Instructions for Shipping Cargo from the USA overseas. ECONOMY Sea freight Service.

In respect of International Cargo Transportation from the USA by sea and dealing with a U.S. freight forwarder, international shipping instructions received from the freight forwarder on shipping cargo from the USA are a substitute to booking confirmation. International shipping instructions on shipping freight from or to the USA contain shipping information, which is the same as in booking confirmations from international ocean freight carriers but presented in the more comprehensive form.

Regardless of the format of international shipping instructions, international shipping should provide at least the following information on transported goods:

1. A document No. and ocean freight carrier's Booking No.;
2. Carrier's shipping terminal or shipping agent contact information;
3. Sailing details on shipping sea freight, including:
   - ETD - Estimated Time of Departure (the day when vessel scheduled to sail from the seaport of origin);
   - ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival (the day when a vessel expected to arrive at the seaport of destination);
   - Other shipping details such as Vessel's name, Voyage, Routing, etc.

IMPORTANT: To avoid delays and other possible problems with your international shipment, you have to complete and submit all shipping documents requested in your shipping instructions before your goods will be delivered to the ocean freight carrier's terminal (called CFS - Container Freight Station). Timely furnishing of proper international shipping documents on international shipping from the USA is shipper's responsibility, but freight forwarder's or ocean freight carrier's responsibilities.

Note: This approach is common when you are shipping cargo from the USA with an international shipping company (U.S. Freight Forwarders, NVOCC, VOCC). However, if you are exporting goods with a global moving company, then procedures on your cargo transportation it may differ. International shipping instructions on shipping from the USA varies case by case. If you transport your goods with an international moving company, then we recommend obtaining complete shipping instructions with the total shipping cost confirmation in advance.

If you are a first-time international shipper and have no experience in shipping from the USA any sizable cargo, then we would recommend you reading this article about shipping from USA LCL Sea freight instead of hiring an international moving company before continuing with this page.

If you are experienced in international cargo transportation from the USA by sea, then you can skip it and go directly to this specific step-by-step shipping procedures on transporting LCL freight from the USA overseas with AMID Logistic in this FAQ page.

International Shipping Instructions with AMID Logistics, LLC

I. EXPORT. LCL shipping FROM the USA:

a. LCL (Less than Container Load shipping. International shipping from USA boxes, crates, pallets):

The FIRST AND ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY STEP TO BEGIN an international LCL shipment with us is to calculate shipping cost and get a price quote on the home page of our website. Then you can book your shipment via the quote. To avoid misunderstandings, misspellings, and typos, we do not accept quotes and booking requests over the phone or via fax. You can watch this three minutes video on YouTube about how our online LCL freight calculator works.

As soon as you have quoted and booked your international shipment online, you should expect our email with International Shipping Instructions on your LCL sea freight shipments within 24 business hours.

This email will contain a link to your dock receipt generated specifically on your shipment. Most of the time we will need 24 working hours to arrange your cargo transportation from the USA overseas. However, depending on the complexity of shipment, routing, carriers involved, etc., it may take just a few hours, or it can take more than 24 business hours. We will keep you posted regarding of the status. We will do our best to satisfy your shipping needs.

Note: New customers and repeated shippers that do not have an account with us, for us to initiate a shipping process unless agreed in advance, must pay a security deposit. The deposit typically equal to 75% at estimated shipping cost obtained in our online freight calculator. If deposit required, then we will start working on the shipment from the time when the security deposit is paid. To avoid delays in scheduling, we offer a variety of payment options on international shipping from the USA.

Our online shipping instructions to initiate shipping your cargo from the USA overseas will contain the following:

• OCEAN FREIGHT CARRIER'S BOOKING NUMBER - THE KEY NUMBER DURING ALL THE SHIPPING PROCESS;
• AMID Logistics's Reference Number. Our internal number to track your shipment. The format should look like: US180902BL;
• International Ocean freight carrier's OR domestic transportation company's shipping terminal address and phone number OR pickup's information (if pickups requested);
• Sailing details on the international shipping from the USA, including:
  - ETD - Estimated Time of Departure (shipping day from a seaport at the origin); 
  - ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival (shipping day of arrival to the destination's seaport)
  - Other shipping details related to your international shipping from the USA such as: Name of vessel, voyage, routing, etc.
• Link to print your shipping labels;
• Links to fill out and submit your essential international shipping documents online, including:
  -- Dock Receipt (You may consider the Dock Receipt a ticket for your shipping from USA goods)
  -- Valued Packing List (in general applies on international shipping from the USA of household goods or personal goods, that are not for sale).
  -- Commercial Invoice (in general applies on shipping from USA commercial cargo).

b. International shipping instructions on other sea freight services, such as shipping from USA FCL (Full Container Load) and shipping from USA cars (and other types of vehicles) in containers and RO-RO:

Procedures on international shipping instructions with other international ocean freight services offered by AMID Logistics, LLC are in general the same as with LCL service. The essential difference is that international shipping instruction on shipping from USA FCL and transport from USA vehicles in containers and RO-RO, as a rule, will be:

1. Issued after international ocean freight carrier's price rate is re-confirmation and;
2. The ocean freight rate re-confirmation may take more than 24 hours. At times it may take up to three business days.

II. IMPORT. LCL shipping to the USA:

As a U.S. Freight Forwarder, in our international shipping instructions on shopping import to the USA, we typically refer shippers directly to an ocean freight carrier's shipping agent in the country of origin, where their shipment will be initiated. We may then work on the importer's behalf as soon as goods entered into the U.S. Commerce Zone. Refer to this link for more information about international shipping freight to the USA.

Scheduling of import international ocean freight shipments may take up to seven business days from the day of bookings. In certain circumstances, it may take longer.