Customs & Compliance

Singapore customs clearance requires a TradeNet import permit for every commercial shipment. GST at 9% applies on the CIF value. Here is the full step-by-step process from vessel arrival to warehouse delivery.

Landed cost includes freight, insurance, import duty, GST (9% on CIF from Jan 2024), and port handling. Here is a step-by-step formula so Singapore SME importers know their true cost before they order.

Guide for Choosing the Right Bill of Lading: Original vs Telex Release vs Seaway Bill. Understand the key differences in speed, control, and best uses to ensure secure cargo transportation and payment protection. The bill of lading decides who controls your cargo and who gets paid. Pick the wrong type, and two things go wrong. Either your goods sit at the port while documents fly by courier. Or you hand over control before the buyer pays. Both cost money. This guide explains

Understanding Why Indonesian Customs Holds Cargo: Key Reasons and Steps for Release. Explore the causes such as permit issues, code mismatches, and documentation errors, and learn actionable solutions to expedite your shipment's clearance. Cargo held at Indonesian customs is the most expensive surprise in cross-border trade. Your container has landed, yet it cannot move. Every extra day adds storage and demurrage. The goods themselves are rarely the problem — in most cases, t

A practical guide to JB to Singapore logistics: customs clearance, the 9% GST trap on land freight, permits and costs for SMEs moving cargo cross-border.

Malaysia to Indonesia sea freight explained for SMEs: ATIGA duty savings, Indonesia's 11% VAT, import licences and the de minimis change that catches sellers.

Shipping out of gauge cargo to Singapore? Learn flat rack vs open top, break bulk, customs, GST and how to brief a forwarder so oversized freight clears cleanly.

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) makes the seller pay import clearance, duty, and destination GST. Here's who pays what under Incoterms 2020, how DDP compares to DAP, and when SMEs should use it — from a freight educator with 20+ years on the SG–MY–ID corridor.

Shipping solutions simplified: An overview of Incoterms 2020 by IFG Shipping, detailing seller and buyer responsibilities to avoid costly surprises and ensure smooth trade operations. Most cross-border shipping disputes start with one question: who pays? Incoterms 2020 answer it. They define who covers freight, insurance, duty, and risk on every shipment. Therefore, choosing the wrong term can quietly hand you costs you never agreed to. This guide explains all 11 rules and sh

ATIGA Form D: Unlock 0% Import Duty Across ASEAN with IFG Shipping – Save on Shipments and Grow Your Business! Many ASEAN SMEs pay full import duty they could legally avoid. The reason is almost always the same: a missing, wrong, or rejected ATIGA Form D. This single document can drop your duty to 0% across the region. Therefore, getting it right protects your margin on every cross-border shipment. This guide explains what the ATIGA Form D is, how much it saves, and why claim

An official reviews detailed documents for HS Code classification in Singapore, ensuring precise customs categorization and compliance. One wrong HS code can turn a profitable shipment into a customs penalty. HS code classification in Singapore decides your duty rate, your GST, and your permit requirements. Most SME importers copy the code their supplier sends — and that is the costliest habit in trade. Singapore uses an 8-digit system, but suppliers abroad often send only 6

Shipping container terminal in Singapore at sunset, illustrating the complex logistics involved in transporting dangerous goods safely and efficiently from one of the world's busiest ports. Shipping dangerous goods from Singapore looks simple until one wrong code stops your cargo. One misdeclared container can trigger a terminal fee of up to SGD 10,000. Most SME owners never trained for this — yet they ship hazardous items every week. Lithium batteries, lubricants, aerosols,