First Import Shipment
Operating workflow for a first import shipment from supplier verification through arrival reconciliation.
Verify supplier identity, authority, and payment-control evidence before treating the deal as real.
Decision point: Hold the shipment if legal entity, contact authority, bank details, or sanctions screening cannot be evidenced outside the email thread.
Lock product scope, samples, specification, packaging, labels, and quality-release criteria.
Decision point: Do not approve production or booking while sample approval, inspection criteria, carton markings, batch data, or regulated-product requirements are still open.
Reconcile quote, proforma, PO, Incoterm, named place, payment milestones, and release evidence.
Decision point: Escalate before deposit or balance release if the proforma, PO, Incoterm scope, beneficiary, or payment trigger conflicts.
Convert order quantity into cartons, pallets, container fit, weight, and loading plan before booking.
Decision point: Renegotiate quantity, packing, or equipment if payload, pallet fit, CBM, VGM, or first-container utilization creates hidden freight cost.
Compare forwarder quote scope, routing, cutoffs, free time, insurance responsibility, and exception owner.
Decision point: Do not book until origin charges, destination charges, free time, demurrage, detention, document cutoffs, and insurance ownership are written down.
Pre-check customs classification, broker instructions, invoice, packing list, transport document, origin evidence, and certificates.
Decision point: Hold cargo release if the broker has not reviewed HS code, value, origin, party data, certificates, or regulated-product documents.
Collect inspection, loading, seal, photo, temperature, and shipment evidence before the cargo leaves origin.
Decision point: Do not ship if production release, inspection result, seal number, loading evidence, temperature controls, or food certificate evidence is missing.
Track shipment milestones, prepare arrival funding, warehouse appointment, broker pre-alert, and local delivery.
Decision point: Escalate when ETA, documents, payment, customs holds, free-time clock, warehouse slot, or delivery plan threatens demurrage or customer delivery.
Reconcile first shipment after arrival against PO, landed-cost model, documents, damage, shortages, and supplier performance.
Decision point: Close the first-shipment file only after final invoices, duty/tax, local charges, quality outcomes, and claims are captured for the next order.