Understanding the Shipping Note: A Complete Guide to the SSN
A Shipping Note, also called a Standard Shipping Note (SSN), is the document Ship Cars Ltd sends you before your vehicle is delivered to the UK port. It authorises the port terminal to accept your vehicle, confirms the booking details, and must be presented at the port gate on delivery day. Without it, you will be refused access and the vehicle will not be accepted. ShipCars issues the SSN electronically by email once your booking form is completed and confirmed.
What Is a Standard Shipping Note (SSN)?
A Standard Shipping Note (SSN) is a document used across the UK shipping industry as the official instruction to a port terminal to receive cargo. For vehicle shipments, it serves as the authorisation document that confirms your vehicle has been booked onto a specific vessel and that the port terminal should accept it on delivery.
The SSN is issued by Ship Cars Ltd electronically by email after you complete the online booking form. You must print it, or have it available on your phone, and present it at the port gate when delivering your vehicle. It is your entry pass to the port for that specific shipment.
The term shipping note dates back to traditional sea freight, where a handwritten note was addressed to the mate of the vessel requesting receipt of goods. In modern international shipping, the SSN is a standardised digital document that has largely replaced the historical mate’s receipt — though the purpose remains the same: to formally instruct the terminal to accept your cargo.
What Information Does the SSN Contain?
ShipCars generates the SSN from the information provided on your booking form. Every field on the booking form directly contributes to the accuracy of the SSN, which is why completing it correctly is one of the most important steps in the shipping process.
Your SSN will contain the following information:
The full name and address of the shipper — the person or company sending the vehicle from the UK. The full name and address of the consignee — the person or entity receiving the vehicle at the destination. The vehicle registration number and chassis (VIN) number. The make, model, and colour of the vehicle. The booking reference number assigned by ShipCars. The name of the vessel and the voyage number. The UK port of export — for example Southampton or Sheerness. The destination port of arrival. The ETS (Estimated Time of Sailing) — the scheduled departure date. The ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) at the destination port.
Every piece of information on the SSN must match the vehicle exactly. If the VIN on the SSN differs from the VIN on the vehicle presented at the port, the terminal will reject it until the discrepancy is resolved. This is why ShipCars cross-checks all booking form details before issuing the SSN.
Why Is the SSN Essential?
The SSN is not optional documentation. It serves three critical functions simultaneously.
It is your authorisation to enter the port. UK port terminals are restricted areas. Private individuals cannot enter without documented authorisation. The SSN, alongside your personal identification, is what grants you access through the port gate. Without it you will be turned away.
It instructs the terminal how to handle your cargo. The SSN carries the handling instructions for your specific vehicle — which vessel it is being loaded onto, which destination it is bound for, and how it should be stored until loading. Port staff use the SSN to locate, track, and manage your vehicle from receipt to loading.
It initiates the chain of shipping documentation. Once the terminal accepts your vehicle against the SSN, the receipt triggers the creation of the Bill of Lading — the primary legal document of title for the shipment. Without a correctly completed SSN, the Bill of Lading cannot be generated accurately.
How Ship Cars Ltd Issues Your SSN
When you complete the ShipCars booking form at booking form, your details are entered into our shipping management system. Once the booking is confirmed and the vessel space is secured, ShipCars generates the SSN and sends it to you by email, typically within one business day of booking confirmation.
The SSN is sent in advance of your delivery date to give you time to print it or save it to your phone. Do not leave for the port without confirming you have received and can present the SSN.
If you have not received your SSN within two business days of booking confirmation, contact ShipCars immediately — do not arrive at the port without it.
What Happens If You Arrive Without the SSN?
Port terminals operate on documented authorisation. An individual arriving at the port gate without the correct SSN will be refused entry regardless of the circumstances. The vehicle cannot be accepted without the SSN present and verified.
If you have lost or not received your SSN, call ShipCars on 01495 320540 before travelling to the port. We can reissue or resend the document. Do not make the journey to the port until you have the SSN confirmed in your hand or on your device.
Related Documents
The SSN is one of several shipping documents involved in an international vehicle export. Other key documents include the Bill of Lading, the Commercial Invoice, and the HMRC export declaration. For a complete guide to all documentation required for shipping a car from the UK: Car Shipping Documents Required
For the online booking form that generates your SSN: Ship Cars Ltd Booking Form
Contact us today for further information or visit our sailing schedule and get anant quote inst to schedule your car shipping with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Shipping Note (SSN)?
A Standard Shipping Note (SSN) is the document that authorises a UK port terminal to accept your vehicle for a specific shipment. It confirms your booking details, vessel information, and delivery instructions. ShipCars issues the SSN by email after your booking form is completed and confirmed.
How do I get my Shipping Note from Ship Cars Ltd?
Complete the online booking form at shipcars.co.uk/booking-form. Once your booking is confirmed and vessel space is secured, ShipCars generates and emails your SSN, typically within one business day. Print it or save it to your phone before travelling to the port.
What happens if I forget to bring the Shipping Note to the port?
You will be refused entry to the port and your vehicle will not be accepted. Port terminals require documented authorisation for entry. If you have lost or not received your SSN, call ShipCars on 01495 320540 before travelling — do not make the journey without it.
What information is on the Shipping Note?
The SSN contains the shipper and consignee names and addresses, the vehicle registration and VIN number, the make and model of the vehicle, the booking reference, vessel name and voyage number, the UK port of export, the destination port, and the estimated sailing and arrival dates.
Is the Shipping Note the same as the Bill of Lading?
No. The SSN is the port delivery instruction that authorises the terminal to accept your vehicle. The Bill of Lading is the legal document of title issued after the vehicle is loaded onto the vessel. The SSN is a UK port document. The Bill of Lading is the primary international shipping document used throughout the voyage and at destination customs clearance.
