A container can arrive on time and still sit at your port for days because one document is missing or does not match the others. Customs in your country, your bank and the shipping line all rely on the paperwork prepared in Indonesia. This checklist explains the documents you should expect with a shipment of charcoal, coffee or spices, who issues each one, and the details to check before the vessel sails.
The core trade documents
Every export shipment, whatever the product, travels with three basic documents:
- Commercial invoice: the seller’s bill, showing the buyer, product description, HS code, quantity, unit price, total value, Incoterm and currency. Customs uses it to calculate duties.
- Packing list: the number of cartons or bags, net and gross weights and the marks on the packages. It must match the invoice exactly.
- Bill of Lading (B/L): issued by the shipping line once the container is on board. It is the receipt for the goods and, as an original B/L, the document of title you need to collect the container. A telex release or sea waybill can be used when no original is required.
Behind the scenes the seller also files the Indonesian export declaration (PEB) with Customs. You will not usually receive it, but the shipment cannot be loaded without it.
Certificate of Origin
The Certificate of Origin (COO) proves that the goods were produced in Indonesia. If your country has a trade agreement with Indonesia, a preferential form can reduce or remove import duty, for example Form D within ASEAN or Form E for China. Tell your supplier which form you need before shipment, because it is issued on the basis of the export documents and is difficult to change afterwards.
Product-specific certificates
| Document | Issued by | Typically needed for |
|---|---|---|
| Phytosanitary certificate | Indonesian Quarantine Agency | Coffee, spices and other plant products |
| Fumigation certificate | Licensed fumigation company | Agricultural goods and wooden packaging, when the importing country requires it |
| Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Independent or factory laboratory | Quality parameters such as moisture, ash or fixed carbon |
| SCA cupping report | Licensed cupper | Specialty coffee lots |
| Safety Data Sheet and self-heating test report | Manufacturer and accredited laboratory | Charcoal and briquettes, for the shipping line |
Check these details before the vessel sails
- The buyer’s and consignee’s names and addresses are identical on every document.
- Product names, HS codes and weights match across the invoice, packing list, B/L and COO.
- Container and seal numbers on the B/L match the loading photos.
- The Incoterm and port names are written the same way as in the contract.
- If you pay by letter of credit, every document follows the wording of the L/C exactly.
How we handle it
We send draft documents for your approval before the B/L is issued, so any correction is made while it is still easy. Final scans go out the day the container sails, and originals by courier when you need them. With our staged T/T, the last 30% is due when the container is closed, and the original documents are released once payment is received.
Not sure which documents your country requires? Ask our export team on WhatsApp with your product and destination.
