Freight forwarders are integral to the supply chain and global maritime trade. They act as the intermediary between a company that makes the shipment and the final destination for the goods. All in all, freight forwarders do not carry out the shipments themselves. They only offer different transport modes for the shipment; it could be air, rail, sea, or road transport.
To negotiate the best possible price, freight forwarders leverage their trusted contacts with carriers and partners. This could range from trucking companies, air transport specialties to transoceanic lines. Freight forwarders can accomplish their roles by using know commercial routes with frequent departures, chartering, evaluating several offers, and selecting the best route that optimizes time, cost, and reliability.
That said, in this article, we will delve more into the role of a freight forwarder and why you need one. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
What are the Roles of a Freight Forwarder?
When it comes to international shipping, there is a lot that goes into it. While a freight forwarder handles the details of your international shipment, they don’t actually move the freight itself. The freight forwarder is mostly just an intermediary between whoever makes a shipment and the various transportation services.
Freight forwarding takes advantage of already established relationships to offer fast, reliable, and cost-effective solutions. Freight forwarders handle the complicated logistics of transporting goods from one country to another, a task that would otherwise be a huge burden for their clients.
With that in mind, here are some of the capabilities a well-established freight forwarder should have;
- They should be experienced in all modes of freight transportation
- Freight forwarders should provide efficient and cost-effective solutions for cargo shipping
- They should be able to arrange storage solutions for the cargo
- The freight forwarder should be able to arrange the best freight forwarding of the cargo
- They should be able to negotiate freight rates with the selected shipping lines
- Freight forwarders should be able to process the relevant shipping documents
- Also, they should be able to arrange for customs clearance of the shipment
Why Do You Need a Freight Forwarder?
There is always a lot that goes into importing and exporting goods. The entire process involves a lot of documentation and regulations. For that reason, it’s good to have a freight forwarder as the ideal logistics partner when exporting and importing goods across international borders. The freight forwarder’s task is to take care of the documentation, the customs laws of the different countries, and the ideal shipping companies.
You save yourself the time and headache of looking for reliable shipment companies at the best market rates with a reliable freight forwarding service. A freight forwarder is always an asset to any company that deals in the international transportation of goods and possibly aren’t aware of what goes into the international shipping procedures.
In Summary
The freight forwarder will take care of cargo from the dock to your door if required. That’s regardless of the size of the company or the weight of the shipment. This may involve the proper filing of export documentation, carrier arrangements, packing, crating, and storage requirements. As a result, the exporter does not have to deal with many logistics of exporting their goods. And given the forwarder’s years of knowledge and consistent attention to detail, it could be a solid investment.