Transport document completion

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

How is the Standard Shipping Note used?

The Standard Shipping Note is used to accompany deliveries of non-hazardous goods in transit.

The Standard Shipping Note can be used for all consignments except dangerous goods.

By using the Standard Shipping Note, 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 Standard Shipping Note as a pre-shipment advice.

Benefits of using a Standard Shipping Note

When you use the Standard Shipping Note 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 Standard Shipping Note 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.

Completing the Standard Shipping Note

When you complete the Standard Shipping Note take into account the following:

• where possible, you should avoid completing the Standard Shipping Note by hand because handwritten documents are often difficult to read and are more likely to contain inaccuracies
• you can only include goods for a single shipment to a port or airport - or for a single sailing or flight - on one Standard Shipping Note
• if you need to use continuation sheets they should be numbered and attached to each copy of the Standard Shipping Note
• if you don't fill in all the boxes on the Standard Shipping Note this will need to be resolved between all parties contractually involved in the consignment

Sample Standard Shipping Note

You can download an example Standard Shipping Note (PDF, 24K).