FAQs

Depends on the type and value of goods being shipped and the country of destination or origin. In South Africa - you only need an import/export license if:

(a)The total value of goods exceeds R150,000 in a calendar year.
(b)You import/export goods more than three times in a year.
(c)The goods are for commercial purposes rather than personal use.

If you ship less number of shipments that are below R150k per Anum, you don’t need a license.

Incoterms are rules published by the International Chamber of Commerce to define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers in international trade. They clarify who is responsible for tasks like transportation, insurance, customs clearance, and delivery, as well as when the risk transfers from seller to buyer.

Our flexible forwarding service handles all incoterms from EXW to DDP. Click here for a full list of incoterms 2020 and schematic illustration of point of transfer.

When shipping internationally, you’ll need to prepare some key documents to ensure smooth customs clearance and compliance. Here are some of the most common ones:

(a)Commercial Invoice
(b)Packing List
(c)Bill of Lading / Air Waybill
(d)Booking confirmation / Arrival Notification
(e)COO / OGA Certs / Permit
(f)Shipping Instruction & LOA
(g)DGD & MSDS
(h)Customs Release

Required docs vary depending on destination country and the nature of goods being shipped.

Customs delays can result from various factors, including:

(a)Missing docs or incorrectly completed paperwork
(b)Non-Compliance, such as missing permits or certifications, etc.
(c)Dangerous goods or (HS) codes misclassification
(d)Your shipment being randomly selected for Docs / physical inspection.
(e)Holidays /peak seasons, can cause congestion and slow processing times.

Shipping dangerous cargo involves strict requirements to ensure safety for everyone who will come in contact with your cargo and the environment. Here’s what you need to do:

(a)Communicate proper classification of your cargo. Dangerous goods are categorized into nine classes based on their properties. Each item must be properly identified under class and UN number.

(b)You must pack your cargo according to UN-approved packaging standards, and clearly label your packages with hazard symbols, marked with the proper shipping name and UN number.

(c)You must have a declaration of dangerous goods and MSDS – without which, your cargo cannot be transported. Since these documents help in identifying the nature of your cargo and proper handling ways.

Both documents are vital for ensuring compliance with safety standards and smooth transportation of dangerous goods.

(a)DGD stands for Dangerous Goods Declaration. This is a critical document required for shipping hazardous materials internationally. It certifies that the goods are properly identified, classified, packaged, and labelled in compliance with international regulations. The DGD ensures the safety of transport personnel, the environment, and the general public during transit.

(b)MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. This document provides detailed information about the substance's properties, hazards, and safety measures. It's essential for handling and shipping hazardous materials, offering guidelines on storage, transportation, and emergency procedures. Without this document, your cargo cannot be transported.

A Certificate of Origin is not always compulsory for shipments, but it is often required depending on the destination country, type of goods, or applicable trade agreements between POL and POD countries.

If you plan to claim preferential customs duty rate, then a Certificate of Origin is required to verify the origin of goods for clearance purposes. The certificate validates whether the goods meet legal requirements to qualify for reduced tariff rate.

Certificate of origin is however mandatory for certain goods, especially controlled, sensitive or special cargo.

Requirements depend on the nature of the goods, the countries involved, and the mode of transportation. Below are some examples of shipments needing permits:

(a)If shipping Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices / equipment
(b)If shipping Restricted / controlled Goods
(c)For Endangered plant and animal Species / Wildlife Products
(d)For Agricultural and Food Products - i.e. sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

Both documents play vital roles in international shipping by ensuring proper communication, compliance, and preventing fraud.

(a)A Shipping Instruction – is a signed document a shipper gives us that lists essential information such as the consignee's details, cargo description, packaging, mode of transport, customs information, and any special handling requirements. Shipping Instructions are crucial for creating the Bill of Lading and submitting a bill of entry.

(b)LOA, which stands for Letter of Authorization - is a document issued by the shipper or consignee, granting authority to us, to act on their behalf, in handling tasks such as arranging shipments and receiving their cargo. LOAs are used where the original shipper or consignee cannot be present at the port of loading or discharge.

The choice between a Original Bill of Lading and Telex Release, depends on the urgency of your shipment and your security requirements.

(a)Original Bill of Lading (BOL): while this document provides high security since the consignee must present the original document to claim goods, its disadvantage is that it requires physical handling, which can delay delivery and increase administrative costs.

(b)Telex Release: on the other hand, allows cargo release without presenting the physical BOL. It's faster and reduces paperwork – which makes it ideal for urgent shipments or short transit shipment types.

If you prioritize security and legal standing, the Original BOL is better. For speed and convenience, Telex Release or electronic BOL are great options.

An Arrival Notice is a document issued by a shipping or airline to notify the consignee or their freight forwarding agent that a shipment is about to arrive at its destination. It provides essential details about the shipment, such as:

(a)Vessel or flight number, container or bill of lading number, and arrival date.
(b)Port of Arrival and the location where the shipment will be unloaded.

The Arrival Notice is sent by the shipping line directly to the consignee or the notify party listed on the bill of lading, a few days before the shipment's arrival.

Some shipping lines require an LOA, in order to send the arrival notification to your Agent, while other shipping lines charge an additional fee to send the arrival notification to your Agent.

Having accepted our freight quote, the shipper will be required to share the supplier’s or consignee’s contact details along with all other necessary information about the shipment, like the shipping schedule or deadlines.

It’s probably best to introduce the Parties, to streamline the process and we will contact your supplier or consignee, to confirm goods readiness date for pickup, or schedule a day for delivery.

Yes, our service includes acting as Importer of Record, for traders who do not have a physical presence or registered entity in South Africa. We become their local representative for both import and export shipments.

Our importer of record service affords our clients the benefit of streamlined compliance, by handling the complexities of customs regulations, ensuring all documentation, and legal requirements are met – which provides peace of mind, especially to clients that are new to international trade and allows them to focus on their core business.

The obligation to arrange shipping insurance depends on the Incoterms agreed upon between the buyer and seller.

The shipper is obligated to arrange insurance for the goods until they reach the destination port or agreed location, under CIF and CIP incoterms,

The buyer is responsible for arranging insurance from the point where risk transfers, under EXW, FCA and FOB

SmooLink Forwarding (Pty) Ltd is not obligated to arrange insurance unless explicitly instructed by client, in writing to do so; the cost of which will be for the requestor’s account.

SmooLink Forwarding (Pty) Ltd is currently not a licensed bond holder and its provision of clearing and forwarding solutions is limited to Direct shipment of free circulation goods only.

Within the free circulation goods shipment types, we provide seamless logistics solutions tailored to meet your specific requirements, ensuring efficiency and compliance every step of the way - for shipments of any size, carried by sea and air, or over land across the border by rail and road.

Our transactions where Customs is concerned, are on a cash basis only.

Our quote outlines the costs associated with your unique solution requirements, but there are certain inclusions and exclusions to be aware of:

Typically inclusions:

(a)International Freight and inland Transportation Costs
(b)Freight, fuel or Dangerous goods Surcharges
(c)Documentation and Handling Fees
(d)Customs Brokerage Service Fee
(e)Insurance (Optional) – if instructed to arrange

What is Excluded:

(a)Customs Duties, VAT and other government levies are excluded from our service fees and are remitted directly to Sars and OGAs.

(b)Port and carrier penalties incurred, such as overstay, storage or demurrage fees, due to shipper delays in submitting required docs, payment and late collection or return of container.

(c)Unforeseen expenses, due to disruptions that are out of SmooLink Forwarding (Pty) Ltd’s control, like: weather, strikes, port delays and customs stops or delayed release response.

SmooLink Forwarding (Pty) Ltd operates with a Pay in Advance structure.

Especially for new and non-account holding clients; high-risk transactions, and when dealing with expensive or specialized shipments.

Quoted amount is required to be settled before, procured services can be rendered – i.e. shipment processed, collected or dispatched.

Our loyal and trusted clients are afforded a period of 30 days to settle the invoice after service delivery is complete.

However, a Deposit may be required to be paid upfront when dealing with expensive or specialized shipments and balance paid later - according to invoice due date.

If customs duties and VAT are not paid on time, below repercussions will arise:

(a)Your Cargo will be detained by Customs, and prolonged detention will cause your cargo to be stored in customs-controlled areas until payment is received – leading to storage fees that will need to be paid to port or terminal and to customs warehouse.

(b)Customs authorities will impose additional charges, such as late payment penalties or interest – thereby increasing the overall cost.

(c)If cost is not settled within a specified time, customs may auction or destroy your cargo.