Commercial Freight 🚢✈️

Overview

Commercial Freight articles explain the main shipping, customs, documentation, and cost topics that affect importers, exporters, traders, and businesses moving goods to or from South Africa.

This section is for business shipments, commercial cargo, trading goods, and freight forwarding topics.

It is separate from International Household Moving, which covers personal effects, household goods, and private relocation shipments.

Service page: custom clearing, Traders

Start here if you want to understand

how commercial freight works
what documents may be needed
what can affect customs clearance
what usually influences shipping charges
why shipments may be delayed
how commercial cargo differs from household goods

Articles in this section

Shipping process

How Shipping Works for Shipments To and From South Africa

A step-by-step overview of how an international shipment normally moves from enquiry and booking through documentation, transport, customs clearance, release, delivery, and closeout.

Link: /knowledge/article/151

Customs clearance

Customs Clearance in South Africa Explained

An overview of South African customs clearance, goods declarations, supporting documents, duties and VAT, inspections, permits, restricted goods, and cargo release.

Link: Customs Clearance in South Africa Explained

Shipping documents

Shipping Documents Explained

A practical explanation of the commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading, Air Waybill, permits, certificates, dangerous-goods documents, and other shipment documentation.

Link: Shipping Documents Explained

Shipping charges

Shipping Charges Explained

An explanation of the main origin, freight, destination, customs-related, storage, demurrage, detention, handling, and delivery charges that may form part of an international shipment.

Link: Shipping Charges Explained

Shipment delays

Top Reasons Shipments Get Delayed

The main document, customs, permit, carrier, terminal, release, delivery, and shipment-planning issues that can delay international freight.

Link: /knowledge/article/150

Commercial freight vs household moving

Commercial Freight vs International Household Moving

An explanation of why commercial cargo and personal household effects are different shipment types and why their documents, customs processes, valuation, and handling should not be treated as interchangeable.

Link: Commercial Freight vs International Household Moving

Glossary

Plain-language definitions of commonly used freight forwarding, customs, shipping, and international-moving terms.

Link: /knowledge/article/144

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Important note

These articles are educational only.

They are not legal, customs, tax, insurance, or compliance advice. Shipment-specific requirements should always be checked with the relevant authority, clearing agent, carrier, destination agent, or qualified professional.

Last updated

June 2026

Version

v1.0 — Initial public Knowledge Base version.