BE ACCURATE in coordination with its global network we have in place, we can support importing and exporting from all corners of the globe.

The shipper is someone who supplies and/or owns the goods – also known as a Consignor.

A carrier refers to an individual or company that carries, holds, or transport goods from one location to the other.

The consignee is the entity or person legally required to be present to accept the shipment.

It is short for ‘Economic Operators Registration and Identification Number’ (EORI) and is a system of unique identification numbers used by customs authorities throughout the European Union.

Duties and taxes will impact the total cost of your shipment, so it’s important you are aware of them early on. You can then factor them into your pricing strategy to ensure your business remains profitable. Additionally, failing to manage duties and taxes properly could cause your shipment to be held up at customs – not to mention any fines you may have to pay.

Many countries have a minimum threshold of order value that goods have to meet before taxes and duties apply – this is called a de minimis.

The amount of tax and duties you’ll need to pay for a shipment are influenced by several factors, including:

• The value of the goods (including insurance and shipping fees)
• The goods description
• The country or region of origin
• The destination country’s tariff rates
• The goods’ HS code(s)

Yes, we do ship certain types of dangerous goods, we adhere to the following regulations:

Shipping Hazardous Materials by Air

The IATA website offers a great range of resources essential for your business if you are looking to ship dangerous goods by Air. Resources include Dangerous Goods training, manuals and forums amongst lots more.

Shipping Hazardous Materials by Ocean

Looking for a safe way to ship your goods by Ocean? The International Maritime Organization (IMO) provides information on the transportation of dangerous goods by Ocean.

Shipping Hazardous Materials by Road

ADR for road transport, the EU directives concerning the transport of Dangerous Goods, applicable within all countries that have adopted the ADR convention in their legislation and additionally within Europe

Shippers are responsible to confirm if their dangerous goods shipments will transit to destination by air or road and prepare the shipment accordingly.

“Whichever is greater” (or “carrier’s choice”) is a phrase to remember when calculating the cost of moving goods by air, ocean, road or rail. That’s because the carrier will always look at two different measurements – the actual weight and the volumetric weight of your shipment – and then base their chargeable weight calculation on the larger figure.

Avoid Underestimation 

When freight rates are high it’s particularly important to understand the chargeable weight of your goods whether you are shipping them by air, ocean, road or rail. Shippers who underestimate the chargeable weight are likely to receive an unpleasant surprise when the bill arrives.  Also, knowing the exact chargeable weight along with other factors such as the required transit time helps with selecting the optimal transportation mode.

Two Types of Weight 

The carrier compares two different types of weight. The first is the actual, gross, or total physical weight of your shipment, including any packaging and pallets. It is simply the entire shipment weight, typically expressed in kilograms (kgs).

The second type of weight is the volumetric or dimensional weight (the volume of your cargo). It is also expressed in kilograms but based on your shipment’s dimensions (length, width and height in centimeters), to which a density ratio is applied. Do not forget to include all the packages!

The density ratio applied on your shipment depends on the transportation mode you have selected.

Let’s transport the same shipment via all possible modes and find out its volumetric weight! Our shipment consists of two packages, each measuring 120 cm in length, 80 cm in width, and 50 cm in height.

Air Freight: a 1:6 density ratio

• The formula: ( ( L x W x H, in centimetres ) / 6,000 ) x number of packages( ( 120 x 80 x 50 ) / 6,000 ) x 2 = our shipment has a volumetric weight of 160kg.

Ocean Freight: a 1:1 density ratio

• The formula: ( ( L x W x H, in centimetres ) / 1,000 ) x number of packages( ( 120 x 80 x 50 ) / 1,000 ) x 2 = our shipment has a volumetric weight of 960kg.
• This is valid for a less-than-container-load (LCL) shipment; for a full-container-load (FCL) shipment, a per-container charge replaces the volume-based charge.

Rail Freight: a 1:3 density ratio

• The formula: ( ( L x W x H, in centimetres ) / 3,000 ) x number of packages ( ( 120 x 80 x 50 ) / 3,000 ) x 2 = our shipment has a volumetric weight of 320kg.

Road Freight: a case-by-case scenario

• Density ratios vary by location and carrier, so check with your intended carriers for full information.

What types of problems are covered in the cost of my shipment?

Freight forwarders and carriers have limited liability for loss or damage to your goods under international conventions. In the case of an incident covered under international conventions, your compensation will be calculated against a standard negligent liability clause and not the real value of your cargo.

While every shipment is handled with great care, accidents outside the carrier or freight forwarder’s control can happen. Natural disasters such as floods are not covered by freight liability.

BE ACCURATE offers additional Cargo Insurance to close the gap between standard liability and the full value of your goods.

Why should I add BE ACCURATE Cargo Insurance ?

We offer exceptional levels of service, no matter the size of your business. You get access to an insurance policy with no deductibles or excess at a competitive rate, from one of the world’s largest insurers – even for high-risk cargo and in destinations that most other insurance companies won’t cover. Other benefits include:

• Freight and insurance billed on a single invoice
• Easy claims process – as your forwarder, we already have of many of the necessary documents
• Claims settled within 30 days on average
• Claims handled locally by personnel who speak the local language
• Reimbursement settled in local currency