The Best of 2024: The Top 10 International Trade Blog Posts

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the insights and guidance our readers found most valuable this year. With more than 100 articles shared on Passages: The International Trade Blog, we’ve aimed to help simplify the complexities of exporting. We hope these resources have provided the practical advice and tools you needed to navigate your work with greater ease.

We tackled a wide range of topics, from the essential steps in preparing export documentation to nuanced comparisons of trade terms and payment methods. To make it easy for you to revisit or discover these resources for the first time, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 blog posts from 2024. Whether you’re new to exporting or a seasoned pro, these articles offer valuable takeaways to help you navigate international trade with confidence.

Dive in to see what your fellow exporters found most helpful this year!

Top 10 International Trade Blog Posts of 2024

1. 11 Documents Required for Exporting

Once an international sale is made, the hard work is just beginning. You need to ship the goods to your buyer in a timely manner and make sure you get paid in full and on time. The key for both is to provide accurate export documents. Here we explain 11 of the most common export forms.

2. Incoterms Comparison: DDP vs. DAP—What’s the Difference?

Exporters and importers are sometimes confused about the differences between the Incoterms 2020 rules DDP and DAP, including who is responsible for what costs during the international journey and when risk transfers from the seller to the buyer. We explain the differences.

3. What Are the Top U.S. Exports?

The United States is the world’s second-largest exporter, with exports topping $3.1 trillion a year. In this article, we’ll share the top U.S. exports, the regions that purchase the most U.S. goods and how your company can pursue exporting to those markets. 

4. A Glossary of International Shipping Terms

Don’t be overwhelmed by the hundreds of international shipping terms. We’ve published a glossary of more than 250 trade terms used by importers and exporters. Bookmark this page and refer to it when you stumble across a word or acronym that has you stumped. 

5. Methods of Payment in International Trade: Letters of Credit

There are five common payment options used for exports. Letters of credit (LCs) are one of the most secure instruments available to international traders. They can protect the interests of both the exporter (seller) and the importer (buyer). But they can be time-consuming and expensive to use.

6. House Bill of Lading vs. Master Bill of Lading

A house bill of lading is always a receipt for a shipment from one exporter, while a master bill of lading is a receipt that could potentially cover the shipments of many exporters, as they are consolidated by the carrier into a larger shipment.

7. HS Codes, HTS Codes and Schedule B Codes: What’s the Difference?

Exporters often use Harmonized System (HS), Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Schedule B codes interchangeably. They know these codes classify their products for international trade. While that’s OK in casual conversation, it’s important to know the differences when it comes to actual usage.

8. An Introduction to Incoterms

U.S. companies are often unaware of the international commercial terms known as Incoterms. This article explains the history of Incoterms, when and why they should be used, and the responsibilities, risks and costs for the buyer and the seller under each of the 11 Incoterms 2020 rules.

9. Proforma vs. Commercial Invoice: What’s the Difference?

At first glance, the differences between a proforma and commercial invoice appear small. But when you understand how and when both types of invoices are properly used in an import-export transaction, you see how important it is to accurately complete both forms.

10. The Export Shipping Documentation Process

There are a number of important steps that you must be follow to successfully complete an export transaction. We outline seven of those steps, along with the export documents you need to prepare to go along with each step—so you can successfully ship your goods and get paid on time.

And because we love a year-end list, why stop with our top blog posts? We also want to highlight two additional sets of resources that our readers have consistently turned to this year. First, five of our most popular free international trade guides, offering expert advice and actionable tips on key aspects of exporting and importing. Then, the five most-downloaded export form templates of 2024.

Top 5 Exporting Guides of 2024

1. The Beginner’s Guide to Export Forms

This guide explains when and how to use more than 20 common export forms, and includes a link to a sample template for each form that you can download and use—for free!

2. Classifying Your Products for International Trade

Are you confused by the different but similar types of product classification? Many new (and experienced) exporters are puzzled by the Harmonized System (HS), Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Schedule B Codes. This guide explains what you need to understand. 

3. An Introduction to Incoterms 2020

Incoterms provide exporters and importers clear, succinct rules that help them understand their responsibilities, clarify any gray areas in contracts and can save a lot of headaches when used correctly. With an understanding, goods will be delivered more easily and sellers will get paid more quickly.

4. Filing Your Export Shipments through AES

Make sure you know what you need to do to file through the Automated Export System (AES), along with who can do the filing and when one is required.

5. What You Need to Know about Export Compliance

Export compliance regulations don’t just apply to the big guys. Even the smallest U.S. businesses that send their products to customers outside the country are subject to a variety of export regulations and could face substantial penalties for violating these rules.

Top 5 Export Forms of 2024

1. Electronic Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin is an important document in international trade because it identifies the country of origin of goods being exported. Customs authorities in many countries require the certificate of origin because they use the information to help determine the admissibility of goods and the duty rate to apply to imports.

2. Dangerous Goods IMO

Shipping dangerous goods internationally by vessel is regulated through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and you may need to provide this Dangerous Goods Declaration. 

3. Proforma Invoice

An international sale often begins with a letter of inquiry from a potential buyer expressing interest in one or more of your products, outlining the terms of their interest, and asking for an informal or formal quote. The buyer may request the quote in the form of a proforma invoice.

4. Commercial Invoice

Once your international sale is complete and your goods are ready to be sent to the buyer, you need to prepare a commercial invoice and include it with your shipment.

5. Certificate of Free Sale

 A Certificate of Free Sale is used when you are registering a new product in a country. You’re sending a Certificate of Free Sale to the customs authority in that country saying, in effect, “This is a new thing I’m going to start importing, and here are my support documents that confirm this product(s) is legal to sell in the country of manufacture.”

We hope these resources were helpful to you in 2024. And with 2025 shaping up to be a challenging year for the international trade community, make sure you’re subscribed to this blog. We’ll continue bringing you the tools, insights and guidance you need to navigate the complexities of exporting. Happy New Year!  

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