If you are serious about shipping, you need to optimize for shipment booking.
Why ?
Well, too many orders are stucked or suffering shipping delays.
And it’s becoming more worse due to the pandemic.
In today’s guide, you’re going to learn how to book your China shipment timely and reasonably.
Check it out.
Shipment Booking Process
Previously, we have introduced the step-by-step shipping procedure infographic to ship from China.
After you choose the forwarder and confirm their shipping prososal, the next is to make the booking.
Here is booking process in shipping regardless of ocean freight or air freight you use.
At this step, what you ( importer ) need to do is :
- Confirm the service and quote to your China forwarder clearly.
- Give all your suppliers’ contact information to your forwarder.
- Provide b/l instructions ( Shipper , Consignee, cargo description and hs code )
After receive your booking instruction.
Your China forwarder will begin to book the vessel space from shipping line or flight from airline.
The first is to contact suppliers to obtain the shipper’s letter of instruction ( SLI ).
LSI is a formal booking form with more accurate booking information and request.
With that, forwarder pass it to carrier and make the booking.
After the carrier receive the booking form, they will allot and release space.
Once booking confirmation confirmed, a shipping order ( SO ) will be released by carrier.
It is a document, or just some information serves as a receipt for the main shipment leg.
An SO will contain :
- the terminal location of the empty container for pickup ( FCL )
- the warehouse delivery address , contact phone, reservation remarks ( LCL, AIR )
- booking details like the booking number, vessel ( flight ) number
- Transport plan (origin, destination, ETD, ETA).
Tips :
Remember to verify the SO information, make sure it is consisit with booking request.
For example, if you need 2 x 40hq, but only 1 x 40gp released, then the booking is meaningless.
When you viewed the shipment booking process, it seems nothing was particular.
But why shipment booking need to be optimized as mentioned in the first beginning ?
Well, the fact is too many shipments failed to book in the year 2020.
The ocean freight market is currently severely disrupted, especially along Far East routes, due to container shortages and imbalances.
Same as air shipping, airlines struggling to fulfill bookings, and freight rates have spiked in response to the lack of availability.
So the core tips are :
Remember to prepare in advance and book ahead so to secure the vessel or air space if time matters to you.
Meanwhile, try to avoid ship during peak seasons or Chinese holidays.
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