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Importing from Shanghai to the UK
Even though you may have preferences regarding the port you want your goods shipped to, the port is often at the supplier’s choice and convenience. In rare cases, you will have a supplier located between ports, and you will have a choice on which port is the most convenient for you. Shanghai is the world’s busiest port, and many importers choose to move their cargo through this port. We have created this guide to help you understand four freight documents you will encounter when importing from Shanghai to the UK. From the supplier’s end:
- The Bill of Lading, and
- The commercial invoice, and
From the freight forwarder’s end,
- The shipping quote, and
- The booking confirmation.
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The Bill of Lading
When transacting with your supplier in Shanghai, one of the questions you will encounter regards the Bill of Lading, specifically, whether you prefer the original BOL or a telex BOL. Once you accept a freight forwarder’s quote and agree on a contract, your forwarder will draft the House Bill of Lading which includes the terms and conditions of shipping on the reverse side and send you a draft. (There’s another BOL called the Master BOL. More on that later)
Once you receive the draft BOL from your forwarder, carefully confirm that the weights, dimensions, and other information match the seller’s invoice. Any discrepancies between the two documents could trigger costly inspections and fines at the Shanghai port.
The House BOL also serves as a receipt to prove that the seller handed over the goods to your freight forwarder in good condition. The freight forwarder hands it over to the seller at pickup, and the seller needs to send it to you so that you can get your goods cleared by UK customs upon arrival. It’s best to go with the telex option to avoid the risk of losing the original BOL in the post. However, there are cases where getting a telex BOL is not an option, for example, when you pay the seller via a letter of credit. If you and your supplier agree to go with the original BOL, you need to be very careful not to lose it.
If you receive the original BOL, you will need to present or send it to the UK shipping line office once your goods arrive to have them cleared. Once your goods arrive at the forwarder’s warehouse in the UK, another Bill of Lading, called the Master BOL, is drafted. The Master BOL is a contract between your forwarder and the carrier transporting your goods from the forwarder’s warehouse to you. Your forwarder won’t provide you with the Master Bill of Lading, but you should get the BOL number to track your shipment.
REQUIREMENTS
Import Requirements
The Commercial Invoice
Once you agree with your seller on the items you want to purchase and send the payment, the seller will draft an invoice as proof of sale. You or your freight forwarder will need this document to clear with customs at Shanghai port and the UK. The commercial invoice includes:
- Details of the seller
- Your details/Buyers details
- The notifying parties e.g. your freight forwarder
- A description of the goods and their HS codes
- The value of goods – both customs offices will calculate duty and VAT based on this.
The Shipping Quote
When looking for a freight forwarder, you will most probably request freight quotes from different companies to compare. The freight quote estimates cost based on the information you have provided on the weight, dimension, and type of product you are importing.
Once you make a booking and the forwarder receives/fetches your goods from the supplier, you will receive a shipping quote with the actual costs. The actual cost may be identical to or higher than the estimated cost depending on the accuracy of the information you provided.
On the shipping quote, you will find a breakdown of the individual stages of the shipping process and the charges incurred at each location. Since shipping costs fluctuate with peak and off-peak seasons, you need to check the expiration date of your shipping quote to see its validity.
Booking Confirmation
A booking confirmation serves as a receipt for the main shipment (i.e., ocean or air). It includes:
- a booking number,
- equipment used (e.g., size and numbers of pallets),
- transport plan (origin, destination, ETAs), and
- load itinerary.
The booking confirmation number serves as the main shipment tracking code. Each local carrier provides one to your freight forwarder, who then forwards it to you.
We are friendly, easy to work with, honest and we do not charge the earth.
Here at Barrington, we pride ourselves on being professional and easy to work with. We have a team of experts ready to assist you with the import process without bombarding you with complex shipping terms. You can sit back and let us handle everything when you choose us, from port delivery, packaging, insurance, import customs, and pallet delivery to your location. When your goods arrive in the UK, you can choose our speedy next-day delivery service, and we will transport your items to you in 24 hours. Contact us for an instant quote!
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Sam McGowan
17 August 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic Service. Lee organised a last minute pickup from Sweden back to England. The shipment was under Carnet. Very good professional service at a competitive rate! I will be using them again.
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Louise Ponsford
13 August 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent service from start to finish. Simon at Barrington Freight handled our crate of mechanical machine parts from the UK to Canada with exceptional care, keeping us informed throughout. His Canadian agent also arranged customs clearance, making the entire process straightforward and stress-free. Highly recommended.
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Proydohi
6 August 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would like to thank the entire Barrington Freight team for their professional work and assistance in organizing the shipment of my cargo to the UK. I will definitely use their services again. Highly recommended.
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Mike Yeo
23 July 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The team at Barrington Freight were brilliant, leading us through the minefield that is exports to the EU. Nothing was too much trouble and we received immediate answers to all our many questions. We will definitely use them again and recomend them to anyone.
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Courtney Freeman
22 June 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had a fantastic experience importing our goods from Florida and honestly couldn’t fault the service. The quote was quick and easy, booking was straightforward and everything was handled smoothly from start to finish. As this was our first import we needed a bit of guidance along the way but Simon was brilliant. He took care of everything, kept us updated throughout and was always on hand to answer our questions. What seemed like a complicated process was made incredibly simple and stress free. The customer service was excellent, communication was spot on and our shipment arrived without any issues. We wouldn’t hesitate to use them again and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable freight forwarder. Thanks again for making our first import such a positive experience!
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Katie r Smith
18 June 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Simon looked after our air freight import from China and provided an excellent service throughout. The shipment arrived safely and quicker than expected, with clear communication at every stage. We were very pleased with the experience and will definitely use Simon and his team at Barrington Freight again in the future.
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Phil Holloway
18 June 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We needed to get a shipment out to the USA quickly and Simon made the whole process far easier than we expected. Communication was straightforward, we were kept updated throughout, and everything arrived on time without any issues. It's refreshing to deal with someone who knows exactly what they're doing and gets things done. We'd happily use Simon again for future air freight shipments.
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James Roberts
15 June 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Matt really looked after us and made our shipment completely stress free, I will be using the services of Barrington Freight for all my overseas shipments from now on. Thanks Matt, great service
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General Enquiries
23 April 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We have had consistently excellent service from Barrington Freight. Our main contact, Joshua Armstrong, is always incredibly helpful and reliable. He goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly. Communication is clear and prompt and any issues are handled quickly and efficiently. It's reassuring to know that everything is in safe hands from start to finish. I would highly recommend Barrington Freight to anyone looking for dependable and professional logistics partner.
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George Dunster
10 April 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had a time-critical air freight shipment coming in from China to the UK and Simon was a huge help in getting it over the line. Right before arrival, an issue came up due to a mistake from the airline, which could have turned into a real headache. Simon picked it up straight away, dealt with it quickly and managed to sort everything without any extra costs on our side. Really solid support throughout and easy to deal with, especially given the urgency. Another great job by Barrington Freight - we’ll definitely be using them again!
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Euphoric Bedding
1 April 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Good service during a turbulent global shipping period. Special thanks goes to Lee for his efficiency and proactive updates and for rescheduling a delivery in less than 24hrs when the haulage company didn’t read their own paperwork and sent a lorry without the requested tail lift. Highly recommended.
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Creators Boutique
10 March 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Professional service. Recommended and will certainly work with them again myself.
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The Greens
5 March 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great communication, competitive and efficient delivery
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Shannon Sharp
4 March 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We’ve worked with Barringtons for the past two years, and the service has been excellent throughout. Every shipment has been handled with great care and real personal attention. A special thanks to Simon, who has been outstanding—always professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommended!
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Peter Aylmore
4 March 2026
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Barringtons always have worked well for us . They are efficient with the import / export paperwork . Always answer very quickly with both quotations and any issues. prices always competitive , indeed recently saved our customer a considerable sum on an export job. Truly excellent service
