Forum The International Trade Blog

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020. It allows qualifying goods traded among the three countries to receive preferential tariff treatment—but that doesn’t mean every exporter should provide a USMCA Certification of Origin every time a customer requests one.

In January 2024, this blog published Exporting to Brazil: What You Need to Know , a practical guide to the Brazilian market for U.S. exporters. That article covered the scale of the opportunity, the challenge of the Custo Brasil , and the U.S.-side export compliance steps companies must complete before goods ever leave the United States, including export classification, export licensing and restricted party screening. That foundation hasn't moved, and it remains the right first read for any company sizing up Brazil. What has moved, substantially, is everything that happens after the goods arrive. Since that article was published, Brazil has been in the middle of replacing its entire import-declaration architecture—and the pace of that transition has accelerated sharply over the past year, to the point that it now deserves its own dedicated look. This is that follow-up: an inside view of how Brazilian customs actually processes a shipment once it lands, and how fundamentally the rules of that process have changed.

As export volumes grow, the work required for each shipment can get surprisingly complicated. Information moves from an ERP or order-entry system into export documents, then into AES, compliance checks, emails, spreadsheets and internal records. Every handoff creates another chance for delay or error.

Incoterms 2020 rules are the latest revision of international terms of trade published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). They are recognized as the authoritative text for determining how costs and risks are allocated to parties conducting international transactions. Incoterms 2020 rules outline whether the seller or the buyer is responsible for, and must assume the cost of, specific standard tasks that are part of the international transport of goods. In addition, they identify when the risk or liability of the goods transfer from the seller to the buyer. In this article, we’re discussing the Incoterm CIF, also known as Cost, Insurance and Freight. In our conversations with exporters, we frequently encounter confusion about the two locations involved in CIF: the place where risk transfers and the destination through which the seller pays freight and insurance.

Editor’s Note (September 2026): This article has been updated to reflect recent tariff developments and current trade policy considerations for U.S. exporters exporting to Israel. Israel’s dynamic and diverse market offers U.S. exporters opportunities in a wide variety of sectors. Its high-tech, pro-American business community is familiar with U.S. business norms, and a multitude of U.S. firms are already doing business in Israel.

Your ERP may be the right place to manage customers, products, inventory, orders and financial data. But that doesn't necessarily make it the best tool for creating export documents and managing export compliance.

FOB means “Free On Board” —simple, right? Not exactly. And for one Shipping Solutions client, that misunderstanding nearly cost them thousands.

Duty drawback is one of the most valuable—and often overlooked—ways for U.S. companies to recover import costs. For exporters that import merchandise, export imported merchandise or export products made with imported components, those savings can be significant.

Editor’s Note (September 2026): This article has been updated to reflect recent tariff developments and current trade policy considerations for U.S. exporters exporting to Singapore. Despite being roughly the physical size of New York City, the small-but-mighty country of Singapore, dubbed “the gateway to Southeast Asia” is a business-friendly environment for U.S. firms—including small and medium-sized companies. As the United States’ largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, Singapore has a proven track record as a welcoming center for business, and for exporters, continues to be lucrative; however, recent tariff policies and global trade tensions have introduced new complexity for exporters. Companies shipping goods through Singapore should stay informed about evolving tariff measures and supply-chain shifts that may affect pricing and market access.

I sometimes get calls from exporters who have been asked by their international customers for their AEO number for import customs clearance. The calls are all very similar: What is an AEO code, and how do I find out what ours is? My short answer:

If you import goods into the United States, you need the correct Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification for every product. The HTS number helps determine the applicable tariff rate, statistical reporting requirements and whether other import rules may apply.

Shipping products seems simple, right? You simply package the product and send it to your customer. But did you know there are different types of shipment? Depending on the size of your shipment, it may be considered parcel, less-than-load (LTL) or a full truckload (FTL) shipment. Your shipment may be too small for certain carriers, or conversely, if you have a large shipment, you may have to rely on a carrier certified to ship large containers. There are also unique considerations depending on the mode of transport—whether you’re shipping via air, sea, road or rail. Scores of exporters who use Shipping Solutions Export Documentation and Compliance Software have told us that the wide variety of terms that relate to the process of moving goods through a supply chain seem overwhelming. But understanding the different types of shipment and related terms is crucial to ensure your goods get shipped on time, within compliance and in good shape.