A Bill of Lading (B/L) and a Waybill are considered extremely important shipping documents with concern to international trade. The key difference between the two is the fact that Waybill does not convey the Title. The cargo can only be released to the person named as consignee on the waybill and no original documents are required. An airway bill (AWB) is a document of proof as an issue of receipt by the air carrier to the shipper. This is handed over to the shipper at the time of receipt of goods for on-carriage shipping terms. A Bill of Lading, on the other hand, is the proof of receipt that a sea carrier issues to a shipper for receipt of goods for on carriage terms of shipping. In this blog, we look at a AWB and Bill of Lading that Transco Cargo uses and how it is filled.

AirWay Bill Guide

The following include the list of items that need to be filled out accordingly;

Bill of Lading Guide

The following include the list of items that need to be filled out accordingly;

Previously we highlighted the “Classification and Shipping of Hazardous Goods” to stress that not only are hazardous good classified in nine tiers, but also they should be duly labelled for transit accordingly. The AITA has set regulations that make shipment of hazardous goods over air travel tricky if your cargo is on the list of dangerous goods. Thus, sea cargo of hazardous goods is the inevitable choice but still poses many risks that should be explicitly understood. In this edition of the Transco Cargo Blog, we look at the particulars to keep in mind when sending sea cargo of hazardous goods.

Guidelines for Packing when Sending Sea Cargo of Hazardous Goods

We cannot stress this enough, that when sending sea cargo of hazardous goods, it needs to be properly packed.  Packing the sea cargo contents well is a critical factor to ensure safe passage between origin point to delivery. Whist cargo damages are part and parcel of shipping when contents are not packaged properly and they move around during transit, it poses more of a risk when it concerns the transit of hazardous goods. It’s vital that the cargo is packed properly, to ensure no leakages or ability of spilling over. The use of cushioning materials or lashing items so that the cargo doesn’t move within the box or crate is extremely important too. If there are any damages or leakages within your cargo, your entire shipment may be delayed.

It is also important to note that if you are transporting hazardous and non-hazardous goods, it should all be packed well, braced in the container, and secured safely for transport. As we mentioned in our prior blog article, the hazardous goods should be placed closer to the doors for faster removal.

Extra Handling Fees

It is very possible that due to the risk involved, there will be extra handling fees associated with sending sea cargo of hazardous goods. Insurance related to these goods have also risen, and it is possible that you will be asked to pay for it.

Completing Documentation Accurately

Documentation is a vital component in any shipment, however when it concerns shipments of hazardous goods in question, it is a critical element.  One of the first things is to ensure that you have declared your hazardous goods in the commercial invoice. There are also other documents that need to be taken care of when sending hazardous goods which include the likes of Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), Dangerous goods request, dangerous goods declaration, dangerous manifest, Transport Emergency Card or TREM Card.

Let us at Transco Cargo handle these for you. Follow the link for more information on Restricted Items.

Items with integral hazardous characteristics are classified as dangerous or hazardous goods. When shipping items that have been classified as such that if not properly controlled can cause health issues or hurt to those who are handling the goods in transit, which is irresponsible of the sender/owner. Thus the classification and shipping of hazardous goods needs to be done with utmost care.

The classification of hazardous goods are broken down based on the hazard in question as per the United Nations (UN) classifications whish are the following.

Dangerous/Hazardous Goods Classifications	Class	Label Icon
Explosive Materials	Class 1
Gases	Class 2
Flammable Liquid	Class 3
Flammable Solids	Class 4
Oxidizing Substances/Organic Pesticides	Class 5
Toxic/Infectious Substances	Class 6
Radioactive Materials	Class 7
Corrosive Materials	Class 8
Miscellaneous	Class 9

Identify the Hazardous Goods

The process in shipping hazardous goods, first off identify the hazardous good, which includes understanding the makeup of the item. This is an important step as the shipper needs to understand what they are sending, as many things that are inconspicuous, can also be classified as dangerous or hazardous goods. These include the likes of table tennis balls, nail polish, paint, perfumes even though they do not contain dangerous components. 

Air Travel Restrictions

The IATA (International Air Transport Association) have set regulations for transport of such goods via air travel as most dangerous goods are allowed for travel only via ground (which means that express shipping of hazardous goods is not possible).  In addition, it should be noted, that certain dangerous or hazardous goods are banned in certain countries and as a shipper, one should know this before shipping. Whilst certain countries may allow certain goods, you should also know whether shipping networks or couriers are willing to carry them. In the event, you will not be able to use ignorance as a defense and may have to pay fines when not complying with the laws and regulations of the import country. 

Careful Packing and Packaging

There are set regulations by the IATA that deem hazardous goods not being safe to travel via air freight, thus it’s usually carried out via sea freight. It is very important that each item is packed safely and properly to ensure the safety of cargo handlers and not causing damages or leakages that could cause a “situation” endangering living beings and properties. If the likes of hazardous and non-hazardous goods are being shipped together in the same shipping container the hazardous goods should be tightly and safely packed, braced in and secured for transport. It should also be placed in an area of the container that are accessible easily or quickly in the event of an emergency, such as closest to the container doors in for swift removal. Furthermore, it is vital that the necessary labels using IMDG code/UN number of the cargo be indicated clearly to easily access risk and level of danger from the cargo content.

Stay tuned for the next installment on Hazardous Goods and the Process of Shipping them!

Knowing the basics and important factors when moving goods in and out of a country can be beneficial, so we’ve put together a concise shipping guide for shipment that meant to travel to or from Australia. Whether it’s for personal reasons, such as sending a parcel overseas, documents, personal belongings or even excess luggage, to the commercial uses, from ecommerce business operations to massive business solutions, it’s important to factor in a few things.

One of the first steps is finding a reputed international shipping company, with Transco Cargo being reputed international freight forwarding and shipping company, we have you covered. Transco Cargo can undertake the task of carefully packing your belongings in the best way for safety and stability during transit. Once these are packed into shipping boxes or crates, it will be loaded into the shipping container securely.

By opting to have Transco Cargo wrap the items securely and pack them into the respective shipping box/crate, our expert shipping representatives will be able to also ensure that items that would be confiscated by the Australian Quarantine and Customs authorities will not be packed. It is important to not pack any item that can be confiscated or quarantined, as that will hold up the cargo. If you are shipping personal items, let’s say for a home relocation or move overseas (to Australia), ensuring that the likes of your vacuum, lawn mower or other garden tools are properly cleaned/disinfected and will pass the quarantine process.

The Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) carried out stringent inspections to ensure that pests to not enter the local environment or agricultural industries. Thus, items of food, plants materials or animals need to be well disposed of before it is packed. As a shipping guide for shipments, we would be amiss if we did not inform you that as a general rule of thumb, you should avoid including foot items in your shipping container when sending cargo to Australia.

Another thing to note would be what goods should be declared. If you are packing your own items, make sure you have a notebook nearby so that you know what items you have packed and need to be declared for shipping. The following part of our shipping guide for shipments to Australian includes a list of items to declare.

• Animal Products  – Including rawhide items (drums, handcraft items, shields, dog chews,) or treated hides, skins, furs hair or feathers
• Bamboo, Cane, Rattan Basket Ware/Mats – Including carved coconut items, and cane baskets/decorations
• Biscuits, Cakes and Confectionaries – Including chocolate items, sweets, crisps, nuts, pretzels
• Dried Fruits/Vegetables –
• Fresh/Dried Flowers  – Including leis and fresh/dried floral arrangements
• Herbs and Spices (of any kind/variety) – Including herbal medicines and remedies, tonics and teas
• Noodles & Rice – Including processed and instant meals
• Plant Products – Including straw packaging, wooden articles (refer below), other artefacts, handcraft and curio items such as wreathes and cereal/grain decorations
• Seeds/Nuts  – including seeds, seed ornaments, nuts (out of shell – which are roasted, salted)
• Teas, Coffees, and other Milk Based Drinking Products
• Wooden Products – Including lacquered and painted items

Get in touch with Transco Cargo, your reputed and friendly shipping partner. Stay tuned for more guides for shipments in the following weeks!

If you are planning on shipping boxes of your personal effects or even excess luggage, knowing the best packing techniques and practices can go a long way should you opt to handle the packaging yourself. Here are some best packing techniques and practices to keep in mind when packing your own shipping boxes.

Leave No Voids or Empty Spaces

As with many items, what you wish to ship may not be the same shape or dimension of the shipping box, it is important to ensure the contents are secure during transit. Furthermore, you also need to ensure that the contents do no move around and cause damage to the contents as well as the box.

To ensure that there are no voids, choose the best type of internal packaging material to that all empty spaces are filled and the contents are secure and do not move around.

 Keep a 6cm Distance from the Walls of the Shipping Box

It’s important to ensure a 6cm distance from the walls of the shipping box is maintained or is kept in the middle of the box. This should be kept in mind when selecting your shipping box.

Wrap Items Individually or Use Dividers

It’s always a great idea to wrap each item individually with packaging material and/or utilize dividers. This is especially important when shipping many items in one single shipping box. You can do this with either the use of corrugated inserts or dividers. It’s useful to avoid friction between multiple items being shipped.  If there are smaller items, it should be placed within smaller containers and then placed inside the shipping box.

Choose the Right Packing Method – Basic or Box-in-Box

You will need to assess what kind of shipping box you will need in order to ensure that the above mentioned factors are kept in mind. You can either choose the basic packing method, which is ideal for non-fragile items where you place items in the center of the box with the suitable packaging material. The other would be the box-in-box packing method that utilizes a second box for added security during transportation. It’s ideal for fragile items or in the event the inner box will be utilized for retail use and needs to maintain pristine conditions.

Many types of packaging materials can be used when packing your cargo goods. From bubble wrap, air bags, to cardboard and the likes of foam peanuts or pellets, there are many to choose from. But you should remember, each item of internal packaging material has its own uses and features, and they should be used appropriately.

Whilst bubble wrap, which is one of the most commonly used type of packaging material, whilst it does help fill empty spaces inside a shipping box or crate, there may be more ideal choices to serve the purpose of filling larger voids.

The following table will help with choosing the best internal packaging materials for when shipping your goods.

Whilst bubble wrap does provide cushioning, filling vids, offers  protection it should be noted that there are two types of bubble wrap, there are small cell ¼ inch bubble wraps which are suitable for lightweight goods as it provides interleaving functions whereas large cell ½ inch bubble wrap is ideal for medium-weight goods as it provides blocking functions.

Shredded cardboard which doesn’t offer cushioning, but helps with filling voids and offering protection and acting as dividers between different goods, it also offers shock absorption during transit.

We at Transco Cargo, as experts in shipping and logistics, can help pack your cargo to take the hassle away from deciding which type of packaging material to use for which goods. Get in touch with us!