International transportation involves a variety of documents, depending on factors such as the mode of transportation (sea, air, land), the nature of the goods and the purpose of transportation. Here are some common documents:

Commercial documents

1. Commercial Invoice

Definition: This is a document provided by the exporter to the importer to provide detailed information about the goods sold, including the name, specifications, quantity, unit price, total price, etc. It is the basis for both buyers and sellers to keep accounts, declare and pay taxes, and is also an important basis for customs to determine the tax-paid price.

Example: If a Chinese company exports a batch of electronic products to a US company, the commercial invoice will list in detail the model of the electronic products (such as smartphone model XX, tablet model YY), quantity (1,000 smartphones, 500 tablets), unit price (US$300 per smartphone, US$400 per tablet) and total price (US$300,000 for smartphones, US$200,000 for tablets) and other contents.

2. Packing List

Definition: The packing list is mainly a detailed description of the packaging of the goods, including the name, specifications, quantity, weight, volume and other information of the goods in each packaging unit, as well as the total number of packages, total weight and total volume. It helps the consignee to check the goods and facilitates the management of the goods during loading, unloading, storage and transportation.

Example: For the export of electronic products mentioned above, the packing list may show that smartphones are packed in 20 boxes per box, totaling 50 boxes; tablets are packed in 10 boxes per box, totaling 50 boxes. And indicate the size (length, width, height) and weight of each box, as well as the total weight and total volume of all boxes.

3. Bill of Lading (sea transportation)/Air Waybill (Air Waybill)/Waybill (land transportation)

Definition (sea bill of lading): The sea bill of lading is a certificate issued by the carrier (shipping company) or its agent to prove that the shipper has loaded the goods on board and guarantees the delivery of the goods at the port of destination. It has the functions of cargo receipt, transport contract proof and property right certificate.

Example: In sea transport, the bill of lading will display the ship name (such as “XX” cargo ship), voyage (such as “Voyage No. 123”), loading port (Shanghai Port), unloading port (Los Angeles Port), shipper (name of Chinese exporter), consignee (name of US importer or by order) and description of goods (same as commercial invoice and packing list related content) and other information.

Definition (Air Waybill): The air waybill is a transport document issued by an air carrier or its agent. Its main function is to prove that the goods have been loaded on the aircraft. It is a proof of the transport contract, but it is not a property right certificate.

– Definition (Land Waybill): The land waybill is used for land transport of goods. It is a transport contract certificate between the shipper and the carrier, and records the origin, destination, cargo information and other contents of the goods.

Customs Declaration Documents

1. Customs Declaration

Definition: A customs declaration is a legal document in which the consignor or consignee of imported or exported goods or their agents make a written statement of the actual situation of the imported or exported goods in the format prescribed by the customs, thereby requesting the customs to handle customs clearance procedures for their goods in accordance with the applicable customs system. The contents of the customs declaration include basic information of the goods, import and export ports, trade methods, transportation methods and many other contents.

Example: On the customs declaration, for imported goods, the country of origin (such as Japan), commodity code (determined according to the customs coding rules, such as electronic products may have corresponding codes), declared price (consistent with the commercial invoice price) and other information will be indicated so that the customs can supervise and levy taxes.

2. Certificate of Origin

Definition: The certificate of origin is a document that proves the origin of the goods, that is, the place where the goods are produced or manufactured. It is an important basis for the customs of the importing country to implement differential tariffs, import restrictions, and different trade policies on imported goods. Common ones include general certificates of origin and GSP certificates of origin.

Example: If the goods meet the rules of origin of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the exporter can apply for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Certificate of Origin from the relevant agency. When imported into ASEAN countries, the goods can enjoy the corresponding tariff preferential policies with this certificate.

Other documents

1. Insurance Policy

Definition: The insurance policy is a formal written proof of the insurance contract between the insurer and the insured. In international transportation, in order to ensure the safety of goods during transportation and avoid losses caused by natural disasters, accidents and other reasons, the goods are usually insured. The insurance policy will indicate the insurance amount, insurance coverage, insurance period and other contents.

Example: For a batch of goods worth US$1 million, the exporter may insure with the insurance company, the insurance amount is 110% of the value of the goods (that is, US$1.1 million), the insurance coverage includes risks such as fire, collision, sinking during sea transportation, and the insurance period starts from the loading of the goods on the means of transport until the unloading is completed at the port of destination.

2. Inspection and Quarantine Certificate

Definition: These certificates are issued by inspection and quarantine agencies after the import and export goods are inspected and quarantined, and are used to prove that the goods meet the relevant quality, hygiene, animal and plant quarantine and other standards. Different goods may require different inspection and quarantine certificates, such as quality inspection certificates, health certificates, animal and plant quarantine certificates, etc.

Example: For food exports, a health certificate is required to prove that the food meets the food safety standards of the importing country; for animal and plant products, an animal and plant quarantine certificate is required to prove that the product does not carry harmful bacteria or pests, etc.