Cross-border Logistics Encyclopedia

International air transportation

1.Divided into door-to-door service and port (Airport) service;

2.Applicable to goods with weight over 100KG, depending on the specific situation;

3.The export consignor needs to provide export customs declaration documents, if the consignor himself cannot

provide, he needs to find a foreign trade window to provide;

4.The consignee at the destination needs to provide relevant documents, and usually has to pay tariffs and VAT;

5.National import and export restrictions on goods need to provide the appropriate documents in accordance with 

customs requirements;

6.Applicable to goods with higher value, requirements on transit time, need for export tax rebate and so on.

Air cargo can go: general cargo (excluding gold, silver, flowers, fresh)

Cargoes that can not go: 1, explosives 2, gas 3, flammable liquids 4, flammable solids 5, oxidation 6, toxicity 7, 

radioactive substances 8, corrosive products 9, 

miscellaneous dangerous goods; subject to Customs restrictions also can not be, for example, bullet-proof vests, 

bomb-proof clothing, seahorses, stabbing and 

so on.

Air transportation inquiry elements:

AOL: (departure airport) SZX /CAN/PVG/PEK/XMN

AOD: (destination airport)

COMM: (name of product) ( whether it is imitation brand, whether it has battery, whether it carries sensitive goods)

G.W: (Weight)

VOL: (Volume)

CASE: (Packaging) (whether wooden box, with or without pallet)

SIZE (If the size is large, it is better to provide the size)

As a cross-border e-commerce seller, it is very important to understand the knowledge of international air transportation. Here are the key points

that sellers must know:

Classification of goods: Goods need to be classified according to their nature, use and characteristics. Different cargo classifications may affect

the mode of transport, documentation and costs.

Packaging requirements: In international air transport, packaging is crucial to both the safety and transportation costs of goods. Reasonable

packaging can prevent the goods from being damaged or deformed during transportation.

Mode of transport: International air transport can be divided into two ways: direct flight and transfer. Direct flights are usually faster, but also

more expensive. Connecting flights are cheaper, but require additional time and precautions, such as checking import restrictions in the destination

country and the availability of the cargo list and physical items at the time of transfer.

Air transport documents: Different countries and regions may have different import requirements, including the value of the goods, certificate of origin,

export license and so on. The seller should understand the regulations of the destination country and prepare the corresponding documents.

Freight calculation: Freight calculation is usually based on factors such as weight, volume, mode of transport, and place of origin and destination.

Sellers should understand the pros and cons of various modes of transportation and weigh the costs and benefits.

Book air freight: Sellers should book air freight in advance to get a better price and service. For large shipments or long-term shipments, sellers

can consider signing a contract with a shipping company to get more discounts and benefits.

Air Insurance: Despite good packaging and all measures taken to ensure the safety of the cargo, accidents can still occur during transportation.

Sellers should consider purchasing additional air insurance to reduce the risk of loss.

The structure of air freight usually includes the following aspects:

Base freight: Base freight refers to the basic transportation cost calculated based on the weight or volume of the goods. Base freight rates may

vary from airline to airline, and specific charges may vary depending on the nature of the cargo and the distance to the destination.

Fuel surcharge: Fuel surcharge is an additional charge due to fluctuations in international crude oil prices. Because fuel prices can't be predicted,

fuel surcharges are constantly changing.

Security surcharge: A security surcharge is a fee charged to ensure the safety of air transport. These fees are used to pay for various security measures,

such as airport screening, cargo security screening, etc.

Taxes and fees: In addition to the basic freight, fuel surcharges and security surcharges, there are various taxes and fees to be paid, such as VAT,

customs duties, export taxes, etc. Different countries and regions have different tax standards.

It is important to note that because air freight rates are affected by various factors such as fuel prices, seasonal demand changes, source and

destination factors, the specific freight structure may vary.

International shipping

1.Divided into LCL and FCL services

2.Sea cargoes are generally shipped from at least 1CRM;

3.Long transit time and high probability of cargo breakage;

4.Both export and import need to provide customs declaration documents, and the destination consignee needs 

to pay tariffs and VAT;

5.Generally applicable to goods that are not urgent for time requirement and the unit price of goods is not very 

expensive;

6.The limitation for dangerous goods is not very strict.

The main features of international sea freight are low cost and long time, which are suitable for foreign orders with large shipment volume.

International sea transportation is divided into the following two ways:

1. Containerized shipping (CY): one vote for one cabinet or one vote for many cabinets.

2. Sea freight container (CFS): more than three votes set spell a cabinet.

Containerized cargo delivery and receipt of goods is divided into:

(1) the whole box delivery, the whole box to receive (FCL / FCL);

(2) LCL, LCL (LCL / LCL);

(3) the whole box to hand over, dismantle the box to receive (FCL / LCL);

(4) LCL, FCL (LCL/FCL).

Container cargo delivery location is divided into:

1) door to door;

2) door to yard;

3) yard to yard;

4) yard to door.