The shipping document set, and when each one is due.
Documents are due by the ETD, not the ETA. On a 3–5 day lane the vessel beats the courier.
In short. The document set an importer needs per shipment — bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, certificate of analysis, health or phytosanitary certificate, insurance — with who issues each and when it is due.
| Document | Issued by | Why it's needed | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill of lading (B/L) or sea waybill | Carrier / forwarder | Title to the goods; needed to release the container | At departure; original or telex release before arrival |
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | Customs value, duties, payment | With the document set |
| Packing list | Supplier | Customs inspection, warehouse receipt, weight and cartons per container | With the document set |
| Certificate of origin (CO) | Chamber of commerce / authority at origin | Preferential duty under FTAs; import licensing | Before import clearance |
| Certificate of analysis (COA) | Supplier's lab / third-party lab | Proves the lot meets the specification | With the shipment; often before release of payment |
| Health certificate / phytosanitary certificate | Origin food or plant authority | Required for import of food and plant products in most markets | Before import clearance |
| Insurance certificate | Insurer | Under CIF the seller must provide it | With the document set |
| Fumigation certificate | Fumigation provider | Required for some plant products and wooden packaging | Before import clearance |
Required per destination
Japan, Korea, Singapore, the EU and the US each require a slightly different set for the same product. The practical rule: the required list is written on the PO per destination port, and the checklist for each shipment is built from it. A missing health certificate discovered at the port is the single most common cause of demurrage on food lanes.
Originals, copies and telex release
Some documents work as PDFs (packing list, COA); some need originals or an electronic equivalent (original B/L, some COs and health certificates). A telex release lets the carrier release the container without the original B/L — faster, and the norm between trusted partners. See bill of lading vs telex release.
Pacifica reads the required document list from the PO, requests each document from the supplier by email, classifies attachments as they arrive (B/L, CO, packing list, invoice, COA, health certificate, insurance), keeps versions, and marks the Shipping Documents stage complete only when the set is.
Questions
What documents do I need to import food ingredients into Japan?
Typically the commercial invoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin, certificate of analysis and, for many products, a health or phytosanitary certificate from the origin authority, plus any product-specific certificate (Halal, Organic). Confirm the list with your broker per product.
When should the supplier send shipping documents?
Before or at departure. On short lanes the vessel arrives in days, so the document set must be complete by the ETD, not the ETA.
What is the difference between a packing list and a commercial invoice?
The invoice states value and terms for customs and payment; the packing list states physical contents — cartons, weights, dimensions per container — for inspection and receipt.
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