International shipping is the import and export of merchandise between countries through four primary modes of transport - air, sea, rail and road. At the first glance or attempt, it might seem complicated as moving freight across borders accompanies plenty of rules and regulations with differences in international shipping policies across each country. Luckily, we have logistics companies offering international parcel service to all. With them at your disposal, you can rest assured that the process shall be seamless with the timely collection of paperwork for your freight to pass the customs clearance.
That’s not all. Let’s take a closer view of the five essential components of international shipping for a better understanding:
Export haulage - It’s the stage, where the movement of freight occurs between the point of collection to the closest warehouse, facility firm or port for the parcel to cross the border.
Export customs clearance - This stage is characterised by clearance, whereby the parcel has to pass the process, on reaching the border of the exporting country.
Transportation - Finally, transport of goods initiates after leaving the home country.
Import customs clearance - The goods that arrive in the destination country or the country of import, has to undergo another customs clearance process. The step ensures compliance of the merchandise to the policies set by the importing country.
Import haulage - This is the last stage, where freight approved at the customs clearance moves ahead from the border to its final destination.
Typically, international parcel service is more popular than global postal shipping across many businesses because the former takes little time as compared to the latter. You can even expect next day delivery from a logistics services provider involved in international shipping.
With this, I come to the end of the answer. Hope the detailed and step-by-step approach to international shipping has cleared your doubts. Now that you are aware of the phrase, go from local to global and watch your profits soar like never before!
The international trade basically evolves around the doctrine of comparetive cost and advantages. Countries tend to produce products that they have cost and quality advantage and sell them to countries which do not have the said advantages. In reality though it has a far complicated Dynamics.
International trade not only involves exchange of goods and services between two countries, but it also involves exchange of currencies. Since the buyer and seller are from two different countries, there is also an element of uncertainty. For the Importer ( buyer) about the quality and quantity of goods ; and for the seller ( Exporter) with regard to the payment. Several International norms and rules are put in place to reduce this tension. UCPDC rules being the major one.
The starting point of an International trade is the inquiry generated by a buyer to a prospective supplier. It's followed by exchange of catalogue, specifications, samples , in certain cases physical inspection of materials and placement of orders. This is followed by shipments and settlement of payments.
The Chambers of commerce, Export promotion council's of the countries play a vital role in facilitating trade. Banks play a still bigger role in handling documents and ensuring payment settlement. There are also other key stake holders like Certification Agencies, clearing and forwarding Agencies and of course merchant ships, Airways and other modes of transportation, not to forget Insurance companies.