1. Air and sea freight: the two modes
ITD primarily moves freight by air and sea. The right choice depends on volume, lead time, and how much working capital you can tie up in stock in transit.
| Mode | Lead time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air freight | 7-12 days | 100 kg-1,000 kg, time-sensitive restocks | Typically EXW from China |
| Sea LCL | 35-50 days | 1-15 CBM, smaller or first shipments | Consolidated with other shippers. See Section 3. |
| Sea FCL | 30-45 days | Full 20 ft (33 CBM) or 40 ft (67 CBM) containers | Best value once you have the volume to fill a container |
Most brands run sea freight as their default cycle, typically planning 12 weeks ahead, and use air freight for genuine restocking emergencies or time-sensitive lines. Under 100 kg, express courier usually beats dedicated air freight once you factor in broker fees. Over 100 kg, dedicated air freight is the right move.
ITD also offers road and rail freight services for a full range of modes. Please speak to the freight team about what's available for your route.
2. Sea freight: FCL vs LCL
FCL (Full Container Load) means you're buying the whole box. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your cargo shares a container with other shippers and you pay by the cubic metre. LCL is practical for volumes under 12-15 CBM; above that, FCL usually works out cheaper per cubic metre.
The practical difference beyond cost: LCL adds handling time at both ends (the origin and UK container freight stations), so lead times run 5-10 days longer than FCL. Your release also depends on the whole container clearing customs. If another shipper has a hold, it can delay you too.
3. Consolidation: how LCL shipments work
Consolidation is how LCL happens: your cargo is grouped with other shippers' goods into one container for the ocean leg. Understanding the stages helps you plan cut-off dates and avoid the delays that catch most first-timers.
| Stage | What happens | Who handles it | Your action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Booking | Confirm CBM, weight, and commodity with ITD. Receive CFS cut-off date. | ITD freight team | Provide packing list and cargo dimensions |
| 2. Origin CFS | Cargo arrives at the container freight station at origin. Checked, labelled, staged for loading. | Origin CFS operator | Ensure supplier delivers before the cut-off |
| 3. Consolidation | Your cargo is loaded into a shared container alongside other shippers. Your House Bill of Lading is issued. | NVOCC / consolidator | Receive House Bill of Lading from ITD |
| 4. Ocean transit | Container moves on a scheduled service. ITD sends tracking updates automatically. | Shipping line | Monitor updates; confirm delivery address |
| 5. UK CFS | Container arrives at Felixstowe, Southampton, or London Gateway. Deconsolidated and sorted by shipper. | UK CFS operator | Ensure customs data is ready before arrival |
| 6. Customs | CDS declaration filed. Duty calculated. Goods released per shipper. | Customs broker | Approve duty figures |
| 7. Delivery | Cargo moved from CFS to your warehouse on a dedicated vehicle or groupage service. | ITD haulage | Confirm delivery window and unloading bay |
The two points where things go wrong: missing the origin CFS cut-off (Stage 2), meaning your goods wait for the next vessel (typically a week), and customs data not being ready before arrival (Stage 5). ITD will chase both, but the raw information must come from you and your supplier.
You'll receive a House Bill of Lading (HBL) from ITD once your cargo is loaded. Hold onto the HBL number. It's the reference for all tracking queries and your CDS declaration until the goods are released at the UK CFS.
4. Your EORI number
You need an EORI number to import commercial goods into the UK. If you're VAT-registered, it's your VAT number prefixed GB and suffixed 000 (e.g. VAT 123456789 becomes GB123456789000). Not VAT-registered? HMRC issues one free, usually within 5 working days. Apply at gov.uk/eori.
Always give your full GB-prefixed number including the trailing zeros when a supplier or forwarder asks for it. Truncated EORI numbers are one of the most common reasons declarations get rejected at the border. If you import into Northern Ireland as well, you'll need a separate XI-prefixed EORI. Once you have your EORI, register for CDS at the same portal. More on that in Section 6.
5. The UK Global Tariff and HS codes
Every product you import needs a commodity code (HS code): a 10-digit number that tells HMRC what the goods are and what duty rate applies. Look yours up at gov.uk/trade-tariff. The code determines your duty rate, flags any anti-dumping duties (common on Chinese-origin goods like e-bikes and solar panels), and shows whether an import licence is required.
Getting the code wrong costs you in three places: you pay the wrong duty rate, you risk a customs hold, and you're exposed to HMRC penalties. Once you have the right code, store it against the SKU in your ERP so every shipment uses it automatically. For high-volume lines, a Binding Tariff Information (BTI) ruling from HMRC locks the code in writing for three years and removes the risk entirely. It's free. It just takes about 120 days.
6. CDS customs declarations
CDS (Customs Declaration Service) replaced CHIEF as the UK's import declaration system. Every commercial import needs a declaration filed through CDS. The key data points are:
- Your EORI number
- Supplier details and country of origin
- Commodity code (HS code)
- Customs value (what you paid, plus freight to the UK border)
- Incoterms
- Method of payment for duty
When you book freight with ITD, CDS clearance is included. You don't need to appoint a separate broker. The one thing you can do to speed clearance: make sure your HS codes and cargo values are confirmed before the vessel departs. Pre-clearance means your goods can be released on arrival rather than sitting at the port waiting for paperwork.
7. Incoterms
Incoterms define where the supplier's responsibility ends and yours begins. The one you agree with your supplier affects who pays for freight, insurance, and customs, and how much visibility you have over those costs.
| Incoterm | Supplier ends at | Buyer covers | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Factory gate | Everything from factory to UK warehouse | Common for air freight. ITD can handle the inland China collection. |
| FOB | Loaded on vessel at origin | Freight, insurance, UK customs, UK delivery | Standard for sea freight. The default for most China imports. |
| CIF | Vessel at UK port | UK customs, UK delivery | Supplier handles the sea leg; you keep control of UK clearance. |
| DDU / DAP | UK delivery address | Duty, VAT, broker fees | Supplier delivers but you handle customs. |
| DDP | UK delivery address, duty paid | Nothing beyond the invoice | Suppliers often build margin into the duty figure. You lose visibility of what you're actually paying. |
FOB is the standard for sea freight from China. EXW is common for air freight, where ITD can arrange inland collection from your supplier's factory. Avoid DDP unless you've verified what duty rate the supplier is using. Flat-rate DDP quotes from China almost always have the duty margin built into the product price, and you're paying it either way.
8. Common holds and how to avoid them
A customs hold stops your shipment at the UK border until HMRC or Border Force is satisfied. They cost time, storage fees, and occasionally the goods. The five most common causes:
- Wrong HS code.The most common cause. HMRC's systems flag codes that don't match the product description or where the duty looks too low. Fix: classify the SKU properly before shipping and store the code in your ERP.
- Invoice doesn't meet UK requirements. The commercial invoice needs to show the supplier, buyer, goods description, value in the sale currency, Incoterms, and country of origin. Send your supplier a compliant template and require it on every shipment.
- Anti-dumping duty missed. Many Chinese-origin product categories carry anti-dumping duties on top of the standard rate. Check the UKGT tool for each HS code. HMRC will invoice you retrospectively if you miss one.
- Missing product marking. Electrical goods, toys, machinery, and PPE sold in the UK need UKCA or CE marking. Confirm the requirement before the order is placed.
- No import licence. Food, certain chemicals, and CITES goods need a licence from DEFRA or MHRA. Check the UKGT tool's licence indicator before sourcing. A Y prefix in the measure code means a licence is required.
The common thread: issues caught at origin cost very little to fix. Issues caught at the UK border cost time, storage, and sometimes the goods.
9. Who does what: forwarders, brokers, NVOCCs
Three types of partners are involved in a freight shipment, and the roles often overlap. Here's what each one does.
Freight forwarder (ITD). Books the freight, negotiates carrier rates, and manages the documentation. ITD is your single point of contact from booking through to UK delivery.
Customs broker. Files the CDS declaration, calculates duty and VAT, and manages the deferment account.
NVOCC.Books container space on shipping lines and resells it in smaller lots. Most LCL shipments move through an NVOCC. ITD manages this relationship on your behalf. You won't deal with them directly.
10. Tracking
Freight doesn't have the same end-to-end tracking as a parcel. There are multiple parties involved at different stages. ITD provides a managed service that covers each leg.
Air freight: once the Air Waybill (AWB) is issued, you get the AWB number and flight status. ITD updates you directly on clearance and delivery once the shipment lands in the UK.
Sea freight: tracking starts when the container number is assigned. You receive automated email updates each time the vessel logs a status change (departure, transhipment, arrival, gate-out) through to delivery.
LCL shipments: tracking runs at the container level until deconsolidation at the UK CFS. Your House Bill of Lading number is the reference for all queries before that point. Once your cargo is separated out, ITD picks up the clearance and delivery update directly.