What is the shipment document?

This document must be in the possession of the carrier during the transport of goods.

Several documents make up the shipment document (documents vary depending on the type of transport):

• The commercial invoice allows you to prove that the product has been sold and to indicate its selling price. This information will be essential for CN22/CN23 customs declarations. The latter has the same objective as the commercial invoice, to help the authorities determine the customs duties and taxes applicable in terms of international transport.
• The reservation confirmation is issued by the freight forwarder, it provides information on the transport arrangements and contains the reservation references.
• The receipt for receiving freight is a document which certifies that the cargo has been received, the shipper receives an invoice from the shipper.
• The bill of lading or loading note confirms receipt of goods shipped by ship or plane.
• The proforma invoice is an invoice that has the form of a commercial invoice but it has neither legal value nor accountant value. It is necessary for certain import-export operations or the sale of specific goods.
• The certificate of origin, as its name indicates this customs document, makes it possible to certify the origin of a good, in particular its country of manufacture.
• Shipment labels and receipts specify essential delivery information. It is the delivery document which facilitates its arrival at destination, it must be stuck on the package. It generally contains information such as delivery addresses, sender and recipient contact details, tracking number, number of packages, contents and weight.

These documents must be kept by the sender and the carrier for a minimum period of two years.

Other essential but optional documents

• Telex Release: A telex release is a confirmation given by the carrier at the port of origin to the port of destination, which allows the cargo to be released without submitting a paper copy of the original bill of lading. This was done by telex, hence the name. Today this is usually done by email, but sometimes it is also possible to simply update the confirmation in the shipping company’s internal system.
• The master bill of lading: It is given by the transport company (ship owner or ship operating company) to freight forwarders or carriers not operating the ship. It is not necessary for the shipper or receiver of the container shipment, as they refer to the bill of lading which directly relates to their shipment.
• The sea waybill: A sea waybill is almost similar to the bill of lading, however it does not require being handed over to the freight forwarder before the goods can be released to the recipient. This document helps simplify the process. The recipient will simply have to prove their identity to take delivery of the goods.
• The insurance certificate: Shipping companies and freight forwarders have limited liability in the event of loss or damage to goods. It is therefore necessary to take out additional insurance. It can be offered by a freight forwarder or by an insurance agent. It states that it is cargo insurance, an insurance policy number, the description and value of the property insured and the contact details of the insurance agent.