Sea Freight Import and Export

The range of ocean freight services

Sea freight is not a single product but a family of services covering FCL, LCL, breakbulk and out-of-gauge cargo, each suited to a different type of shipment. Standard containerised cargo moves as FCL or LCL depending on volume, while machinery, vehicles and equipment too large for a box move as breakbulk on a conventional vessel or on specialist flat rack and open-top equipment.

We handle both directions from the same UK base: export shipments leaving the country and import shipments arriving into it. Running both flows through one team means we understand carrier behaviour on a given trade lane from experience rather than guesswork, which helps when a booking needs adjusting at short notice.

Export process from UK collection to sailing

On export, we collect or receive your cargo, confirm the correct commodity classification, prepare the export declaration and book space with whichever carrier best matches your required sailing date and destination port. Where letters of credit are involved, we prepare bank-compliant documentation to the exact wording the credit requires, since a minor discrepancy can hold up payment.

Once the vessel sails, we issue the bill of lading or, for breakbulk cargo, the appropriate mate's receipt and shipping documentation, and provide tracking updates through to arrival. Any special handling, such as lashing certificates for out-of-gauge cargo, is arranged and supplied before the vessel departs.

Import process from arrival to delivery

On import, we track the vessel's progress, lodge the customs entry ahead of arrival where pre-clearance is possible, and calculate the duty and VAT due. Once the goods are cleared, we arrange inland haulage to your address, whether that is a single pallet moving by pallet network or a full container moving on an articulated trailer.

Where a shipment needs specialist destination handling, such as offloading heavy machinery by crane or delivering to a site with restricted access, we plan that leg in advance rather than discovering the access problem when the vehicle turns up.

• Import customs entry and duty and VAT calculation
• Carrier tracking and milestone updates
• Inland haulage from any UK port
• Crane offload and specialist delivery arrangement

Out-of-gauge and heavy-lift cargo

Cargo that will not fit through a container door, such as large machinery, generators or industrial equipment, is planned individually from the outset. Depending on dimensions and weight, it travels on a flat rack, in an open-top container, or as breakbulk directly on the deck or in the hold of a conventional vessel.

Lashing plans, lifting points and stevedore requirements are all worked out before booking, because getting this wrong at the port causes real delays and can attract significant additional charges. We work from manufacturer weight and dimension data wherever possible rather than estimates, since inaccurate figures are one of the most common causes of last-minute equipment changes.

Documentation across trade finance methods

Not every shipment is paid for on open account terms. Where a letter of credit, documentary collection or other trade finance instrument is being used, the shipping documents have to match the required wording precisely, covering everything from the description of goods to the named parties on the bill of lading.

We prepare these documents to the bank's exact specification and check them before presentation, since discrepancies between the credit and the documents are one of the most common reasons payment under a letter of credit is delayed.

Pricing across different ocean freight types

FCL is priced as a flat rate per container, LCL by cubic metre or weight, and breakbulk or out-of-gauge cargo individually based on dimensions, weight and the handling equipment required at both ends. Carrier rates on all types fluctuate with fuel surcharges, currency adjustment factors and seasonal capacity, so we work from live quotations rather than fixed price lists.

For contract shippers moving regular volumes, we negotiate rates directly with carriers to secure more stable pricing across a defined period, which protects against the sharpest swings in the spot market.

Marine insurance and risk

Ocean freight carriers' liability under standard terms is limited and does not reflect the full value of most cargo, which is why marine cargo insurance is worth considering on any shipment of real value. Cover can be arranged on a single shipment basis or under an annual open policy for businesses shipping regularly.

We place cover on request and can advise on the level appropriate to the cargo, whether that is basic total loss cover or all-risks cover including damage in transit and general average contributions.

One contact, one invoice

Whatever the mode of ocean transport, you deal with the same contact throughout the booking, and receive a single invoice covering freight, customs and delivery rather than separate bills from a carrier, a customs agent and a haulier. Milestone updates are provided at booking, sailing, arrival and clearance so you always know where the cargo stands.

This single point of accountability is particularly valuable on complex or high-value shipments, where coordinating several different suppliers yourself would otherwise mean chasing multiple parties for the same piece of information.