Freight Booking from China: An 8-Step Handoff Checklist

The booking pack should let a buyer, supplier, forwarder and carrier answer the same questions without guessing: where the cargo moves, what it is, which equipment it needs, which deadline applies, who submits each field and how the confirmation will be checked.

1. Freeze the route and delivery boundary

Record the place of receipt, port of loading, port of discharge, final place of delivery, expected shipment window and whether the move is FCL or LCL. Tie each leg to the agreed Incoterms rule and named place, but do not use the rule as a substitute for full routing instructions.

2. Create one cargo data version

Align the commercial product name, transport description, package count and type, net and gross weight, volume, dimensions and reference HS classification. The data should be explainable against the purchase order, packing plan and later shipping documents, without forcing different documents to use identical fields.

3. Separate special cargo early

Dangerous goods, batteries, liquids, reefer, out-of-gauge and overweight cargo need early, specialist review. Provide the classification basis, technical information, packing method and approval status. Do not hide a special-cargo condition inside a generic commodity description.

4. Select equipment and inland mode

Specify container size and type, quantity, shipper-owned equipment if relevant, empty pickup depot, loading address and loading date. State whether inland transport is merchant or carrier haulage. Carrier guidance commonly treats route, service mode, contractual customer, departure date, cargo, equipment and weight as booking inputs.

5. Build a cut-off map

Work backwards from the intended sailing. Track booking confirmation, empty pickup, loading, gate-in, export clearance, Shipping Instructions, VGM and document-review deadlines separately. Record the local time zone, channel, owner and fallback. The shipment-specific booking confirmation and local notice control.

6. Assign Shipping Instruction fields

Common SI inputs include shipment and container numbers, package count and kind, gross cargo weight, payment terms, cargo description, shipper and consignee details, plus destination-specific customs data. Decide who supplies, verifies and submits each field. Sensitive identifiers should move only through the necessary channel.

7. Control VGM as a separate record

The IMO states that the shipper named on the bill of lading or equivalent transport document is responsible for providing verified gross mass in time for the stowage plan; VGM is a condition of loading. It may be obtained by weighing the packed container or, under an approved method, summing cargo, packages, pallets, dunnage and securing material plus container tare. Cargo gross weight alone is not automatically VGM.

8. Close the loop with the booking confirmation

Review the booking number, route, vessel or service, equipment, pickup data, every cutoff, charges, payer, free time and escalation contact. Stop the warehouse from working to an obsolete version. The final handoff should carry a revision, update time, owner and exception list.

Minimum booking handoff pack

• Complete route, service mode, Incoterms rule and named place;
• reconciled cargo, packing, weight, volume and equipment data;
• special-cargo flags and specialist-review status;
• pickup, gate-in, customs, SI and VGM deadlines;
• shipper, consignee, notify party, payer and submission owners;
• booking-confirmation review and escalation record.

Frequently asked questions

Are commodity, carton count and gross weight enough?

Usually not. Route, service mode, equipment, loading arrangements, payer and special-cargo fields may also be required.

Are booking data and SI the same?

No. Booking requests capacity and routing; SI later supports the transport document and related filings.

Who is responsible for VGM?

SOLAS assigns responsibility to the shipper named on the transport document; confirm the shipment-specific weighing and submission process.

Primary sources and limits

1. Maersk · Mandatory booking information — route, service mode, cargo, equipment, weight and loading inputs.
2. Maersk · Mandatory Shipping Instruction information — shipment, container, package, weight, cargo and party fields.
3. International Maritime Organization · Verified gross mass — shipper responsibility, weighing methods and loading condition.
4. U.S. International Trade Administration · Documents in an Export Transaction — documentation varies by market and cargo; the exporter remains responsible for accuracy.

Sources checked on 7 September 2026. This general, anonymised execution guide does not replace carrier, forwarder, customs, dangerous-goods, insurance, legal or destination-specific advice.