Delivering to a ship in port: documents, customs, time window

A part that reached the port is only half of the delivery. The other half is paperwork, clearance and hitting the port-stay window. This is the checklist we run for every shipment - it works with any supplier.

Documents the delivery stops without

• Commercial invoice and packing list with weights and dimensions of every package.
• The "ship spares in transit" marking on documents and packaging - it is what opens the simplified customs procedure.
• Vessel name, IMO number, port and expected ETA/ETD on every document.
• Certificates packed with the part, not sent separately.
• For dangerous goods: the DG declaration and safety data sheet - without them the terminal will not let the truck onto the quay.

Clearance: what customs checks, what the agent does

Ship spares in transit do not go through standard import clearance - formally they never enter the market, they only "change rides" onto the vessel. Customs looks for consistency: the vessel name on the invoice has to match the port system, the package count has to match the packing list. The port agent, in turn, needs advance notice to announce the delivery to the terminal and order gate passes.

The time window: where deliveries fail most often

• The vessel's ETA and ETD are not enough - ask the agent for the real delivery window, container terminals run their own cut-offs.
• Aim for delivery 24 hours before ETD. On short calls, agree a to-the-gangway delivery for a specific hour.
• Have a plan B: if the vessel sails early, the part stays with the agent or travels to the next port of call - agree this before the truck leaves.

Handover on board

A delivery ends with a signature, not with entering the quay. A receipt with the package count, photos at handover and the name of the person who signed - these three things close any future dispute. With us they are standard for every shipment: you get the photos in the delivery report together with the signed receipt, usually within an hour of handover.