Shipping instructions, or shipment instructions, are a document that provides detailed specifications and characteristics of a shipment. Some of these shipping instructions include the container number, seal number, the number of packages in the container, and the HS code of the goods.
The purpose of all these shipping instructions is to provide complete knowledge of the shipment or the Ocean Bill of Lading. This is why their importance is fundamental—without a shipping instructions document, there is no full understanding of the total content and details of our cargo.
Today, these shipping instructions have modified their format to become digital, greatly facilitating maritime logistics and speeding up procedures. As a result, it is now much easier to access shipping instructions at any time and verify the information detailed in the document.
Without a doubt, the digitization of shipping instructions also adds more seriousness and credibility to trade, as computerized and virtual records are kept of the various operations generated, cargo arrivals, their contents, origin, etc.
Some of the elements that make up shipping instructions include:
- The Bill of Lading number.
- The Bill of Lading parties, including the shipper, consignee, and notify party.
- Place of receipt.
- Port of loading and discharge.
- Final destination.
- Shipping marks.
- Description of the cargo.
- Quantity, weight, and measurements of the cargo.
- Payment terms of the shipment.
It is important to note that shipping instructions are always indexed to a reservation previously generated in the chosen transport monitoring system.