Ocean imports · Inbound to the United States
How an import actually moves.
From the booking overseas to the empty container going back — what happens at each stage, what has to be filed, and what we need from you to keep the box moving.
How it moves
Step by step, in order.
Each stage has to close before the next one opens. Where a deadline is fixed by law or by the carrier, it is marked.
- Step 01Booking and routing
You send the lane, the commodity, and the load. We quote it, then book space and equipment with the ocean carrier and confirm the sailing, the transit time, and the cut-offs at origin.
- Step 02Origin handling and cargo receipt
Your supplier delivers to the port, the container yard, or the consolidation warehouse. For LCL, the cargo is measured, weighed, and consolidated. We check the commercial documents against what was booked before anything is loaded.
- Step 03Importer Security Filing
The ISF — often called 10+2 — is filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection before the container is loaded onto the vessel overseas. It is the importer’s legal responsibility; we coordinate the data and the filing with your customs broker.
DEADLINE — ISF must be on file no later than 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard the vessel. Late or inaccurate filings can draw liquidated damages of up to $5,000 per violation and holds at destination. - Step 04House bill of lading
We issue the GLL Global house bill of lading under our published tariff and transmit the manifest data to CBP. Telex release or original bills are handled to your instructions.
- Step 05Transit and arrival notice
The container sails. We track the vessel and send you an arrival notice ahead of the estimated arrival, so entry can be prepared before the ship berths rather than after.
- Step 06Customs entry and duty
A licensed customs broker files the entry with CBP, classifies the goods under the HTS, and pays duties, taxes, and fees. Cargo regulated by another agency — FDA, USDA, EPA, FCC — needs that agency’s filing too. We coordinate with your broker, or introduce one.
REQUIRED — A customs bond, single-entry or continuous, must be in place before entry can be filed. Continuous bonds cover a year of shipments and are usually cheaper past a handful of entries. - Step 07Release, drayage, delivery
Once the carrier releases the freight and customs releases the entry, we arrange pickup from the terminal or CFS, drayage to your door, and the return of the empty container.
CLOCK RUNNING — Free time at the terminal is limited. Demurrage accrues on the container inside the terminal; detention accrues once it leaves and is held too long. Both are carrier charges and are passed through.
What we need from you
Send these and the file moves.
Missing paperwork is the most common reason a container is rolled. If you are not sure which of these applies, send what you have and we will tell you what is outstanding.
Shipment basics
Before we can book
- Origin and destination — port, city, or door address
- Commodity description, and the HTS code if you have it
- Container type and count, or weight, dimensions, and piece count
- Cargo ready date and any delivery appointment requirements
- Special handling: hazmat, reefer temperature, overweight, out-of-gauge
Documents and filings
Before the vessel loads
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- ISF data — seller, buyer, importer of record number, consignee number, manufacturer, ship-to party, country of origin, HTS number, container stuffing location, consolidator
- Importer of record number — IRS/EIN, SSN, or CBP-assigned number
- Customs bond, single-entry or continuous
- Power of attorney for your customs broker
- Certificates the commodity requires — origin, phytosanitary, FDA prior notice
Compliance
What U.S. Customs expects on an inbound container.
The importer of record is responsible
CBP holds the importer of record — not the forwarder and not the supplier — responsible for the accuracy of the entry, the classification, the valuation, and the duty paid. Reasonable care is a legal standard, and it is why we push back when a description reads “samples” or “gift.”
Classification decides the duty
The HTS classifies an article by what it is, not what it is made of, and the code drives the duty rate plus any additional tariffs or trade remedies. Get the code right before you commit to a landed-cost number.
Exams happen
CBP can select a container for X-ray or a full devanning exam. Exam fees, drayage to and from the exam site, and the delay are the importer’s cost. Clean, accurate documents are the best defense against being selected.
Partner government agencies
Food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, plants, animal products, electronics, and vehicles each answer to another agency on top of CBP. Tell us the commodity early so the right filing is set up before the ship arrives.
This page is general guidance on how ocean freight moves, not legal or customs advice. Requirements change and depend on the commodity, the country, and the parties involved. Ask us about your shipment.