Export

No, it is not insured by default. Insurance is arranged by the sender or receiver depending on the delivery conditions. At Akomar, you receive advice on insurances and can easily arrange transport insurance. We always recommend taking out cargo transport insurance in case goods are damaged during transit. 

A Liner Owned (LO) container is owned by a shipping company, while a Shippers Owned (SO) container is owned by the shipper. The majority of shipments are done in Liner Owned containers. However, sometimes a customer opts to use a Shippers Owned container. This can be for various reasons, such as:

• There are regions where a shipping company prefers not to have their container due to situations like conflict or war.
• In cases where containers are transported far inland and encounter difficult borders with long waiting times. A Liner Owned container would not be cost-effective due to detention charges.
• Sometimes, the container is used on-site for temporary storage, for example, during greenfield projects.

This is due to transshipment. Not all ports around the world are directly connected to each other. Especially when the destination is a smaller port, it’s common for containers to be transferred at a large port onto smaller, regionally operating vessels. This allows the ocean giants to be used as efficiently as possible.

Wooden pallets must have an ISPM 15 certification. The ISPM 15 standard indicates that wooden products intended for import or export outside the EU must be treated with Heat Treatment or Dielectric Heating Treatment. Goods loaded on wooden pallets without an ISPM 15 certification risk being refused at their destination. 

BMSB stands for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. This insect causes significant damage to various crops, trees, and fruits. To prevent the bug from being transported in cargo, Australia and New Zealand have implemented strict quarantine requirements that must be fulfilled in the country of shipment. 

Akomar can treat your goods, containers, and products according to BMSB requirements using heat treatment. 

The season runs from September 1 to April 30. The BMSB measures apply during this period.

The goods and products that qualify for this treatment are diverse. They include (whether transported in sea containers or not) cars, machinery, machine parts, steel, stone, cement, sealants, etc. The list of about 40 risk countries includes most northern hemisphere countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. Akomar can fully guide you and check if the BMSB measure applies to your product. 

Based on the UN number and hazard class, we can determine the transport regulations. Every link in the transportation chain and every person involved must comply with these regulations. This ensures the transport vehicle meets the required standards, how substances should be packed, the identification marks on the packaging and vehicle, and the necessary training for the staff. Akomar helps you transport hazardous goods from A to Z. 

At Akomar, we offer various Track and Trace options so you can follow your cargo. You can find the link on our order confirmation. Additionally, you can easily search and track booked shipments through our portal. Log in to the portal to follow your shipment. 

We arrange home deliveries worldwide. To organize this, we have worked with the best local partners for over 25 years.

On the contact page, you will find our colleagues responsible for the department. They will be happy to assist you. You can contact them directly or ask your question via the chat function. 

With LCL or grouped shipment, goods from multiple customers are placed in one container. The customer does not have enough goods to fill an entire container. An FCL or full container load has only one recipient in a single container that is not shared with other shippers. 

A 40ft container can be loaded with between 26 and 28 tons. The weight varies per shipping company and destination.

VGM stands for Verified Gross Mass, which is the weight of the cargo plus the tare weight of the container. 

This prevents incorrect weights from being reported, which is important for insurance and commercial purposes. Overloaded containers can incur additional costs at ports. Don’t know your VGM? Akomar can weigh this for both containers and part loads. 

This depends on the destination, modality (mode of transport), whether you transport via a direct or indirect port – with or without transshipment – and whether it needs to be delivered to the port or home. With this information, we can estimate when your order will arrive.

We can do this for you. We need a commercial invoice from the seller to the buyer.

We handle all transport modalities: inland shipping, air freight, rail transport, and road transport. 

Yes, there are restrictions on Dual Use goods – also known as war materials. 

Yes, it is possible. However, there are restrictions related to the type of goods and class, such as flammability or explosion risk. Not every shipping company carries every IMO. At Akomar, we help you ship hazardous goods correctly.

Yes, in the broadest sense. We have storage facilities in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg, among others. These are suitable for all types of cargo, including hazardous goods and RO/RO.

Yes, we believe it is wise to measure every container for gas, especially in the case of imports. If someone from the unloading team becomes unwell due to the presence of gases during unloading, the company is held liable. Keep in mind that there are costs associated with measuring and degassing containers.

The Master B/L is always issued by the shipping company to the forwarder. The House B/L is used for interactions and agreements between the forwarder and the end customer. A Master B/L documents the transport agreement between the carrier and the freight forwarder. The House B/L is issued by the freight forwarder and documents the transport agreement between the freight forwarder and the end customer (consignments). Think of it as an intermediary if you do not want to show who the shipment is from or to whom it is being shipped.

An Express Bill or Seaway Bill is a document that is simpler and faster to handle than an original Bill of Lading. With a Seaway Bill, it is not necessary to hand over a physical document to release goods. The electronic document is sent by email and avoids the risk of losing papers. The Seaway Bill is readily available in consultation with the shipper. It is very important to correctly draft these documents. At Akomar, we are happy to assist you with this.

RO/RO stands for 'roll-on, roll-off'. This term refers to the method of loading and unloading cargo. It involves movable cargo that is driven on and off RO/RO ships by specially trained drivers.

Incoterms are a set of 11 individual rules issued by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) that define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers for the sale of goods in international transactions. 

There are quite a few pitfalls in the logistics world that you need assistance with. Forwarders take on the challenge and have the right knowledge and expertise to deal with unforeseen obstacles and meet tight deadlines. 

Yes! We have a large global network. Since our start in 1988, we have organically developed a large partner network both domestically and internationally. We have been working with many of these partners for decades. 

Rate fluctuations are always linked to various factors, with scarcity being a common one. Akomar always looks for the best solution at the best possible price.

Yes, we can arrange all of these.

Yes, we handle all customs formalities for overseas, air, road, and sea freight shipments. This includes export documents and the certificate of origin, as well as the usual export documents (EX-A), import documents (IM-A), and transit documents. 

Yes, it is possible. However, there are restrictions related to the type of goods and class, such as flammability or explosion risk. Not every shipping company carries every IMO. At Akomar, we help you ship hazardous goods correctly.

We handle all transport modalities: inland shipping, air freight, rail transport, and road transport. 

There are many scenarios that can incur extra costs, such as damage, theft, or blockage of a ship. If you are not insured, you will pay all costs involved.

This depends on the destination, modality (mode of transport), whether you transport via a direct or indirect port – with or without transshipment – and whether it needs to be delivered to the port or home. With this information, we can estimate when your order will arrive.

A waiver is a document containing information about the goods, the sender, and the recipient. It is used to monitor export and import traffic in African countries where the document is mandatory. Akomar arranges the waiver when necessary. 

Demurrage is the English term for overstay charges and is used in sea freight. It is the fee paid to the shipping company for a delay they are not responsible for, which lasts longer than the agreed laytime. In other words, the container stays longer at the terminal of a shipping company because it cannot be loaded for export or has not yet been picked up from the terminal after import.

Detention is a fee charged by the shipping company when a container is kept outside the terminal or port for longer than the allowed free time. This means the receiver of the goods has not returned the container to the port or terminal on time after unloading. Detention costs are calculated from the moment the free period expires until the empty container is returned. These costs are intended to promote the flow of containers and prevent containers from being occupied too long, limiting availability for other customers. It is possible to purchase additional days.

Demurrage is the fee you pay to the shipping company if you leave the container at the terminal for too long. Detention is the fee you pay if you keep the container outside the terminal for too long. If you are dealing with both, this is called combined. In such cases, the shipping company typically gives you four or five days to pick up and return the container.

1. Ex Works (EXW): The seller makes the goods available at their own location. The buyer arranges and pays for the entire transport.
   
   
2. Free Carrier (FCA): The seller delivers the goods to a carrier appointed by the buyer at an agreed location, including necessary documentation. 
   
   
3. Carriage Paid To (CPT): The seller pays for the transport to a specific place. The buyer bears the risks from the transfer to the carrier. 
   
   
4. Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP): The seller pays for both the transport and the insurance to a specific place. Risks transfer upon handover to the carrier. 
   
   
5. Delivered At Place (DAP): The seller delivers the goods ready for unloading at the agreed destination, excluding clearance costs. 
   
   
6. Delivered at Place Unloaded (DPU): The seller delivers the goods unloaded at the agreed place of destination. 
   
   
7. Delivered Duty Paid (DDP): The seller takes on all transport costs and risks, including customs clearance and import duties, to the agreed destination. 

For sea and inland water transport: 

1. Free Alongside Ship (FAS): The seller delivers the goods alongside the ship at the port of shipment. They arrange the export license and customs clearance. Costs and risks are the seller's up to the loading point. After customs clearance, the risks transfer to the buyer. 
   
   
2. Free On Board (FOB): The seller delivers the goods on board the ship at the port of shipment. Costs and risks are the seller's up to the goods being on board, including invoice, packaging, and customs formalities.
    
3. Cost and Freight (CFR): The seller arranges and pays for the transport to the destination port. Risks transfer to the buyer once the goods are on board. 
   
   
4. Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF): Similar to CFR, but the seller also provides transport insurance. They bear risks up to the goods being on board and pay for transport and related costs to the destination port.