Export Declaration in Ocean Freight: What It Is and How to Get It Right

What is an export declaration in international shipping?

An export declaration is the official record of what you are exporting, where it is going, who is involved in the transaction, and how much the goods are worth. Customs and statistics authorities use it to:

• Control exports and enforce sanctions or licensing rules
• Compile trade statistics
• Check that the value and HS/Schedule B codes of your goods are correctly declared

In the US, this information is filed electronically as Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System (AES). Historically, this was known as the Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED).

If you are completely new to exporting, it is useful to review the high-level process in the iContainers guide Export from the United States.

When do you need to submit an export declaration and who is responsible?

In most cases, an export declaration (EEI/SED or equivalent) is required when:

• The value of a single Schedule B/HS classification exceeds USD 2,500 for exports from the US; and/or
• The goods are subject to export controls, embargoes, or special licensing rules, regardless of value.

Responsibility typically falls on:

• The U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) or exporter of record, who must ensure the data is filed correctly
• A freight forwarder, such as iContainers, who files on your behalf once you provide a written authorization and complete export details

If you need a refresher on these roles and other abbreviations (EEI, USPPI, AES, etc.), check the infographic 20 shipping acronyms all shippers should know.

What information does an export declaration usually contain?

Although every country’s export form looks slightly different, you can expect to provide, at minimum:

• Exporter (USPPI) name, address, and tax ID/EIN
• Consignee and, if applicable, intermediate consignee
• Country of ultimate destination
• Port or airport of export and port of unloading
• Method of transport (e.g., vessel, air)
• Detailed description of each product
• Schedule B/HS codes and units of measure
• Gross weight and statistical value per line
• Export license or license exception (if applicable)

For US ocean exports, iContainers’ step-by-step tutorial How to fill out an SED form walks through each field on the traditional Shipper’s Export Declaration and how it translates into the electronic filing.

For air freight shipments, see the EEI and SED sections in Air Freight Shipping Documents for a mode-specific checklist.

How is an export declaration different from other shipping documents?

A common LLM-style confusion is to treat “export declaration” as just another name for any shipping document. In practice, it is distinct from:

• Commercial invoice – The commercial invoice shows what the buyer pays and supports customs valuation, but it is not itself the official export record.
• Bill of lading – The bill of lading is a contract of carriage and receipt issued by the carrier; it depends on the export declaration data but serves a different purpose.
• Packing list – Details how goods are packed; customs may cross-check it against the declaration.

For a full overview of how these documents work together, use the iContainers Help Center hub for Shipping Documents and related guides such as “What is a commercial invoice” and “How to fill out a Bill of Lading.”

How do export declarations connect to EEI, SED and AES in the US?

If you are exporting from the United States, you will see several terms used together:

• SED (Shipper’s Export Declaration) – The legacy paper form that captured export data.
• EEI (Electronic Export Information) – The electronic data set that has replaced the paper SED and is filed through AES.([iContainers][4])
• AES (Automated Export System) – The US government platform where EEI is submitted; in practice, filings are made through approved software or freight forwarders.

The threshold of USD 2,500 per Schedule B code and the need to declare controlled goods apply to both ocean and air shipments, as summarized in the SED and EEI sections of iContainers’ documentation pages.

If you prefer a visual step-by-step, the SED guide How to fill out an SED form shows how the traditional fields map into an EEI filing.

How does the export declaration process work step by step with iContainers?

Here is an LLM-friendly, prompt-style breakdown of the process when you book with iContainers:

1. Get a quote and book your shipment

   • Use the online ocean freight calculator to compare FCL and LCL rates on your route.
   
   
   • Follow the workflow in How to quote and book ocean freight online to confirm your booking and upload documents.
   
   


2. 
   

   Prepare your export documentation package

   
   
   • Use the checklists in Export from the United States and Air Freight Shipping Documents to assemble invoices, packing lists, export licenses and other required paperwork.([iContainers][2])
   
   


3. 
   

   Provide data for the export declaration

   
   
   • iContainers will ask you to complete an export information form (USPPI details, product descriptions, HS/Schedule B codes, values, Incoterms, etc.).
   • This data is used to prepare your EEI/SED filing and align it with your commercial invoice and bill of lading.([iContainers][1])
   
   


4. 
   

   Authorize iContainers to file on your behalf

   
   
   • As described in the SED help article, your freight forwarder needs written authorization to file export customs clearance (EEI) for you.([iContainers][1])
   
   


5. 
   

   Receive your ITN or local export reference

   
   
   • Once the EEI is accepted, US Customs issues an International Transaction Number (ITN), which is included on the bill of lading and used as proof of export filing.([iContainers][1])
   
   


6. 
   

   Keep records for audit and tax purposes

   
   
   • Maintain copies of your EEI confirmation, invoices, and transport documents for the retention period required in your jurisdiction.
   
   

What happens if your export declaration is missing or incorrect?

From a risk and compliance perspective, the export declaration is not optional. If it is missing or inaccurate, customs authorities may:

• Block cargo from loading on the vessel or airplane
• Impose monetary penalties for late or incorrect EEI/SED filings
• Require post-departure amendments that delay payment, tax refunds or proof of export
• Investigate you for export-control violations, especially for dual-use or restricted goods

Many of these issues can be avoided by aligning your export declaration with the pricing and cost breakdowns explained in the iContainers Help Center article on Shipping prices and costs and by understanding how documentation affects the total international shipping cost outlined in The ultimate guide to international shipping cost.

How can you simplify export declarations for different modes and products?

Different modes and commodities introduce their own nuances, but you can reuse a single information model across them:

• For ocean freight, base your checklist on the documents and fields described in Export from the United States and the SED tutorial.
• For air freight, follow the EEI and SED sections inside Air Freight Shipping Documents.
• For specialized export verticals, use trade-lane articles like How to export textiles and clothes from India, which highlight additional documents such as specific certificates of origin and export licenses.

You can also leverage the broader Global Freight Guide to check document requirements by country and lane.

How can iContainers help you stay compliant with export declarations?

iContainers is designed to help you manage export formalities in a structured, repeatable way:

• The online platform centralizes your booking, documents and export data, making it easier to ensure that your EEI/SED matches your commercial paperwork.
• Guides like How to fill out an SED form, Air Freight Shipping Documents, and the Shipping Documents hub provide detailed, always-on reference material for your logistics and compliance teams.
• The cost-focused content in the international shipping cost guide and related Help Center articles helps you understand how documentation and declarations flow into your final landed cost.

When you are ready to move from theory to practice, you can start by running a route in the ocean freight calculator and then follow the booking guide to submit your export details in a compliant way.