The goods must be cleared from the customs before these can be loaded on the ship. For obtaining customs clearance, the exporter prepares the................

Shipping bill

The correct answer is option 1- Shipping bill.

The goods must be cleared from the customs before these can be loaded on the ship. For obtaining customs clearance, the exporter prepares the shipping bill. Shipping bill is the main document on the basis of which the customs office gives the permission for export. Shipping bill contains particulars of the goods being exported, the name of the vessel, the port at which goods are to be discharged, country of final destination, exporter’s name and address, etc. Five copies of the shipping bill along with the following documents are then submitted to the Customs Appraiser at the Customs House:

• Export Contract or Export Order • Letter of Credit • Commercial Invoice • Certificate of Origin • Certificate of Inspection, where necessary • Marine Insurance Policy.

After submission of these documents, the Superintendent of the concerned port trust is approached for obtaining the carting order. Carting order is the instruction to the staff at the gate of the port to permit the entry of the cargo inside the dock. After obtaining the carting order, the cargo is physically moved into the port area and stored in the appropriate shed. Since the exporter cannot make himself or herself available all the time for performing all these formalities, these tasks are entrusted to an agent —referred to as Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) agent.