different categories, and so the first essential step is finding one that is suited for your kind of business.

Choosing the right type of freight forwarder will depend on:

• The type of goods that you require.
• Transportation requirements.
• Mandatory handling requirements if the goods are delicate.
• Storage requirements.

Based on the above requirements, you can choose the most suitable freight forwarder.

For example, global freight forwarder, low-cost freight forwarder, and consultative freight forwarder.

Evaluating the Forwarders Location

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Factory audit refers to a standardized process that is put in place by quality managers.

It establishes if a supplier conforms to the company’s required standards in providing services and products of high quality.

The purpose of this guide is to give you a clear understanding of how a factory audit works and the importance of a factory audit.

It also involves various factors surrounding factory audit processes and types of factory audits.

How Factory Audit Works

The last step in selecting a supplier is approving the factory where production will take.

The aim of a factory audit is to ensure that the factory audited can manufacture or produce quality products in the right quantities and at the right time.

It is important to ensure that the factory audits are done regularly.

This ensures that the factory gets to improve its systems over time.

The way a factory audit works includes:

• Identification: search potential suppliers on directories and trade shows.
• Screening by questionnaire: down to a shortlist of about three to five candidates.
• We are conducting background checks and in-depth audits through screening by verification.
• Documents verification: once screening has been done, the auditor conducts a verification on financial information, the factory’s official licenses, and certifications.

The auditors also look for evidence of similar orders the factory had fulfilled earlier.

• Observation of the production area: it involves the definition of the factory’s product specialization and how the production line works.

It also involves a checklist on the factory’s facilities, human resources, machinery and production line.

• Verification of the quality system: this process involves comparing the factory’s’ quality system with the ISO9001 certification.

Activities such as materials usage, product processing, and final goods are also verified.

• Social compliance issues: evaluation of issues such as employees’ working conditions, fair wages, overtime, living conditions, environmental impacts among other issues of concern.
• Report preparation: finally, a report based on observations and subjective evaluation is prepared by the auditor.

Types of Factory Audits

Some of the common types of factory audits used include:

1. Manufacturing Audit

This type of factory audit aims to establish if a supplier can produce a product that conforms to your company’s specifications.

The supplier should take care of costly disruptions and prevent further cost interferences upon commencement of the production process.

Some of the benefits of manufacturing audit include:

• It gives assurance that the manufacturing facilities of your supplier are capable of meeting your product demands.
• Ensures alignment between supplier policies and your company’s policies leading to improved business.
• Identifies and controls potential risks in quality, operation, or ethics.
• Affirms on how the factory’s management is competent.

2. Ethical Audit

They help ensure continuous review on social accountability due to the increased pressure on companies being socially accountable.

It ensures that appropriate working conditions are being provided to both internal and external personnel.

Some of the benefits of the ethical audit include:

• Ensures human rights prices and fair working conditions.
• Assists in determining compliance with statutory requirements.
• Through the ethical audit, unauthorized subcontracting is prevented.
• Grants understanding of ethical compliance.
• You can build a cooperative relationship with suppliers.
• The brand image of your company will be improved, leading to customer loyalty.

3. Structural Audit

It is designed to assess the safety and integrity of your supplier’s premises, fire safety measures, codes, and conditions relevant, and structural integrity.

Some of the advantages of the structural audit include:

• Enhances safety working conditions.
• Protects employees’ health from danger.
• Reputation and brand image is maintained.
• Supply chain interruptions are prevented.
• Reviews and assures compliance with statutory requirements.

4. Environmental Audit

It helps to evaluate compliance with local regulations and laws by monitoring your supply chain’s environmental impact and improving it continuously.

Some of the benefits of the environmental audit include:

• Assurance that the company’s regulations compliance and international principles are being followed to the latter.
• Improvement of environmental performance.
• Able to get a clear frame of suppliers’ environmental impacts by combining audit reports with lab tests.
• Verifies conformity to international and local regulations for the protection of the environment.

5. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Audit

C-TPAT main focus is the improvement of security concerning terrorism of private organizations in supply chains.

Some of the benefits of C-TPAT include:

• Reinforces security in the supply chain.
• Ensures integrity of security activities.
• Verifies compliance with security practices.
• Improves border security.

6. Food Supplier Audit

This is a factory audit for food suppliers aimed at assessing manufacturing processes and food hygiene.

The main aim is to ensure food suppliers meet appropriate standards.

Some of the benefits of a food supplier audit include:

• Shows commitment to the safety of food.
• Increases the confidence of consumers.
• Improves the efficiency of operations.
• Ensures adherence to government requirements.

Purpose of Factory Audit

The purpose of the factory audit includes but not limited to:

• Verification of total capacities of production, manufacturing, technical capability, export experience, and quality management systems.
• Provision of all relevant information.
• Conducting a review of the factory’s certificates and qualifications.
• Reviewing product quality and certificates.
• Surveying various areas of the factory, such as cleanliness, facilities, workshop, and environment.
• Assessment of factory personnel in skill level, number of workers in the production process, and management.
• Assessment of factory machinery and equipment capability by looking at type, condition, quantity, and maintenance records.
• Checking of previous records of capabilities and production.
• Assessment of quality plans and records.

Basic Principles of Factory Auditing

Basic principles of factory auditing include:

• Planning: an auditor should organize himself to complete their work on time and in the desired quality.
• Honesty: an auditor should be free from any interest and should perform duties without biasness.
• Secrecy: the information acquired during the audit is kept private and not share with a third party without the client’s consent.
• Audit evidence: compliance and substantive procedures for collecting evidence should be adhered to by an auditor.
• Internal control systems: companies should ensure that they put in place adequate control systems as this will determine the duration and nature of the audit conducted.
• Skill and competence: You should conduct factory audits with trained expertise, and you should educate audit staff on auditing and legal issues.
• Others do work: an auditor has permission to rely on others’ work but should exercise due diligence during referencing.
• Working papers: an auditor should prepare and store well all paperwork obtained during the audit process.
• Legal framework: You should run all businesses following rules and regulations set in place by the legal framework.
• Audit report: an auditor has permission to speak their mind on a company’s financial statements.

Process of Auditing a Factory

The process of auditing a factory entails the following steps:

• Selection of audit type: it is essential to select the specific type of audit you want to use to meet your particular objectives.
• List tasks and perform audit: depending on the audit that you need, you will require to accurately measure a given area’s performance and effectiveness by completing specific tasks.
• Record findings in the audit report: you should have your auditors prepare a piece of comprehensive information once the whole process is complete.

It is essential to review each piece of information and discuss the listed issues in a meeting.

• Determine and conduct corrective action: use the reports obtained; you should determine disciplinary actions that could fix the listed issues of the company and sort it out.
• Schedule a follow-up audit: if, after corrective action, there are no further arising issues, you may close the audit.

If there are emerging additional matters, you may organize and schedule a follow-up audit.

How Factory Audits to Improve the Efficiency of Operations

By objectively conducting a review of your company’s policies and procedures, factory audits grant assurance that you perform what is required.

These processes are essential in reducing your risks.

By continuously monitoring and analyzing your processes, factory audits help identify ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

It allows your company to be independent in practices and not depend on other people.

Benefits of Factory Audit

Some of the benefits of factory audit include:

• Promote best practices for controls.
• Business improvements.
• Determines the adequacy of internal controls.
• Ensures a company’s compliance with policies and regulations in place.
• Provides objective insight.
• Identifies inefficiencies in operation and waste.
• Assesses responsible and efficient use of resources.
• Helps in the identification of potential cost-saving strategies.
• Assists the management in handling cross-functional and complex issues.
• Factory audit detects and prevents fraud.
• It is a basis for better planning and budgeting in an organization.

Different Types of Factory Auditor Opinions

An auditor opinion report refers to a letter that auditors attach to the final audit report that shows their opinion concerning the audit.

Audit opinions include:

• Unqualified opinion-clean report: it is the most often type of opinion given by auditors and indicates the auditor’s satisfaction with the company’s system.

The clean report comments are not adverse, and it does not provide any disclaimers on the audit process or clauses.

• Qualified opinion: it is issued when the auditor lacks confidence about some specific processes or transactions conducted by the company.

The most common reason for unqualified opinion is when the company fails to present its records with GAAP.

• Disclaimer opinion: it is issued if an auditor is distancing from giving any opinion concerning financial statements.

The most common reason for this is when an auditor feels like limitations for conducting a thorough audit were made by the company.

• Adverse opinion: it is offered if an auditor was not satisfied with the financial statements.

An adverse report is a clear indication that a company may have potential fraud and gross misstatements.

Using the ISO 9001 Audit Checklist to Conduct a Factory Audit

ISO 9001 audit refers to an objective process that is documented and systematic and is used to gather facts.

ISO 9001 audit checklist is an essential element in planning for an audit and is a requirement under ISO 9001 standards.

It comprises a series of questions obtained from quality management system standard requirements and any other company processes.

The checklist is created as part of the factory audit preparation and reviewed by the auditor using ISO 9001 requirements and process documentation stated by the company.

The inventory should adapt to the organization’s process.

The ISO 9001 clause for management states that management review should include:

• Information provided on audit results.
• Feedback from the customer.
• Product conformity.
• Process performance.
• Follow up actions done from previous reviews by management.
• Changes that could have an impact on the management system.
• Recommendations for improvement.

Using the ISO 9001 checklist to audit, auditors will base on the index provided to assess for evidence ascertaining that the process being audited conforms to its requirements.

It is also essential to use the ISO 9001 standard in situations where documentation is not available.

It should be conducted by basing the main focus on process inputs, outputs, suppliers, steps, and customers.

This is to ascertain that employees consistently understand them using the process available.

Another goal of using ISO 9001 is to analyze the entire process and confirm that the records available show that it meets its requirements.

Steps of Performing a Factory Audit

The steps of performing an audit include:

• I am receiving a vague factory audit assignment.
• Gathering information about a factory audit subject.
• Determination of factory audit criteria.
• Identification of inherent risks.
• Redefining of factory audit objectives and sub-objectives.
• Identification of controls and assessment of control risk.
• Choosing of methodologies.
• Budgeting of each methodology.
• Formalizing of the factory audit program
• Performing and documentation of factory audit methodologies.
• Conclusion of the entire factory audit process.
• Drafting of findings.
• Presenting a finalized report.

Tips for Passing Compliance Factory Audits

To pass a compliance factory audit, the following are a few tips companies can use:

• Carry out an internal factory audit using internal auditors.
• Ensure that all the factory employees observe compliance issues for accountability purposes.
• Ensure that you keep the previous audit reports and compliance certificates.
• Monitor the factory’s information systems and ensure compliance.
• Ensure that all the security protocols are followed to the later and upgrade them regularly.
• Always keep up with the latest regulation in the industry.
• Ensure that employee training on security, safety, and compliance policies is consistent and regular.
• Keep the factory’s documentation updated and within reach.

Difference between a Factory Audit and an Inspection

Some of the differences between factory audit and inspection include:

• Factory audits focus on what should be done, while inspections focus on why you should do it.
• A factory audit is a process, while inspection focuses on the action to be implemented.
• Factory audits are qualitative as they explore numerous complexities, while inspections are quantitative.
• Factory audits entail following a complicated process, while the inspections process is simple.
• Factory audits create recommendations to be reviewed while inspections make actions that are straight forward.

How to Prepare for a Factory Audit

Companies may prepare for a factory audit in the following way:

• Establishing a quality management system for the product manufactured.
• Preparation of documents to be checked on site.
• Conducting an internal audit.
• Management review of internal audit.
• Initiation of corrective actions.
• Addressing identified gaps.

Shortcomings of Factory Audits

Some of the shortcomings of factory audits include:

• Factory audits may not account for subsequent changes in practices.
• If they are poorly done, they can significantly affect companies that lack the intention of changing their practices.

Difference between Internal Factory Audit and External Factory Audit

While internal and external factory audit functions complement each other and need to work closely, they differ in focus areas.

They don’t conflict or compete, but they serve in achieving effective governance.

Some of the differences between the internal factory audit and external factory audit include:

• Internal factory audit analyzes and improves the controls and performance of an organization.

External factory audit considers compliance controls and finances and evaluates the risk and control landscape measures for strategy performance.

• Internal factory audit assesses organizational health and establishes practices supporting strategic objectives and risks that might impact goals.

External factory audit pays attention to whether the accounts of an organization present its financial performance accurately.

• An internal factory audit is ongoing and preventive and gives management suggestions and covers all risks and control processes.

External factory audit takes place annually or at least once every five years.

• Internal factory audit’s primary audience is the senior management, the board of directors, the audience committee, and other groups.

External factory audit’s audience comprises shareholders, investors, company members, customers, or regulators who are not part of the internal governance.

• Internal factory auditors may originate from a variety of academic backgrounds or professions.

External factory auditors are either government employees for compliance audits, certified accountants for financial audits, or compliance professionals.

Items Investigated during a Factory Audit.

Some of the items that will be inspected during a factory audit include:

• Survey of the factory profile. It includes personnel, equipment, certifications, organization structure, and facilities.
• Analyzing the production process and its capacity.
• Checking process control and quality assurance.
• Previous production records and company capabilities.
• Taking pictures of every aspect that portrays the “feeling” of the factory.

Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS)

GAAS refers to systematic guidelines used by auditors during the process of auditing a company.

GAAS serves as the basis for measuring the quality of audits conducted.

Importance of GAAS in a factory audit includes:

• They help ensure accuracy.
• Form a basis for consistency.
• Assist in verifying auditor’s actions and reports provided.

Some of the requirements for GAAS include:

• The auditor should have enough technical training and expertise to carry out the audit.
• An auditor should collect and understand all the company’s information to design an audit procedure that suits.
• The auditor must obtain sufficient, appropriate audit evidence through performing audit procedures.
• You must state a statement of financial statements’ availability as it is a requirement with generally accepted accounting principles.
• In any case, the principles have not been observed sufficiently; the auditor must identify such circumstances in the final report.
• Auditors’ reports should highlight scenarios where there is an insufficient informative disclosure in financial statements.

Factory Audit of Social Responsibility

Consistent news of corporate corruption has resulted in companies paying more attention to putting in place policies that reflect corporate social responsibility.

It has resulted in companies establishing a checklist to ensure that what they do is in line with excellent business etiquette standards.

The corporate social responsibility implemented by companies comprises of:

• Strategy and vision: comprise all aspects of an organization’s vision statements and strategic goals.
• One should always bring ac
• countability and oversight: destructive behaviors in the organization into administration and leaders held accountable for their practices.
• Risk identification: helps companies in determination of the level of risk encountered and measures to curb it.

Cost of Factory Audit in China

The factory audit price in China is about $199 per factory, all-inclusive.

Key Elements to Assess when Conducting a Factory Audit

You can use a Factory audit to assess your current providers and choose the best suppliers for business.

The key elements you should focus on when evaluating your supplier include:

• Productivity: the right supplier should always deliver on time.

It can be ascertained by evaluating the supplier’s production process, manufacturing equipment, machines, and workflows.

• Quality control: ascertain that your supplier provides your products’ desired quality by measuring their existing quality management systems.

A sound quality management system should have monitoring measures for helping in continuous improvement.

• Regulatory compliance: ensure that your supplier is compliant with the business requirement and have the necessary documentation to avoid putting your company at risk.

Ways in which you can Conduct Factory Audits

Factory audits in the following ways:

• On-site factory audits are conducted in full days, and the number of days will be determined by factors like complexity, risk, size, and the company’s nature.
• Small factory audits: this may be conducted through teleconferencing, web meetings, or by an electronic process of verification.
• In this way, self-factory audits can be requested by interested parties like customers to ascertain that you are meeting your requirements.

Factory Audit of Security

It is security measures put in place by governments and customs organizations.

The main aim of factory audits of security is to secure trade, protect against terrorist acts, and stop illegal trafficking.

Some of the benefits of factory audit of security include:

• Assists importers and suppliers to put together efforts through collaboration and the same industry platform
• Provides sufficient room for collecting information, analyzing data, and reporting to allow room for making an informed decision.
• It reduces audit fatigue.
• Enhances efficiency of the entire audit process.

Responsibilities of Factory Auditors

Some responsibilities of factory auditors include:

• Provision of an audit report: giving an audit report that reflects the accurate picture of financial statements and company affairs is the auditor’s primary responsibility.
• Reporting failure to maintain proper books of account: in case of this, it is a requirement the auditor express their opinion to the company’s management.
• Duty to report indictable offenses: if factory auditors discover that the company has committed indictable violations under its activities, they should inform.
• Exercising of professional integrity: factory auditors must exercise professional integrity in all their dealings.
• Collating, checking, and analyzing data on the spreadsheet.
• Examination of the company’s financial control systems and accounts.
• Ensuring the assets of the company are safeguarded.
• Making sure there is adherence to legislation, procedures, policies, and regulations.

Importance of Internal Factory Audit

An internal factory audit is essential, and its purpose is to keep the organization in compliance with legal frameworks and regulations.

Some reasons why internal factory audit is essential to include:

• Improves efficiency of operations: continuous analysis of policies and procedures will give you confidence in the direction the organization is headed to
• Provides objective insight: internal factory audits allow you to audit your work without having a conflict of interest.
• Protects assets and evaluates risks: this will help track and document any changes made to the surrounding environment and curb risks found.
• Assesses controls in an organization by analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Ensures compliance with laws and regulations, which provides peace of mind as you are always ready for the next external audit.

What to do After an Internal Audit

After doing an internal audit:

• Hold an auditor meeting with the concerned parties and discuss what was missed and non-conformances.
• Issue the auditor report on time.
• Encourage auditees to implement corrective action against irregularities.
• Help and give guidance to parties responsible for completing corrective actions and set reasonable deadlines.
• Take feedback given by auditees and the perception of the audit team.

Difference between Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS)

Some of the differences between GAAP and GAAS include:

• GAAP ensures the use of some standards in preparation of financial statements of an organization.

While GAAS makes available a platform for the preparation of an audit report that is transparent and reliable

• GAAP entails a set of guidelines for an organization to base on a standard in preparing financial statements.

GAAS are auditing standards that are aimed at helping auditors conduct unbiased and transparent auditing.

• A famous GAAP example is International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

While famous GAAS are AICPA issued GAAS and International Auditing Standards (IAS).

• GAAP contains standards of accounting that companies should follow in preparation of financial statements.

GAAS provides standards used to evaluate the financial statements’ compliance to ascertain that they confer with necessary measures.

• In the timeline of preparing financial statements, GAAP comes into use before GAAS does because financial statements need to be prepared first before an evaluation on the same takes place.

Essential Questions to Ask Factory Auditors

Some of the crucial questions you should ask factory auditors include:

• In companies like yours, what activities are open to fraud? Auditors with expertise will highlight areas of potential risks and suggest measures to put in place to curb them.
• What are the industry risks that may have an impact on our financial reporting? Experienced auditors might be able to clarify based on similar companies.
• What are our key information technology risks, and how adequate are our controls? Auditors need to elaborate on the IT function, including the elimination of points of weakness.
• How do our accounting policies compare to our competitors? This issue may give room for the auditor to identify areas of improvement.
• What do you do when you identify a problem? It is essential to ascertain the cause of action an auditor will take after identifying a problem.

Before you start shipping from India to USA, read this guide.

It will help you save a lot of time and money when importing from India to the USA.

Let’s dive right in.

Key Players Involved in Shipping from India to the USA

When shipping goods from India to the USA, you are simply appending the value of the goods.

Since you cannot do it by yourself, you have to depend on other people to make the process a success.

Here are the main players in the shipping of goods from India to the United States of America.

Shipper

You will need the shipper who will provide the goods from India at a fee that you will pay.

There are various types of shippers who provide different types of goods and can perform different purposes.

Consignee

You are the consignee or the person who will deal with the shipment that comes from India to the USA.

You will choose the types of goods that you need from the shipper in India that you agree on terms with.

Freight Forwarder

You can also identify the freight forwarder as the logistics provider who controls the air or ship transport.

Freight forwarders help you with the movement of goods from India to the United States of America.

Shipping Line

You will also need a shipping line which is the company responsible for carrying the goods from India to USA.

You can either choose between the sea transport shipping line or air transport shipping line to import goods from India.

Process of Shipping Cargo from India to USA

When shipping your goods from India to the United States of America, there is a process that you will follow.

You may not undertake every process personally but you can organize and get other players to perform these functions.

Here are the details on the main steps you will perform either directly or indirectly to import goods from India.

Step One: Haulage of Exports

First, you will organize with the shipper of the goods to move the products from the factory or warehouse.

Depending on the location of the freight forwarders’ premises, your shipper can either use road or railway transport.

Apart from that, your shipper must also package the goods accordingly to avoid damages along the way.

Step Two: Customs Clearance of the Exports

As soon as your freight forwarder of choice receives the cargo, he will begin the export clearance process.

Here, your freight forwarder will organize the relevant documents that you need for the shipping of the goods.

After that, he or she will submit the documents to the relevant authorities for customs clearance of the cargo.

Apart from that, your freight forwarder will proceed to organize for the transport of the goods that you need.

He can either settle on air transport or sea transport depending on the type of goods you need to transport.

Step Three: Origin Handling

You will also proceed with the handling of the goods such as inspection processes to ascertain the type of goods.

Apart from that, the freight forwarder will ensure proper packaging of the cargo before loading it on the freight.

Step Four: Ocean or Air Freight

This is the process by which you will transport your cargo from India to the United States of America.

You will depend on your freight forwarder to organize for the mode of transporting the cargo from India.

You can either use air transport if you want fast delivery but at a higher cost.

On the other hand, you can opt for the cheaper ocean freights which will take longer for the goods to arrive.

In addition to the shipping cost, you will incur other charges such as exchange rates and currency adjustment factors.

Step Five: Customs Clearance of Imports

You can begin the process of clearing the goods as soon as you have word that it is a safe distance from arriving.

It involves providing the relevant details to the customs authorities in the USA via a customs broker.

As soon as your customs broker completes the clearance process, you will wait for the goods to arrive.

On arrival, the relevant authorities will unload the cargo, inspect the cargo and load it out of the port.

Step Six: Receiving of the Cargo

Finally, you will receive your cargo at the address of choice where you will unload it and inspect it.

In case of damages, you must take note of the damages and report it to the relevant authorities for inspection.

Prohibited Products to Ship from India to the USA

You have the freedom of choosing any type of goods that you want to ship from India to USA.

It is important to note that this freedom does not cover all the goods you may want to import from India.

In other words, there are particular goods that are prohibited from entering the United Stated of America.

Here is a list of the goods that you should NOT import from India to USA.

• Aerosols
• Dairy
• Fur
• Ivory
• Fresh Foods
• Animals
• Cash
• Nail Varnish
• Perfume
• Plants
• Tobacco
• Seed among other products

You can get in touch with the customs department in the United States of America to provide you with more details.

Top Courier Services to use when Shipping Cargo from India to USA

When shipping cargo from India to the USA, you can leave all the processes of handling to courier services.

There are numerous courier services who can handle your products from India to the USA.

Here are the main courier service providers who can handle your imports plus the rates.

DHL Courier Services

You can use DHL who are the leading eCommerce shippers to get your imports from India to USA on time.

You will pay between 1 and 5 US dollars for every 50 grams of cargo from India to the United States of America.

FedEx Courier Services

You can also use FedEx e-commerce to help in shipping your cargo from India to the United States of America.

There are three main types of shipping from the FedEx international branch which include:

i. FedEx International First Ecommerce Shipping

ii. Priority Ecommerce Shipping

iii. Economy Ecommerce Shipping

You will pay different rates for the above options ranging from 1 to 13 US dollars for every 50-gram package.

Shiprocket Courier Services

You can also opt for an eCommerce shipping option in India which has partnerships with FedEx and DHL among others.

Here, you will pay the rates that the eCommerce service will charge you regardless of the partnerships.

The rates of transporting your cargo via Shiprocket courier services will begin from as low as 1 US dollar for 50grams.

Aramex Courier Services

You can also opt for other world-renowned eCommerce service providers such as Aramex with a base in Dubai.

With Aramex, you can pay for the shipping services from as low as 9 US dollars for every 50 grams of cargo.

They also have other rates that will favor other small businesses such as startups to ensure proper trade.

Benefits of Using Courier Services for Shipping from India to USA

You may wonder why you need to use courier services to ship your goods from India to the USA.

Well, here are the benefits that you will enjoy when you decide to use courier services.

Door to Door Services

You should consider using courier services to transport your cargo since they deliver the goods all the way to your doorstep.

Hassle-Free Customs Clearance Process

You should also rest easy when dealing with courier services because you will not be dealing with customs clearance processes.

The courier service providers will help in the whole process of clearing your cargo with the customs departments.

Shipment Tracking

You will also relish the opportunity to track your cargo as it moves from India to the USA with the courier service providers.

They will provide you with the details on the position of your cargo as it moves from one point to another.

Flexible Payment Options

Paying for the transport of your cargo via courier services is also very easy as you can do it online.

Most of the courier services allow you to initiate online payment services through services such as PayPal.

Shipment of Different Goods

You can use the courier service to transport any type of cargo from India to the United States of America.

It is capable of moving goods as small as documents to other goods that are as big as manufacturing machines.

Competitive Pricing

You don’t have to pay a lot of money when shipping your cargo from India to the United States of America.

The prices are flexible and will depend on the type of goods that you are transporting from India to the USA.

Insurance Provision

You will not have to go through the payment of insurance services as the whole price is included in the prices.

Your courier service provider will include the cost of insurance in the total cost of shipping your cargo.

How to Calculate Cost of Shipping from India to the USA

When using the courier services, you will only pay the amount that the courier service provider quotes.

You can also use the cost calculator which most courier service providers use in the calculation of cost.

Here are the main details on how you can arrive at the total amount of money to pay.

• Enter the 6 digits pick up area pin code
• You will also enter the delivery area pin code
• You will also enter the weight of the cargo that you intend to ship

Finally, you will calculate the overall cost automatically and pay for the shipment of the goods.

Products you Ship from India to USA

You have the freedom of importing almost anything that you want from India to the United States of America.

You must also note that not everything that you want can pass through the boarders of the United States from India.

To avoid being a victim at the boarders of USA, here is a list of products that you can import from India.

• Food Items
• Electronics
• Parcels
• General and Highly Classified Documents
• Cargo
• Garments
• Artwork
• Unaccompanied or Overweight Baggage
• Sports Equipment
• Household Transfers

You will realize that the list is very long as the items you can import are very many.

Please get in touch with the customs department in USA to ensure that your goods can cross the border successfully.

Transit Time when Shipping from India to USA

When shipping from India, you can receive your goods within a few days or weeks depending on the mode of transport.

In case you are using express shipping, you can get your cargo within hours from India to the USA.

Sea freight is often slower and will take a couple of days at sea before you receive your cargo.

It is also important to look at the distance that the freight will cover when moving from different locations in India.

Here is a table that details the period it will take for a ship to send cargo from different locations in India to USA.

When using air freight, you will take a shorter time to get the cargo but spend more on transport.

Here is a table with the main time details on how to transport your cargo from India to the USA by air freight.

Ocean Freight Shipping from India to USA

You can opt for ocean freight which involves moving your cargo via the sea from India to the USA.

This is the cheapest mode of transport that you can use in comparison to air freight.

Despite the low cost, you will have to wait longer because it is very slow.

Apart from that, you will have to pack your cargo in LCL or FCL shipping containers before transport.

You must also consider the overall cost of insurance when paying for the ocean freights.

Air Freight Shipping from India to USA

You can also opt for air freight shipping which is the fastest mode of shipping your cargo.

You should, however, prepare to pay a higher amount of money because it is very expensive.

In addition to that, you can settle on different types of air freights when moving the cargo from India.

One of the fastest modes of air freight is express shipping where you can charter a plane to transport cargo.

In other words, you will not wait for other goods to be loaded on the plane which will transport your goods alone.

Cheapest Courier Services for Shipping Cargo from India to the USA

The cheapest courier service that you can use to transport your cargo from India to the USA is the ocean freight courier service.

You can enjoy rates as low as 1 dollar for every 50 grams of cargo that you carry from India to the USA.

Documents you need when Shipping from India to the USA

When shipping your cargo from India to USA, you must present various import documents to the customs departments.

Here is a list of all the documents that you must be ready to present to the customs departments.

• Proforma Invoice
• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List
• Certificates of Origin
• Shippers Letter of Instructions
• Bills of Lading
• Dangerous Goods Form
• Bank Draft

Incoterms to Use when Shipping from India to USA

During the shipping process, you should also choose particular incoterms that you will use for particular freights.

Here are the main incoterms that you will use in the process of shipping cargo from India to USA.

Group E Incoterms

You will use the group E incoterms during the departure of the goods from the ports in India to USA.

The main incoterm in this category is Ex Works or EXW where the sellers will transport the goods to the agreed location.

Group F Incoterms

You can also choose among the different incoterms in group F which involves main courage unpaid terms.

Here, you can choose from the three main incoterms including:

i. FCA – Free carrier

ii. FAS – Free Alongside Ship

iii. FOB – Free on Board

Group C Incoterms

Under group C incoterms, you can opt for the main carriage paid which has a variety of incoterms.

Here are the main incoterms that you can find within group C:

i. CFR – Cost and Freight to the main port of destination

ii. CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight to the main port of destination

iii. CPT – Carriage Paid To all the way to the port of destination

iv. CIP – Carriage Insurance Paid all the way to the port of destination

Group D Incoterms

You can also refer to them as the arrival incoterms which have a couple of options that you can choose from.

Here are the main arrival incoterms that you will choose under group D incoterms.

i. DAF – Delivery at Frontier which is the location you will decide on.

ii. DES – Delivered Ex Ship which is the delivery to the port of destination

iii. DEQ – Delivery Ex-Quay which is delivered at the port of destination as well.

iv. DDU – Delivery Duty Unpaid which goes all the way to the port of destination.

v. DDP – Delivery Duty Paid all the way to the port of destination

Main Sea Ports in India

You should have knowledge of the different seaports in India where you can send your cargo from.

Here are the main seaports in India which can comfortably transport your cargo to the USA.

Hazira Sea Port

You can use the Hazira port when transporting your cargo from the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial corridor to the USA.

The types of cargo that you can import through this port include automobiles and liquid chemicals among others.

It has a UN/LOCODE of INHZR and has the capability of handling 500,000 TEU of containers annually.

Kolkata Sea Port

You can use Kolkata seaport which is the oldest operational port in India handling 650,000 containers per year.

It has 40 berths as well as 86 wharves which facilitate the exportation of cotton and leather to the USA.

The UN/LOCODE is INCCU and it is owned by the Kolkata Port Trust or the Indian Ministry of Shipping.

Tuticorin Sea Port

You can also refer to it as the V.O. Chidambaranar and has the 4^th largest capacity of container handling in India.

With a UN/LOCODE of INTUT it has an annual container volume of 560,000 TEU with 13 berths, 7 wharves, and 3 piers.

Port Pipavav

You can opt for port Pipavav with a UN/LOCODE of INPAV and annual capability of handling 880,000 TEUs.

It is closer to the busiest seaport in India thus having access to the busiest route in India.

Cochin Sea Port

This port is spread over two islands in India with a UN/LOCODE of INCOK and a capability of handling 400,000 TEUs.

It boasts of being the largest trans-shipment facility that you will use in India.

Apart from the above ports, you can also opt for other ports in India such as:

• Kattupalli Sea Port
• Krishanapatnam Sea Port
• Kandla Sea Port
• Nhava Sheva Sea Port
• Mundra Sea Port
• Chennai Sea Port
• Haldia Sea Port
• Visakhapatnam Sea Port

Ports of Arrival in USA for Shipping from India to the USA?

When using the sea or ocean freight, you can receive the goods at other various destinations in the USA.

Here are the main ports of destination where you can get your goods delivered from India.

Houston Sea Port

You can pick your cargo from the busiest seaport in the USA with a UN/LOCODE of USHOU.

It has the capability of handling 1.6 million TEU within a year where 15% of cargo comes from Asia.

Detroit Sea Ports

You can also opt for the Detroit seaports which hands. Liquid, general, and bulk cargo with UN/LOCODE of USDET.

It has the capability of handling a considerable number of containers annually from different locations such as India.

New Orleans Sea Port

You can use this port which generates over 100 million dollars annually while handling over 500,000 TEU containers.

It has a UN/LOCODE of USMSY and will be a great location for picking up your cargo from India.

Chicago Sea Port

This port has a UN/LOCODE of USCHI and has several ports making up one port that can handle 36 million TEUs in a year.

It is a world-class type of port which also boasts of numerous warehouses for storage of your cargo.

Jacksonville Sea Port

You will use the newest port in USA for the importation of vehicles from India among other products.

It has a UN/LOCODE of USJAX and can handle about 1.3 million TEUs in a year.

The other ports in the USA where you can get your cargo are:

• New York Sea Ports
• San Francisco Sea Ports
• Oakland Sea Ports
• Boston Sea ports
• Baltimore Sea ports
• Atlanta Sea Ports
• Charleston Sea Ports
• Norfolk Sea Ports
• Tacoma Sea Ports
• Port Everglades Sea Ports
• Mobile Sea Ports

Transit Routes when Shipping from India to USA

There are specific routes that you can use when shipping from India to USA.

Here is a table with the sea route and time it takes when navigating these sea routes.

Benefits of Using Freight Forwarder when Shipping from India to USA

You can simply hire a freight forwarder to handle your shipment from India to USA.

Here are the main reasons why you should hire a freight forwarder to transport your cargo.

• Timely pickup of the cargo and delivery of the cargo from India to USA
• Efficient use of the tracking systems for the cargo from India to USA
• Ensures proper security for your cargo
• It is also the most cost-effective mode and hassle-free mode of shipping
• Ensure proper and accurate documentation processes
• Proper management of the shipping inventories
• Warehousing and storage of the goods

Main Airports of Origin in India when Shipping from India to USA

After securing the goods from India, you can transport them through air freight from India.

Here are the main airports in India which you can use to dispatch the cargo to USA.

Here are the main airports of origin for transporting the cargo to the USA.

DELHI International Airport

Delhi international airport is the main airport covering over 5100 acres which is the busiest cargo airport in India.

It has different brownfield and greenfield cargo terminals thus making it proper for sending cargo to USA.

It serves different airports in USA including JFK in New York, Chicago- O’Hare, and San Francisco International Airport.

It has an IATA code of DEL.

MUMBAI International Airport

You can also identify it as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and is the second largest cargo airport in India.

It has three terminals which have both city side and air side access thus increasing the overall speed of shipment.

You can import your cargo from Mumbai International Airport to New York -JFK international airport.

It has an IATA code of BOM.

Destination Airports when Shipping from India to USA

When shipping cargo from India to USA you can use air freight services.

On your air freight services, you can get your products from different airports in the United States of America.

Here are some of the airports where you can get your cargo from India in the USA.

CHICAGO – 0’HARE International Airport

You can get your cargo from the Northeast or the South of the airport with a large capacity of 2 million square feet.

It has rail and road links that help in the distribution of the products all over the United States of America.

You can load the products at the Delhi International Airport in India.

It has an IATA code which is ORD.

NEW YORK – JFK International Airport

It has four runways and six terminals across the 5200-acre site and offices for multiple cargo companies.

It is the 3^rd largest airport that receives most of the cargo which you will import from India.

It has an IATA Code of JFK and it has a connection with the Mumbai and Delhi International Airports.

San Francisco International Airport

This is the biggest airport in the California bay Area which is 21 km south from downtown.

It has four freight ways as well as 9 cargo facilities with an IATA CODE of SFO.

You can import your cargo from the Delhi International Airport in India.

Apart from the three main airports, you can receive your cargo at other airports in USA such as:

• Atlanta International Airport
• Denver International Airport
• El Paso International Airport
• Houston International Airport
• Miami International Airport
• Philadelphia International Airport
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
• Cleveland International Airport
• Los Angeles International Airport
• Charlotte International Airport
• Cincinnati International Airport
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
• San Diego-Lindberg Field International Airport
• Boston International Airport
• Detroit-Wayne County International Airport
• Sacramento International Airport

The Best Time to Ship from India to USA

When shipping from India to USA, you should wait for the product for some time.

This will depend on the mode of freight that you will use in the shipping process.

In case you use the best and fastest mode of transport, here are the best time for shipping from India.

How LCL Shipping from India to USA compare to FCL Shipping from India to USA

Well, whenever you choose to use ocean freights, you can either choose to use FCL or LCL shipping.

Your choice will depend definitely on the quantity of goods that you will be importing via the ocean freights.

Here are the considerations that should compel you to use LCL or FCL ocean freight services.

LCL Ocean Freight Services

You will use LCL shipping when importing a small consignment of goods from India to the United States of America.

In other words, you will use it on goods that will not take up more than half of the 20 ft container.

It is important to weigh up the costs and determine whether the gods will sit together with

If you’re importing from China, you will definitely need high quality and reliable shipping pallets.

A reason why this guide explores all the fundamental aspects of shipping pallets, from design, material type, quality standards to benefits, just to mention a few.

So, if you want to be an expert in shipping pallets, read this guide.

What is a Shipping Pallet and Palletizing?

A shipping pallet is a cargo structure that is flat in shape and used in freight shipment/transportation.

It provides support and stability to the cargo and offers ease of handling through a forklift, pallet jack, or any other mechanized cargo lifting technique.

Shipping pallets technology came in the twentieth century.

It has since offered superior cargo transport compared to other traditional forms like wooden barrels and boxes.

Besides, shipping pallets are more compatible with modern shipping packages, such as intermodal containers and cardboard boxes suitable for bulk transportation.

Palletizing is the preparation of pallet freights through the stacking of cargo consignments on top of the pallets.

The process provides easier cargo handling and storage and a safer way of transporting goods in the shipping industry.

What is the Difference Between Package Shipment and Pallet Shipment?

You can use both pallet shipment and package shipment to transport consignments from one point to the other.

While package shipment is ideal for smaller and lighter goods, pallet shipping is suitable for transporting larger and bulkier consignments.

Package Shipment

Standard package shipping is more common and widely used to transport small size goods.

Most courier companies will describe the maximum weight and dimensions of goods considered a single shipment.

Consequently, a package is a single shipment/parcel transported in a sturdy container or cardboard boxes.

You can also put the goods in a well-wrapped suitcase, either placed in an outer container or not as preferred by the carrier, and consider it a single package.

Pallet Shipping

You can transport the same packages in pallets if they are many and bulky rather than shipping them as isolated items.

You can stack the cardboards/boxes on a pallet and transport them as a single shipment.

When you consider pallet shipment for your goods, the boxes will not be separated anywhere a mid-transport and will reach the destination as a whole.

In a scenario where you have bulky consignment, pallet shipment is cheaper and more efficient than standard package shipment.

You can also use pallet shipment for bulkier cargo other than just stacked boxes and card boxes.

How Can You Prepare Your Shipping Pallets for Shipment?

The process of preparing your pallets for shipment begins with selecting the most appropriate shipping pallet for your cargo.

Besides, the desired type of pallet, size, construction material, etc., will depend on your specific shipping needs.

Ensure that the shipping pallet you select is sturdy enough to hold the volume of goods you are shipping and large enough to prevent overhangs.

Choose shipping pallets with closely spaced decks but without protruding nail heads or broken deck boards.

In preference, select a shipping pallet that possesses a four-way forklift entry to ease the loading and offloading process and prevent shipment damage.

Packaging the Shipping Pallets

Choose a packaging system that is compatible with your freight needs.

Your palletizing system should efficiently utilize the available space, optimize weight, and protect your goods against damages.

A well-organized palletizing system eases your carrier’s work, thus facilitating faster and safe delivery of your goods to the final destination.

You can follow the guidelines below to ensure efficient palletizing:

Stacking the Boxes/Cargo

If your shipment consists of consignment that you pile up, then consider the following;

• Use new and strong cartons.
• Insert adequate amounts of dunnage within the cartons to protect your cargo against damages caused by internal vibration. Ensure that there are no voids and spaces left that can damage the goods. Ensure that your packaging system evenly distributes the weight within each box.
• Closely secure and seal the cartons appropriately. Use plenty of sealing tapes for optimal protection.
• To achieve optimal stack strength, align your boxes from corner to corner along a column.
• Do not rotate layer patterns or interlock
• Fit all the boxes within the pallet edges
• Avoid aligning the boxes corner on the gaps between adjacent board deck to prevent imbalance and potential damage by a forklift.
• Stack the heaviest boxes at the bottom-most to prevent excessive weight on top of other boxes
• Avoid the creation of pyramids and maintain a flat top layer to avoid damages from top layers
• Solidify loose boxes and evenly distribute the shipment weight by inserting flat cardboard sheets below the load and throughout the shipment layers.
• Stabilize your loads by covering your shipment using stretch-wraps. Twist the stretch-wraps for more strength and wrap at least five revolutions in each direction.
• Should your shipment require extra protection and stability, use nylon straps and bands to tighten the load down through the middle of pallets.
• Correctly label each piece with the address information, telephone numbers of the consignee and shipper.

What Types of Shipping Pallets Are There?

There are two broad categories of shipping pallets and other smaller subcategories within the two main categories.

The main broad categories of pallets include:

Stringer Pallets

These are also known as stringers or two-way pallets.

Stringer’s have two main openings for a forklift on only two different sides and are also referred to as ‘unnotched.’

However, you can also cut a notch into them to allow for a ‘four-way’ entry and fork lifting of the pallets.

The stringer pallets have three or more main parallel wood blocks that support both ends and the middle of the pallet deck’s.

Block Pallets

These are also known as four-way pallets because you can lift them on all four sides using a forklift.

A block pallet has blocks on all sides and the middle of individual edges of the pallet’s upper and lower decks.

The block pallet’s design encompassing parallel and perpendicular stringers makes these pallets stronger and bigger, and more suitable for bulkier shipment.

They are heavier and more durable than stringers and offer superior cargo handling capabilities compared to stringer pallets.

The other subcategories of pallets within the two broad categories include:

• Single-wing pallets: Either the top or bottom deck pallets extends beyond the stringer’s edge to increase their load capacity.
• Double face pallets: Have two decks that increase the pallet’s strength and allow you to use either side.
• Double-wing pallets: All the top and bottom decks extend beyond the stringer’s edge to provide more surface area and support.
• Flush pallets: Thee edges of flush boards are entirely square and has no overhangs
• Solid deck pallets: These types of boards have a single sheet of material without gaps in between. It is easier to clean than regular boards.
• Reversible pallets: The top and bottom parts are identical, making it easy to use any side up.
• Non-reversible pallets: The top part’s configuration and the bottom parts are dissimilar and thus cannot be used any side up.

Are There ISO Standard Shipping Pallets Sizes?

There are no ISO standard shipping pallet sizes and dimensions. However, ISO recognizes certain pallets’ sizes as according to different shipping regions.

Why Select Shipping Pallets Over Packaging?

The choice of a particular shipping method will primarily depend on the volume and content of goods you want to ship.

If your consignment comprises a few lightweight goods/packages, you should choose standard packaging and shipment.

Though you can also use shipping pallets, it will be costlier than standard package shipment.

However, in cases where you need to ship bulkier, heavier, or many packages, Pallet shipping provides an efficient, cheaper, and more reliable freight option.

Besides, shipping pallets also offer the following benefits as opposed to standard package shipment.

• Pellets safely secure goods and protect them from damage and loss as it moves through multiple handling stages.
• Pallets reduce cargo handling time as it enables faster cargo loading and offloading, speeding up cargo delivery.
• You can efficiently store your goods in a warehouse or transit when you use pallets because they have an ideal shape that facilitates easier stacking.
• You can combine several but different goods and ship them as a single entity. Combining goods saves space and time that you would otherwise use to track several packages.
• Pallets are easier to handle using forklifts, while package boxes can be heavy and difficult to handle.

The heavy boxes may also require more specialized equipment to handle, limiting their acceptance by standard cargo handlers.

• Pallets also have provision for air circulation for goods that require to ‘breath.’

Pallets are ideal for transportation of such goods as fresh produce, which would otherwise spoil when packages are enclosed.

• Unlike packages, you can still reuse pallets for several shipping trips and even for supplementary use, like for storage in warehouses after shipping.

What Types of Goods Can You Transport on a Shipping Pallet?

You can ship almost all types of goods using shipping pallets.

The goods can range from food products, building materials, industrial materials, machinery, computers, boxes, stackable items destined for one direction, etc.

What Material Can You Use to Construct Your Shipping Pallets?

You can use diverse types of materials to construct your shipping pallets.

Some of the most common materials for making shipping pallets include:

Wooden Pallet

Wooden shipping pallets are low cost and by far the most widely used in cargo shipping.

You can use the following types of wood to construct your wooden shipping pallets:

Softwood

They are soft by nature and readily pliable compared to other types of wood.

They are cheaper because they grow faster and therefore readily available.

Softwoods are lighter because they don’t develop denser stems as hardwood and are thus easier to manage.

Arguably, using softwood for pallet construction reduces deforestation compared to using hardwood due to faster growth.

However, pallets made from softwoods also have drawbacks.

Notably, they have limited durability due to lower density, making them vulnerable to splinters and warps.

Softwood also has a lower weight capacity due to lower material density.

As a result, you will have to use more wood when constructing pallets to compensate for the low density.

Pine and oak are some of the most commonly used softwoods for the fabrication of pallets.

Hardwood

You will get hardwood from angiosperms. They take more extended periods to grow and are thus more expensive than softwoods.

Due to higher costs, they are less used in the construction of shipping pallets compared to softwood.

The key benefits of hardwood are durability and strength, which arise from the higher density. However, hardwood is expensive, environmentally less sustainable, and bulky.

Heavy pallets are not easy to handle and often result in higher wear and tear of warehouse machinery.

Technical Wood

It is a compressed wood that offers an ideal alternative to both soft and hardwoods.

It is less susceptible to decay and rot over time and henceforth long-lasting.

Plastics Pallets

You can use either Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), or polyethylene (PE) to construct your pallets.

However, high-density polyethylene offers the best material for making a high-quality plastic pallet.

Technically, plastic pallets are a better substitute for wooden pallets because of the following superior qualities:

• Non-porous thus does not absorb chemical spills and moisture
• Easier to clean hence ideal for foodstuff
• Not susceptible to pest attack
• More consistent and durable than wooden pallets

Paper/Cardboard shipping pallets

Also known as corrugated shipping pallets, these pallets constitute corrugated paper such as boxes.

They have a laminate layer that makes them water-resistant.

Corrugated pallets have the lightest weight and are relatively cheaper too.

The manufacturing process follows the layering of boxes across different axes to give to achieve the desired strength.

When planned well, your cardboard pallets can hold up to four-time the weight held by a wooden pallet.

The more layers, the higher the cardboard strength.

However, these pallets are more susceptible to moisture or temperature levels and have a weight limit.

Metal Pallets

You can also construct metal pallets using steel, aluminum, or any other suitable metal and its alloys.

Metal pallets are the most robust and most durable of all pallets but also the most expensive.

Using metal pallets is only feasible when you are constantly shipping heavy loads for an extended period, thus the need for reusability.

Metal pallets are also resistant to pest attack and are easy to clean since the metals’ surface does not easily attract dirt.

How Does the Different Pallet Materials Compare?

Wood pallets are less expensive and can hold more weight compared to plastics and cardboard pallets.

However, they are susceptible to attack by pests, molds, and rot and, therefore, less durable.

Plastics pallets are about ten times more expensive than wood pallets, more durable, and not susceptible to moisture and temperature fluctuations.

They are also easy to clean and not susceptible to pests, molds, and rot.

Also, they have a relatively low weight compared to wood pallets and can be recycled.

Cardboard pallets are the cheapest, ideal for a one-off use, and highly sensitive to fluctuating moisture and temperature.

They are lightweight and completely recyclable.

What Factors Should You Consider When Selecting a Shipping Pallet?

You should consider the following factors when selecting the type of shipping pallet based on construction material.

Types of Goods

The type of products you will be shipping is a primary consideration when selecting a pallet.

The type and nature of goods will help you settle for a specific type of pallet for shipping your goods.

For instance, plastic pallets are more suitable for transporting beverage and food products.

Packaging Dimension

The width, height, and length of the products you intend to ship will help you determine the ideal size of a pallet to choose from.

Frequency of Use

Metal and plastic pallets are more durable and ideal for frequent shipment operations that will require you to reuse your pallets more often.

In case of a one-time shipment, you can consider using reconditioned wood pallets because they are cheaper to purchase and easier to dispose of.

Shipping Conditions

The storage and transportation conditions and temperatures are critical when deciding on the material of choice to fabricate your pallets.

Plastic and metal pallets are resistant to fluctuating moisture and temperature levels, while paper and wooden pallets are highly susceptible.

Shipping Destination

Some countries require export goods using pallets that comply with ISPM15 standards.

Under such scenarios, wooden pallets come in handy.

Budget

Budgeting for maximum profit means that you have to minimize all the transportation costs and maximize profit.

Spending less on pallets with a limited life-cycle will be costly in the long run, while investing in expensive pallets for a one-off shipment is also expensive.

How Long Can a Shipping Pallet Last?

The life cycle of pallets varies widely depending on numerous variables like materials used, shipment conditions, carrier’s policies, etc.

Whereas some companies’ policies advocate for using pallets only once, others provide room for refurbishment and reuse of old pallets.

Some pallets, such as paper pallets, are naturally designed for a one-off shipment, while plastics and metal pallets will last several trips.

Wooden pallets can make two or more trips or last for several months or even years, depending on how well you manage them.

Plastics can last for five or more years with good management, while metal pallets can last forever when well taken care of.

How High Can You Stack Your Pallets?

You should maintain a safe stack height for your pallets to avoid unnecessary workplace accidents.

Though the regulatory stack heights may vary from one country to another, a general rule of thumb keeps the stack height below 60 inches.

Similarly, stacking the heavier pallets at the bottom and the lighter ones at the top will also help you reduce the risks of workplace injuries.

Ensure that your pallets are free of hanging materials on their sides.

What Factors Affect the Weight That a Single Pallet Can Contain?

The load capacity of a pallet depends on its static weight capacity and dynamic load capacity.

The static load capacity is the weight a pallet can hold when stationary and flat.

On the other hand, dynamic load capacity refers to the weight a pallet can hold when a forklift or jack is lifting it.

The total load capacity is not equal between all pallets and therefore vary to the following factors:

• Type of material used to construct the pallet
• Conditions of the working environment
• Pallet’s specific application
• Thickness of the material used to construct the pallet
• Pallets size and dimensions
• Type of pallet used

How Many Cartons Will Fit in Your Pallets?

The number of cartons that can fit on a single pallet can significantly vary from one shipment to the other and one product to the other.

Besides, the number of boxes capable of fitting in a single pallet will therefore depend on:

• Size and dimensions of your pallet
• Size and dimension of the boxes
• Height of your pallet stacks
• The stacking method you use

What Do You Need to Protect Your Shipment Pallets from Damage?

You can use the following techniques to secure your palletized goods and protect them from getting damaged while on transit.

Use a Load Protector

Use a top to bottom load protector to secure your shipment.

It constitutes several layers of heavy paperboards or corrugated fiberboards.

Load protectors are instrumental and can safely secure your shipment by evenly distributing the shipment weight that is stackable on each other.

Use Edge/Corner Boards

Using a corner board will help you prevent corner edge damage, increase your vertical stack strength, and stabilize your load.

For effectiveness, extend the corner boards to all corners and full height and length of the load.

Stretch Wrappings

You can effectively stabilize all pieces of your shipment by wrapping them together with a stretch wrap.

The stretch wraps have to cover the pallets together with the load to stabilize them as a unit firmly.

Ensure that the stretch wraps capture the pallets at the bottom layers and are tight enough to prevent load shifting.

Also, ensure that you twist the stretch wraps like a rope to provide more strength and enhanced stability.

Strapping and Banding

Strapping or bandings will safely secure all the shipment pieces together in the pallet, thus preventing them from separating from the rest of the load.

You might need to run the strapping underneath the board’s top deck to draw them tightly onto the load.

What Are the Phytosanitary Requirements for Using Wood Panels?

Wood pallets must conform to the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication number 15 (ISPM15).

Some countries will require you to conform to the treatments and markings outlined in the standards before accepting your shipment.

Consequently, you can conform to these standards by adhering to the following:

Debarking

You have to construct your wood pallets using debarked wood.

The small pieces and separated barks can only remain under the following conditions:

• The width is less than 3 cm
• The width is greater than 3 cm, but the total surface area of an individual piece less than 50cm³

Heat Treatment

You must subject the wood pallets to heat treatment through a special kiln.

You should heat the materials until the minimum core temperatures reach 56°C for 30 consecutive minutes.

Heat treating kills most insect pests’ larvae and cells and spores of wood pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Fumigation

You can also fumigate the wood pallets using a suitable chemical to manage insect pests and diseases of timber.

Also, you can use either methyl bromide or sulphuryl fluoride for fumigation.

You should ensure that the wood pallets have the ISMP15 compliance stamp or brand.

The stamp must include the IPPC certification symbol, the country’s ISO code where the wood was treated, a unique certification number, and the treatment abbreviation.

What Test Should You Carry Out On Wooden Shipping Pallets?

You can conduct the following wood-based composite tests for woods used in making shipping pallets:

• 24-hour composite block soak test. This test determines the average percentage and standard deviations of dimensional change and the water-weight gain.

• The pallet block side compression test helps determine the peak load at failure
• A nail insertion force test. The test determines the maximum force required for nail insertion.
• Nail withdrawal force test to determine the maximum force needed for removal of each nail.

At What Time of the Year Should You Consider Purchasing a Shipping Pallet?

You should arrange to buy your pallets off-shipping seasons, usually between spring and summer or the first two quarters of the year.

The prices significantly fluctuate during the third and fourth quarters of the year due to increased shipments just before the holidays.

During the holiday rush, the demand for pallets is usually higher than the supply, making pallets very expensive.

What Factors Influence the Cost of Shipping Pallets?

The cost of a shipping pallet depends on the following factors:

• Material of construction
• Time of the year you are making the purchase, i.e., offseason or shipping season.
• Size and dimension of the pallet
• The urgency of the need
• Location

Are There Differences in Regional Pallet Practices?

Generally, acceptable pallet management practices are standard across all regions.

However, there are slight differences in pallet sizes, requirements for ISPM15 compliance, certification for shipment, allowable pallet stack height, etc.

For instance, the USA’s standard pallet size is 48 × 40 inches, while Europe and other parts of the world mainly prefer 31.5 x 47.2 x 5.7 inches.

What Factors Must You Consider When Purchasing Your Shipping Pallets?

Purchasing the correct type of shipping pallet is fundamental to realize the optimal cost-benefit ratio in favor of your business.

The following considerations are beneficial when it comes to choosing the correct type of shipping pallets.

· Shipping Destination

Shipping pallets for overseas transit require more stringent cleaning than shipping pallets for local transportation.

You can use heat-treatment or chemical treatment, or both to protect your pallets against pests, molds, and rot.

The destination might also dictate whether you will require to make multiple trips or a one-way trip. You can use high-quality, new pallets if you make several trips and recycled pallets if you only need to make a one-way trip.

· Product Weight

The pallets’ overall weight is important specifically because it determines whether it will support the entire product weight.

Whereas plastic pallets are more weather-resistant, durable, clean, and easy to stack, they are also more expensive and costly.

On the other hand, block-style wooden pallets are ideal for heavier materials among the wooden pallets.

· Life Expectancy

Your pallet’s life expectancy directly determines the number of trips you can make using similar pallets and the corresponding investment worthy of the pallets.

You should ask yourself whether the pallets of choice can withstand extreme handling and shipping conditions.

You also need to consider whether your shipping program requires frequent or sporadic use of the pallets or, perhaps, just once.

Generally, plastic pallets last longer than wooden pallets, and for this reason alone have seen a steady rise in their adoption in the shipping business.

· Compatibility with Available Equipment

The choice of the desired pallet must fit in with the automation system employed in your shipping business.

You have to consider aspects such as the presence and type of conveyor belts, forklifts, pallet jacks, etc., and ensure that they are compatible with your machines.

Desired Pallet Size

The size of a pallet is one of the critical considerations when selecting a pallet.

Choosing a huge pallet will be a wastage while a smaller pallet will not accommodate all your products.

Ensure that you conduct your homework well before buying a pallet since they come in a wide variety of dimensions.

· Purchase Price

The cost of the pallet is a key consideration when choosing a pallet.

As a business, your priority is making profits, and settling for a pallet that will deliver the highest yield is desirable.

For a one-way shipment, cheaper pallets are reasonable for regular shipment, more expansive, and quality pallets are more profitable.

· ISMP15 Compliance

ISMP15 compliance applies to wooden pallets. Some countries demand that your pallets adhere to the requirements of ISMP15 standards.

ISMP15 refers to International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Number 15.

The standards require all wooden pallets and other wooden packaging materials to go through heat treatment or fumigated before shipment.

ISMP15 standards enforcement helps minimize the spread of insect pests and pathogens of timber to new areas.

Always ensure that the timber pallets you are purchasing have an ISMP15 compliance stamp.

· Supplier

Hiring a supplier is also a key consideration when sourcing for your pallets.

Your pallet supplier should be capable of meeting all the necessary total pallet management needs as dictated by your business from time to time.

Also, you may require unplanned large quantities of pallets from time to time.

Your supplier should be capable of meeting the demand within a very tight window/schedule without failure.

Your pallet providers should also come in handy in managing your pallet inventory to caution you against potential future shortages.

Also, research pricing from the different suppliers ensures that you are getting the best deal for your money.

Though time-consuming, the alternative of settling for the wrong supplier can be disastrous and costly to your business’s operations and total health.

What eco-friendly Shipping Pallet Practices Are There?

You can implement pallet use practices that have minimal effect on the environment. They include:

• Use of durable pallets to reduce the number of waste pallets ending up in landfills
• Encouraging the reuse of pallets helps reduce wastes as well as deforestation
• Using recycled pallets to reduce the demand for new wooden materials
• Recycling plastic pallets to reduce the disposal of plas
  

This guide will take you through every aspect of COC certificate.

From definition, importance, processes and all the critical aspects of COC certificate.

Keep reading to learn more.

What is a COC Certificate?

COC certificate is also referred to as the certificate of conformity or certificate of compliance.

It certifies that goods have met the required standards or specifications.

This document can either be requested by the importer or be compulsory for certain products depending on a country’s regulations.

Why do you need a COC Certificate?

COC certificate is an important document when importing any goods not only from China but also globally.

A COC certificate is a requirement for several countries to ensure that products meet the required international standards before exportation begins.

This certificate speeds up your goods inspection processes.

It establishes standards and norms that provide a reference to improve manufacturing efficiency.

Not forgetting that the certificate of conformity is also used for customs clearance.

In addition to that, a certificate of conformity is used in quality control to prevent sub-standard products from entering the market.

Last but not least, you will need a COC certificate to ensures or confirm you’re your product is safe for use by the end-user.

How can I get a Certificate of Compliance?

The best way to obtain a COC certificate is through your local chamber of commerce.

The same body can as well provide their list of required testing methods.

What is Included in a COC Certificate?

Some of the contents included in a COC certificate are not limited to;

• Product description as covered in the certificate of conformity.
• Contact details of the individual possessing the test result records.
• The month, year, city, and country where the product was manufactured.
• Safety regulations that the product must be tested for.

The certificate must list every safety regulations that the product in question must be tested for.

• Identification details of the manufacturer or the importer.
• A third-party laboratory is responsible for conducting the test.

The laboratory issuing the certificate should provide the name and telephone number.

It also includes the full mailing address of the third-party laboratory.

• Date and place where the product testing for compliance with the consumer product safety regulations was carried out.

Do I need a Certificate of Conformity when Importing Products from China?

A certificate of conformity only applies to a specified category of products.

Therefore, to know if you will require one, it’s important to confirm with the authorized party or officials.

Who Can Issue a COC Certificate?

A certificate of conformity can either be issued by the manufacturer or a laboratory that conducts the test.

What is a Conformity Statement?

A conformity statement is an expression that clearly explains the state of adherence or non-compliance to a certain standard or requirement.

How Many Types of Conformity Statements are there?

There are three main types of conformity statements namely;

• Compliance – Some of the common use statements of compliance include; Pass, compliance, In spec, In tolerance, and with specification.
• Non-compliance – On the other hand, non-compliance will have statements such as; Fail, out of spec, non-compliance, exceeds limits, and out of tolerance.
• Indeterminate – Common examples of indeterminate statements are not limited to; Undetermined, unable to determine Pass/Fail, indeterminate, Not possible to determine compliance/ Non-compliance.

How Long is COC Valid?

A certificate of conformity is valid for 10 years after the last manufacture date of the product.

This can only be different if the directive indicates another term.

Is COC Mandatory?

COC is mandatory for several countries globally to facilitate customs clearance and entry of safe goods into the country.

However, you need to keep in mind that the type of products you are importing will determine whether or not you will need to have a certificate of conformity.

Lack of it might lead to your goods being confiscated or destroyed.

What is the Difference Between a Certificate of Conformity and a Certificate of Compliance?

Certificate of conformity and certificate of compliance are two different documents that many assume to be the same.

The truth is they are not.

In simple terms, to comply means to meet the standards while conform refers to adhering to the standards.

That said, a certificate of compliance ensures that your goods meet the set standards.

On the other hand, a certificate of conformity ensures that your products adhere to the required standards.

Is there a Difference Between COA and COC?

Yes, there is.

COA otherwise known as certificate of Analysis confirms that the regulated product meets the required specification.

A certificate of analysis provides details of the actual results from the test to facilitate quality control of the product.

On the other side, a certificate of conformity certifies that the product meets the necessary standards and specifications.

How do you know the Authenticity of the COC Certificate?

The manufacturer or authorized representative issuing the certificate of conformity is responsible for making sure that the certificate is authentic.

However, you can get the contact information of the manufacturer about the COC certificate.

You can use this in case you need further clarifications regarding the authenticity of the certificate.

Also, doing online research and confirming the manufacturer’s certification is important.

A Certified manufacturer will most likely provide an authentic COC certificate to maintain the brand name and customers.

Alternatively, you can choose to directly contact your manufacturer and request verification of the certificate.

Keep in mind that not all manufacturers will be in for this.

Therefore it’s important to wisely select the people you’re working with before engaging in business with them.

Are there Countries that don’t require a CoC certificate?

A COC certificate is issued depending on the type of product you are importing from China.

Most of the countries will require you to present this document at the customs when shipping regulated products.

Very few countries are not part of conformity programs.

What is a Conformity Statement?

A conformity statement refers to an expression that explains the state of non-compliance or compliance to the set standards or requirement.

How is Quality Control done when Importing from China?

As most if not all of us know that China is a country where almost anything and everything can be purchased from.

That said, expect to encounter both genuine and counterfeit products in the market.

To counter this, quality control measures are enacted.

Some of the quality control measures you might undertake are not limited to;

• Obtaining a certificate of conformity to control the entrance or exit of substandard products into or outside the country.
• Conduct quality inspection on your products – Several inspection companies are willing to provide you with inspection services for your goods to ensure they meet the set standards.
• Be specific on your product requirements – Assuming that your manufacturer knows everything concerning your product specification is a big mistake.

Always ensure that you clearly define every aspect that you want to be included be it color, type of materials, and size among others.

• Purchase your goods under a contract – Purchasing your products under a contract will gear your manufacturer to maintaining your product quality.
• Let your manufacturer be aware that you work with a quality and inspection company.

By so doing, you prevent your manufacturer from compromising the quality of your products.

• Work with freight forwarders as well as sourcing agents – Freight forwarders and sourcing agents normally have a wider network and know where to source quality products for you.

Working with them will curb the risk associated with scammers as well as counterfeit products.

• Confirm that your manufacturer is certified as this means that they also ensure that the products supplied are of good quality.

Which other Document do you need Alongside the COC Certificate when Importing from China?

Apart from the COC certificate, you will need to have several other documents at hand for the smooth importation of your products.

However, the documents required will vary depending on the policies of a country.

Not forgetting that different countries are part of international trade agreements.

Meaning this might exempt some paperwork needed during custom clearance.

Nevertheless, below are the standard documents you will need apart from the COC certificate.

• Commercial invoice –A commercial invoice is issued by the exporter and it gives details on the goods being imported, payment terms, and the trade.

It is one of the main documents and it is also used in determining custom duty.

• Bill of entry – A bill of entry is normally filled by the customs clearance agents or importers before or upon arrival of the imported goods.

This document contains details such as types of goods, country of origin, and details of consignment and merchant.

• Bill of lading – A bill of lading acknowledges the receipt of goods being shipped.

It is issued by the carrier to the shipper.

Not only does it confirm the quantity and condition but also the quality of the goods in question.

• Inspection certificate– An inspection company issues an inspection certificate that confirms that your products have passed the required tests.

It also confirms that your products are fit for importation and consumption.

• Insurance certificate – This document covers your goods against any loss or damage.

It contains details about the extent to which each product is covered.

• Certificate of origin – A certificate of origin proves that the goods were manufactured and produced in a particular country of origin.
• Import license – You will need an import license to confirm that you are allowed to import your goods into a country’s territory.
• Sales contract – A sales contract refers to an agreement between the buyer and seller regarding the terms of the sale of the products.
• Pro forma invoice – A pro forma invoice provides cost estimates of the goods and describes the products purchased.

Is a Certificate of Conformity offered Free?

No,  it’s not.

You will have to pay for it before being issued.

Which Products need a Certificate of Conformity?

A certificate of conformity is often issued on regulated products to ensure that they meet the required standards.

Some of the products that will require you to have a COC certificate are not limited to;

• Electrical equipment
• Gas appliances
• Medical devices
• Construction products
• Explosives
• Personal protective equipment
• Machinery
• Lifts
• Energy-related products
• Cableway installations
• Radio equipment
• Pressure vessels
• Outdoor equipment with noise emission
• Water boilers
• Weighing instruments
• Toys
• Low voltage equipment
• Recreational craft
• In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices
• Implantable Medical devices

Is a Certificate of Conformity the same as an Inspection Certificate?

Both certificates of conformity and inspection certificate serve the same purpose of ensuring goods meet the required standards.

Are there Countries that Don’t require a COC Certificate?

Yes, there are. However, most countries will require you to have a certificate of conformity when shipping regulated products.

Let’s have a look at some of the countries that require a certificate of conformity below;

• Russia
• Belarus
• Kenya
• Algeria
• Mongolia
• Saudi Arabia
• Kuwait
• Yemen
• Uganda
• Syria

Which Agencies Issue Certificates of Conformity?

Most of the governments globally collaborate with international agencies responsible for inspecting and issuing certificates of conformity.

I also want you to know that it’s critical to make sure that you first confirm with the destination country.

This is meant to ensure that the agency is recognized by the officials in that country.

Here are some of the well-known certification agencies;

• Cotecna
• Intertek
• SGS (Societe Generale de Surveillance)

What Happens to Goods that Enter the Port of Entry without COC?

Any goods required to have a COC certificate should enter the port of entry with the certificate of conformity.

If not, they shall be prevented from entering a country.

When does the Buyer ask the Manufacturer for a COC Certificate?

The buyer can request a COC  certificate from the manufacturer when the products in question are categorized as high-risk or critical.

In some instances, a special document certifying the safety of the product will be required by the end-user/ customer.

Take for instance an army that buys explosives.

The explosives have to be checked and tested to ensure that they are safe for use.

A slight defect can result in a failure that might lead to loss of life.

Therefore, the manufacturer should indicate that the explosives have conformed to specific checklists.

In cases where the product has several components, every component will be provided a serial number.

In other cases,  batch COC is used.

What should you do when Submitting Product for COC Certifications?

When submitting a product for COC certification, the first thing you will need to do is fill out a “request for quote form”.

Check whether you need any additional documents at hand before requesting it.

Thereafter, a quote will be sent to you which contains all standards assumptions as well as pricing for the services.

Is COC Certification Mandatory in the USA?

A certificate of conformity can be a compulsory document when shipping products from the USA to certain parts of the world.

Some products are manufactured and produced in countries where product safety and performance are not fully adhered to.

Owing to this, a COC certificate becomes necessary when shipping your goods to such countries.

It is always important to first acquire your certificate of conformity before embarking on your shipping procedures.

Do you need COC Certification when Importing from China to Asia?

Unless you are importing regulated products, a COC certificate is not mandatory when importing from China to Asia.

It is up to you to ensure that your products are safe and confirm whether or not you will require a certificate of conformity.

How to know if Imports from China are COC Certified

The easiest way to confirm the COC certification of your products is by asking your Chinese manufacturer to provide you with the certificate.

Most if not all Chinese manufacturers are aware of the required standards of different products.

What Happens if a Product is not COC Certified?

If a product is not COC certified it means that it has not been tested.

Since COC certification is not mandatory for every product or country you shouldn’t be much worried.

If you intend to purchase any product from China or anywhere around the globe it’s important to familiarize yourself with the importation regulations.

This should go hand in hand with the standards to avoid later inconveniences.

Apart from the COC Certification, Which Other Types of Quality Certifications will I need when Importing from China?

Import-export processes can be quite hectic owing to the various kinds of documentation and certifications needed.

Before importing your goods from China, you should first confirm the documents that you will be required to have.

Among the required certificates are quality certificates which are meant to control the quality of goods being manufactured and exported from China.

Apart from a COC certificate, some of the commonly required quality certificates are not limited to;

• CE certification – CE mark is a common symbol in most devices.

CE confirms that the product meets the required performance and safety standards as listed in European product directives.

• CCC certification – The China Compulsory Certification is normally issued by bodies that are accredited by CNCA.

This quality and safety certification is not only meant to protect human health and safety but also unfair trade practices.

• CQC certification – Otherwise referred to as China Quality Certification, the CQC certification is issued by the China Quality Certification Center.

Its main purpose is to confirm that products not only meet the quality and safety standards but also energy efficiencies.

• UL certification – The Underwriters Laboratory certificate confirms that the product has been tested and met the required safety and quality standards.
• RoHS certification –The main purpose of RoHS compliance is to moderate the amount of hazardous components used in the manufacture of electronic devices.
• RED certification – The Radio Equipment Directive controls the marketing of radio equipment. It ensures the safety and electromagnetic compatibility for equipment that use the radio spectrum.

These are just some of the many quality certifications that might be applicable when shipping from China.

Remember, the use of each one of them will vary depending on the type of product you are importing.

Whenever you’re importing from China, Tj chinafreight will take you through all the processes to ensure all the necessary compliance.

In case you have questions or inquiries about COC certificate, contact Tj chinafreight now.

When importing from China, it is important for your shipping container to have appropriate sealing mechanism.

It is an important safety measure you cannot ignore.

That is why today I am going to show you how to seal shipping container the right way.

Take a look.

Definition of a Container Seal

Container seals are locking devices that you will place at the door of shipping containers after loading with enough goods.

You should ensure that you place the security measure on the container to remain until the consignee removes it.

Seal Numbers for Correctly Sealing a Container

As a security measure, you should ensure that you set a seal and a seal number on the container doors.

You will use the seal number as the identification code of the container you are shipping.

Every shipping container has a unique sealing number which will help you in the identification process.

Under FCL, your shipper will inform you of the seal number alongside other identification or documentation details.

Under LCL, your freight forwarder will load and seal the container before informing you of the seal number.

Significance of Sealing the Container in the Right Way

When shipping from one country to another, you have to make sure that you seal the door of the container.

Here are the reasons why you have to make sure that you correctly seal the door of the container.

Securing the Merchandise

Security of the goods you are shipping should be the greatest priority when shipping from one country to another.

Implying that, you will use a specific type of seal on the doors of different containers that ensure the cargo is safe.

Ensures the Goods Reach the Customer

After placing the seal on the container door, you are sure that the goods inside the container will reach the customer.

In other words, your seal will make it difficult for unauthorized personnel to have access to cargo thud preventing theft.

Complying with Shipping Guidelines

You will also ensure that you seal the container doors correctly as a mode of complying with the shipping guidelines.

Choosing the right type of seal will depend on numerous factors including the destination country and ISO PAS 17712 charter.

Prevent Damage to the Cargo

You will also protect the cargo inside the shipping containers from any form of damage by sealing the container correctly.

It will prevent the entry of water since it is waterproof and prevent the entry of insects that might damage the goods.

Shapes and Forms of Seals for Sealing Containers in the Right Way

It is obligatory to place a seal on the shipping container to ensure that it is safe throughout the journey.

You have the freedom of choosing from the many shapes and forms of container seals for sealing in the right way.

Here are some of the most common shapes and types of shipping container seals that you can choose from.

High-Security Bolt

This is the most common type of seal which consists of the metal barrel which will hold the metal pin from the top.

The main material for making the bolt seal is heavy-duty steel coated in water-resistant and tough plastic cover.

E-Seals

This is a type of seal that has the read-write combination code that you can open using Radio Frequency Identification Readers.

Radio frequency identification readers will help in the collection of data within a computer chip thus opening the seal.

You may choose any of the above types depending on the level o security you want on your container.

The other types of seals that you can use on your shipping container are:

• Embossed Lead Wire Seals
• Plastic Strip Seals
• Metal Strip Seals
• Plastic Bullet Seals
• Metal Bullet Seals
• Number Combination Padlocks

Quality Certifications for Containers Seals

The main quality certification that all shipping container seals must adhere to is ISO PAS 17712:2013.

You will get all the classifications as well as standards for every mechanical seal that you will use on the container.

You can also use the seals that conform to the ISO PAS 17712: 2013 to transport containers on trucks and railway.

Location of Placing the Seal on the Container

It is a requirement for you to have a seal on the shipping container and then place the seal in the right place.

On the shipping container door, you will see different features among them being two lock rods on every door.

You will close the left side of the door first before proceeding to close the door on the right side.

Implying that, you will open the right side of the door first before you open the left side of the door.

It means that the most suitable place for placing the seal of the container is on the right side of the container.

Apart from that, the right and left side of the shipping container door has lock rods where you will place the seal.

In addition to that, you may have shipping containers with antitheft locking devices (ATD) and secura cams.

You will find these features at the bottom part of the third locking bar of the shipping containers.

If possible, you will place high security bolt seals at the position of the security cam on the bottom end.

Number of Seals to Put on a Container

There is no rule on the number of seals that you will have to place on the shipping containers.

Implying that you can have any number of seals on the shipping container within the right places.

On a shipping container, you will find 4 locking rods where you can place the seals.

Apart from that, you may find optional secura cams and ATD which increase positions for placing the seals.

In other words, you can have as much as six seals on the shipping container or as low as one seal.

Compliance of Container Seals with the Right Guidelines

The type of seal that you will use on your shipping container will depend on many factors.

Among the numerous factors that dictate your choice for good container seals is quality compliance.

The main quality compliance certification that you have to adhere to on container seals is ISO PAS 17712:2013.

Apart from that, there are other forms of compliance that comes with the destination country and shipping company.

According to the destination country, you will have to comply with the set rules for the sake of their national security.

For instance, when shipping your cargo from or to USA, you must comply with the US Customs and Border Protection’s regulations.

Under the US Customs and Border Protection’s “CTPAT” regulations, high security seals that comply to ISO requirements.

You should consider following such guidelines even when shipping to other countries to ensure safety of cargo.

In addition to that, different shipping companies also have their seal guidelines which may not differ much.

Documenting the Seals for Sealing Containers in the Right Way

All the shipping containers that you import or export must have a unique identification number.

You will use the identification number on the seal of the container to properly identify your container.

It is the reason why you must ensure that the seal identification number matches the number on the bill of lading.

You will use the identification number on the seal and match it with the number on the bill of lading.

Apart from that, you should note that there are cases where the seal bares the same identification numbers.

In such a case, you will take a picture of the container with the seal identification number to prevent confusion.

What’s more, confusions on the identification numbers may attract huge fines and also cause container delays.

It is, therefore, your responsibility to ensure that you list the right seal identification number on the bill of lading.

Handling Broken Seals for Sealing Containers

In case you get a tampered seal or broken seal, it may mean a lot of things not necessarily theft.

It may mean that your container has been subjecting of custom inspection and your goods are in good condition.

In most cases, the customs officials inspect your container and place a new seal on it.

Apart from that, you will also get the old seal back as they inform you of the new seal on the container.

In case the seal is tampered with and suspicions of foul play on the cargo arise, you will have to report the matter.

You can document the whole process by taking pictures and reporting to the relevant authorities.

It is also important to avoid opening the container in the absence of a customs official during the inspection process.

Modes of Securing the Container After Sealing in the Right Way

There are quite a number of modes that you can use in securing the container after sealing it well.

Here are 6 of the most common modes of securing the container after sealing.

Lock Boxes on Shipping Containers

Lockboxes are special types of steel boxes that you cannot tamper with very easily.

It usually keeps your padlocks out of view making it impossible to tamper with the lock systems.

Heavy Duty Padlocks

This is the simplest mode of securing the container thus keeping the things inside the container safe and secure.

There are different shapes and styles of heavy-duty padlocks that you can use in securing your shipping containers.

Inner Bolts

You can also use deadbolts which are made of very hard steel thus providing extra security on the shipping container.

You will use this mode of securing the shipping container from inside thus making the almost impossible to open.

Crossbar Locks

You can also use the portable and easily installable crossbar locks without welding it to the container.

The crossbar locks will prevent the handles of the shipping container from turning thus making it safe and secure.

Alarm Systems

You can also increase the security on your shipping container by installing an alarm system on the doors.

With the alarm system, you will be able to receive a signal from a remote location when an intruder touches it.

Perimeter Fencing

You can also have a perimeter fence around the shipping container especially when it is in a shipping container yard.

The perimeter fence will provide the container with extra security even before the intruder reaches container position.

Process of Sealing the Containers in the Right Way

It is a requirement by the law of shipping containers to seal your containers in the right way.

In many cases, you should ensure that you place the seal on the “secure cam” position for extra security.

Here are the main steps that you will follow to securely seal your container door in the right way.

1) Closing the Container Door

You will begin the whole process by closing the doors of the container beginning from the left door.

After that, you will close the right door and then engage the lock rods that run vertically on both sides.

On the lock rods, there are handles that have catches with holes for inserting the seals.

2) Fixing the Container Seal

You will proceed with fitting the container seals within the holes of the catches of every handle on the door rods.

For instance, when using the most common high-security bolt, you will separate the barrel from the pin.

After that, you will insert the pin within the holes of the catches and then secure it with the barrel.

You will repeat the whole process on the other catches until you complete placing the seals correctly.

Process of Removing the Seal from the Container

You have to check the seals on the container for any form of tampering before you open the seal.

In case of a problem with the seal, you will report the problem to the handler of the cargo.

If not, you will proceed with the opening of the container by removing the seal from the catches.

After that, you will free the handle and then open the right door of the container first.

As soon as the right door is open, you will proceed with the opening of the second door in a similar fashion.

Significance of CTPAT in Sealing Containers in the Right Way

CTPAT is one of the regulations which stands for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.

It is one of the regulations that you have to conform to increase the safety of the shipping container.

It has participants from all the shipping companies and members of the supply chain seeking to improve security.

Apart from that, it conducts research on how they can improve the safety of the shipping container on transit.

(t also has rules for suspending members of the group if they fail to comply to the rules and regulations.

Best Locks for Sealing the Containers in the Right Way

When securing your container from theft or any other loses, you can use different types of locks.

Among the numerous types of locks, there are some that emerge as the best types of locks.

Here are the best types of locks that you can use to seal your containers.

• Container High Security Number Padlocks
• Crossbar Locks
• Truck Seals
• Hidden Shackle Padlocks
• Roll Door Lock Boxes

Significance of Different Colors of the Seals on Containers

Shipping containers seals are available in different color combinations that you can use.

In many cases, different colors on the container seals mean that they come from different shipping companies.

Apart from that, you will also note that the colors on the container seals represent the cargo types in the containers.

Placing of the Container Seal on Containers

You can use different types of seals on the container when sealing it from any form of theft.

The most common type of seal that you will use is the bolt seal which has two parts.

You will notice that the bottom and the top of the bolt seal has two unique identification numbers.

First, you will begin with snapping the two parts of the seal apart.

After that, you will insert the pin through a hole on the lock systems and then connect the base to the top.

Meaning of the Customs Red Seal on the Shipping Containers

When you find a red seal on your container seal, you will have to apply for another inspection.

In other words, you will apply for customs inspection under supervision during the unloading process.

Significance of the Green Seal on the Shipping Container

In case you find a green seal on the container, you can proceed with collecting the container.

In other words, you do not have to apply for further inspection of your container by customs.

When you work with Tj chinafreight, your shipping container will remain safe all the time.

We not only ensure your container is sealed properly but also ensure they are loaded and offloaded safely.

Contact us today for all your freight forwarding needs from China.

LED is a light-emitting diode in full.

Below you will find a summary of all you need to know about the LED.

Whether you want to learn about the components, working principles, uses or benefits, you will find everything right here.

Keep reading to learn more.

Main Parts of LED Display

Your LED display is composed of three main parts; the display panel, the source, and the controller.

Normally, the main LED display is composed of multiple LED display panels that are interconnected to form the main display unit.

Remember, the source of the content includes the computer, camera, flash disk, DVD, and others.

Also, the controller is has got two parts; the hardware and the software.

In most cases, the hardware is composed of the control board whereas the control system makes the software part of the control unit.

The size and format of the controller are dependent on the size of the display, application, and the source of the content.

How LED Display Work

LED  emits light due to electric luminescence.

The diode emits light as it flows through two coated silicon semiconductors.

Remember, the LEDs are made of three colors; red, blue, and green.

The differently colored LEDs are mounted in a specific pattern.

The colors do combine to form a specific pixel which is displayed as images on your screen.

1) By Application:

The LED display could be outdoor or indoor utilized.

LED display could be used for indoor, outdoor or semi-outdoor applications.

The indoors are used in less than 1 square meter to over 10 square meters.

They are used in close range and characterized by being light, large viewing angle, and moderate brightness.

The outdoor display is best used at more than 10 square meter.

They are brighter, waterproof and lightning resistant

2) By Color

The LED could be monochrome, bicolor, or full color.

Monochrome: has only red or yellow-green  color emitting materials

Bicolor: It has red and green LED lights.

The combination could emit 65,536 colors different colors.

Full color:  It has three colored diodes. It can have white and 16,777,216 other colors.

3) By Control

Synchronization control the LED is operated like a monitor where pictures are  updated at 30 fields/sec

Asynchronous is mostly used in text display in offline mode.

The content can be edited then played from the storage

4) By Pixel

Indoor or outdoor displays have got different pixels to suit the applications.

You could check the pixel before purchase

5) By Display Content

The LED could be designed to display video, text, graphic, or market quotations

6) By Display

The LED display is configurated differently as;

i. Segmented display

ii. Light bar versions

iii. Alphanumeric

iv. Dot matrix

Differentiations on the four types of configurations are discussed below.

Segmented Display

There are differently segmented display types; 7, 14 , and 16 segments LED display.

7-segment LED Display

They are used in digit display. T

his is made possible by having a separated segment of 7 LEDs each.

The individual diode in each segment is arranged in a figure-eight arrangement to enable individual lighting of each segment independently.

Each segment could be light or left un-light to achieve a digit display between 0 and 9.

You mostly find it in; calculators, digital clocks and timers, price displays, numerical information boards, and electronic meters.

It only displays numbers, no letters

14-segment LED Display

It has double the number of diodes found in the 7-segment display.

The arrangement of diodes is similar to the 7-segment display, but it has extra diodes arranged diagonally.

It can display letters though limited in displaying some.

You are likely to find this form of arrangement in;  DVD players, Microwave ovens, mobile phone caller ID, and car stereo fascias

16-segment LED Display

It is an advancement of the previous two.

Also, it has a pair of extra diodes formed by splitting the upper and lower horizontal segments into two.

This type of segmentation helps give more details in numbers and alphabets especially where a full alphanumeric LED display is needed.

You are likely to find this type of segmentation in;

Digital scales, alarm clocks, public information display, scoreboards, arcade games, digital timers,ovens, microwaves, shavers, and speakers.

LED Lightbar Display

This type of display has got diodes arranged in a linear or simple arrangement with single or multiple sections lighting up in a programmed sequence.

They are shaped in a square or rectangular shape.

Besides, they are mostly used for displaying fixed messages or highlighting other icons in a display.

The most application of this type of display include; industrial sensors, consumer electronics, home appliances, medical equipment, laboratory instruments, and customization projects.

Alphanumeric LED Display

They are characterized by displaying characters (Alphabets and numbers) in single or duplicate with different character heights.

You are likely to find them in meters, home appliances, display panels, and computing equipment.

Dot Matric Display

It is an advanced version of 16-segment alphanumeric arrangements.

Here the clustering of diodes is denser.

Besides, the diodes are arranged in a rectangular arrangement.

Also, the display can show specific alphabets or numerals by turning off or on the individual lights through a programmable sequence.

The resolution of the dot matric is dependent on the density of the LED.

Some of the available resolutions for the dot matrix display include; two-lined, three-lined,  four-lined or eight- lined.

LED dot matrix is commonly found in the outdoor display of complex information.

You are likely to find them in billboards, signage, or hoardings.

You most likely find them being used to displaying; images or symbols, prices, temperature, time, and date.

How LED Display compare to LCD Display

• LED displays are a subset of LCD broader technology.
• LCD represents the display that uses liquid crystal to control lighting on the screen.

LED also uses the same technology despite them using LEDs to backlight the pixels.

You will find the LEDs on TV or computer hence they are a subset of LCD.

• The current technology in LCD manufacture has transformed from using cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) and a majority are using LED technology.
• Hence, when you go purchasing a screen display, it will most likely be an LED display and not an LCD.

How LED Display compare to OLED Display

• OLED is an advanced version of the LED. Mostly found in smartphones, TV, computers, or monitor screens.
• LED depends largely on backlighting for illuminating the pixels whereas the OLED does not.
• OLED is the most updated technology which is costly with the capability to illuminate or completely switch off each pixel individually.
• Therefore, OLED technology can offer deeper blacks and thinner screens since they do not need backlight arrays.

Factors Determining LED Display Price

Several factors have an influence on how much it would cost you to purchase an LED display;

• The type of LED display; Monochrome, double primary color, indoor, outdoor or full color LED display would cost you differently.
• Point Spacing: The smaller the point spacing the more it would cost you on the LED display and vice versa.
• The production cost of each type of LED display is different.

Hence, the cost incurred will be summed up in the selling price of the LED display.

The cost incurred would include labor and the raw materials

Benefits of using LED Displays

• The pricing of the LEDs is declining making them more affordable
• LEDs have high light efficiency enabling design of luminaries with higher overall efficiency
• They generate very little heat thus saving on the lifespan of your device and reduces on energy wastage
• The have capability of producing billions of colors
• They have long lifespan of 50,000 hours or more
• Their operation is not affected by the environmental temperature
• The technology allows for thinner and lighter monitors to be made

Disadvantages of LED Display

• They are more expensive than convectional lighting technologies
• They must have the right electricity voltage and current at a constant rate hence need expertise in designing the electronic drivers
• The color of the image may change due to age and temperature.

List of Top 20 LED Display Manufacturers in China

Some of the top manufacturer include:

• MLS Lighting (Forest Lighting)
• NVC International Holdings Limited
• OPPLE Lighting
• San’an Optoelectronics co., Ltd
• Zhejiang Yankon Group Co., Ltd
• Tospo Lighting
• Foshan NationStar Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd
• FSL Lighting
• Guangdong PAK corporation Co., Ltd
• Bull group Co., Ltd
• Changzhou Xingyu Automotive Lighting System Co., Ltd
• Jiangxi lainchuang Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd
• Hongli Zhihui Group (HongLITRONIC)
• Shanghai Feilo Acoustics Co. Ltd
• Shilin Lighting
• Hangzhou Honyar Electrical Co., Ltd
• Zhejiang Klite Lighting Holdings Co. LTD
• HC Semitek Corporation
• Meka Electric Corporation
• Shenzhen Changfang Group Co., Ltd

Uses of LED Display

There are many applications of the LED display which is not limited to;

• LED factory and production signs
• Scoreboards
• LED health and safety signs
• Tickers and financial displays
• Military signs
• Recep[tion and welcoming
• Entertainment
• School signs
• Transport and highways
• Sculptural
• Exhibition and promotions

Determining LED Display Resolution

The resolution of the LED display is determined by the distance between an LED display’s diodes.

The resolution is given as a pair of a number indicating the width and height in pixels.

For example, a screen size of 6*8metres with 1cm pixel pitch has a resolution of 600*800 pixels.

A group of diodes makes a pixel. Each group of diodes is made of either red, green, or blue diodes.

The distance from the center of each pixel is called a pixel pitch.

For example, an LED display with a pixel pitch of 1cm could have 100 * 100 pixels/ square meter of each display.

I know you are wondering how to choose a resolution for your screen display.

This is how;

The distance between your screen and your viewers is a key determinant of the level of the resolution to choose.

For example, it is difficult to view clearly from a close distance on a screen with a low resolution (longer distance between the diodes).

But the same low resolution is ideal for a display screen far from the viewer.

For instance, if installing a display screen to be seen from the top of a building or building façade, the target audience would be a far.

Hence a low screen resolution would be ideal.

But if intending to put a screen display where the target audience are close, a high resolution would be required.

However, the high resolution would require more diodes to be utilized.

Hence, your screen display would be equally costly.

There is rule of thumb on the resolution to choose; 1mm pixel pitch per meter of viewing distance.

Energy Consumption of LED Display Systems

LED technology is energy efficient.

However, the amount of energy consumed is dependent on the type of display, usage, and brightness.

For instance, an indoor screen display would not consume similar energy as an outdoor screen display which would need to be brighter than the natural lights.

The content being displayed on the screen would also determine the amount of power being consumed.

For instance, displaying a white image with black lighting would require more of the diodes to be illuminated.

This consumes more power in comparison to displaying white text on a black background.

Quality Standards for LED Display

The quality standard of LED display is contained in ESTA – ANSI/ ESTA E1.50-1 standard.

For more details, please read about it.

Features to Consider in LED Display

For a LED display to be classified as being of quality, it should meet your expectations.

Some of the quality checks you could check includes;

Flatness

The screen surface should be as flat as possible.

Otherwise, any raised surface is likely to distort the image by affecting its viewing angle.

Also, the surface flatness must be within ±1mm.

Hence, the production process is a key determinant of the achieved flatness on the display screen.

 White Balance Effect

The white balance effect is how well the red, green, and blue colors are mixed to form a white color.

A certain proportion of red, blue and green light should emit white color.

Red, green and blue color mixed in the ratio of 1:4.6:0.16 should give pure white color otherwise, there is a problem.

This is a measure of accuracy on the LED display

Color Lump

Poor control system may result in a color difference between adjacent display modules.

The color lump is also caused by low scanning frequency and low grey level.

Color Reducibility

This is characterized by having the displayed color being different from the color of the source. Therefore, there is no reality in the image.

Brightness

The brightness expected on each LED display is dependent on the type of the display.

Also, the outdoor display should be brighter compared to the indoors display.

For instance; display brightness of 800~2000cd/m2 is perfect for an indoor display whereas brightness of 5000~7500cd/m2 is expected for an outdoor display.

This is to be able to overcome the natural lights unlike indoors where the lighting could be minimized/ controlled.

View Angle

The view angle is a key determinant on the number of viewers the display screen maybe able to accommodate.

You may find that the larger the angle, the better the view of the display.

No Mosaic

Mosaic is neclosis on the screen which appears as small black squares on the screen.

When this appears, it means there is poor connection in the display.

The number of dead points is dependent on the LED chips.

Size

The size of the chosen LED display should meet your expectations on several aspects;

• Pixel and resolution
• Visibility range dependent on the size of the LED display
• Installation and operating area
• Effect of the distance on obliquity
• Area estimation

 Power Consumption & Power Supply

When we talk of power consumption, we mean the average and maximum power consumption of the LED display.

Average power consumption is the actual working power being consumed when the LED display is in operation.

Maximum power consumption is the power consumed when the screen is started or when the screen is in full operation.

Average power consumption is usually lesser than power consumption, approximately 1/3 of the maximum power consumption.

Antistatic Ability

Also, the LED display is prone to static electricity which may affect its operation or damage.

The body of the LED should have a test failure voltage of 2000V and above.

LED Screen Appearance

Besides, the screen appearance should be appealing to the user/ purchaser.

Also, the appearance is a key indicator of the manufacturer’s quality of work or material used.

How to Test Quality of LED Display

The quality of the display is checked against several parameters.

Also, the evaluated LED display maybe classified as poor, acceptable, good or perfect.

Upon evaluating the display, recommendations are given.

Some of the parameters against which the display i.e. evaluated include;

Mechanical Strength of the Cabinet

The cabinet of the display should be checked against; welding strength, finishing, presence of a logo and painting quality.

Some of the solutions given if the display does not meet the requirement include; rebuilding or modifying the cabinet.

Screen Assembly

This test aims at fixing installation problems.

The assessment is done against; gaps presence, ability to easily assemble, presence of a logo, hanging and lock system.

In case it does not meet the standard, you can reassemble the screen or rebuild the cabinet.

Control System and Image Rendering

The test aims at ensuring the screen is installed according to normal configuration of the cabinet.

Some of the checks include the quality of the video or image.

The recommendation includes rebuilding the cabinet

Brightness, Calibration and Uniformity Checking

Maximum brightness is checked and evenness of the RGB and white color.

The masks should also be dark and uniform.

The recommendation is given include; recalibration of the screen, changing the mask or rescrewing the mask

On-Site Full White Viewing

An aging test is done to test how the screen would perform on the image or heat dissipation.

The testing is done against reliability on soldering and brightness continuity.

Water Proof Testing

The aim of the test is to confirm that no water is infiltrating into the screen.

Here, the parameters to check include; front and rear waterproof grade.

The solution to this is rebuilding the cabinet.

Vibration Testing

This test aims at ensuring that all parts are properly fixed.

You will conduct this test against how components are attached to each other.

In case the LED display fails, you should fix the components again.

LED Specifications

Some of the main parameters you should check include; wavelength, colour temperature and diffusion angle.

The solution you would get is to change the modules.

Spare Part Listing

Once you place an order, you will get exactly what you want.

You should conduct quality checks for all spare parts.

Packing

 This test aim is to ensure that your screen would not be damaged during transportation.

The parameters to check against include; resistance of the wooden box and flight cases.

In case the test fail, the recommendation would be to repackage.

Importance of Viewing Angle in LED Display

Viewing angle is the range at which the display achieves its largest visual performance.

Averagely, the viewing angle is at 140°(horizontal) and 50° (vertical).

Viewing distance is the furthest distance from the display where viewership can still be achieved.

Wide viewing angle enables one to view the image at consistent brightness and color throughout the viewing range

Diodes have the possibility to emit a single narrow beam of light or wide rays of light.

The diodes emit a narrow beam of light.

They can focus light on a small area whereas those with a wide beam light across the screen.

Therefore, standing in front of a display lit by a high beam of narrow-angle you would see a bright spot but moving further you would see a black spot.

However, the high beam of light with a wider viewing angle would show the image with the same consistency of color and brightness regardless of the distance.

Therefore, the viewing angle has an impact on the type of image you see depending on your distance from the display.

How to Determine Brightness of LED Display

The brightness/ Luminance of the display is determined with NIT.

NIT is a measure of luminance per square meter.

NIT equals to meter lamberts or candela per square meter (cd/m2).

Why LED Display is Good for Advertisements

The LED display are better than the traditional advertisement method due to;

• They easily attract your target due to their brightness hence reaching out to too many people
• Also, you have the flexibility to adjust the content you wish to advertise depending on your target audience and time among other factors
• Besides, you can remotely control the display through the internet
• You have the full control of the message to be dispensed out
• They require low maintenance. Mostly, they last longer than traditional billboards
• There are lesser expenses since all you change is the content but use the same device
• Through the digital billboard it is possible to sell the same advertising platform to different clients. Hence make more income.

Importance of IP Rating for LED Display

IP rating is the measure of protection against water and solids.

The IP rating has two digits e.g. IP65.

The first digit represents protection from solids and the second digit is water.

Normally, the IP rating shows the degree of protection.

UL Rating Requirements of LED Display

This is the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) rating of LED display against safety standards.

The products which have passed the safety standard should have the UL mark.

Therefore, next time you purchase an LED display, check out for that mark.

Features of IPS Display Panels

IPS is the acronym for In-Plane Switching.

Using IPS, you are likely to benefit from some of its features;

• Wider viewing angles enabling people from extreme ends to clearly see what on the screen. However, those on extreme angles will see diminished color and contrast.
• Ability to produce great color varieties: This is made possible by its display feature of 8-bit panels. Therefore, it is able to produce a full 24-bit color palette

• It has high color accuracy: The IPS has a better backlight capable of producing wide colors. Hence IPS is able to produce close to life colors.

Benefits of LED Backlit LCD Display

LED backlight have a long lifespan of at least 50,000 hours

They have efficient power consumption

They don’t produce heat protecting it from destruction or explosion

How does AMOLED Display compare to OLED Display?

OLED is a short form for Organic Light Emitting Diode.

It has LED composed of organic material for lighting.

Compared to the usual LED, it is smaller, flexible, thinner, and consumes lesser power when displaying dark colors.

They are rich in displaying colors.

OLED are largely used in;

• TVs
• Smartphone screens
• Computer monitor screen
• Making flexible lights, wallpapers, and transparent lighting

AMOLED is the short form for Active Matrix Organic Emitting Diode.

It is mostly used in large platforms through.

AMOLED has similar working principle as OLED.

It has a thin film transistor (TFT) that controls flow of current into each pixel.

Furthermore, it has two TFTs.

One charges the storage capacitor and the other charges the capacitors.

AMOLED is not limited by the size of the display.

It has the least power consumption in comparison to other technologies.

Besides, it thin, light and flexible.

AMOLED is largely used in;

• mobile phones,
• TVs, laptops
• Tablets
• Portable music players
• Digital cameras
• Games consoles

Recommended Lifespan of LED Display Board

The LED display can last for ten years and more.

However, the lifespan would be highly dependent on your maintenance, the environment ( e.g.  humidity, saltiness) where it is being utilized.

The daily use also plays a significant role.

Light images and more brightness requirements on the display result in high wearing off of the display.

This is unlike displaying darker images with lower brightness requirements.

Over time the brightness of the diodes will decline depending on their quality and generation.

Fortunately, most diodes do not maximize their light intensity.

Hence the guaranteed long life span of the light display.

How to Clean LED Display Screens

The LED display is the easiest to clean.

You just need to wipe the dirt off using a good quality microfiber cloth.

However, in case of sticky or stubborn dirt, you may need to dampen the cloth with some water then wipe it off.

However, you should always ensure that you do not directly spray any fluid onto the display.

This is because you risk the liquid ingress and damaging the display.

Otherwise, the display should be IP rated against damage from any liquid.

Additionally, you should not use cleaning chemicals or waxes while cleaning.

During cleaning, you should switch off the display and let it cool.

This is in situations where it is hot.

After cleaning, you should give the display sometime to completely dry off.

This is in situations where you have used a dampened cloth before switching it on again.

Why Understanding RGB is Critical in LED Display Panel

RGB is the short form for red, blue, and green.

It is a representation of how different colors are formed from the three primary colors.

The understanding of it is important in helping you to understand how you can achieve different colors using the primary colors.

Understanding SMD display is an LED Display Panel

SMD is the short form for Surface Mount Device.

This includes electronic components that are surface mounted on a printed circuit board.

SMD utilization in LED display is achieved by potting the diodes in a small plastic encapsulation.

They are then mounted on a printed circuit board of the LED display.

This way, you are able to save on space since little spacing is needed in between the diodes.

What is NITS in LED Display Panel

NIT means candela per square meter.

Whereby candela is the SI unit of luminance.

It represents the amount of brightness from different colors perceived by the human eye.

Therefore, it is a very important aspect when determining the brightness of the display.

One NIT equals the brightness of one normal candle.

Therefore, given the NIT of a display, you should be able to assess the brightness of the display.

With this information, you can easily import LED displays from China.

If you need a freight forwarder who can help you import LED displays from China, Tj chinafreight is here to help.