Detention, demurrage and reclassification penalties are almost always document problems, not cargo problems. A wrong HS code, a missing certificate of origin, or a conformity certificate applied for after arrival can cost more than the freight itself.
We prepare and control the compliance file before the goods move, and clear at destination through our own teams and licensed brokers.
What we handle
Compliance work starts at the quotation stage, because the tariff line determines the duty and the duty determines whether the deal works.
- HS classification and tariff line verification for the destination country
- Duty, VAT, excise and levy calculation built into the landed-cost model
- Certificates of origin, conformity assessment and pre-export verification programmes
- Import and export documentation, permits and regulated-goods approvals
- Customs clearance at UAE, Djibouti and African destination ports
- Bonded warehousing, transit bonds and re-export from the UAE
- Sanctions and restricted-party screening, and post-clearance document retention
Duty and tariff planning
Duty is the single largest controllable variable after the factory price. Correct classification, applicable preferential origin, and the right entry regime (home use, transit, temporary admission, re-export) frequently change the delivered cost by a material margin — legitimately and on the record.
We plan this before booking, so the entry that is filed matches the commercial documents and the physical cargo.
Conformity requirements catch importers out
Many African markets operate pre-export verification of conformity programmes. If the inspection is not arranged in the country of supply before shipment, the importer faces destination testing, penalties or refusal. We identify the applicable programme for each destination at the sourcing stage and schedule the inspection while the goods are still at the factory.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you clear goods in a country where I have no import licence?
- We work with locally licensed brokers and, where the structure permits, importer-of-record arrangements. The route depends on the destination country's rules, which we confirm before shipment.
- What documents do I need to import into an African market?
- Typically a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, certificate of origin, and any conformity or product-specific certificate the destination requires. We issue a document checklist per shipment and destination.
- Do you handle re-export from Dubai?
- Yes. Our Dubai operation uses bonded storage and re-export documentation to consolidate goods from several origins before onward movement into Africa.
Get a landed-cost model for your requirement
Send the specification, quantity and destination country. We reply with a delivered, duty-paid cost and a realistic arrival window.