Logistics encyclopedia
Foreign trade and freight explained so that even a first-time exporter to Russia can follow. Learn at your own pace — and when you have cargo to move, we will speak the same language.
Guides
Freight from Europe to Russia
Since 2018 the Tranzit3 team has been moving cargo from Europe to Russia: weekly groupage via our warehouses in Vilnius and Warsaw, sea shipments v…
Groupage (LCL) from Europe to Russia
Groupage (LCL) lets you ship an order to your Russian customer without paying for a whole truck or container: only the space or weight actually use…
“Cargo” from China to Russia by road
“Cargo” from China is all-in delivery at a rate per kilogram: the supplier hands the goods to a consolidation warehouse in China, and the rest of t…
“Cargo” from Europe to Russia via Belarus
“Cargo” from Europe is our fastest route: 5–7 days in transit via Belarus at €5–7 per kilogram, with no contract or customs formalities for the Rus…
Guide: shipping cargo from China to Russia
Tranzit3 moves cargo from China to Russia by rail, road, sea and air, with purchasing and consolidation at our warehouses in China, customs clearan…
Parallel import into Russia: what the term means
In Russia, “parallel import” is a legal term for importing genuine branded goods without the trademark owner’s consent. This page explains the Russ…
Guide: shipping cargo from Turkey to Russia
Tranzit3 moves cargo from Turkey to Russia by road, sea and air, with turnkey customs clearance and EAC certification for your Russian customer. Be…
Fully declared import for Wildberries and Ozon sellers
Declared (“white”) import means goods enter Russia in the name of an importing company with the full document set that Wildberries and Ozon require…
GosLog, the forwarder register and mandatory electronic transport documents from 1 September 2026
In 2026 freight forwarding in Russia became regulated: only forwarders entered in the state register on the GosLog platform may operate, and from 1…
22% import VAT in Russia: what changed in 2026
On 1 January 2026 the standard Russian VAT rate rose from 20% to 22%. For your Russian customer this hits twice: the import tax itself goes up, and…
Russian environmental fee on imports in 2026
The environmental fee is the payment most often forgotten when an import consignment is costed, yet in 2026 the recycling target for packaging rose…
Chestny Znak labelling in 2026: what exporters need to know
For an import into Russia, labelling is not just a code on the packaging but a logistics question: where to apply it so that nobody pays for idle t…
The Russian recycling fee (utilsbor) on imports in 2026
For vehicles and self-propelled machinery the recycling fee (utilsbor) often exceeds duty and VAT combined. In 2026 one change has already taken ef…
Knowledge base
Documents for exporting to Russia: first shipment checklist
Invoice, packing list, EX1, certificates: what you prepare as the supplier and what we take care of. Get the paperwork right once and every later s…
Incoterms 2020 in plain English
EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP: who pays for what and where responsibility passes from you to your Russian buyer. Three letters in the contract settle both que…
LCL or FCL: how to choose and not overpay
Groupage against a whole container: the break-even point, the hidden costs and the typical mistakes. We always calculate both options for your Russ…
Volumetric weight: why light cargo costs as much as heavy
Calculation formulas for air, road and sea, with a worked example. Packing smarter at your premises is often the cheapest way to lower the freight …
Dangerous goods (ADR/IMDG): what can be shipped and how
Hazard classes, documents and packaging, so that the carrier accepts your cargo. Send us the safety data sheet and we confirm whether and how it ca…
Russian customs clearance: how the total payment is built up
Customs value, duty, VAT and fees: the formula and a worked example. Useful when your Russian customer asks what the goods will really cost landed.
Certification and labelling for Russia: EAC, declarations, Chestny Znak
Which conformity documents are needed for the goods to be released, and how to avoid getting stuck at customs. Check this before production, not at…
Cargo insurance: when you need it and what it costs
What insurance covers, how it differs from the carrier’s liability, and when not to cut corners. We show the difference with and without cover befo…
Glossary
LCL (Less than Container Load)
Groupage cargo: your goods travel in a shared container and you pay only for your own cargo spaces, not for the whole box.
FCL (Full Container Load)
A whole 20′ or 40′ container reserved for your cargo alone, at a fixed rate per container regardless of how full it is.
EX1 (EU export declaration)
The EU export declaration: without it the goods are not released from the Union and you, the supplier, cannot zero-rate the sale for VAT.
MRN (Movement Reference Number)
The number the EU customs system assigns to an export (EX1) or transit (T1) declaration — the key to tracking the goods and confirming their exit.
EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification)
The registration number a company uses in EU customs operations — without it no export declaration can be lodged.
DT (declaration for goods, Russia)
The main document of import customs clearance in Russia: it states the tariff code, the customs value and the duty and VAT due.
TN VED (EAEU commodity code)
The 10-digit code that classifies any product imported into Russia — and determines the duty, VAT and certification requirements.
Incoterms
International rules (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and others) that define who pays for each stage of delivery and where risk passes from seller to buyer.
Consolidation
Collecting cargo from different suppliers at one warehouse so that it travels to Russia as a single shipment.
Cut-off
The deadline for cargo to reach the consolidation warehouse before a departure.
Bill of lading (B/L)
The sea “waybill” and at the same time a document of title: it confirms the goods are on board and entitles the holder to take delivery at the port…
CMR (international road consignment note)
The international consignment note for road transport — the key document for any claim if goods are damaged in transit.
Demurrage
The charge for a container staying in port beyond the free days granted by the shipping line.
Detention
The charge for keeping a container outside the port — on the road or at the consignee’s warehouse — beyond the free period.
THC (Terminal Handling Charge)
The terminal’s fee for handling a container in port — charged at both the port of loading and the port of discharge.
Freight
The charge for the carriage of goods itself (by sea or air), without terminal fees, insurance or customs.
SVH (temporary storage warehouse)
A licensed zone in Russia where goods stay under customs control until they are released.
Fumigation (ISPM 15)
Pest treatment of wooden packaging — pallets, crates and boxes — to the international ISPM 15 standard.
Commercial invoice
The supplier’s commercial invoice: exact description of the goods, codes, prices and Incoterms — the basis for the customs value.
Packing list
A packing list is the itemised list of packages in a shipment, with the weight and dimensions of each one.
Gross and net weight
Gross weight is the weight of the goods including packaging; net weight is the goods alone, without it.
Volumetric weight
Volumetric weight is the notional weight charged for light, bulky cargo: by air 1 m³ = 167 kg, by road 1 m³ = 250 kg.
Customs value
Customs value is the basis for calculating import duty and VAT: usually the invoice price plus the cost of delivery to the border of the EAEU.
Customs duty
Customs duty is a mandatory payment on import; the rate depends on the goods’ commodity code (HS / TN VED).
Import VAT
Import VAT is paid to Russian customs when the goods are released — by the importer, on top of the duty.
Multimodal transport
Multimodal transport is delivery by several modes of transport under a single contract and with a single operator responsible.
EUR.1
EUR.1 is a certificate of origin that grants tariff preferences where a trade agreement exists — but not for imports into Russia.
Certification and declaration of conformity (EAC)
Proof that a product is safe: an EAC certificate or declaration of conformity, without which many goods cannot be released by EAEU customs.
Chestny Znak labelling
Chestny Znak (“Honest Sign”) is Russia’s mandatory labelling of certain goods with unique Data Matrix codes.
Dangerous goods (ADR/IMDG)
Dangerous goods are cargo with special transport requirements, classified by hazard class.
Reefer container
A reefer is a refrigerated container that holds a set temperature throughout the journey.
Oversized cargo
Oversized (out-of-gauge) cargo exceeds the standard dimensions or weight limits of the vehicle.
General cargo
General cargo is packaged goods shipped as individual pieces — cartons, pallets, crates, drums.
Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off)
Ro-Ro is the sea transport of vehicles and machinery that drive onto the ship under their own power.
Customs warehouse
A customs warehouse is a procedure for storing imported goods under customs control without paying duty and VAT straight away.
Security for customs payments
Security for customs payments is a guarantee that duty and VAT will be paid, required for example in transit or when goods are released conditionally.
Pre-arrival information
Pre-arrival information is the mandatory electronic notice of a consignment sent to customs before it reaches the border.
What you will find here
Glossary
37 terms you need to read any freight invoice — from LCL and EX1 to demurrage and customs value.
Guides
Short practical guides for exporters and their Russian customers, each a 3–5 minute read.
In-depth reviews
13 detailed articles on payments, regulation and delivery routes, with the date each was last checked.
Ask a specialist
Did not find the answer? A working logistician or customs broker replies — not a bot.
Guides for exporters
In-depth reviews
13 articles on payments, regulation and delivery routes. The regulatory reviews carry the date on which they were last checked against the legislation in force: freight from Europe on 18.09.2026, the GosLog register on 20.08.2026, and import VAT, the environmental fee, Chestny Znak labelling and the recycling fee on 19.09.2026.
Routes and supply models
Russian regulation in 2026
Glossary: 37 terms you need to read any freight invoice
Did not find the answer? Ask a specialist — free of charge
Send your question on foreign trade, customs or freight to info@tranzit3.ru. A working logistician or customs broker answers, not a bot, within one business day (Mon–Fri 9:00–19:00 Moscow time). The best questions make it into the encyclopedia.
Wholesale only
We work only with companies and sole traders. Shipments from 50 kg (air: no weight limit), minimum service fee €200. We do not accept personal parcels or retail purchases.
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