Shipping from the United States: Commercial Cargo and International Freight Guide

Shipping goods from the United States requires a clear cargo description, a receiving market and agreement on who handles each stage. A usable freight enquiry identifies the collection location and final delivery point as well as the port-to-port movement. Wigmore Trading can assess the cargo brief and identify the information needed for a written logistics offer.

Find your regional planning guide

• Shipping from the United States to Africa: Commercial Freight Planning
• Shipping from the United States to Europe: EU and Non-EU Freight Guide
• Shipping from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean
• Shipping from the United States to Asia and Oceania: Cargo Planning Guide
• Shipping from the United States to the Middle East and Central Asia
• Shipping from the United States to Nigeria

Send the details that determine the freight quote

Provide the commodity, commercial value, quantity, package count, dimensions and gross weight per package. Include the supplier’s collection address, readiness date, destination address and consignee. Explain whether the cargo is stackable and whether collection or unloading equipment is required.

Identify batteries, chemicals, liquids, food, medical products, timber, used vehicles and temperature-controlled goods at the outset. These characteristics can affect acceptance, documentation, packing and handling. A generic description such as assorted goods can delay assessment and produce an unusable quotation.

Choose air, sea or a specialist movement

Compare the entire cost and delivery requirement. Air cargo can suit urgent compact consignments; shared-container and full-container sea options suit different volume and handling needs. Vehicles, out-of-gauge machines and bulk commodities require their own arrangements. Ask whether the quote includes consolidation and transhipment, and identify which dates are estimates.

Agree export documents and responsibilities

The US International Trade Administration’s documentation guide describes commonly used documents, including commercial invoices and packing lists. Determine which declarations and product certificates apply to the actual consignment with the responsible exporter, forwarder and importer. Agree who prepares, checks and submits them before the collection date.

Resolve classification, party and end-use checks and destination import eligibility before dispatch. Use the OFAC sanctions search resource and other applicable official checks as part of the assessment. A guide listing a destination does not confirm a lawful route or carrier acceptance for every cargo.

Compare the complete charge schedule

Ask separately about collection, export handling, inspection, origin terminal costs, freight, insurance, destination handling, customs work, duties, storage and delivery. Establish free time where offered and charges for missed deadlines, waiting, reweighing or changed cargo dimensions. Confirm whether the destination consignee can receive and unload the shipment.

What information should be settled before booking?

The goods, parties, route, packing, permissions, price scope and responsibilities should be sufficiently clear to authorise the movement. Ask for written confirmation of carrier acceptance and service scope. Transit estimates do not guarantee customs release. If sourcing is still underway, start with the US product sourcing directory and request packed cargo data from the supplier.

Reviewed 1 November 2026. Service availability and terms are confirmed for the enquiry.