How to Ship a Container to Afghanistan
Situated between the Middle East and Asia, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has been covered by international media for decades because of ongoing war. Whether you are moving to Afghanistan or shipping a container for commercial purposes, you will need to follow the import and export laws as established by both the United States and Afghanistan governments. Afghanistan is landlocked and therefore the container must arrive at a nearby port and be transported inland by truck.
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Instructions
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Contact an international shipping company, which is commonly known as a freight forwarder in the import/export industry. These companies work as middlemen between you and the actual ocean carriers. Freight forwarders coordinate all aspects of international shipping including paperwork, booking the reservation on the carrier, and managing the arrival of the container with a receiving agent at the port of destination.
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Select a freight forwarding company that specializes in full container load shipments and that has completed projects to Afghanistan before. Call the company and give them all information pertaining to your shipment such as the size of the container (either 20 foot of 40 foot), the nature of the goods begin shipped, the value of the goods and the name and address of both the shipper (yourself or your company) and the receiving party.
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Select the location where you want your container to arrive. The most common ocean port for shipments to Afghanistan from the United States is Karachi, Pakistan. Your freight forwarder will advise you whether this route is available or if your container will have to travel an alternate route. Advise your freight forwarder whether you require door-to-door or port-to-port service. For door-to-door service, you shipment will be picked up by a cartage (trucking) company and delivered to a physical address in Afghanistan. Port-to-port service involves dropping off your container at a shipping port and making your own arrangements for pick-up and delivery at the port of destination. Ask your freight forwarder which insurance options are available and select coverage that protects the full value of your goods.
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Prepare your commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. The commercial invoice shows the terms between the buyer and seller, as well as the nature and value of goods being shipped. The certificate of origin shows the country of origin of the goods being shipped and needs to be sealed with an apostille to be valid. Your local chamber of commerce can notarize the certificate.
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Pay for the shipment of your container. Arrange the pick-up or drop off of your container with your freight forwarding company. The transit time between the East Coast of United States to the port of Karachi is slightly more than three weeks, while West Coast sailings take a month. Call your freight forwarder weekly to for updates on your shipment.
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Tips & Warnings
To find a listing of international shipping companies, go to the official website of the closet port to your home address.
References
- Photo Credit Port, grue image by Daoud from Fotolia.com
