We ship laboratory, pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals from India to customers around the world. This page explains the terms we offer, how dangerous goods are handled, what documents you receive, and what transit times to expect.
Incoterms we offer
We quote under Incoterms 2020. The Incoterm defines where risk passes from us to you and which costs each party pays.
| Term | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| EXW (Ex Works) | Goods made available at our premises. You arrange collection, export clearance and freight. |
| FOB (Free On Board) | We clear the goods for export and load them on board the vessel at the named Indian port. Sea freight only. |
| CFR (Cost and Freight) | We pay sea freight to your port. Risk passes when goods are on board in India. |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | As CFR, plus we arrange minimum marine insurance cover to the destination port. |
| DAP (Delivered at Place) | We deliver to your named place, unloading and import duties excluded. Common for air and courier shipments. |
Other terms, such as FCA or CPT, can be discussed. Import duties, taxes and customs clearance at destination are the buyer's responsibility unless a quotation explicitly states otherwise.
Dangerous goods
Many chemicals are regulated for transport. Each regulated product is classified with its UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class and packing group, which appear on the SDS (Section 14) and on the transport documents.
- Sea freight follows the IMDG Code, with a Dangerous Goods Declaration and appropriate container marking.
- Air freight follows the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Some substances are forbidden on passenger aircraft or restricted to cargo aircraft only, and quantity limits apply per package.
- Packaging uses UN-specification drums, jerricans, boxes or combination packaging tested to the performance level of the packing group.
- Limited and excepted quantities may allow small packs to move under simplified conditions, which can reduce cost for samples.
Some products, such as certain precursors, controlled substances and dual-use items, require export or import licences. We check these at the quotation stage and will ask for end-use information where the rules require it.
Export documents
A typical shipment is accompanied by:
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Certificate of Analysis for each lot
- Safety Data Sheet (16-section GHS format)
- Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air)
- Certificate of origin, where required for duty or preference purposes
- Dangerous Goods Declaration for regulated products
- Insurance certificate under CIF terms
- Non-hazardous declaration or MSDS-based statement for non-regulated goods, when a carrier asks for it
Additional documents, such as legalised or apostilled certificates, TSCA certification statements for the United States, or specific declarations required by your importing authority, can be arranged on request.
Indicative transit times
Transit times depend on carrier schedules, customs processing and the dangerous-goods status of the cargo. The following ranges are typical from dispatch in India and are not guaranteed:
| Region | Courier / air | Sea freight (port to port) |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East | 3 to 6 days | 7 to 15 days |
| South-East Asia | 3 to 7 days | 10 to 20 days |
| Europe and UK | 4 to 8 days | 20 to 35 days |
| North America | 5 to 9 days | 30 to 45 days |
| Africa | 5 to 10 days | 20 to 40 days |
| Latin America and Oceania | 6 to 12 days | 30 to 50 days |
Temperature-controlled shipping
Products labelled for refrigerated or frozen storage are packed in insulated shippers with gel packs or dry ice, sized for the expected transit time. Dry ice is itself a regulated dangerous good (UN1845) and is declared accordingly. For long or complex routes, we will advise whether the material is likely to tolerate the transit, and data loggers can be added on request.
Sample shipments
Samples and small research quantities usually travel by international express courier. Courier networks accept only a limited range of dangerous goods, so some samples are routed through specialist forwarders instead. We will tell you the route and expected cost when quoting.
For shipping questions, write to query@vaqorachemicals.com.