A container stuck at the port incurs demurrage every day. In the vast majority of cases, the cause lies in one of these six documents.
Goods that have arrived are not goods that have been delivered. In between comes the declaration, and with it a document set in which the slightest flaw is enough to stop everything, while demurrage keeps running.
1. The commercial invoice
The most common cause of holds, and the most avoidable. It needs a precise description of the goods (not a generic label), the Incoterm and agreed place, the currency, and a breakdown of charges that leaves nothing unclear.
2. The packing list
It must match the actual load, package by package. A discrepancy between the number of cartons declared and the number found triggers an inspection, and an inspection costs days.
3. The transport document
Ocean bill of lading or air waybill: this is the document that establishes who can take delivery. A missing original on a negotiable bill of lading holds up the goods as surely as a seal.
4. The proof of origin
Certificate of origin, EUR.1 or statement on origin on the invoice: without it, no tariff preference. The full rate applies, and putting it right afterwards is a formal procedure, not a quick fix.
5. Product-specific authorisations
Sanitary and phytosanitary checks, CE conformity, regulated substances, import licences. These documents depend on the tariff heading chosen: it is upstream, at tariff classification, that you find out which ones will be required.
6. The value elements
Royalties, licence fees, technical assistance, tooling supplied to the manufacturer: everything that goes into customs value without appearing on the invoice must be declared. This is what is most often reassessed in a post-clearance audit.
None of these six points can be sorted out at the port. They are sorted out before departure, by checking the document set while the goods are still with the supplier.
To go furtherCustoms ManagementCompliant declarations & optimised tariff classification
