GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 18, 2026

Certificate of Origin for Sea Freight

When a sea freight shipment arrives at its destination port, customs authorities rely on the Certificate of Origin to determine where the goods were manufactured or substantially processed – and consequently which duty rate applies.

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Last updated: 18 June 2026Published: 22 November 2025

Source: https://www.trade.gov/certificate-origin

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Definition & Explanation

When a sea freight shipment arrives at its destination port, customs authorities rely on the Certificate of Origin to determine where the goods were manufactured or substantially processed – and consequently which duty rate applies. The document is requested by the exporter and issued by the Chamber of Commerce or an authorized body in the country of export. Under bilateral trade agreements or GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) schemes, goods from eligible countries may qualify for reduced or zero-rate duties, making the certificate a commercially significant document. Errors, omissions, or a missing certificate can trigger tariff reclassification, delayed clearance, or back-payment of duties. The standard Certificate of Origin should be distinguished from preferential certificates such as EUR.1 movement certificates or origin declarations used within specific trade agreement frameworks.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Certificate of Origin for Sea Freight (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/certificate-of-origin-for-sea-freight), accessed 2026-11-05
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Certificate of Origin for Sea Freight. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/certificate-of-origin-for-sea-freight
BibTeX: @misc{certificateoforigin2025, title = {Certificate of Origin for Sea Freight}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/certificate-of-origin-for-sea-freight}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-11-05} }

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