The LDP maritime transportation process in the United States

LDP (Landed Duty Paid) sea freight in the United States is a mode of carriage of goods under a trade term in which the seller is responsible for transporting the goods to the port of destination in the United States and bears all costs and liabilities including customs duties at the port of destination, shipping fees, customs clearance fees, etc., until the goods are delivered to the delivery address specified by the buyer. The specific process is as follows:

Preparations before shipment:

Goods preparation: The seller shall prepare the goods in accordance with the contract requirements and ensure that the quality, quantity, packaging, etc. of the goods meet the requirements. For special goods such as food, medicine and chemicals, relevant inspection, quarantine and certification procedures need to be handled in advance.

Document preparation: Prepare complete transportation and customs clearance documents, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, certificates of origin (if required), etc. These documents are crucial for the smooth transportation and customs clearance of the goods.

Cargo transportation

Booking space: The seller or its freight forwarder company books space with the shipping company or freight forwarder company based on information such as the quantity, volume and weight of the goods. Select the appropriate shipping schedule and route to ensure that the goods can arrive at the destination port in the United States on time.

Loading: The goods are loaded onto the ship at the port of departure. The shipping company or freight forwarder will issue a bill of lading as the proof of the goods' transportation.

Transportation process tracking: During the transportation of goods, the seller or freight forwarder can track the transportation status of the goods in real time through the shipping company's cargo tracking system or other channels, so as to promptly grasp the location and estimated arrival time of the goods.

U.S. customs clearance

Entrusting a customs clearance agent: The seller or its freight forwarder company needs to entrust a local customs clearance agent company in the United States to handle customs clearance procedures. The customs clearance agency will declare the goods to the US customs based on the information of the goods and relevant documents, and pay the corresponding tariffs and other taxes and fees.

Customs inspection: The U.S. customs may inspect the goods to ensure that the declared information is consistent with the actual situation. If the goods are inspected, the customs clearance time may be prolonged.