Your First China–Africa Booking

Accepting a freight quote is the moment the operational clock starts ticking. To get your container safely onto a vessel, a tightly coordinated sequence of steps must occur. On high-demand China–Africa lanes, missing a single deadline can mean your cargo is left behind, resulting in expensive rollovers and terminal storage fees.

This guide explains how to use our digital workspace to manage your shipment from the moment your booking is placed to when the cargo departs.

Monitoring Your Booking Status

Once you accept a quote, our Shanghai team submits your booking request to the ocean carrier. You can monitor the progress of this request on your digital dashboard by navigating to the myCall > My Shipments portal. Think of this dashboard as your Control Tower, where you will see three distinct status badges:

• PENDING: This indicates "Wait Mode." Our team is actively securing space allocations and scheduling windows with the carrier. No Shipping Order has been released yet.
• CONFIRMED: "Active Mode." Your booking is locked in with the carrier and your S/O is officially ready for download.
• REJECTED: The booking was cancelled due to carrier space limitations or quote expiration. You can click on the shipment details to view our operations team's notes.

The 3 Stages of Operations

Managing an active booking on our platform is structured into three clear, sequential stages that you, your supplier, and our operations team execute together.

Stage 1: Retrieve and Share Your S/O (Shipping Order)

Once your booking status changes to CONFIRMED, you must retrieve your Shipping Order. Click on "View Details," scroll down to the bottom-right corner of your workspace, and locate the Document Vault under "System Documents" to download your PDF (e.g., S/O-BK-001.pdf).

Send this document to your supplier immediately. They must forward it to their trucker to pick up the empty container box. This file also details your mandatory CY Closing Date. Your loaded container must physically gate into the terminal before this cutoff; late gate-ins will cause the container to be rolled to the next week's sailing, incurring heavy carrier fees.

Stage 2: Submit Shipping Instructions (SI)

Before your documentation cutoff, you must submit your final cargo and routing details to compile the Bill of Lading. Click the red Create Shipping Instruction button on your dashboard to complete three simple steps:

• Step 1: Define Parties (Shipper, Consignee, Notify): Input the names and physical addresses of all parties. To avoid typing mistakes, use the "Manage" link to open your **Address Book** where you can save frequent contacts. On future shipments, you can auto-fill these fields instantly using our **Quick Fill** dropdown menu.
• Step 2: Cargo & Container Details: Under "The Container Header," enter the physical Container Number and Seal Number. In the "Cargo Rows," input your 6-digit HS Code, cargo description, and total weight or volume. If you have multiple distinct items in a single container, use the duplicate row icon to add extra lines.
• Step 3: Upload Documents: Attach a clean digital copy of your supplier's commercial invoice and packing list before submitting.

Stage 3: Review and Approve Your Draft Bill of Lading (B/L)

The Bill of Lading is the passport for your cargo. Once we receive your Shipping Instructions, our team generates a **Draft B/L**. It is critical that you review every detail of this draft for typographical errors.

Open your shipment page and locate the yellow Draft Approval alert. The action bar provides three simple options: Preview PDF, Request Change (if you find an error), and Approve. Only click the green Approve button when you are certain the spellings are correct. Once clicked, the details are frozen and finalized with the carrier. For a complete look at why this stage is so important, read The Bill of Lading: Why Every Field Matters.

Track & Trace: The Journey Explained

Once your cargo departs, our automated system maps your shipment through seven milestones, visible on your dashboard tracking view:

• 1. Booking Confirmed: S/O released; trucking and loading can proceed at origin.
• 2. Gate In: Container safely enters the Chinese port terminal before the CY Closing Date.
• 3. Export Customs Clearance: China Customs examines documentation. Once the status reads "Released," the container is cleared for loading. To make sure your supplier has prepared every file correctly, see our Document Checklist for China–Africa Exports.
• 4. Departure (On Board): The vessel has departed. Your Bill of Lading is now official. Pro Tip: Pay your ocean freight invoice promptly to get your Telex or Original B/L released instantly.
• 5. Arrival at Destination: The vessel docks at your African port. The carrier issues an Arrival Notice (A/N) via email; forward this document to your local customs broker immediately.
• 6. Import Clearance & Duty: Customs authorities calculate import taxes. Ensure your broker handles the duty assessment payment promptly to avoid costly port demurrage charges. Review Smart Planning to Avoid Demurrage & Detention Fees to minimize these unexpected terminal costs.
• 7. Empty Return & Closure: Your trucker delivers the container to your warehouse, unloads the cargo, and returns the empty container box back to the shipping line’s designated depot.

Last reviewed: June 2026  ·  Category: Company Essentials
Related articles: 45 Days. 9 Stages. One Shipment.  ·  The Bill of Lading: Why Every Field Matters  ·  Pre-Import Verification Schemes  ·  Smart Planning to Avoid Demurrage & Detention