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International Shipping Terms and Conditions
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International Shipping Terms and Conditions
Specialist vehicle shipping agent — UK to 190+ destinations worldwide
Ascope Shipping Services Ltd — Standard Trading Conditions
Please read these terms carefully. They set out the basis on which Ascope Shipping Services Ltd (“we”, “our”, “us”) provide international vehicle and cargo shipping services. By booking a shipment with us, you agree to be bound by these terms. Some clauses limit our liability or require you to indemnify us in certain circumstances, so please take the time to understand them before booking. If anything is unclear, get in touch with our team before you confirm your shipment.
Ascope Shipping Services Ltd is a UK-registered company (Company No. 08560381), with our registered office at One Business Village, West Dock Street, Hull, HU3 4HH. We provide international vehicle and cargo shipping services, including RoRo, container, and groupage shipping from UK ports to destinations worldwide.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Company | Ascope Shipping Services Ltd |
| Customer | Any person at whose request, or on whose behalf, the Company undertakes any business or provides advice, information, or services |
| Consignee | The person or business to whom the goods are consigned |
| Direct Representative | The Company acting in the name of, and on behalf of, the Customer and/or Owner with HM Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) |
| Goods | The vehicle, cargo, or personal effects to which any business under these conditions relates |
| Person | Any natural person, or any body or bodies corporate |
| Owner | The owner of the Goods or Transport Unit, and any other person who is, or may become, interested in them |
| Transport Unit | Any packing case, pallet, container, trailer, or other device used in connection with the carriage of Goods by land, sea, or air |
Subject to the paragraph below, all activities carried out by the Company, whether paid or not, are undertaken subject to these conditions.
Where any UK or international law, regulation, or directive applies compulsorily to a shipment, these conditions are read alongside that law, not instead of it. Nothing in these conditions should be read as the Company giving up any of its legal rights, or as increasing its responsibilities beyond what the law requires. If any part of these conditions conflicts with such legislation, only that part is affected to the extent of the conflict; the rest remains in force.
By booking with us, the Customer confirms that they are either the Owner of the goods or the Owner’s authorised agent, and that they accept these conditions both for themselves and on the Owner’s behalf.
Depending on the service booked, Ascope Shipping may act as your agent (arranging shipping on your behalf with third-party carriers) or as a principal (providing the shipping service directly). We reserve the right to choose the shipping method, route, and carrier we consider most suitable, unless we’ve specifically agreed otherwise with you in writing.
Where we act as your agent, you authorise us to enter into contracts with shipping lines, port operators, and other third parties on your behalf, even where those contracts are subject to that third party’s own terms and conditions.
All quotations provided by Ascope Shipping are estimates based on the information you give us at the time, including vehicle dimensions, weight, condition, and destination. Quotes may change if:
| Reason for change | Example |
|---|---|
| Inaccurate information provided | Incorrect vehicle dimensions or weight |
| Rate changes before booking is confirmed | Shipping line rates, fuel surcharges, or port charges |
| Different shipping method required | Vehicle doesn’t fit original RoRo/container assumption |
We’ll always confirm any change in cost with you before proceeding. A quotation is not a confirmed booking until we’ve received your acceptance and any required deposit or payment.
When you book with us, you’re confirming that:
If the information you provide turns out to be inaccurate, or your vehicle isn’t properly prepared, you may be responsible for any resulting delays, storage charges, or additional costs.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Weapons and controlled items | Firearms, ammunition, illegal drugs, controlled substances |
| Hazardous goods | Undeclared dangerous or flammable goods |
| Restricted animals | Livestock, live animals not separately arranged |
| High-security items | Bullion, precious stones, high-value valuables (unless separately agreed) |
If you ship, or attempt to ship, prohibited or undeclared restricted goods, you’ll be responsible for any resulting loss, damage, fines, or penalties, and you agree to cover any costs we incur as a result.
Half of the total invoice amount payment is due before your vehicle or cargo is loaded and the rest to be paid by a week after the vessel has sailed, unless we’ve agreed a different payment schedule with you in writing. We accept the payment by bank transfer or pay cash in the bank. Late payment may result in your shipment being delayed or your booking being cancelled.
If any duties, taxes, or destination charges become payable and haven’t been settled by the consignee, you as the customer remain responsible for these costs.
| Situation | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Cancelled before booking confirmed with shipping line, and before collection arranged | Full refund |
| Cancelled after booking confirmed or collection arranged | Cancellation fee applies; remaining balance refunded to original payment method, minus fee and any non-recoverable third-party costs |
To request a cancellation, contact our team with your booking reference number. We aim to process cancellation requests within 10 working days and will confirm the outcome by email.
If you, the consignee, or the vehicle owner fail to collect the goods at the agreed time and place, we may store the goods at your risk and expense. Storage charges will apply, and our liability for the goods ends once they’re placed into storage on these terms.
Where goods remain uncollected for an extended period, and we’ve been unable to reach you despite reasonable efforts, we reserve the right to dispose of the goods after giving reasonable written notice, in line with UK law.
We strongly recommend marine cargo insurance for every shipment. Please note: standard UK motor insurance does not cover international sea transit in almost every case.
We will only arrange insurance on your behalf where you’ve specifically requested it in writing and we’ve confirmed acceptance in writing. Any insurance we arrange is subject to the insurer’s own policy terms, conditions, and exclusions. Where we act as your agent for insurance purposes, our own liability limits (see Section 11) do not apply to that specific arrangement, since we’re simply passing your instructions to the insurer.
If you choose not to take out marine cargo insurance, you accept that your goods travel without cover beyond the limited liability set out in Section 11 below, and you do so at your own risk.
We carry out our services with reasonable care, skill, and diligence. That said, like all freight forwarders and shipping agents, our liability is limited in certain circumstances, as set out below.
We are not liable for loss or damage caused by:
Unless a special arrangement has been agreed in writing, we do not guarantee specific departure or arrival dates. Shipping schedules can be affected by weather, port congestion, customs delays, and vessel availability, none of which are within our control.
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Notify us in writing of a claim | Within 14 days of becoming aware of the issue |
| Formally start any legal claim | Within 9 months of the event occurring |
Claims made outside these windows may not be accepted, except where it was genuinely impossible for you to meet the deadline and you’ve raised the claim as soon as reasonably possible afterwards.
Where we act on your behalf with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), we do so strictly as your appointed representative for customs purposes. We’ll handle export declarations, NOVA submissions (where applicable), and other standard documentation as part of our service, based on the information and instructions you provide.
You remain responsible for ensuring your vehicle or cargo meets all destination country import requirements, including any pre-shipment inspection certificates, import permits, or age restrictions that may apply. Import rules vary by country and can change without notice, so always confirm current requirements with our team or the destination country’s customs authority before you commit to a purchase or shipment.
| Shipment type | Key requirement |
|---|---|
| RoRo | Vehicle must be roadworthy, driveable, and prepared per our pre-shipment checklist |
| Container | Personal effects/spare parts may travel inside, subject to destination customs rules and accurate packing list declaration |
| Electric and hybrid vehicles | Container shipping only, in line with maritime dangerous goods regulations; battery charge must meet shipping line requirements |
| Classic, high-value, non-running vehicles | Container shipping as standard; agreed-value insurance policy recommended |
We accept no responsibility for delays, refusals of entry, or additional costs arising from destination country vehicle age restrictions, emissions standards, or import eligibility rules that were not disclosed to us, or that changed after booking.
We may use third parties to carry out part or all of a shipment, including shipping lines, port agents, haulage companies, and destination clearing agents. Where we do this, we remain your main point of contact and take responsibility for coordinating the shipment, but the actual carriage, handling, or storage may be governed by that third party’s own terms and conditions where relevant.
We choose our third-party partners carefully based on reliability and track record, but we’re not liable for losses caused by circumstances genuinely outside our control once goods are in a sub-contractor’s care, beyond the liability limits set out in Section 11.
We collect and use your personal information (such as your name, contact details, vehicle information, and payment details) to process your booking, arrange shipping, and communicate with you about your shipment. We handle your data in line with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
We will not share your personal information with third parties except where necessary to arrange your shipment (for example, with shipping lines, customs authorities, or destination agents), or where we’re legally required to do so. For full details on how we collect, use, and protect your information, please see our separate Privacy Policy on our website.
If you’re using our website to request a quote, submit an enquiry, or book a service, you agree to provide accurate and up-to-date information. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any booking where information provided is found to be false or misleading.
Content on our website, including text, pricing information, and images, is provided for general guidance and is updated regularly, but shipping rates and transit times shown online are indicative only and subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
We may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, industry regulations, or legal requirements. The version published on our website at the time of your booking applies to that shipment. We’d encourage you to review these terms periodically if you ship with us regularly.
These terms, and any contract to which they apply, are governed by the law of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from these terms or from a shipment booked with us is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
If you have any questions about these terms, or need to discuss a booking, claim, or cancellation, please get in touch:
Ascope Shipping Services Ltd
One Business Village, West Dock Street, Hull, HU3 4HH
Phone: 01482 228366
Email: sales@ascopeshipping.co.uk