Physical Inspection refers to the enforcement action by customs or inspection and quarantine authorities, based on laws, regulations, or risk assessment, to conduct on-site examinations of import and export goods, including actual opening of containers, verification, and sampling. Unlike X-ray scanning, physical inspection is more thorough but takes longer and costs more. It commonly occurs in scenarios such as customs targeting, random spot checks, abnormal declarations, or sensitive commodities. In practice, note that inspection usually incurs extra costs such as terminal handling charges, devanning fees, and container demurrage; if false declaration is found, penalties, downgrading, or even anti-smuggling investigation may follow. Compared with X-ray scanning, physical inspection focuses more on the consistency between goods and documents; as opposed to release, inspection is a possible step before release. Foreign trade practitioners should ensure goods match documents, prepare packing lists and invoices in advance, and allow time for inspection to avoid delays in shipping schedule or extra costs.
📝 Examples
1. Customs notified our company that this batch of electronic products requires physical inspection; please arrange personnel to be present as soon as possible to assist with opening the containers. (Note: operational requirements after receiving an inspection notice in actual business)
2. Because the declared product name did not match the actual goods, the shipment was subject to customs physical inspection, resulting in three days of port detention and additional costs. (Note: consequences of physical inspection triggered by declaration issues)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
Foreign trade terms are the foundation of international business communication
Trade practices may vary slightly by country; pay attention when using them
When using terms in contracts, specify the applicable version (e.g., Incoterms 2020)
For unfamiliar terms, use GlobalSync's multilingual email helper to confirm with your partner