Ocean exports from Ontario.
We book the ship, bring the empty from the rail ramp to your dock, return it loaded before the cut-off, and file your CBSA export declaration in CERS when one is required.
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Setara Logistics is a freight forwarder in Vaughan, Ontario that books full container ocean exports for Ontario shippers. We book space with the ocean line, arrange the empty container, the loading at your dock and the return to the rail ramp before the cut-off, send the shipping documents and file the CBSA export declaration in CERS when one is required.
This page is written for exporters: how a container gets from your dock to the ship, what the paperwork asks of you, and where an export can miss its sailing.
How an export container gets from your dock to the ship
In the GTA, an export container usually starts and ends its road leg at a rail ramp. The ocean line releases an empty against your booking, at CN Brampton, CPKC Vaughan or a depot the line names. Setara Transport brings it to your dock, you load it, and Setara Transport takes it back to the ramp. The railway then carries it to the port on the line's routing, such as Montreal or Halifax on the East Coast, or Vancouver or Prince Rupert on the West Coast, where it is loaded on the ship.
The ocean line sets the dates. Its booking confirmation shows the receiving window and the cut-offs: the earliest date the loaded container can come back, the document cut-off and the cargo cut-off. At an inland ramp, the cargo cut-off comes days before the ship sails, and lines can change these dates, sometimes with little notice. We plan your loading date back from the cut-off. Our guide to the GTA rail ramps explains how CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan work.
What happens between booking and the ship?
01Book
You send the commodity, weight, container type, loading address and destination. We book space with the ocean line and confirm the receiving window and cut-offs.
02Empty to your dock
The line releases an empty against the booking. Setara Transport picks it up at the ramp or depot and brings it to your dock.
03Load and report
You load and seal the container. We send the VGM and the bill of lading instructions to the line, and file the CERS declaration when one is required.
04Back to the ramp
Setara Transport returns the loaded container to the ramp inside the receiving window. The railway takes it to the port, and the line issues the bill of lading once it is on board.
Not a full container? An export can also go LCL by sea or by air. Ask for an LCL quote or an air freight quote.
When do you need a CERS export declaration?
Exports are reported to the CBSA electronically, through the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS). Paper B13A forms are no longer used. Non-restricted goods shipped to the US for use there do not need a declaration. Overseas shipments usually do. Check the CBSA's export guide for the current rules for your goods.
The CBSA lets a freight forwarder file the declaration for the exporter, and we file it for you. You stay responsible for the facts in it, so we file from your commercial invoice and check the details with you.
For ocean freight, the declaration must be filed at least 48 hours before the container is loaded on the ship. CERS then issues a proof of report number, and the carrier needs that number before the goods leave Canada. The line's document cut-off usually comes first, so we file as soon as your documents are final.
More about export reporting
To let us file for you, your business number needs to be set up for exporting with the CBSA: an export (RM) program account, opened through the CARM Client Portal. The CBSA then links your account to ours in CERS.
Goods on Canada's Export Control List, or going to a country on its Area Control List, need an export permit from Global Affairs Canada before they leave. The permit number goes on the declaration. Late or wrong declarations can bring CBSA penalties, and a declaration can be amended or cancelled if a detail changes.
What paperwork does an export container need?
From you
Most of it starts with your commercial invoice. Have these ready before the cut-off:
- A commercial invoice that describes the goods and the amount the buyer owes
- A packing list that itemizes what is in each container
- A certificate of origin or insurance certificate, if your buyer needs one
- An export permit, if the goods or the destination are controlled
- Any documents the destination needs before sailing, which your buyer can confirm
For the ocean line
Before the cut-off, the line needs:
- The verified gross mass (VGM) of the packed container, signed by the shipper
- Bill of lading instructions, so it can issue the bill of lading
- The CERS proof of report number, when a declaration is required
An ocean bill of lading can be negotiable. Tell us at booking how your buyer needs it issued.
Every loaded export container needs a verified gross mass: the total weight of the box and everything in it. Weigh the packed container on certified scales, or weigh everything you load and add the container's tare weight from its markings. The ocean line needs it before the container can be loaded.
Where are you shipping?
Toronto to the Dominican Republic
Ocean freight from Ontario to Caucedo or Río Haina, near Santo Domingo. What your buyer needs to clear the goods, and how to ask for a rate.
Shipping to the Dominican RepublicToronto to West Africa
Ocean freight from Ontario to ports such as Tema, Lagos, Lomé, Abidjan, Dakar and Cotonou, and the cargo tracking notes some of them require.
Shipping to West AfricaShipping somewhere else? Put the destination port in your quote request and we will quote the routing.
What will it cost, and how long will it take?
Charges on an export
Depending on the Incoterm and the routing, expect some of these:
- Trucking between the ramp and your dock
- Waiting time while the container is loaded
- Rail to the port and ramp charges
- Terminal handling at the port
- Documentation and bill of lading fees
- Ocean freight
- Storage, demurrage or detention if the container sits past its free time
What drives cost and transit time
There is no single rate or transit time for exports. These move both:
- Destination port and the line's schedule
- Transshipment on the way
- Container size and weight
- The ramp cut-off and rail availability
- Season
- Documents ready before the cut-off
- How fast you answer questions
Ask us to quote the trucking, rail and ocean freight together, so the full cost is clear before you quote your buyer.
Ontario export FAQ.
Do I need an export declaration to ship to the US?
No, not for non-restricted goods going to the US for use there. If the goods need an export permit, you still need the permit. Goods that only pass through the US on their way to another country do need a declaration.
When is a CERS export declaration required?
For commercial goods worth CAD $2,000 or more going to any country other than the US, and for goods that need a permit, certificate or licence, whatever their value. Check the CBSA's export guide for the current rules.
Can a freight forwarder file my export declaration?
Yes. The CBSA lets a freight forwarder file it for the exporter, and we file it in CERS. Your business number needs an export (RM) program account first. You stay responsible for the facts in the declaration.
How early must the declaration be filed for ocean freight?
At least 48 hours before the container is loaded on the ship. The ocean line's document cut-off usually comes earlier, so we file as soon as your documents are final. The carrier needs the proof of report number before the goods leave Canada.
What is a VGM?
The verified gross mass: the total weight of the packed container. The shipper signs it and gets it to the ocean line before the cut-off, and the line needs it before the container can be loaded. Weigh the packed container on certified scales, or weigh everything in it and add the container's tare weight.
Who trucks the container between the ramp and my dock?
Setara Transport handles the GTA trucking. It brings the empty from CN Brampton, CPKC Vaughan or the depot the line names, and returns the loaded container to the ramp before the cut-off. Full containers only. We do not haul LTL or partial loads.
What happens if my container misses the cut-off?
It can miss its sailing and wait for the next one, and charges can build while it waits. That is why we plan your loading date back from the cut-off and send the documents early.
How long does an export from Ontario take?
It depends on the routing: the rail leg, the sailing, any transshipment and the destination port. We do not publish a generic transit time. When you book, you get the line's schedule for your routing.
Related services, guides and tools.
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