Invoicing and Payment: How It Works at CALL

Completing your container booking is only half the journey; managing the payment lifecycle securely is what ultimately releases your cargo. Because international logistics involves high-value transactions, ChinAfrika Logistics Limited (CALL) does not accept credit cards or loose payment methods. Instead, we operate on a secure Payment Transfer & Verification model.

This guide explains how to locate your bills, verify transaction details, adhere to payment rules, and submit proof of payment to ensure a seamless release at destination.

How Billing Is Structured

CALL issues invoices in two separate stages to reflect the physical movement and operational milestones of your shipment. We bill directly the party that contracts our services, regardless of private commercial agreements between buyers and suppliers:

• Origin Invoice: Issued shortly after your vessel departs from China (e.g., Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen). This covers main ocean freight, origin Terminal Handling Charges (THC), documentation fees, carrier seal fees, and export customs declarations.
• Destination Invoice: Issued as the vessel nears arrival and destination charges are finalized. This covers destination THC, Delivery Order (D.O.) fees, and shipping line local administrative fees. Optional destination services (such as customs clearance or inland trucking) appear only if formally contracted with CALL.
• Consolidated Value-Added & Destination Items: If you formally appoint CALL to manage optional services—such as cargo insurance, export customs brokerage in China, or pre-departure certifications (ECTN, BESC, CoC)—these charges are itemized and consolidated directly onto your freight invoice for clean record-keeping.

Payment Terms & Vessel Arrival Cut-Off

To maintain schedule integrity and prevent port demurrage fees, CALL enforces clear payment timelines tied directly to document release:

• $0 Booking Deposit for Standard Cargo: We do not require advance deposits to book or confirm container space for standard cargo. Cancellations made more than 7 days prior to departure are free of charge; late cancellations or port no-shows are subject to standard carrier cancellation fees billed to your portal account. (High-risk cargo categories or special equipment remain subject to standard prepaid terms).
• 10-Day Payment Limit: All freight invoices must be settled in full within a maximum of 10 days from the invoice issuance date.
• Pre-Arrival Verification Cut-Off: To ensure your Telex Release or Delivery Order (D.O.) is pre-authorized before your vessel docks, complete your payment while the ship is in transit. Bank reconciliations (especially for international wires) require 24 to 72 hours.
• Strict Document Hold: While advance payment is not required to ship standard cargo, your original Bill of Lading (B/L) or Express/Telex Release will not be authorized—and cargo will not be unlocked at destination—until full payment is credited and verified by our finance team.

Accepted Payment Methods & Channels

We operate exclusively on an offline Payment Transfer and Verification model. Account details are displayed in the Bank Account Box on the bottom-right of your official invoice PDF. You can settle funds via two primary channels:

• China Corporate Account: Direct international wire transfer (USD or EUR) to our corporate bank account in China. (When initiating an international wire transfer, strictly instruct your bank to select the "OUR" charges rule to cover intermediary correspondent bank fees).
• Designated Local Partner Accounts: Where available in select destination countries, funds may be deposited or transferred directly into our authorized local partner accounts in local currency or national bank transfer.

For all payment channels, always input your exact Invoice Number as the transfer reference to ensure immediate reconciliation.

Uploading Proof of Payment & Releasing Documents

To verify your payment transaction and release your cargo documents, follow this straightforward 4-step portal process:

1. 1. Locate Invoices: Navigate to the myCall menu on our platform and select My Invoices to view your financial dashboard. Status colors indicate the state of each bill: PAID (Green), UNPAID (Yellow), or OVERDUE (Red).
2. 2. Upload Payment Proof: Open your unpaid invoice details and click the blue Upload Payment Proof button. Attach your bank transaction receipt or SWIFT MT103 confirmation slip (as a PDF, JPG, or PNG file).
3. 3. Finance Verification Window: Your status transitions to PAYMENT VERIFYING. Our desk reviews and reconciles transfers within 12 to 24 hours, updating cleared files to PAYMENT ACCEPTED.
4. 4. Document Release & Unlocking: Once verified, the system automatically removes the "Draft" watermark from your Bill of Lading in My Shipments > Documents. For Telex Release bookings, the express release instruction is transmitted directly to the line agent at your destination port.

Tracking Demurrage & Detention (D&D)

If container equipment is retained beyond the "Free Time" allocated in your booking, ocean carrier Demurrage and Detention charges will apply. These charges are invoiced separately from standard freight bills.

To monitor active equipment free-time counters, select the D&D Charges tab on your Invoices dashboard. This module displays container numbers, free days remaining, overdue days, and accrued penalty balances in real-time.

Last reviewed: June 2026  ·  Category: Company Essentials
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