Author name: The Alibaba.com Team

USMCA is a trade agreement between the US, Mexico, & Canada that replaces NAFTA and adapts trade rules to the current and future economic challenges.

Palletizations refer to the ways to arrange and secure goods on flat structures for easy, safe handling, storage, and transport, to protect the cargo.

Reefer is a refrigerated container or ship with climate control for perishable cargo transport.

A Letter of Credit (LC) is a banking tool designed to assure payment to the seller upon meeting specified terms to minimize any transaction risks.

A Power of Attorney (POA) authorizes a third party to handle primarily customs matters for importers or exporters. POA requirements vary by country.

A Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) is an exporter’s directive to a forwarder or carrier on how & where to ship a shipment, essential for U.S. exports.

A commercial invoice is a document that details goods, participants, pricing, and other data elements required by Customs for global trade.

Congestion surcharge is a fee imposed by carriers on shipments via congested ports to cover extra operational costs & manage logistical challenges.

Customs clearance is a mandatory process for global shipments that involves cargo inspection, proper paperwork and cargo loading.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC ) oversees & regulates U.S. global ocean commerce to safeguard the shipping public from unfair competition.

NVOCCs are vessel-less ocean carriers that consolidate shipments, issue House Bills of Lading, and negotiate rates using their own tariff structure.

A Bill of Lading is a legal document for shipped goods serving as a receipt, carriage contract, and title document.

A Tailgate Exam is a visual inspection of a container’s interior by Customs officials to check for anomalies or contraband.

Certificate of Origin (CoO) confirms the product’s country of origin, which is essential for customs clearance and relevant duties determination.

A Forty-Foot Equivalent Unit (FEU) denotes a 40-foot container’s volume, instrumental for cargo capacity assessment & shipping costs calculation.