Moving your cargo around can be complex but Jade International is here to help! Feel free to browse through the frequently asked questions. If you have questions, it’s easy to get in touch with us.
A freight forwarder coordinates the movement of cargo from origin to destination across multiple modes of transport. We don’t usually own the ships, planes, or trucks. Instead, we book carrier space, prepare the paperwork, manage origin and destination compliance, and act as a single point of contact for the whole shipment.
Think of Jade International as a project manager for your cargo, especially when shipments cross borders or involve more than one mode of transport. Explore Jade’s services.
If you’re shipping a single package, a courier like FedEx or DHL handles it end-to-end. Once shipments get larger, more frequent, or involve customs clearance, special cargo, or trade agreements, a freight forwarder saves time, reduces compliance risk, and usually lowers total cost.
Most importers and exporters bring on a forwarder once shipments exceed a few hundred pounds or move via ocean container. Request a quote and we’ll tell you if a forwarder makes sense for your situation.
A freight forwarder arranges the physical transportation of goods: booking carriers, routing, documentation, pickup, and delivery. A customs broker is licensed by U.S. Customs to file entries on behalf of importers and ensure goods clear customs legally and accurately.
Jade International is both, which means one team handles your shipment from origin pickup through U.S. customs clearance and final delivery. See our import and customs brokerage services.
Use air freight when speed matters more than cost, the cargo is high-value relative to its weight, or the shipment is small enough that air premiums are manageable (typically under 200 kg). Use ocean freight for larger volumes, longer lead times, or oversized cargo.
The break-even point depends on lane, cargo type, and timing. Ask us for a side-by-side quote on your specific shipment. See air export and ocean export services.
A typical international shipment runs in seven steps: (1) confirm pricing and book the shipment, (2) origin pickup is coordinated, (3) export documentation is prepared and origin customs is filed, (4) cargo loads onto vessel or aircraft, (5) cargo arrives at destination, (6) import customs clearance is filed and duties paid, (7) cargo is released and delivered to the consignee.
Jade International manages every step on your behalf. Request a quote to start your shipment.
Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) define which party (buyer or seller) handles each leg of an international shipment and where responsibility transfers. Common terms include EXW (buyer arranges everything from seller’s door), FOB (seller handles cargo until on vessel), and DDP (seller handles everything to buyer’s door, duties included).
The right Incoterm depends on which party has local expertise, who bears the risk, and how duties are accounted for.
Talk to a Jade specialist for guidance.
Ocean freight is priced per container (FCL) or per cubic meter or 1,000 kg, whichever is greater (LCL). Air freight is priced on chargeable weight, which is the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight (length x width x height divided by a dim factor). Surcharges for fuel, peak season, port congestion, security, and currency adjustment apply on top of base freight.
Request a quote and Jade International will outline the pricing for your specific shipment.
To quote accurately, Jade needs: origin city or port, destination city or port, cargo weight and dimensions (or container size), commodity description, target shipment date, Incoterms preference, and whether the cargo is hazardous or temperature-controlled.
The more detail you give upfront, the more accurate the quote. Submit what you have and we’ll come back with anything missing.
Most ocean freight quotes are valid 7 to 30 days because carrier rates change with capacity, fuel, and surcharges. Air freight quotes are usually valid 7 to 14 days. Quotes for specialized cargo, hazmat, charters, or volatile lanes may be shorter.
Every Jade International quote includes a clear validity date so you know when to re-confirm. Request a current quote.
The biggest savings come from consolidating shipments, choosing ocean over air when timing allows, avoiding peak season (typically September through January), classifying products correctly to capture accurate duty rates, leveraging trade agreements like USMCA, and avoiding demurrage by planning pickups in advance.
Jade International helps clients map cost-reduction options during quote review. For trade agreement savings, see USMCA compliance services.
Reputable forwarders give transparent quotes, but some charges arise from circumstances outside the booking: storage fees if cargo isn’t picked up on time, chassis rental, peak season surcharges, port congestion fees, customs examination fees, re-consignment, fumigation, dangerous goods handling, and currency adjustments.
Ask any forwarder whether their quote is all-inclusive or accessorial-billed. Get a quote from Jade.
Demurrage is charged when you don’t pick up a container from the port within the free time (typically 3 to 7 days). Detention is charged when you don’t return the empty container on time. Both fees range from $75 to $300 per container per day and escalate fast.
To avoid them: know the free time on your bill of lading, prepare clearance documents in advance, schedule pickup the day cargo is released, and stay in close contact with your forwarder. Jade International monitors free time on every shipment to help clients avoid these fees.
The Importer of Record (IOR) is the legal entity responsible for ensuring imported goods comply with U.S. laws, paying duties and fees, and maintaining records. Even when you use a customs broker, the IOR carries legal liability for accurate declarations.
Most U.S. importers are their own IOR, but in some cross-border scenarios a third party can serve as IOR. Get this wrong and you face penalties, audits, and potential seizure. See our import and customs brokerage services for IOR support.
The FDA regulates a broad list of import categories including food, beverages, dietary supplements, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting electronics. Most importers must register their facility with FDA, file Prior Notice for food shipments, and ensure proper labeling. Some categories also require permits.
Jade International helps clients navigate FDA registration, Prior Notice filings, and labeling reviews. See our import services for FDA-regulated cargo support.
USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) provides duty-free treatment for qualifying goods traded between the three countries. To qualify, your product must meet the agreement’s rules of origin, based on where components are sourced, where production occurs, and regional value content thresholds.
Qualifying for USMCA can eliminate duties entirely, but documentation must be accurate or CBP may deny the preference. See our USMCA compliance services for qualification reviews and certificates of origin.
Every international shipment requires three core documents: a commercial invoice (describes goods and value), a packing list (contents, weights, dimensions), and a transport document (bill of lading for ocean, air waybill for air). Depending on commodity and destination, certificates of origin, export licenses, FDA documentation, USDA certificates, hazmat declarations, or country-specific permits may also be required.
U.S. imports also require an ISF filing. Jade International reviews documentation requirements with each client during quote and booking. Get a documentation-supported quote.
A Bill of Lading (BoL) is the contract between shipper and carrier. It serves three roles: receipt that cargo was loaded, contract for transportation, and document of title used to claim cargo at destination. Ocean shipments use a bill of lading; air shipments use an Air Waybill (AWB), which serves the same purpose.
The BoL is one of the most important documents on any shipment. Jade prepares it as part of our standard ocean export service.
A Certificate of Origin declares the country where goods were manufactured. It’s required when the destination country charges different duties based on origin, when claiming preferential treatment under a trade agreement (such as USMCA), or when the destination country requires it as part of standard import documentation.
Some certificates are signed by chambers of commerce; others (like USMCA) are self-certified by the producer. Jade International prepares and reviews these as part of our USMCA compliance and export services.
Carrier liability is limited by international rules: roughly $500 per container for ocean freight and about $9.07 per pound ($20 per kilogram) for air freight. These limits are almost always far below your cargo’s actual value, and the burden of proof rests on you.
Cargo insurance fills that gap, covering theft, fire, weather damage, mishandling, and other risks. Jade International offers Open Marine Cargo Insurance and recommends coverage on every shipment. See our specialized services for details.
A Letter of Credit (LoC) is a bank-issued guarantee of payment used in international trade when buyer and seller don’t have an established relationship, or when transaction value warrants bank-backed assurance. The buyer’s bank promises to pay the seller once specific documents prove the shipment was made as agreed.
LoC transactions are document-precision intensive: a small error can delay payment for weeks. Jade reviews and prepares LoC documentation as part of our specialized services.
Jade International operates globally through a network of partner offices in major shipping hubs worldwide. We coordinate shipments across Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central America, as well as cross-border freight between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada under USMCA.
We also handle cross-trade shipments between foreign countries that never touch the U.S. See our cross trade services.
Jade International serves importers and exporters across electronics, industrial machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, perishable and frozen foods, consumer goods, and e-commerce including Amazon FBA. We also handle specialty cargo such as hazmat, temperature-controlled, oversized, and high-value shipments.
If your industry isn’t listed, ask us. We’ve likely handled it. Talk to our team.
Jade International responds to quote requests within 24 hours. Complex shipments such as hazmat, charters, oversized cargo, or multi-leg cross-trade may take longer because we coordinate with carriers and origin agents to confirm pricing.
Submit a quote request and our team will be in touch.
Yes. Jade International is a U.S. Customs broker with experienced brokers and specialists on staff. We file customs entries, handle ISF, prepare classification, manage post-entry corrections, and assist with binding rulings, drawback, and audit response.
For tariff and HTS support specifically, see our tariff consulting services. For full import and brokerage details, see our import services.
Jade International is headquartered in Folcroft, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. We coordinate warehousing through partner facilities in the Philadelphia area, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and other strategic locations near ports and population centers.
Our global agent network covers every major shipping region worldwide. See our warehousing services for facility details.
Both. Jade International handles single shipments for businesses with occasional international moves as well as ongoing programs for high-volume importers and exporters.
Request a quote for any size shipment.
No. Jade handles everything from a single carton or pallet on LCL ocean freight or consolidated air freight, up to multi-container loads, charter flights, and project cargo. Pricing per unit does favor larger shipments, but small shipments are welcome.
Get a quote regardless of shipment size.
Jade International provides real-time tracking and shipment updates on every move. You’ll have visibility from origin through delivery.
For live status, use our shipment tracking page or contact your Jade account team directly.
Delays happen in international shipping for many reasons: port congestion, weather, customs examination, equipment shortage, vessel rolling. When a delay occurs on a Jade shipment, your account team keeps you informed and works with you on options to mitigate the impact.
Proactive communication is part of how Jade International operates. Talk to our team about your shipping needs.
If cargo arrives damaged or doesn’t arrive at all, document the issue on the delivery receipt, take photos, and notify your Jade account manager as soon as possible. If you have cargo insurance (strongly recommended), Jade can help you initiate the claim with the insurer.
Without insurance, carrier liability claims are limited and harder to recover. See our specialized services for cargo insurance details.
After a shipment delivers, you’ll receive proof of delivery (POD), the final bill of lading or air waybill, the customs entry summary (for imports), the commercial invoice and packing list as filed, and the Jade invoice.
Keep these records for at least five years for U.S. import shipments, since CBP can audit back that far. See our import services for record-keeping support.
Cross trade is when goods move directly between two countries without passing through the country where the freight forwarder or coordinating company is based. For example, a U.S. company purchases goods manufactured in Vietnam and sells them directly to a buyer in Germany. The cargo moves from Vietnam to Germany and never enters the United States, but the U.S. company coordinates and manages the entire transaction.
It is also commonly called a triangle shipment or foreign-to-foreign shipment. Jade International coordinates cross trade shipments by air and ocean across all major trade lanes. See our cross trade services.
Routing goods through your home country adds freight cost, handling, storage, and import and export customs on both ends. Cross trade eliminates those extra steps by moving cargo directly from origin to destination. The result is lower total cost, faster transit, and a simpler supply chain for businesses operating across multiple international markets.
It is particularly useful for trading companies, global distributors, and manufacturers who source in one country and sell in another without needing goods to physically enter their home market. Talk to Jade about your cross trade shipment.
It requires more coordination because multiple countries, customs authorities, and time zones are involved simultaneously. Documentation must be accurate in both the origin and destination countries, and the freight forwarder acts as the central point of contact managing all parties.
One important aspect of cross trade documentation is the switch bill of lading, which allows the coordinating company to control the shipment and maintain supplier confidentiality if needed. Jade International manages the full documentation process on cross trade shipments. See our cross trade services for details.
Cross trade shipments can move by ocean freight, air freight, or a combination of both depending on the trade lane, cargo type, and timeline. Jade International arranges cross trade by both air and ocean across all major global routes.
Request a quote for your cross trade shipment.
Section 301 tariffs were imposed by the U.S. on goods imported from China beginning in 2018, covering hundreds of product categories across four lists. Rates range from 7.5% to 25% on most products, with higher rates on categories such as semiconductors. These tariffs stack on top of standard import duties, meaning the total duty cost on Chinese-origin goods can be significantly higher than the base rate alone suggests.
Whether your products are affected depends on their HTS classification and country of origin. Jade International’s tariff consulting team reviews classifications and assesses exposure. See our tariff consulting services.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule code is a ten-digit number that classifies every product imported into the United States. The HTS code determines the duty rate that applies to your goods, whether any trade agreement benefits are available, and whether any special regulations or restrictions apply. An incorrect HTS code can mean overpaying duties on every shipment or facing CBP penalties for misclassification.
Jade International reviews HTS classifications as part of our customs brokerage and tariff consulting services. See our tariff consulting services.
Duty drawback is a CBP program that allows businesses to recover up to 99% of the duties, taxes, and fees paid on imported goods that are later exported, used in manufactured products that are exported, or destroyed under CBP supervision. The filing window is five years from the date of import.
Businesses that commonly qualify include manufacturers who import components and export finished goods, importers who re-export goods to foreign buyers, and importers who return defective or nonconforming merchandise. Jade International offers drawback assistance as part of our import services.
A binding ruling is an official written decision from CBP that tells you in advance how your product will be classified and what duty rate applies before you import it. Once issued, CBP must apply it consistently to your shipments. Binding rulings are useful when you are about to start importing a new product and want certainty on the duty rate, or when you want to protect yourself against reclassification disputes.
Jade International assists clients with binding ruling requests as part of our import and customs brokerage services.
Yes. Jade International provides full truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL), container drayage, hot shot, hazmat transport, temperature-controlled trucks, oversize and heavy haul, and two-person team driving for long-haul moves. We coordinate domestic freight as a standalone service and as part of complete door-to-door import and export programs.
See our domestic shipping services for details.
Drayage is the short-distance truck move that gets your container from a port terminal or rail yard to a warehouse, distribution center, or other nearby facility. It is a critical link in the import process — once CBP releases your container, drayage must be arranged quickly to avoid demurrage fees at the terminal.
Jade International coordinates container drayage as part of our import and domestic services, connecting port arrival through to your final destination. See our domestic shipping services.
Yes. Jade International provides freight services to and from both Canada and Mexico, including coordination of cross-border customs requirements. For goods qualifying under USMCA, we can also assist with compliance documentation to ensure preferential duty treatment applies. See our USMCA compliance services and domestic shipping services.
Full truckload (FTL) means your cargo occupies the entire truck. It is faster, involves less handling, and is more cost-effective per unit when you have enough freight to fill the space. Less-than-truckload (LTL) means your cargo shares trailer space with other shippers’ freight. It is the right choice for smaller shipments where paying for an entire truck would not be economical.
Jade International handles both FTL and LTL as part of our domestic shipping services.
Yes. Jade International handles hazardous materials by both air and ocean. Air hazmat shipments are governed by IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, which specify classification, packaging, documentation, and labeling requirements for every hazard class. Ocean hazmat shipments fall under the IMDG Code, which adds segregation and stowage requirements that do not exist in air freight.
Proper documentation for air hazmat is the Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods. For ocean, it is the Dangerous Goods Declaration prepared to IMO and IMDG standards. The two documents are not interchangeable. See our specialized services for hazmat handling details.
Dangerous goods are organized into nine hazard classes: explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidizers and organic peroxides, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive materials, corrosives, and miscellaneous dangerous goods. The miscellaneous category includes lithium batteries, dry ice, and environmentally hazardous substances — common items that many shippers do not realize are regulated.
If you are unsure whether your product qualifies as hazmat, Jade International can review your commodity and advise on classification and requirements.
Yes. Cargo that exceeds the dimensions or weight limits of a standard container is classified as out of gauge, or OOG. Jade International arranges flat rack containers for cargo that extends beyond standard dimensions, open top containers for tall cargo that fits within standard width, and break bulk shipping for cargo that cannot be containerized at all.
OOG shipments require more lead time than standard bookings due to limited flat rack availability, port crane coordination, and oversize transport permits for inland moves. We recommend reaching out as early as possible for oversized cargo. See our specialized services.
Yes. Jade International coordinates temperature-sensitive cargo across both air and ocean freight, including fresh produce, frozen foods, pharmaceuticals, biologics, and other perishable goods. Key considerations include pre-cooling cargo to the correct temperature before loading, verifying reefer equipment is functioning before stuffing, and coordinating temperature-controlled trucking on both the origin and destination inland legs.
For pharmaceutical and regulated food imports, Jade also assists with FDA Prior Notice filings and temperature log documentation requirements. See our specialized services.
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