What Is Shipper’s Export Declaration?
A shipper’s export declaration (SED) is an official document containing the details of goods that are exported. Usually, it is completed by the exporter and introduced to port authorities during the time of export. This document is included when exporting goods across the border along with other specifics like shipping bills. Some countries may also have a threshold for when a SED is mandatory.
For instance, if any item being exported from the US is valued over 2500 USD (₱138000) requires a SED as it serves as a record of US exports and is used to collect trade statistics.
Significance of Shipper’s Export Declaration in an E-commerce Shipping and Delivery
A shipper’s export declaration avoids errors by specifying all the details of goods meant to be exported. Here are some of the benefits of the shipper’s export declaration.
- Reduces errors: A shipper’s export declaration (SED) document precisely mentions all the details of all goods being exported. So, it serves as a record to avoid errors in calculation and helps a business track its finances accurately.
- Simplifies export control: An SED permits pre-export control on freights of sensitive commodities or general freights to unfriendly countries. Moreover, it permits the collection of statistical data on exports.
Prerequisites for a Shipper’s Export Declaration
Here are some of the prerequisites of a shipper’s export declaration.
- The shipper’s export declaration is printed for all shipments being exported. If a shipper sends goods to multiple recipient countries, they must file a SED for each shipment.
- A business or its freight forwarder (if power of attorney has been acknowledged) needs to fill up this form.
- It is mandatory to prepare SED for all shipments that need an export license or for shipments to prohibited countries, irrespective of the value.
Use Case With Shipper’s Export Declaration
Suppose company ABC from Australia deals with the production and delivery of furniture. The company wishes to export furniture to an office in Manila, so it needs to prepare a shipper’s export declaration with all details of the goods and the export transaction. The port authority in Manila then cross-checks the details on the SED with the shipment when it reaches them before releasing it to the final consumer. The document helps company ABC accurately track all the details of goods being exported.