ISEAH Kef 2018-2019 Instructor: Mrs.

Olfa Naimi
Commercial English Trade Documentation session 6 2 nd year BE

Trade documents
Paper documents (or electronic files) used in international trade that prove that certain events have taken place.
For convenience, the documents commonly used in international trade may be grouped by function into five
categories:
 Commercial: the invoice and packing list.
 Transport: air waybill, bill of lading, sea waybill. CMR document, rail waybill, dock receipt, mate´s
receipt, forwarder´s receipt, etc.
 Legal: documents that satisfy a governmental requirement, such as certificates of
origin, export declarations, import licences or consularized documents.
 Insurance: insurance policy and insurance certificate.
 Banking: letters of credit, drafts, collection letters of instruction.
All these documents are issued by exporters, shipping lines, airlines, international trucking
companies, freight forwarders, logistics companies, customs, banks and insurance companies.
Invoice
A list of goods sent or services provided, with a statement of the sum due for these; a bill.
Packing list
A seller-prepared commercial document indicating the net and gross weights, dimensions and contents of all
shipping pieces (boxes, crates, bundles, etc.) in a shipment. Each packing list should reference the shipment for
which is made, and the line item totals should agree with the relevant commercial invoice. A packing list should
be made for all shipments consisting of more than one shipping piece for the following reasons:
 They aid in identifying lost cargo, especially for carrier and insurance claims.
 They permit selective inspection by customs authorities, and many government require them for large
shipments.
 They provide a “map” of the shipment, enabling the buyer to easily unpack and stock the shipped goods.
In certain cases it is advisable elaborate the packing list considering the information requested by the importer,
especially for customs purposes, as may be the case that the Customs request a “detailed document”, for
example, in the case of a machine, the identification of each of the parts and components. Model of Packing List.
Waybill
A non-negotiable transport document prepared by a transportation line at the pint of a shipment, showing
the point of origin, destination, route, consignor, consignee, description of shipmentand amount charged for the
transportation service, and forwarded with the shipment, or direct by mail, to the agent at the transfer point or
waybill destination. See air waybill; bill of lading; ocean bill of lading.
Sea waybill
A transport document for maritime shipment which serves as evidence of the contract of carriage and as
a receipt for the goods, but is not a document of title. The sea waybill indicates the on board loading of the goods
and can be used in cases where no ocean bill of lading and no other document of title is required. For receipt of
the goods, presentation of the sea waybill by the consignee named therein is not required, which can speed up
processing at the port of destination. See bill of lading; ocean bill of lading.
Dock
A place where cargo is loaded/unloaded. Often used as synonym for wharf or pier. A loading dock is the part of a
shipping facility where trucks are loaded.
Receipt
Any written acknowledgment given in exchange for taking goods into one´s possession.
Mate´s receipt
A document issued by the carrier to the shipper, indicating receipt of the goods, but not loadingon board. Like
a Bill of Lading B/L, a mate´s receipt can be either clean or claused/dirt/foul, depending on

whether or not the goods have been received in apparent good condition The mate´s receipt can later be
exchanged for the bill of lading. Mate´s receipts are used only for charter shipments. Shipments made on liner
terms (where the sip line handles vessel loading an unloading) are covered by dock receipts signed when de
goods are delivered to the ship lines terminal.
Forwarder
ISEAH Kef 2018-2019 Instructor: Mrs. Olfa Naimi
Commercial English Trade Documentation session 6 2 nd year BE

A person or company that arranges transportation, usually on behalf of the party contracting for main carriage.
Many forwarders provide additional services, such as assistance with country specific documentary
requirements, insurance, storage, and even customs clearance. Some forwarders also act as carriers (air
freight consolidators or NVOOCs). Typically, forwarders obtain brokerage commission income from the carriers
they select. This minimizes the fees that they charge to clients, and makes using forwarders cost-competitive.
Some countries require that forwarders obtain a license, al least to be eligible for brokerage income. Also
called freightforwarder.
Export
To ship an item away from a country for sale to another country.
Import
1. To receive goods and services from abroad.
2. An imported item.
Insurance policy
The entire written contract of insurance. More specifically, it is the basic written or printed document, as well as
the coverage forms and endorsement added to it.
Insurance certificate
A document used so that coverage is provided to cover loss or damage to cargo while in transit when insurance is
placed against an open marine cargo policy. In some cases a shipper may issue a document that certifies that
a shipment has been insured under a given open policy, and that the certificate represents and takes the place of
such open policy, the provisions of which are controlling. Because of the objections that an instrument of this
kind did not constitute a “policy” within the requirements of letters of credit, it has become the practice to use an
insurance certificate. Also called cargo insurance certificate and special cargo policy. See open
marine cargo insurance policy; open policy.
Collection
A set of documents including a letter or completed form indicating the drawer´s instructions (called a collection
letter), and often accompanied by a draft or drafts, invoices, packing lists, and other documents as agreed by
the drawer and drawee. Collections accompanied by documents restricting possession or ownership are
called documentary,  while those without such documents are called clean. Many collections are covered by the
current Uniform Rules of Collections (URC) published by the International Chamber of Commerce. Since de
URC is not a law, it must be specified in order to apply. However, it is in such common use that reference to it is
often printed on the collection letterforms commonly used by banks.
Freight
1. All merchandise, goods, products or commodities shipped by air, railroad, or water, other than baggage,
express mail or regular mail.
2. Transportation charges.
Customs
A government authority designated to regulate flow of goods to/from a country and to collect duties levied by a
country on imports and exports. The term also applies to the procedures involved in such activities.