As the world is becoming more welcoming to the global markets, businesses no longer settle just for their domestic reach, they aim to expand globally. While domestic freight maybe simple, international freight and trade is complex. At this point, a company evaluates whether it needs an in-house logistics arm or whether it should partner with a freight forwarder.

Who is a Freight Forwarder?

Simply put, freight forwarders are a part of the logistics business and help you move your goods / cargo from one destination to the other.

But that’s not it, there is a lot more to this. A freight forwarder not only helps you arrange transport of your goods or unfinished products from manufacturing unit to the global market, but also takes care of import and/or export of your goods to and from international markets. They help you in international trade of your business by facilitating logistics transportation, lowering costs and adhere to compliance.

What Do Freight Forwarders Help With?

Freight forwarders do not actually move your cargo, rather they arrange logistics and transportation of your cargo through one or more modes – air, sea or land, to ensure your goods reach the destination securely, at the specified budget and time.

Freight forwarders leverage their network of agents and carriers across air, road and sea shippers to calculate the optimized time, price and mode that best suits your cargo.

Freight Forwarders understand the trade laws and compliance of other countries, the operations of trucking companies, ocean liners and air carriers, and suggest the best solution for your need.

Services Offered by Freight Forwarders

• Advice on mode of shipment – A good freight forwarder will provide you with options for transportation modes and will suggest the best one based on your budget, time and type of goods
• Shipping documentation and compliance – A freight forwarder is responsible for streamlining the shipping operations for you, as international shipping requires:
  • labeling of content, type of goods in the shipment itemized list of products and their documentation
  • bill of lading – a contract between the shipper and you
  • certificate of origin that details the exact location from where the product is being exported and it’s value
  • There are many other documentation procedures along the way that a freight forwarder takes care of
• Custom Clearance – A freight forwarder often offers custom clearance services given their experience and knowledge with the custom authorities of various countries to ensure you stay worry free while your goods cross the international borders. There maybe an additional fee or brokerage that may be involved for the procedure.
• Storage – Many freight forwarders also offer warehousing and storage space for shipments, but this again based on their expanse and reach
• Bundling, Packaging and the likes – You may have requirements that involve bundling or assembling of your shipments before they reach their final destination. Many freight forwarders can facilitate this for you
• Local Transport – In addition to helping you ship your goods from one port to the other, freight forwarders also offer last mile delivery or local transport of your goods from the port to the warehouse

Choosing A Freight Forwarder For Your Business

Now that you know what exactly a freight forwarder is and how they can help you, it is time you wisely evaluate and pick the best one for your business. When looking for freight forwarders on Google, you will be swamped with local and big players in your area, it is important you evaluate them based on your requirement, you can find some help from our previous blog post – Tips To Evaluate and Choose The Right Freight Forwarder For Your Business

Also, consider evaluating ProConnect, a Redington company, for your shipment requirements to and from Middle East and Africa. ProConnect has proved to be excellent in freight forwarding for various industry verticals and also offers tailored shipping and warehousing services to accommodate your needs in the best possible way. ProConnect also facilitates value added services to further aid your distribution with packing, labeling, bundling, installation and other such services. You can easily inquire more about our services or simply evaluate our quote here.