Moving CBD internationally with Freight Right Global Logistics
As a result of the varied regulations and requirements for importing CBD across the world, it is extremely important for anyone looking to move CBD to partner with a freight forwarder who has experience with this commodity. Check out how the CBD experts on our team handled this recent shipment.
A shipper reached out to us with a large dilemma: their shipment of CBD was sitting in a port, unable to clear customs. Their problem? They had used a courier method to move the freight and were missing essential import documents required to import CBD, including a food sanitation permit.
These two mistakes meant that the end-user, the buyer overseas, couldn’t obtain the freight, even though it had arrived.
The seller reached out to Freight Right and our team of specialists got to work. We contacted our agent on the ground who discovered that the shipper had attempted to import with an old version of the needed import documents. After conferring with our overseas agent, the export team determined the best course was to bring the goods back to the origin point and ship them again with the proper documentation.
Our agent overseas communicated this to the end-user, and we got the goods quoted, shipped, and to the buyer in a few weeks. The customer, then, received the shipment and it made it through customs smoothly.
This story had a satisfactory ending for both buyer and seller, despite the delay. However, it would have been possible to avoid those delays completely if the shipper had utilized Freight Right’s CBD forwarding services from the beginning.
The experts on Freight Right’s team recommend always going with a knowledgeable freight forwarder when moving products with CBD. With all the limitations in various countries, it is almost guaranteed that your freight will be held if you are not working with someone who knows how to navigate the various restrictions.
For example, our experts recommend that shippers looking to move CBD always use air freight and work with a forwarder with a customs broker who can help push correct documentation through. Air shipping allows for more control in choosing the carrier and there are more likely to be fewer complications with air freight than the ocean. Additionally, since CBD is an expensive and light commodity, air freight will tend to be more cost-effective and more secure.
When shipping via air it is important for the freight to go on a direct flight, so the shipper has to be particular and precise about airlines. For example, to move CBD from the U.S to Amsterdam, where CBD is legal if produced outside of the Netherlands and contains less than .2% THC, you couldn’t use Singapore airlines, because the goods will likely be held in Singapore. Even with carriers like DHL or UPS, it is likely that your goods will be held. Therefore, the best course of action when moving CBD is to go with a direct flight and work with a forwarder with expertise in this area who can select the correct flights/airlines.
Moreover, many countries also have very strict regulations about the amount of THC that is allowed in CBD that is imported and it varies country by country. Check out the table below for a summary of CBD regulations by country.
Are you looking to ship CBD internationally? Connect with one of our experts today.