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International Ocean Shipments

Ocean Forwarders and Contacts

Documentation Requirements

Ocean Shipment Procedures

  • Bookings must be completed at least 14 days (but highly recommend 21 days) prior to the Ship Date to the appropriate URBN Approved Ocean Freight Forwarder (determined by origin).Please see Ocean Forwards and Booking Contacts by Origin sheet linked above for a list of URBN's nominated freight forwarder contacts.
  • A Tradestone Packing List number (PL#) is required to initiate a booking. The Packing List may be left in DRAFT status until cargo is ready to hand over, but details must be populated and PL must be in APPROVED status at the time of handover.
  • If the freight forwarder does not respond to a booking request within 48 hours, please add urbntransportation@urbn.com in CC of the email with the freight forwarder.
  • The Vendor is responsible for providing the freight forwarder with a Cargo Ready Date, which is the estimated date the cargo is ready for handover. The freight forwarder will book on the first available vessel after the Cargo Ready Date. The Vendor is responsible for informing the forwarder of changes to the Cargo Ready Date as soon as possible, which may require the forwarder to rebook with the ocean carrier on a later vessel.
  • Vendor is responsible for understanding the equipment required and the quantity of containers needed based upon each individual shipment. Vendor must specify size and quantity of containers to forwarder at time of booking or provide estimated CBMs to ship LCL/consolidated. A BOOKING REQUEST IS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL THE VENDOR PROVIDES THE FREIGHT FORWARDER WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION REQUIRED TO SECURE A BOOKING WITH AN OCEAN CARRIER.
  • Please contact the Ocean shipper to advise the local CFS warehouse location.
  • Suppliers are responsible for moving the cargo to the consolidation center or port in accordance with freight forwarder’s instructions in order to meet the nominated vessel cut-off time.
  • Vendors booking a shipment with the URBN nominated freight forwarders APLL or Century must use the forwarder's online booking tools and should make their booking 2-3 weeks in advance of cargo delivery. For instructions on using the forwarder's online booking tools to create/manage a booking, please e-mail the forwarder's origin contacts.
  • For more info on appropriate origin contacts, please see above link “Ocean Forwarders and Booking Contacts by Origin".
    • Booking APLL or Century equipment (containers) for Factory Load must also be done through their electronic booking application -BOOKING MANAGER.
    • The forwarder will make the booking with the ocean carrier according to carrier allocation and ocean carrier contracts.
    • Vendor must provide the forwarder with a complete set of COMMERICAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING FINAL PACKING LIST (IN APPROVED or OUT OF TOLERANCE Status only) AND MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE FORWARDER'S OFFICE at least 24 to 36 hours prior to the cut-off day.
      • Allows for sufficient time to finalize booking with carrier, prepare the bill of lading, submit a 24-hour manifest filing and ISF (10+2) filing, as well as prepare the URBN ASN.
    • Vendors delivering into Container Freight Station (CFS) must provide supporting documentation to the Freight Forwarder at the point of cargo handover. Failure to do this may result in the cargo being rejected.
    • Carton Labeling: To ensure correct consolidation and loading of containers, Vendors MUST correctly mark/label each carton with the Tradestone UCC-128 carton label (UCC-128 label placement instructions can be found here), and cartons MUST be separated by PO Line within a PO when loading out the delivery conveyance.
  • Factory Loading Ocean Containers:  Vendors must receive prior approval to load at factory. For further instructions, please read: Factory Load Process & Approval Requirements.

ALERTS

  • The forwarder will not export a shipment without a complete set of documents from any Vendor, at any time, without exception. For URBN PO’s, the forwarder is not to COMPLETE THE CARRIER BOOKING without the originally signed Final Inspection Report (in normal plain paper) AND a complete Tradestone Packing List. Tradestone Packing List must be in APPROVED or OUT OF TOLERANCE Status.
  • ALL Damaged cartons will be rejected by the Freight Forwarder. The freight forwarder will issue a Forwarder Cargo Receipt (FCR) for the number of cartons received in good condition and per the planned cargo ready date providing the freight is loaded correctly as per the loading standards and PO integrity is maintained.

Vendor Liability

  • Booking will equate to a Bill of Lading (BOL) issuance. There may be multiple containers against a single booking but only one BOL will be issued. URBN's default BOL release is Seaway bill (SWB), unless restricted by local Customs regulations.
    • This is due in part to the booking is a one to one relationship to the bill of lading issued which feeds the 24 hour manifest filings, the ISF (10+2) filings and dictates the foundation of the ASN and CBP entry generation.
  • For factory loaded containers, factory IS RESPONSIBLE for block and brace of cargo within the container. Cargo should not be able to shift during transit.
  • Vendors shipping under EXW incoterms are not eligible to factory load. Cargo shipping under EXW terms must be turned over to URBN's nominated freight forwarder.
  • VENDORS MUST DELIVER CARGO AND DOCUMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR BOOKING DECLARATION AS WELL AS BY CUSTOMER’S REQUIRED LOAD SPECIFICATIONS.
  • ANY HAZARDOUS CARGO IS SUBJECT TO LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESTRICTIONS AS WELL AS APPROVAL FOR CARRIAGE BY THE UNDERLYING CARRIER.
  • For factory loaded containers, suppliers are responsible for collecting containers from the container depot, loading and sealing the container at the factory and returning the container to port, customs cleared in time to meet the vessel cut-off time.
  • When shipping Direct and Retail orders in a single factory load, the DIRECT orders must be tail loaded with the labels facing out.
  • Shipments containing cargo with lithium-ion batteries will require additional documentation including a safety data sheet, UN 38.3 Test Report, and other documentation as needed. Please refer to the requirements for Shipping Hazardous Product).

*If your PO is shipping to a URBN Facility in the UK, please follow the appropriate routing guide on the EU Vendor Website.