The packing list is the inventory document for a shipment. It tells the carrier what is in the container, tells customs what to check, and tells the buyer what to expect on arrival. Unlike the commercial invoice which carries financial information, the packing list carries physical information, package count, weights, dimensions, batch numbers.
What the packing list must show
A complete packing list for a chemical shipment lists, line by line:
- Package count by type, e.g. “80 × 200L steel drums” or “20 × 1m³ HDPE IBC totes”
- Net weight per package, the weight of the chemical contents alone
- Gross weight per package, net weight plus the empty package weight (the tare)
- Total net and gross weight for the shipment
- Dimensions, length × width × height per package, total cubic metres for the shipment
- Batch numbers, production batch references that match the COA
- Package marks, the shipping marks stencilled on each package (e.g. “SOURZI / HOUSTON / PO 2026-1234 / 1 OF 80”)
- Country of origin, must match the certificate of origin
For DG cargo, the packing list also carries the UN number, hazard class, and packing group for each substance, duplicating information from the DG Declaration so the carrier and the destination customs can cross-reference.
Reconciliation against other documents
The packing list line items must reconcile against three other documents:
| Field | Reconciles against |
|---|---|
| Substance and quantity | Commercial Invoice |
| Batch number | COA |
| UN number / class / PG | MSDS Section 14, DG Declaration |
| Total weight and volume | Bill of Lading |
A discrepancy in any direction triggers questions at destination customs. Customs entry filings rely on the packing list as the physical-quantity source; the commercial invoice is the financial source. If the two disagree, customs holds the cargo until the discrepancy is reconciled.
Common packing list errors
Across hundreds of containers we have caught five recurring errors:
- Net weight overstated. Factory writes “200kg per drum net” when the actual fill is 195kg per drum (close to the rated capacity but rounded up on paperwork). Cumulative discrepancy at destination is hundreds of kilograms across a full container, which can shift duty calculations.
- Gross weight wrong by the tare. Factory uses “200L drum, 200kg net, 200kg gross”, forgetting that the empty drum itself weighs 18 to 24 kg. Carrier load planning relies on accurate gross weight; understating it by the tare can push the container over its weight allowance at the load port.
- Batch number missing or generic. The packing list says “batch 2024-04” without specifying which exact batch each drum carries. The COA references specific batch numbers. Reconciliation breaks. Inspection cannot verify which drums correspond to which COA results.
- Package count error. Factory writes “80 drums” but actually loads 78 (two drums failed final QC and were pulled). Packing list not updated. Destination receiving short-receipts the cargo and the buyer raises a discrepancy.
- Country of origin mismatch. Packing list shows “China” but the certificate of origin or commercial invoice references a different processing country for sub-components. Important for tariff preference under ChAFTA or other FTAs.
Practical sourcing notes
For every shipment we ship, the factory’s packing list crosses our desk before the cargo seals. We reconcile it against the commercial invoice (substance and quantity), the COA (batch numbers), and the MSDS (UN number for DG cargo). If any of the four sets of numbers disagrees, the discrepancy is fixed at the factory before vessel booking. Catching errors before sailing costs nothing; catching them at destination customs costs days of demurrage and re-filings.
Related terms
Commercial Invoice is the financial document that pairs with the packing list. BOL is the carrier document that references the packing list weights. COA supplies the batch numbers that must match the packing list line items.