Clearing Cargo with Australian Customs

In order to have the freight cleared through Australian Customs/ Quarantine, we require a copy of commercial documents. These are as follows:

• Bill of lading/ Airway bill.
• Commercial invoice (stating the value of the goods for customs purposes).
• Packing list.
• Packing declaration (sea freight only).
• Fumigation Certificate (only required if the items are made from wood/ wooden products).
• Other commercial documents (maybe required on a case to case basis).

It takes a minimum of 48 hours to have paperwork processed through customs. We therefore request that all commercial documents be provided no later than the arrival date of the vessel into port. This ensures we have enough time clear the cargo through customs before any additional costs are incurred.

The local port charges cover the costs of the actual importing process, including container trucking to unpack depot, unpacking and terminal/ wharf costs.