Shipping insurance is often misunderstood. The standard 'all risks' clause in marine insurance actually excludes many common problems: insufficient packaging, inherent product defects, delay, and market loss. To be properly covered, you need specific clauses for your product and route. Work with an insurance broker who specializes in cargo insurance. The extra premium (typically 0.1-0.3% of cargo value) is worth it for the right coverage.
Container loading optimization can reduce your per-unit shipping cost by 5-15%. Key factors: product dimensions, packaging design, loading pattern, and container type. Mixed-size products often achieve higher container utilization than uniform boxes. Request a loading plan from your forwarder before finalizing packaging. Small changes in box dimensions can significantly improve container fit. This is free money — most importers leave it on the table.
Pre-shipment planning prevents half of all logistics problems. Confirm: correct HS code classification, complete shipping documents, proper packaging for the transport mode, correct labels and marks, insurance coverage, and destination country import requirements. A pre-shipment logistics checklist shared with your supplier and forwarder ensures nothing is forgotten. Good logistics is 80% preparation and 20% execution.