​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Export Procedures

​​For Rate Inquiry, please click here to complete a rate request form. Our Sales Dept will respond to your request within 48 business hours.

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e-Service Enquiry

No log in is required to access our service information including interactive or PDF version of our sailing schedule or to view our service route maps.

You can track Vessel & Rail Information or access non-confidential cargo tracking information by Booking Number, B/L Number or Container Number from our home page. You can also view particulars including registry, flag and age of a vessel. Registered users can obtain complete shipment details which please refer to the Shipment Management section below.

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Place a Booking

Customers can place bookings with us through several different modes. Booking acknowledgements will be sent within two business hours for general cargo and one business hour for refrigerated cargo:

1. Registered customers can book on​line via My OOCL Center.
2. EDI Bookings: We can handle both the EDIFACT as well as X.12 formats. For details information please refer to our EDI implementation guide.

• OOCL Demurrage Free Receiving Date (DFRD):  The DFRD date is the first date that you may tender an export container without incurring OOCL demurrage.  Delivering containers too early will result in OOCL outbound demurrage being charged per our tariff rules, regardless of the marine terminal's earliest receiving date.  Outbound demurrage applies equally to merchant and carrier haulage. 
• It is the responsibility of the shipper of record to confirm empty equipment availability and empty pickup facility with OOCL prior to dispatching vendor for empty pickup.
• All advanced shipments booked more than three weeks prior to cutoff are subject to equipment availability at origin and may be cancelled or transferred to a later sailing if no empty unit is available by cutoff time.
• Empty equipment cannot be picked up more than five calendar days before first receiving date.
• First receiving date for loaded containers to be received at OOCL origin facility as follows:
  • Local port shipments:
    • To avoid motor carrier dry runs on export containers delivered directly to marine terminals, please verify receiving window with the marine terminal before making delivery.
    • Generally, first receiving commences five working days inclusive of cargo cutoff date unless the terminal has advised otherwise. For load port terminals with exceptions to the five working day receiving window kindly refer to our Earliest Terminal Receiving Date link.
• Cargo Cutoff - In the event that the cargo cutoff date on the most recent OOCL Booking Confirmation does not match the cargo cutoff date on the Terminal Websites:
  • Local port shipments:
    • As the Terminal ultimately controls the in-gate of cargo to their facility, use the Terminal Website cutoff information.
  • Commodity Specific Cutoffs:
    • Many terminals have unique cargo cutoffs for commodity specific cargo, use the Terminal Website to determine the appropriate cutoff regardless of origin location to ensure your cargo gets to the terminal on time.

• Seal Requirements- It is the responsibility of the shipper of record to affix a High Security Seal/Lock (Bottle Seal) to each OOCL container. For full details on high security seal requirements, please refer to the tariff details he​re.
  

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• All hazardous shipments are subject to acceptance by vessel operator, port of loading, port of discharge, transship port and final destination approval prior to container delivery at point of origin.
• Documents related to Hazardous (Dangerous Goods) shipments must be uploaded via My OOCL Centre (MOC) at www.oocl.com.
• Preliminary DG documentation must:
  • Be provided same day as booking registration.
  • Be uploaded to MOC as “Preliminary DG Certificate”.
• Final DG documentation including container number information must:
  • Be received no later than two business hours prior to receipt of cargo at origin and one business day in advance of dispatch and rail billing request.
    
  • Be uploaded to MOC as “DG Certificate for International Transportation”.​
    
• Material Safety Data Sheets/Safety Data Sheets to be uploaded to MOC as “Material Safety Data Sheet”.
• Special Certificates of approval to be uploaded to MOC as “Certificate of Conformance”.
• Tank Certification/Tank Container Periodic Inspection Report must be provided for DG tank containers indicating tank is under current certification.
• Rail Road DG Placarding Requirements:​Click here​.​
  
  

• For any shipments loading from Mexican ports, and will transit to US ports, shipping instructions are required to be submitted to OOCL no later than 3 working days prior to vessel arrival at Mexican origin load port in the Atlantic or 5 working days Mexican origin load port in the Pacific.
  

• Submit a Service Request to amend shipment information
• View a To Do list of upcoming due dates for document or cut off submission
• Upload all required documents into our Shipment Folder instead of having to remember all those email codes! Retrieval, sharing and printing of any document during the life of the shipment also eliminates the need to keep a duplicate archive of the document.

We also provide 24/7 automated cargo status information by dialing our toll free customer service number 1-888-388-6625.
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Specialized Services

OOCL has dedicated ​staff to assist with your specialized cargo needs. Click on the respective link to obtain additional information on our services.