Getting international transport right can be complicated and depends on the agreement you have with your customer or supplier. Your obligations should be clearly set out in a written contract using Incoterms – standard trade terms which state who is responsible for transporting goods, insuring the goods during transportation, paying duties and securing customs clearance. The best mode of transport for your goods will depend on the type of goods and how quickly they need to be delivered. You may need more than one mode, for example, sending goods by lorry to a port in the UK and then by ship overseas. In all instances, the goods will need suitable packaging and labelling for transportation.
You should clarify in advance who will be responsible for UK customs procedures, for freight and insurance, and for customs clearance in the customer’s country – and use the correct Incoterms to describe this in the quotation and written contract. Most companies use a specialist freight forwarder to handle transport. Confirm exactly what they will do and whether they can handle all documentation and other procedures. Look for a forwarder who exports regularly to that destination. They can ‘consolidate’ your goods with other consignments in a single container to reduce costs.
A full list of Incoterms can be found here.