Importing
Rail Cargo
Understanding the Process:
Stages of Freighting Rail Cargo
Understanding the Paperwork:
Import Documentation for Rail Cargo
All air cargo importations are required to include four major components, with additional requirements depending on the goods being transported. Each air cargo shipment must start with:
1. Commercial Invoice / Receipt of Purchase
2. Packing List / Content Details
3. Rail Waybill
4. Rail Yard Arrival Notice
Each of the four requirements must have at least one document as evidence, but the documentation should accurately reflect the physical shipment. If for example a shipment includes contents sourced from multiple purchases, each corresponding invoice or receipt should be included to document the whole.
For more about import documentation requirements, please check out our dedicated page:
Understanding the Dynamic:
Insights on Rail Cargo
Rail cargo shipments are usually used overland for high density goods, especially in circumstances where shipment locations align with the available rail network.
According to the 2020 data from The International Council of Clean Transportation, trains are second best as cargo-fuel efficient vehicles. They rank at about 413 ton-miles per gallon; meaning that for each gallon of fuel, 1 ton of cargo could go 413 miles, or 413 tons could go 1 mile equivalence as part of a train. Resultantly, the cost of this mode of transport is usually relatively low as a freighting method.
Trains are primarily limited by the geographic availability for both the exporter and the importer. When they are available however, shippers take advantage of the relatively low cost to get their freight aboard. Timing is specific to the railroad and their track management, so it depends on the contracts or offerings more than the actual transit time. That being said, when trains are broken into the yard and congestion or labor issues disrupt schedules and availability, the timing cascades and can cause lengthy delays. International rail is generally secure, but there has been an increase in cargo theft from rail as trains transit high density urban areas and are forced down to slower speeds.
In most cases, the criticality depends on the rail network and scheduling, but highly secure supply chains may need to avoid this method.
If the available, your cargo may be best suited to become rail freight.
Understanding Next Steps:
Let's Work Together on Rail Cargo
Pilotfisch Solutions is well experienced with importing rail cargo, and we have the solutions experience for spectrum of potential issues in rail cargo. In addition to the compliance activities involved with your rail cargo's customs clearance, we continue to manage your shipment's logistics so that parasitic costs are avoided, and unavoidable holds are mitigated. Our success depends upon your shipments' success, and we want your rail cargo shipment to succeed!