If you are a small or medium-sized business (SMB) who is buying from an overseas supplier, there's a good chance you're buying under either Free On Board (FOB) or Ex Works (EXW) terms of sale. These are the two most commonly used international shipping standards – known as Incoterms – in global trade. In this article, we'll explore the distinctions between EXW vs FOB shipping and how they can positively or negatively impact how you manage logistics.
Whether your company is involved in shipping to Lithuania from the US, shipping from Lithuania to the US, or trading back and forth, the logistics can prove challenging. This is especially true in light of the surging trade war and the realignment of ocean freight alliances. So how can you find ways to save on costs without impacting service or disrupting your business? Let’s look at what’s involved and how you can make the most of it.
A major reshuffling of ocean carrier alliances that went into effect in February 2025, while providing benefits for both carriers and shippers, is causing some temporary hiccups as everyone adjusts to the new network structures. So what changes are taking place, and how will shippers be impacted? Let’s unpack the topic a bit.
If you’re new to international shipping, you might be confused by the various terms used by service providers. For example: what’s the difference between an NVOCC and a freight forwarder? What does each do, and how do you know which to use for your shipment?
Here’s a quick rundown:
With pallets such an indispensable supply chain tool, determining how many pallets can fit in a container or trailer is critical for shippers when developing a transportation plan, calculating freight costs and booking carriers.
There is a very costly misconception regarding ocean container transit that may lead global heavy freight shippers to pay far more than needed, based on maximum truck weights allowed on US highways. Specifically, steamship lines promote the idea that container weights must be limited to 44,000 lbs. or less to stay within “legal” limits.
An Importer of Record (IOR) is the party to a transaction responsible for ensuring that imported goods meet the legal and regulatory requirements of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This is hugely important because non-compliance with customs regulations carries serious consequences, including legal liability, fees and even seizure of cargo or suspension of an import license.
We end each year by sharing our most popular posts by readership of the past year. Not surprisingly, each of 2024’s top blog articles answers a question. Read on to see what others found so interesting.
If you’re shipping containers to Europe from the US, there are a number of factors that affect the cost of freight – from the type of container used, to the shipping lane and distance, to whether you’re shipping a full container load (FCL) or less-than-container load (LCL). So, if you’re looking for ways to save on the logistics of Trans-Atlantic container shipping, read on.
Companies that ship a lot of ocean freight do a pretty good job of insuring themselves against workman’s comp claims and office building fires. But most of them fail to protect the full value of their import or export cargo with marine cargo insurance, despite potential losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars per shipment.
