It is advised that you appoint an experienced freight forwarder when you import goods from China, the Far East or the Indian-Subcontinent. It is quite a well-known issue that if you rely on your supplier to arrange the shipment when the goods arrive into the UK there are extra higher charges payable.
Why does this happen? When the supplier of the goods arranges the shipment to the UK, they will contact a UK based agent to accept the shipment. In return for this, the supplier will expect ‘remuneration in kind’ – these are extra charges, and ultimately it is the UK importer who will have to stump up the bill.
It is essential that if you wish to import goods from either China, the Far East or the Indian-Subcontinent, that you choose a reliable freight forwarder who can ‘take control of your cargo and charges’.
What does this mean in plain English? By nominating Mercator Cargo as your UK based freight forwarder to take the whole shipment from origin either under FOB (an INCO term ‘free on board’) or EX Work Terms, and avoiding CIF Terms (cost insurance freight – where the shipper pays/arranges the freight), in other words taking ‘full control of your shipment’ and letting us arrange the freight, there will not be any unexpected higher charges upon arrival.
For example, we recently shipped in some goods from Pakistan for a customer – for one of the containers we were given ‘control’ and we arranged the full shipment from the door in Pakistan, to the port, via ocean freight and onwards to the door in the UK. The same customer had another shipment from Pakistan of a similar size from the same supplier in the same origin, however they decided to allow their supplier to arrange the shipment under CIF Terms. Using this option, they incurred an invoice for the UK port charges and local UK delivery fees, not including ocean freight, which came to 75% of the invoice total of our full door-to-door shipment from Pakistan to the UK. In other words, they paid too much in charges for their shipment.
If you decide to appoint Mercator as your freight forwarder and give us ‘control’ of your cargo you could save yourself money. Don’t get ripped off by another option which might look cheaper, because in the long run, it is likely that it will not be cheaper. If you switch to FOB or EX Works and choose us to be your freight forwarder starting from at least the ocean freight, you can eliminate any ‘surprise’ charges and you could save your business money and avoid headaches when the cargo does not arrive on time, and costs you more than it should.
Contact Mercator before you agree on your buying terms. If you buy on CIF (cost insurance freight – where the shipper pays/arranges the freight) you are at risk of paying too much for the service you are receiving.
So give us a call to speak to a member of the imports team and discuss how we can take control of your import shipment and most importantly your charges so they don’t get out of hand – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
Mercator Cargo is an independent freight forwarder, based in the UK. Having been operating for over twenty years, we regularly arrange export shipments to the USA from the UK.
Direct sea freight shipments from the UK to the USA depart from a number of UK ports, including Liverpool, Southampton, Thamesport and Felixstowe. Each of these departure ports have direct sailings to different parts of the USA.
Sea freight transit times vary from 7 days sailing to New York, to 31 days sailing to Los Angeles via the Panama Canal.
There are daily departures for air freight direct to various airports in the USA, including New York, Chicago, Texas and Miami.
As founding members of the global network Marco Polo Line (MPL), we have contacts with various freight forwarders across the USA. These connections allow us to offer a comprehensive door-to-door service across the States.
For exports to the USA from the UK, documentation needs to be prepared no less than three days prior to vessel departures.
So if you’re looking for an experienced freight forwarder to handle your export shipment to the USA, then give us a call – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
Are you exhibiting at the International Food and Drink Exhibition (IFE) this year?
Are you hoping to meet some new suppliers/buyers?
How would you feel if they were based outside the UK? Perhaps you have never dealt with imports or exports, you might feel this situation would be daunting, or you may have had difficulties in this area in the past.
Mercator Cargo is visiting IFE, represented by Paul (our MD) and (hopefully*) James (*his wife is expecting their first a few weeks following the exhibition – if their baby arrives early you may spot him as the man with the biggest grin on his face!).
Paul has been running Mercator Cargo for over twenty years and been in the freight forwarding industry for almost 40. The firm’s experiences in shipping food stuffs include coffee, noodles, sauces, jarred and canned goods, seeds, pastes, rice, oils, juices, flours, and food grains.
Paul’s son, James, joined the exports team in 2009, and has grown into his role, overseeing the majority of our complex food logistics (including peanuts, curry pastes, and rice).
Not only do the team at Mercator have the necessary experience to handle your food shipments, Paul and James have a genuine interest in food, especially world foods.
With personal contacts in almost every country in the world we are able to draw on local knowledge at your goods destination or origin.
If you would like James or Paul to darken your stand for 15 minutes during the exhibition, then please feel free to email us on sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk (this will arrive at both James and Paul’s inboxes).
James and Paul will be happy to answer any questions you might have about shipments. If we don’t know the answer to your question, James or Paul will endeavour to find you the correct answer. Paul’s motto is “there’s no such phrase as ‘it can’t be done'”.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Mercator Cargo is an experienced freight forwarder, arranging shipments from the UK to Dubai on a regular basis.
There are direct weekly sailings from Southampton and Tilbury for sea freight to Dubai. Transit times for Dubai via sea freight is approximately 20 days. For air freight shipments to Dubai, there are daily direct flights to Dubai airport.
Freight shipments for Abu Dhabi and Sharjah via sea freight will tranship at Dubai, adding approximately 7 days to the transit time (taking the total up to about 27 days). There are regular air freight departures from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Generally, for exports to Dubai and UAE, commercial invoices are required to be certified. As a freight forwarder, this is something that we can arrange for you as part of our freight forwarding service.
A Certificate of Origin is also required to be issued for exports to Dubai and UAE. These certificates come in two forms, EU or British Arabic Chamber of Commerce. We are also able to offer this as part of our freight forwarding service.
So if you’re looking for a freight forwarder to handle your export shipment to Dubai or the UAE, then give us a call – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
If you are looking for a freight forwarder to handle your import of curry paste into the UK, then look no further. As an experienced freight forwarder, Mercator has handled all kinds of cargo, including curry pastes as imports into the UK.
It is a wise decision to appoint a freight forwarder to handle your curry paste import, as it can be a complex matter.
It is important to check that the products you wish to import are allowed to enter the country, and to find out whether there are any restrictions or any particular documentation is required to import the curry paste into the UK. Before you purchase any goods, it is advised that you obtain a copy of full ingredients per product. If you choose us as your freight forwarder, you can then send the ingredients lists of the curry pastes to us, which we will get checked by UK Port Health. UK Port Health will be able to advise of any restrictions or additional documentation required based on the ingredients.
If you are considering shipping a less than container load (or LCL) via sea freight it can be complex, as there are restrictions as to what the curry pastes can share a container with, however it is possible. On the other hand, if you are looking to import a smaller load, air freight might be your chosen method of transportation.
So if you are looking to import curry pastes into the UK, using an experienced, UK based freight forwarder, then give us a call – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
When importing candles into the UK, there are a few things to consider. You will need to understand the charges you are required to pay for your import. These will include air/sea freight, handling, documentation, customs clearance, and VAT and duty. VAT and duty is currently around 6.5% (dependent upon country of origin) of the value of the candles to be imported and must be paid before release from customs. If you want further guidance on the costings of importing candles into the UK, then get in contact, we will be happy to provide you with a quote for your shipment. The more details you have about the shipment, the better, we will ask you things like the origin of the candles, where they were manufactured, how heavy the cargo is, how big the cargo is, the commercial value of the candles and where you would like it delivered in the UK. This way we can provide a price which will include a fully comprehensive shipping service: freight from destination, customs clearance in the UK and UK delivery.
It is recommended that candles which are transported for extended periods of time are kept in temperature controlled units (i.e. refrigerated containers, otherwise known as reefers). This is to ensure that whilst the candles are in transit, they remain intact and arrive safely at their destination.
Some candles for import or export are considered hazardous for transport, and require a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for import purposes. If you already have an MSDS for your import shipment of candles, let us know when you are enquiring so that we can provide an accurate quotation for your candle importation. If you are unsure whether you require an MSDS for your import of candles, just ask one of our experienced freight forwarders who will be able to point you in the right direction.
So if you’re looking to arrange an import of candles into the UK, give one of our experienced freight forwarders a call – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
If you import into the UK or export from the UK, you are most likely to either have a freight forwarder, or will be looking to choose a freight forwarder.
Here are a few questions that might be important to consider before choosing your freight forwarder:
Does your freight forwarder have links to or experience in importing or exporting to your origin or destination countries? Here at Mercator, we are part of a global network of independent freight forwarders. This means we have a personal freight forwarding contact in virtually every country in the world, allowing us to draw on local knowledge that other freight forwarders may not have access to.
Does your freight forwarder have time to spend talking through options and processes? As an independently run freight forwarding agent, Mercator’s experienced freight forwarders have the expertise and the time to deliver a first class service. When you choose us as your freight forwarder, you will be assigned a personal contact, your logistics expert if you like. This freight forwarder will be personally contactable via email and telephone, and will keep you updated with your shipment every step of the way. It is not coincidence that our first customer back in 1991 is still our customer today.
Does your freight forwarder listen to your forwarding needs and the needs of your business? We understand that it is important for your freight forwarder to be working with you. This is why we will do our upmost to deliver your goods on time, and keep you in the loop throughout your shipments movements.
Can your freight forwarder cope with a complicated shipment? As an independent freight forwarder, we have the time and the expertise to deal with complex shipments. Whether you have an out of gauge cargo shipment, or a delicate load, Mercator Cargo can assist you.
If the above points are important to you and your business, why not give one of our freight forwarders a call to discuss how we can help your business. Even if you’d like to just have a chat and get a quote, you are under no obligation to take up our services if you decide not to.
So to compare our service with your current freight forwarder, give us a call today – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
Are you about to embark on importing goods into the UK for the first time? Perhaps you are importing goods into the UK from a manufacturer abroad to sell on in the UK. Or you might be getting bespoke goods manufactured abroad and importing in them into the UK for distribution. Either way, you are probably looking for a freight forwarding partner. Look no further, Mercator Cargo is an experienced freight forwarder and we can help with your import logistics.
Importing goods into the UK might seem like a scary notion. And it may well be if you have not done this before. That is why it is a wise decision to look for a freight forwarding partner to arrange your import for you. At Mercator we offer a wide range of freight forwarding services for imports, from just arranging a sea freight shipment, to a full service of door-to-door deliveries and all necessaries when importing, such as customs clearance, VAT and duty payments, and documentation.
Mercator Cargo is an independent freight forwarder based in the UK. Founded in 1991, we are still run and owned by the same family. We have a highly experienced import department made up of freight forwarders, all with different experiences and knowledge. As we are independently run, we can offer a full ‘hand holding’ service, and advise on all matters related to importing goods into the UK.
So if you are unsure of what you are doing when it comes to importing into the UK and want to be guided through by the experts, then give us a call today and ask for the imports department – Tel. 02392 756 575. Email: sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk.
10, St George’s Business Centre,
St Georges Square,
Portsmouth, PO1 3EZ, UK
Mercator is a family-run, UK based independent freight forwarder, offering highly effective sea, road and air freight services around the world.
