When shipping from India into the UK particularly via sea freight, it is usually a good idea to speak with a freight forwarder before you agree buying terms (known as Incoterms) with your supplier. An Incoterm is an internationally recognised buying term which sets out what the supplier and the importer are responsible for when it comes to shipping to goods.
Generally it is best to opt for a FOB (free on board) term when purchasing goods for an LCL (less than container load) shipment. If you purchase on a term whereby your supplier arranges the sea freight for you (for example on a CIF basis (cost insurance freight)) you may find that when your LCL shipment arrives in the UK, you have a rather large bill that you were not expecting.
When handling a full container load (FCL) sea freight shipment from India, it is worth comparing ocean freight rates between your supplier in India and a UK based freight forwarder.
Mercator is a UK based freight forwarder trading for over 30 years. We arrange import freight from India on a daily basis for our customers. Our freight forwarding services include loading in India, clearing through customs in India (in partnership with our agent based in India), sea freight to the UK, UK customs clearance and delivery to your door in the UK. Our UK import services cover all industries including textiles, woven carpets, dry food stuffs (including rice if the importer has a ‘rice licence’), furniture and handicrafts.
We can arrange sea freight from the major ports in India. Transit times for shipping from India to the UK via sea freight ranges from 17 to 21 days depending on the departure and arrival port. Imports from India can arrive in London Gateway, Southampton, Felixstowe and Tilbury (depending on the service chosen).
No matter which INCOTERM you have arranged with your supplier, Mercator can assist with your import from India. We are founding members of a worldwide network of freight forwarders. Because of this, we have partner agents located in India. They will be able to assist with any of the processes of your shipment in India, such as collecting the goods, loading and export customs. Mercator will be able to handle the rest of the import process including sea/air freight, UK customs clearance, payments to HMRC for VAT & duty (if applicable) and onward delivery to your door.
Our export team handle both sea and air freight shipments to India. Get in touch below for further information and to obtain a quotation.
To make the process of importing from India simple, get in touch and appoint Mercator to handle the bulk of the workload for you: email us on sales@mercatorcargo.co.uk or call (+44) 02392 756 575.
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.
