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10 things to know before shipping or receiving aluminum by ocean container
Ten things to know before moving aluminum by sea: containers have weight limits and coils go on cradles or skids, well secured; condensation inside the box stains more than seawater; the Aluminum Association does not recommend desiccants inside aluminum packaging; under Incoterms 2020, FOB and CIF are sea-only rules and the ICC recommends FCA for containers; CIF only requires Institute Cargo Clauses (C) cover at 110% of the price; carrier liability is capped, at US$500 per package under COGSA, so cargo insurance matters; in August 2026 only 49.9% of vessels arrived on time and late ones averaged 6.81 days late; the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and a mill test report per lot travel with the metal; US entries need the country of smelt and cast; and under COGSA hidden damage must be noticed within 3 days and suit brought within 1 year. Sources: ICC; Sea-Intelligence, September 29, 2026; COGSA; The Aluminum Association, 2009.
If you buy aluminum from Asia or Europe, or sell it overseas, the ocean leg adds weeks of transit, a container that sweats and a chain of paperwork. These are the ten points that weigh most on cost and on claims. How importing compares with buying from a North American mill is in importing aluminum from Asia or buying from Mexico, and the total lead time in how long an aluminum order takes.
1. Containers have limits: cradles, skids and spread loads
Coils can be carried in general purpose containers if they are properly packaged, packed and secured; coils that exceed the container's weight and stress limits should go by other means (TT Club, 2010). The German insurers' Container Handbook (GDV) adds three practical rules:
- Eye to side, with the axis across the container, is the standard method for coils of all sizes; eye to sky is used for small, narrow coils such as slit coils.
- Before loading, check that each coil is strapped tight to its skid, and fill gaps with timber.
- If skid runners lie parallel to the container's floor cross members, check that the floor's line load limit is not exceeded; if it is, add timber to spread the load.
Ask the shipper for photos of the loaded container, the closed doors and the seal number: that is your evidence if something arrives shifted.
2. Condensation inside the box stains more than seawater
Water can form on the cargo (cargo sweat) or on the container's inside walls and roof (container sweat), in transit or when the doors are opened (GDV). Sun heats the air under the roof well above outside air; when the box cools, moisture condenses under the roof and drips onto the cargo, and repeated cycles do more damage. Wet or green pallets, dunnage and packaging are the usual moisture sources (GDV).
On aluminum, that trapped water leaves water stains (The Aluminum Association, TR3, 2009). How it happens and how to prevent it on land is in how to ship aluminum coil, sheet and circles without damage.
3. Desiccants help less than you think
- The Aluminum Association does not recommend desiccants inside aluminum packaging: on long routes they overload quickly, and a cold surface can collect a large amount of moisture (TR3).
- If used in the container, they go in the upper third or under the roof, away from the goods, because warm, moist air rises (GDV).
- Salt-based desiccants, such as bentonite with calcium chloride, can cause corrosion if they release moisture onto the goods (GDV).
What protects aluminum most is not the desiccant: it is dry packing, dry timber and a dry container.
4. Incoterms 2020: who pays freight and where risk passes
Incoterms 2020 are the International Chamber of Commerce's 11 rules: seven for any mode of transport (EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU and DDP) and four for sea and inland waterway only (FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF). Contracts have referenced them since January 1, 2020 (International Trade Administration).
| Rule | Main freight and risk | Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | Buyer pays everything; risk passes at the seller's premises | Not required |
| FCA | Buyer pays freight; risk passes on delivery to the carrier at the named place | Not required |
| FOB | Buyer pays freight; risk passes once goods are on board at the port of shipment | Not required |
| CFR | Seller pays freight to the destination port; risk passes on board at the port of shipment | Not required |
| CIF | Same as CFR | Seller, Clauses (C), at least 110% of the price |
| CIP | Seller pays carriage; risk passes on delivery to the first carrier | Seller, Clauses (A), at least 110% of the price |
| DAP | Seller pays to destination; risk passes there, ready for unloading | Not required |
| DDP | Same as DAP, and the seller also pays import duties | Not required |
Source: ICC, Incoterms 2020.
Two traps: under CFR and CIF the seller pays the freight, but the risk is yours from the moment the container is loaded on board. And FOB does not fit containers, which the seller hands over at a terminal days before loading; for those, the ICC recommends FCA (ICC Academy, May 13, 2025).
5. Who insures, and how much
Under CIF the seller buys minimum cover, Institute Cargo Clauses (C), for the price plus 10%, from shipment to at least the destination port; under CIP, Clauses (A), the broadest level (ICC). If you buy CIF and want more cover, agree it in writing. When selling into some countries, local rules limit foreign insurance: the ICC lists Mexico among the countries where foreign transport insurance is not allowed for CIF or CIP (ICC, national barriers report, January 2025).
6. Carrier liability is capped: that is why cargo insurance exists
Under the US Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA), the carrier's liability is limited to US$500 per package unless the shipper declared the goods' nature and value before shipment and it appears on the bill of lading. In Canada, the Hague-Visby Rules apply through the Marine Liability Act, with a cap of 666.67 Special Drawing Rights per package or 2 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, whichever is higher.
A coil is one heavy, valuable package: with caps like those, what the carrier does not pay is covered only by cargo insurance, if you bought it. Ask your insurer what the policy excludes, for example insufficient packing or condensation damage, before the box is loaded.
7. Transit time: plan for real-world reliability
According to Almexa's sales team, importing from Asia takes two to three months: two to three weeks of production plus three to four weeks of transit, plus customs (September 2026). The carrier's schedule is a plan, not an arrival: in August 2026 only 49.9% of vessels arrived on time, the lowest level since September 2022, and late vessels arrived 6.81 days late on average (Sea-Intelligence, Global Liner Performance issue 181, September 29, 2026, covering 34 trade lanes and 60+ carriers).
If your line depends on a vessel, your safety stock has to cover at least the average delay.
8. The paperwork that travels with the metal
| Document | What it does |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Price, terms of sale and description; for US entries, 19 CFR 141.86 lists what it must show, including port of entry, quantities, itemized charges and country of origin |
| Packing list | Packages, gross and net weight and the lot number of each package |
| Bill of lading | Contract of carriage and the document to take delivery |
| Mill test report per lot | Measured chemistry and properties of the lot, tied to its cast |
| Insurance certificate | Proof of cover, if your Incoterm or bank requires it |
| Proof of origin | If you claim preferential treatment under a trade agreement |
Ask for the same lot number on the packing list, the tag and the mill test report. What the report contains and how to check it is in how to read an aluminum mill test report.
9. Country of smelt and cast for US entries
Since April 10, 2023, CBP has required importers to report the primary country of smelt and the country of cast on every entry line of aluminum (CSMS 55424218), and it kept the requirement for the April 2026 rates (CSMS 68253075). Aluminum entries also need an automatic import license from the Department of Commerce that asks for the same countries (19 CFR part 361).
Get those countries, and the documents that back them, from the seller before the metal ships, not after the vessel arrives. Details in how to document the country of smelt and cast and in our Section 232 aluminum tariffs guide.
10. Inspection at destination and claim deadlines
- Before opening, check the seal number against the bill of lading and take photos.
- On opening, photograph the load as it arrived: lashings, timber, water on the floor or under the roof.
- If the metal is cold, do not move it straight into a warm building: compare its temperature with the dew point of the air (TR3).
- Check lots, weights and packages against the packing list.
- If there is damage, give the carrier written notice at or before removal of the goods. Under COGSA, if the damage is not apparent, notice is due within three days of delivery, and suit must be brought within one year; the Hague-Visby Rules that apply in Canada set the same periods.
When the metal does not need to cross an ocean
Almexa casts and rolls in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico, and ships by truck to the United States and Canada: no container, no transshipment and a mill test report with every lot. As a reference, its sales team works with about a month of lead time and confirms the date in the quote. Coil ships on export-type pallets, eye to sky or eye horizontal, and circles on export-type pallets up to 1,764 lb (800 kg). See USMCA aluminum coil and sheet from Mexico.
Send your specification for a quote from the mill: alloy, temper, dimensions, tons and destination.
Sources
All accessed October 27, 2026.
- ICC, Incoterms 2020 and the sea rules text in the ICC Digital Library: CIF minimum cover and risk under FOB and CFR.
- International Trade Administration, "Know Your Incoterms": rules by mode and use since January 1, 2020.
- ICC Academy, "FOB & FAS Incoterms 2020 explained," May 13, 2025 and "CIF & CIP Incoterms 2020 explained," October 7, 2024: containers and Clauses (A) and (C).
- ICC, "National regulatory barriers to the Incoterms 2020 rules," January 2025: foreign insurance under CIF and CIP.
- Sea-Intelligence, Global Liner Performance issue 181, September 29, 2026: schedule reliability and average delay.
- GDV, Container Handbook: climatic stresses, moisture damage prevention, eye to sky and coils on skids.
- TT Club, "StopLoss: transport of coiled materials," 2010: coils in containers.
- The Aluminum Association, TR3, May 2009: water stain and desiccants.
- Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (LII, note to 46 U.S.C. 30701): notice, one-year suit and US$500 per package.
- Marine Liability Act (Canada), Schedule 3, Hague-Visby Rules: notice, suit and per-package and per-kilogram cap.
- 19 CFR 141.86 (eCFR): commercial invoice contents.
- 19 CFR part 361 (eCFR): aluminum import license.
- CBP, CSMS 55424218, March 9, 2023 and CSMS 68253075, April 3, 2026: countries of smelt and cast.
- Almexa sales team, September 2026: import lead times from Asia.
Frequently asked questions
Which Incoterm should I use to import aluminum in a container?
For containers, the International Chamber of Commerce recommends FCA rather than FOB, because the seller hands the container over at a terminal days before it is loaded on board. If you want the seller to pay freight and buy broad insurance, CIP requires Institute Cargo Clauses (A); CIF only requires Clauses (C).
What does CIF insurance cover?
Under Incoterms 2020, a CIF seller must buy at least Institute Cargo Clauses (C) cover for the price plus 10%, from shipment to at least the destination port. That is minimum cover; anything broader has to be agreed in writing. CIP requires Clauses (A), the broadest level.
How much is an ocean carrier liable for damaged aluminum?
Under the US Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, US$500 per package unless the goods' nature and value were declared on the bill of lading. Under the Hague-Visby Rules, which apply in Canada, 666.67 Special Drawing Rights per package or 2 SDR per kilogram, whichever is higher. Cargo insurance covers the rest.
Do desiccants protect aluminum in a container?
Only a little. The Aluminum Association does not recommend desiccants inside aluminum packaging because they overload quickly on long routes. If used in the container, they go in the upper third, away from the goods; salt-based ones can corrode if they release moisture. Dry packing, dry timber and a dry container protect more.
How reliable are ocean transit times right now?
In August 2026, only 49.9% of container vessels arrived on schedule, the lowest level since September 2022, and late vessels arrived 6.81 days late on average, according to Sea-Intelligence's Global Liner Performance report of September 29, 2026. Build that delay into your safety stock.
How long do I have to report ocean cargo damage?
Under COGSA, notice of loss or damage goes to the carrier in writing at or before removal of the goods; if the damage is not apparent, within three days of delivery. Suit must be brought within one year of delivery. The Hague-Visby Rules that apply in Canada set the same periods.
Leads Almexa Aluminio, Mexico's aluminum rolling mill. Writes about alloys, process, pricing and supply for industrial buyers in North America. LinkedIn