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Insights & Guides

Practical Insights for Global Shippers

Deep-dive guides on international freight, customs clearance, trade lanes and import processes — written by SIMBA-LOG experts with 13+ years of hands-on experience moving cargo worldwide.

Import Guides 2026-04-19

Import from China to Israel 2026 — The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Full breakdown of Chinese export ports, transit times, how LCL and FCL pricing is structured, the types of local charges at Ashdod, customs clearance process, and the common mistakes first-time importers make.

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Import Guides 2026-04-20

Cosmetics Imports to Israel — CPNP, Notification, Labelling & PIF

The 2025 EU-alignment reform replaced per-product registration with a notification regime — CPNP record, Product Information File, Israeli Responsible Person, EU Regulation 1223/2009 annexes for substances, and Hebrew labelling.

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Import Guides 2026-04-20

Food Imports to Israel — EU Equivalence, Health Approval & Kashrut

Ministry of Health Food Service regulation, the 2025 EU-equivalence reform for standard packaged food, the five food categories, Hebrew labelling with red-stamp warnings, shelf-life rules, cold chain, and kashrut as a commercial reality.

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Industry Insights 2026-04-20

'What's Good for Europe is Good for Israel' — The 2025 Harmonisation Reform

The 1 January 2025 cross-ministry reform that accepts EU-directive compliance as basis for import into Israel — covering standardisation, food, and cosmetics. What changed, what didn't, and how importers use the three routes.

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Industry Insights 2026-04-20

'Don't Stop at Port' Reform — How Israel's 2024 Standardisation Reform Cuts Clearance Time

The 1 July 2024 reform that lets importers in Groups 2 and 3 release cargo using exemption codes 60–64 in Sha'ar Olami without a pre-submitted lab approval — what changed, who's covered, and where responsibility now sits.

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Pricing Transparency 2026-04-20

Import Taxation in Israel — Customs, Purchase Tax & VAT Explained

Three tax layers stacked, how Incoterms change the tax base, Israel's 48 trade agreements, Pan-Euro-Med and EUR.MED, the Bank of Israel customs exchange rate — everything that shapes your real landed cost.

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Basics 2026-04-20

Air Freight — Complete Guide to AWB, Volumetric Weight & Couriers

Freight vs Courier, the two dimensional-factor formulas (1:6 and 1:5), chargeable weight, Air Waybill (Master and House), IATA DGR for lithium batteries and DG, perishables, CEIV Pharma, and global cargo hubs.

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Basics 2026-04-20

Ocean Freight — Complete Guide to FCL, LCL, Containers & Surcharges

How ocean freight is actually priced — container types (20DV, 40HC, RF, OT, FR), BOX RATE vs W/M, carrier surcharges (BAF, LSS, WRP, PSS), free time, demurrage, Bills of Lading and global alliances.

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Basics 2026-04-20

Cargo Insurance — Complete Guide to ICC Clauses, General Average & Claims

ICC Clauses A/B/C, specific vs open-cover policies, General Average (and why it matters), mandatory cover under CIF/CIP, and the step-by-step claim process — everything a shipper needs before loading.

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Import Guides 2026-04-20

Import Legality in Israel — Complete Guide to Groups, Routes & Exemptions

The 4 import groups, the Kasis international-standards route, the Free Import Order 1979, exemption codes 60–64 introduced in the 'Don't Stop at Port' reform, and restricted origins — everything needed before booking.

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Basics 2026-04-20

Incoterms 2020 Explained — The Complete Guide for Importers & Exporters

All 11 Incoterms in 4 groups (E, F, C, D), the FOB-vs-FCA distinction every importer gets wrong, and why CIF/CIP are dangerous traps that look cheap on paper.

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