International freight forwarder

The documents required for trade are as follows:

• papers issued by the consignor
• export documents of the country of departure
• import declaration
• CMR – international consignment note for road transport

In the case of transport within the European Union, it is sufficient that the goods are accompanied by:

• CMR
• packing list and invoice (optional, can also be sent electronically)

Certain groups of goods (such as alcohol and dangerous goods) also require special documents.

The aim of CMR or the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road is to identify the consignor, consignee, transported goods and the carrier’s obligations and responsibilities.

The dispatcher’s liability insurance (in conformity with the general conditions of ELEA) compensates damage caused by the dispatcher’s executed or even non-executed work.

Incoterms specify the rights and obligations of the parties to a sale/purchase agreement. Incoterms 2010 were developed in Paris by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Incoterms terms of delivery consist of 13 clauses pertaining to shipping and other modes of transport.

FCA – Free Carrier

Specified loading site, used with all modes of transport. The seller delivers the goods to a place (or carrier) nominated by the buyer. The seller is responsible for the customs clearance of the goods. If loading occurs at the seller’s premises, the seller is responsible for loading the goods on to the vehicle. If loading occurs at a carrier’s premises, the seller is responsible for loading the goods on to the vehicle, but not for unloading them.

CPT – Carriage Paid To

Specified loading site at the delivery point, used with all modes of transport. The seller’s responsibilities include transport and logistics, covering the costs up to the delivery point and the customs clearance for the exported goods.

CIP – Carriage and Insurance Paid To

Specified loading site at the delivery point, used with all modes of transport. The seller’s responsibilities include transport, covering the costs up to the delivery point, customs clearance for the exported goods and insurance of the cargo for the benefit of the buyer.

EXW – Ex Works

Specified loading site, used with all modes of transport. The seller makes the goods available at their premises or at another named place. The seller is not responsible for the customs clearance of export goods or of loading the goods on to a vehicle. The buyer bears all risks and costs related to and following the loading of goods at the loading site specified by the seller.

DDP – Delivered Duty Paid

Specified loading site at the delivery point, used with all modes of transport. The seller’s responsibilities include transport, covering the costs up to the buyer’s location, but also customs clearance (incl. state fees, licences). The buyer bears the costs of unloading the goods.

DAP – Delivered At Place

The seller delivers when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer on the arriving means of transport ready for unloading at the named place of destination. The seller assumes all risk until arrival at the destination. DAP is a new supply clause created to replace three supply clauses (DAF, DES and DDU) from the previous classifier version (2000).

DAT – Delivered At Terminal

The seller delivers the goods when the unloaded goods have been given over to the buyer at the named terminal at the named destination port or other destination. The terminal is any covered or uncovered site, such as a berth, warehouse, container yard or road, rail or air cargo terminal. The seller bears all the risk in the delivery and unloading of the goods at the named port or destination terminals. This clause also underlines the need to specify a precise point within that destination, since the seller assumes all costs and risk up to that point. DAT is a new supply clause created to replace the supply clause DEQ – Delivered Ex Quay from the previous classifier version (2000).

ADR and the transport of dangerous goods

Substances and articles which may damage health, the environment or property are classified as dangerous goods and transported according to ADR (International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road). When transporting goods classified as dangerous by ADR, the vehicle must be accordingly equipped, the carrier must be licenced to carry ADR-classified dangerous goods, and the driver must have undergone a training to obtain an ADR Driver Training Certificate.

The 13 hazard classes according to ADR:

Class 1 Explosive substances and articles
Class 2 Gases
Class 3 Flammable liquids
Class 4.1 Flammable solids
Class 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
Class 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
Class 5.1 Oxidizing substances
Class 5.2. Organic peroxides
Class 6.1 Toxic substances
Class 6.2 Infectious substances
Class 7 Radioactive material
Class 8 Corrosive substances
Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

IMO and the transport of dangerous goods by sea

When transporting dangerous goods by sea we follow IMO (International Maritime Organisation) provisions aimed at ensuring maritime safety and security, saving the environment, solving legal issues and fixing the technical cooperation of different parties. The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG) specifies that dangerous goods delivered at a port must be named, packaged and labelled (equipped with labels and posters) according to IMDG requirements. The sender is fully responsible for the correct marking.

ADR and IMO documents and submitting them

If you require a multi-modal transport service (two or more modes of transport, such as transport by ship and vehicle), it is very important that the names, packaging and labels of the goods comply with the requirements for the carriage of dangerous goods of both modes of transport. In official and technical documents the commercial name of the dangerous goods or substance is not enough, it is important to also include the proper shipping name of the dangerous goods or substance, the UN number, class and packaging group. The same requirements apply to goods or substances which are classified as Limited Quantities. When ordering a transport service it is important to provide a signed Dangerous Goods Declaration and, if necessary, the original of the declaration with the documentation.