Most problems in an import start before the goods leave the factory. Finding them at the destination port usually means demurrage, storage and weeks of delay. These seven checks take little time and prevent most surprises.
1. Tariff classification
The Harmonized System code determines duties, taxes, licences and restrictions. Confirm it before buying, not after arrival. Different codes for apparently similar products can mean very different rates.
2. Licences, certificates and restrictions
Check whether the product needs an import licence, a sanitary or phytosanitary certificate, technical approval or specific labelling. In Angola, licensing must be done before shipment. In the EU there are product safety requirements, CE marking and, since 2026, CBAM for certain goods.
3. Incoterm and place
Define the right Incoterm for the mode of transport and name the delivery place. This fixes who pays each cost and who bears each risk.
4. Consistent documents
Commercial invoice, packing list and transport document must say the same thing: description, quantities, weights, values, consignee. Small discrepancies cause large holds. Ask the supplier for a draft to review before issuing the originals.
5. Packaging and unitisation
Treated wood packaging (ISPM 15), protection against humidity on long sea routes and palletisation suited to the cargo. Inadequate packaging means damage and claims that are rarely recovered.
6. Insurance
Confirm who buys the insurance and what the cover is. Under terms such as EXW, FCA or FOB, insurance is for the buyer's account. Minimum cover, or none, is a saving that only shows its cost when a loss occurs.
7. Total delivered cost
Add to the goods price the freight, insurance, duties and taxes, port and handling costs, inland transport, storage and fees. Only with this figure can you honestly compare one supplier with another, or one route with another.
In short
A well-prepared import is, in most cases, a boring import: no surprises, no urgent calls from the port. The difference is made in the preparation, and that is where a partner with experience at both ends, origin and destination, helps most.
Cover photo: Heptagon, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
- World Customs Organization: What is the Harmonized System (HS)?
- IPPC: ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade
- International Chamber of Commerce: Incoterms® 2020
- Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority: CBAM (26/03/2026)
- Presidential Decree No. 63/19 of 21 February (Foreign Trade Single Window)
- MSIG: comparison of ICC clauses (A), (B) and (C)