As the saying goes, it’s the little things. In logistics, the seemingly little things like freight forwarders become the bigger things.
Such forwarders are the unsung heroes of the shipping industry. Wondering who, exactly, they are and what they do? Keep reading to find out.
The All-Important Freight Forwarders
What’s a freight forwarder? It transports goods from one destination to another. Freight forwarding companies handle the entire shipping process, from storage to shipping.
They’re the middleman between the shipper and transportation services. They work with carriers to negotiate prices and choose routes.
Freight forwarders make life less stressful for your company. They’re your supply chain guru, helping with everything from the packing and warehouse steps to the customs procedure.
They can also easily manage the documentation for international imports and exports. Insurance and inventory management are up their alley too.
Freight forwarding can be broken down into six stages. These are export haulage, export customs clearance, origin handling, import customs clearance, destination handling, and import haulage.
Let’s start with the first stage: export haulage. This is when goods are transferred from the source to the freight forwarder’s warehouse.
Next is export customs clearance. This clears the goods to leave their country of origin.
Origin handling is the unloading, inspection, and validation of the goods against their booking documents. Then, import customs clearance is when the authorities check your cargo’s customs paperwork.
Destination handling is managing cargo at the destination office. That includes transferring it to the import warehouse.
Finally, import haulage is transferring cargo from the import warehouse to the final destination.
Fraught With Freight
Freight forwarders clearly do a lot. They don’t do it all, though.
They won’t handle alcohol, batteries, and prescription or recreational drugs. Sharp objects, perishable items, flammable liquids, toxic items, and other dangerous goods are a no-go as well.
Don’t sweat the paperwork. Your freight forwarder should take care of all of it. They should supply you with all relevant documents.
These include a Bill of Lading contract, commercial invoice, certificate of origin statement, and inspection certificate. An export packing list, export license, and a shippers export declaration document are also included.
Last, let’s talk about money. Freight forwarding usually involves three charges: an air/road/sea shipping fee, a pickup charge, and a forwarder handling charge. The final such charge runs from $35 to $75.
Runaway Freight Train
Basketball great LeBron James is often compared to a runaway freight train. When he pushes full-steam ahead down the court for a fastbreak finish, he’s unstoppable.
Forwarders can make your freight as unstoppable as LeBron. They are the full-service intermediaries of the shipping industry. They’re the Alfred Pennyworth to your Wayne Enterprises.
Freight forwarders wait at your beck and call. All you have to do is reach out to them today.
Get a quote on a forwarder by contacting GENEX, your complete logistics solution provider.