Geetha Seetharaman

Ladybugs are beneficial insects that play a major role in keeping down populations of insects that feed on plants. Perhaps most importantly, ladybugs are predators with an insatiable appetite for aphids. A ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids over its lifetime.

Transport documentation is necessary for providing instructions about your consignment to the carrier, receiving authority or forwarder.

When you transport non-hazardous goods, you generally use a Standard Shipping Note (SSN). This gives port authorities clear instructions on how to handle your goods. The SSN can also be used for air freight.

If your goods are hazardous, they must be accompanied by a Dangerous Goods Declaration.

It’s also likely that you’ll use the Export Cargo Shipping Instruction (ECSI) when you export goods. The ECSI contains details of your consignment, including customs information and an allocation of costs.

The DGN is a transport document that gives details about the contents of a consignment to carriers, receiving authorities and forwarders.

The DGN is used to accompany hazardous goods in transit.

You can use a DGN when you transport goods using all forms of transport except air freight, when the IATA Dangerous Goods Declaration is normally used.

When you transport dangerous goods, your consignment must be accompanied by a document that declares what the dangers of the goods are. By using a DGN, you can complete the same standard document for all consignments of dangerous goods, regardless of which port or ICD (Inland Container Depot) they are going to.

If you use the Customs Freight Simplified Procedures you can use a DGN as a pre-shipment advice.

For more information, see the guide on moving dangerous goods.

When you use a DGN it gives the receiving authority complete, accurate and timely information about your consignment. So they have clear and precise details on how your goods should be handled.

Using a DGN also means that everyone who has an interest in your consignment has adequate information at each movement stage.

The SSN is a shipping document that gives details about the contents of a consignment to carriers, receiving authorities and forwarders.

The SSN is used to accompany deliveries of non-hazardous goods in transit.

The SSN can be used for all consignments except dangerous goods.

By using the SSN, you can complete the same standard document for all consignments, regardless of which port or depot they are going to.

If you use the Customs Freight Simplified Procedures, you can use the SSN as a pre-shipment advice.

When you use the SSN it gives the receiving authority complete, accurate and timely information about your consignment. So they have clear and precise details on how your goods should be handled.

Using the SSN also means that everyone with an interest in your consignment has adequate information at each movement stage, until its final loading on board a vessel or aircraft.

When you complete the SSN take into account the following:

The ECSI is the instruction from the exporter to the forwarder or carrier.

The ECSI contains the following information about your consignment:

So it’s very important that the information you provide on the ECSI is accurate.

When you use the ECSI it gives everyone involved complete, accurate and timely information about your consignment. So all parties get clear and precise details on how your goods should be handled, which can save you time and money.

You’re not required to use the ECSI. But it’s good exporting practice to do so because it’s a helpful checklist at the planning stage. And the ECSI also provides an authoritative record of your instructions on how your consignment should be handled. So if there’s any disagreement over procedures, documentation or charges you can use a properly completed ECSI as the source for resolving the dispute.

The ECSI is intended as a multi-purpose document that can be used for any of the following functions: