Export documents for a towel shipment from India — what each one is for and what must match
In short. The documents on a sea shipment of towels from India, who prepares each, and the details that must agree across them so clearance and payment don't stall.
A sea shipment of towels travels with a small set of documents, and most delays at clearance or at the bank come from one cause: two documents that say slightly different things. The paperwork is not hard, but it has to agree with itself. This guide lists the documents on a typical FOB shipment from India, what each one is for, who normally prepares it, and which details must match across them.
It describes the usual set for a sea shipment. The exact requirements for your destination depend on your country and your customs broker, so treat this as a checklist to confirm with them, not a legal list.
The documents, and what each is for
Commercial invoice. The seller's bill for the goods: parties, product description, quantity, unit price, total value, currency and the trade term (for example FOB and the named port). Customs on both sides uses it to assess duties and taxes, and a bank uses it to release payment under a letter of credit. We prepare it as part of the order.
Packing list. The detail the invoice leaves out: what is in each carton, the number of cartons, net and gross weight and the dimensions. It is what an inspector or a warehouse checks the physical cargo against. We prepare it as part of the order.
Certificate of origin. A document stating the country where the goods were made. It is used for customs and, where an agreement allows it, for claiming preferential duty. We prepare it as part of the order. Our guide on what a certificate of origin does and does not prove covers its limits.
Shipping bill. The exporter's declaration to Indian Customs that the goods are leaving the country. Export clearance is the seller's job under FOB, so it is handled on the exporter's side before loading.
Bill of lading, or sea waybill. The carrier's document for the sea leg. A bill of lading is the carrier's receipt for the goods and the contract of carriage, and a negotiable one also controls who can take delivery. A sea waybill is non-negotiable: it names the consignee, and delivery is made to that party without an original document. Under FOB the buyer normally arranges the ocean freight, so the forwarder you appoint books the carrier and the document is issued in the shipper's name after the goods are on board. Ask your forwarder which type will be issued and how it will be released at destination, because that decides whether original paper has to travel.
Insurance certificate. Needed only if the terms put insurance on the seller (for example CIF). Under FOB the buyer insures the cargo, so this belongs to the buyer's side.
Reports and certificates your buyer or customs asks for. Test reports, an OEKO-TEX certificate, or other product certificates are supporting documents. They are requested by the buyer and are not part of the standard set. If wooden pallets or packing are used, many countries also expect the wood to carry the ISPM 15 mark; your broker will say whether this applies.
What must match across them
A mismatch is the thing that stalls a shipment, whether the cause is a typo, a rounding difference or an out-of-date address. These fields should read the same wherever they appear:
| Field | On which documents |
|---|---|
| Consignee name and address | Invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin |
| Product description | Invoice, packing list, bill of lading, letter of credit if used |
| Quantity and number of cartons | Invoice, packing list, bill of lading |
| Gross and net weight | Packing list, bill of lading |
| Container and seal numbers | Packing list, bill of lading |
| Tariff code (HS code) | Invoice, any customs declaration |
| Invoice number and date | Invoice, certificate of origin, any customs declaration |
| Trade term and named port | Invoice, bill of lading |
A worked example of consistency
The figures are hypothetical, to show the arithmetic. Suppose the packing list shows 250 cartons with 48 towels in each.
- Total quantity: 250 × 48 = 12,000 pieces. The invoice must also say 12,000 pieces.
- At a unit price of 3.20 dollars, the invoice total is 12,000 × 3.20 = 38,400 dollars. The letter of credit or payment instruction must be for that amount, or for an amount it allows.
- If each carton weighs 18.5 kg gross, the gross weight is 250 × 18.5 = 4,625 kg. The bill of lading should state the same total.
If the invoice says 12,000 pieces and the packing list adds up to 11,950, a customs officer or a bank sees a discrepancy. That is the situation the check is for. Our guide on payment terms explains how a document mismatch can delay payment under a letter of credit.
Who does what
| Task | Usually done by |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin | The exporter |
| Export clearance and shipping bill | The exporter, before loading |
| Booking the ocean freight and the bill of lading | The buyer's forwarder (under FOB) |
| Marine insurance | The buyer (under FOB) |
| Import clearance and duty | The buyer or their customs broker |
What this guide does not cover
It does not list your country's import requirements, tariffs or labelling rules, which your broker confirms. It does not cover air freight, courier shipments or other trade terms, where the set of documents and who prepares it can differ. Our guide on what FOB means explains where each party's responsibility starts and ends.
What to ask a supplier
- Which documents are prepared with the shipment, and in what format?
- Can we check a draft of the invoice and the packing list before the goods are dispatched?
- Who files the export clearance, and when?
- What does our forwarder need from you to issue the bill of lading?
- If a letter of credit is used, who checks the documents against its wording before they are presented?
Tell us the destination port, the container size and the documents your forwarder or bank expects, and our export team will confirm what we prepare and share drafts for your check before the goods ship.