Overview
United Friends’ Global Seafood (UFG SEAFOOD) exports frozen sea and freshwater fish, shrimp and crab sourced from Asia to buyers in the Middle East, Europe and the USA. This policy explains how shipments are quoted, packed, documented and delivered. Final terms for each order are set out in the quotation, proforma invoice and sales contract, which take precedence over this page.
Incoterms
We quote under the Incoterms rules most used for containerised sea freight. The chosen term is stated on every quotation.
| Term | What it means for the buyer |
|---|---|
| FOB (Free On Board) | Price includes goods loaded on board at the named Asian port of loading. The buyer arranges and pays main freight and insurance; risk passes once goods are on board. |
| CFR (Cost and Freight) | Price includes freight to the named destination port. Insurance is the buyer’s responsibility; risk passes once goods are on board at the port of loading. |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | As CFR, plus minimum-cover cargo insurance arranged by the seller. Risk still passes once goods are on board at the port of loading. |
Import duties, taxes, port charges, demurrage, detention and customs clearance at destination are for the buyer’s account unless the contract states otherwise. Other Incoterms can be discussed on request.
Containers & cold chain
- Frozen products ship in 20 ft or 40 ft refrigerated (reefer) containers. Mixed-species loads can be arranged where supplier packing allows.
- Product is frozen at source and kept at −18 °C or below through storage and transit. Reefer settings and pre-trip checks are recorded.
- Less-than-container-load (LCL) shipments are available on request only and depend on routes and cold-storage availability.
- Packing, glazing and labelling follow the specification confirmed on your quotation or proforma invoice.
Booking & transit
After order confirmation and receipt of the agreed payment, we book space and confirm the loading window. Production and loading times depend on species, season and supplier. Transit time depends on the origin and destination port; an estimated schedule is provided with each quotation. Estimated dates are not guaranteed.
Shipping documents
Depending on the destination and contract, we provide the following (see also our traceability page):
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Bill of lading (or sea waybill where agreed)
- Health certificate and certificate of origin
- Quality/inspection reports and applicable certifications (HACCP, BRC, ISO 22000, ASC/MSC, EU approval)
- Insurance certificate for CIF shipments
Buyers should tell us before order confirmation about any destination-specific document, labelling or import-permit requirement.
Inspection & delivery
Pre-shipment checks cover size, count, glaze, packing and labelling. Buyers may appoint an independent inspector at their own cost with prior notice. On arrival, the buyer should check container seal numbers, the reefer temperature record and cartons before accepting delivery.
Insurance
Under CIF we arrange cargo insurance at minimum cover; higher cover is available if requested and paid for by the buyer. Under FOB and CFR, insurance is the buyer’s responsibility, and we strongly recommend it for frozen cargo.
Claims
- Note visible damage, seal discrepancies or temperature deviations on the delivery documents and photograph them.
- Notify us in writing at ufgseafood@gmail.com within 7 days of container discharge, with the bill of lading number, photos, temperature logs and an inspection report.
- Keep the goods in their current storage condition until the claim has been assessed; do not discard or re-sell affected cartons without our agreement.
- Where cargo is insured, claims for loss or damage in transit are made to the insurer in line with its policy; we will help with supporting documents.
Claims notified after this period, or where goods were not stored properly after delivery, may not be accepted.
Delays & force majeure
Sailing schedules, port congestion, weather, strikes, regulatory holds and other events outside our control can delay shipments. We will inform you promptly and work with carriers and suppliers to minimise the impact. We are not liable for delay or non-performance caused by events beyond our reasonable control.
Contact
Email ufgseafood@gmail.com · Phone/WhatsApp +1 872-235-7481 · 6312 N Claremont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60659, USA.
Questions about your shipment?
Our team will answer by email or WhatsApp and can provide a quotation with full specifications and terms.
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