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| Smart Shipping: It's All In The Details |
| Did you know that accurate descriptions of contents are essential for timely customs clearance? On a daily basis, some outgoing international shipments are selected and held by Customs. Some of these shipments are held due to poor descriptions such as "samples", "parts" and "promotional materials”. Others are held because the description states “see commercial invoice” or no description has been given at all. Incomplete and incorrect descriptions on the international airway bill, commercial invoice or any other supporting documentation may result in customs delay. The international air waybill is required for all international shipments. It is also your customs declaration, which can possibly be used to clear your shipment through customs at the destination. The customs clearance process begins with the description on the air waybill. If the description is too vague or missing, customs authorities may select the shipment for further inspection. All additional customs paperwork (e.g. commercial invoice) must also have detailed commodity descriptions. |
| What constitutes a good description? A good description must answer the following questions:
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