Method of Transport

Sea transport

Transport by sea tends to be used when goods are despatched to deep sea destinations, for example to China or South America. Vessels are equipped to take container loads and bulk cargo. The document associated with sea transport is the Bill of Lading.
Conference Vessels operate a scheduled service between ports with fixed freight rates. They sail whether the vessel is fully laden or not.
Non-Conference Vessels operate a more flexible service, with negotiable freight rates, but will only sail when the vessel is full.

Air transport

Air cargo is more suitable for smaller palletised consignments as there are restrictions on weight and dimensions. Air freight has the advantage of speed with low risks of damage and pilferage. The document associated with air transport is the Air Waybill.

Road transport

Road transport is often used for EU destinations and there are many freight forwarders offering daily services. Road transport is economical and offers a quick door to door service. The document associated with Road transport is the CMR Consignment Note.
 

Rail transport

Rail transport has increased between the UK and EU since the opening of the Channel tunnel. The document associated with Rail transport is the CIM Consignment Note.
 

International Courier & Postal Services

Smaller and urgent packages can be despatched on a door-to-door basis by express courier or postal service. There are several international courier services that can offer this service to a range of world-wide destinations:
DHL
TNT
FedEX
UPS
Parcel Force 
DPD
 

Delivery Terms

Delivery terms are part of your contract of sale and should be clearly stated. Delivery terms determine which party is responsible for costs from the point that the goods leave the seller’s premises to being delivered to the buyer overseas. Delivery terms also determine who bears the risk of loss or damage to the goods and who owns the goods whilst in transit.