If you are new to trade intelligence, the first question is usually: should I buy Bill of Lading data, customs data, or both? The answer depends on what you are trying to achieve.
Bill of Lading data
Sourced from ocean shipping manifests. Strongest for contact details (shipper, consignee, notify party), shipment tracking, ports, carriers and container volumes.
Customs data
Sourced from official customs declarations. Strongest for financial detail — declared values, duties, taxes, tax IDs and incoterms — and for accurate market sizing.
Which should you buy?
| Your goal | Best dataset |
|---|---|
| Find and contact suppliers/buyers | Bill of Lading |
| Benchmark prices & duties | Customs |
| Track a competitor's shipments | Bill of Lading |
| Size a product market | Customs |
| Full 360° view | Both |
Explore both in our Bill of Lading and Customs databases.
Ready to explore real trade data?
Search Bill of Lading & customs data for 140 countries.
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