Cargo guidance
What you can ship in a container
What travels as standard, what needs arranging first, and what First Base Freight does not carry — plus the paperwork to have ready.
Before you book
What can you ship in a container?
General guidance for containerised cargo on any international lane, import or export. Restrictions ultimately depend on the carrier, the commodity and both customs authorities — so treat this as orientation, then check anything unusual with us.
Generally accepted
Everyday non-hazardous cargo that moves in a standard container without special arrangements. Book it like any other shipment.
- Household goods and furniture
- Clothing, textiles and footwear
- Machinery, tools and spare parts
- Commercial and retail stock
- Palletised general cargo
- Packaged non-perishable foodstuffs
- Building materials and finished timber
Accepted with arrangements
Routinely carried, but only once the right container, paperwork or permissions are in place. Raise these at enquiry stage — not at booking — because equipment and approvals drive the schedule.
- Vehicles, motorcycles and wheeled plant
- Lithium batteries and equipment containing them
- Perishable and temperature-controlled goods (reefer)
- Alcohol and tobacco
- Paints, solvents and other classified chemicals
- Aerosols and pressurised containers
- Out-of-gauge, heavy-lift and project cargo
- Personal effects and part-load removals
Not carried
Cargo we do not accept in containers on any lane. Some is unlawful outright; the rest is refused by carriers, excluded from cargo insurance, or both.
- Explosives, fireworks and pyrotechnics
- Weapons, ammunition and military equipment
- Radioactive and nuclear material
- Narcotics and controlled substances
- Counterfeit and infringing goods
- Currency, bullion, jewellery and bearer instruments
- Live animals
- Unmanifested or deliberately misdeclared cargo
Documentation to expect
Most shipments need the first few of these; the rest depend on what you are moving and where it is going. Our customs clearance team prepares and files them as part of the booking.
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- Certificate of origin, where the commodity or trade agreement calls for one
- Safety data sheet and dangerous goods declaration for classified cargo
- Import, export or health licences applicable to the commodity
Still not sure?
This page is orientation, not a ruling. The binding answer for any given shipment depends on the commodity, the carrier, the destination and the customs authorities at both ends — and it changes. If your cargo sits anywhere near a boundary, the quickest route to certainty is to describe it to us before you book. Tell us what it is, how it is packed and where it is going, and our customs team will confirm what it needs.
You can also browse the countries we serve for lane-specific context, request a quote, or read our shipping guides on documentation and Incoterms.
Ready to ship? Tell us the route and we will quote it.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.