Bianca BarathWho
is a freight forwarder?
Let’s
say you run your business from the USA but you have buyers from other
countries. How do you ensure that your product reaches the buyer
waiting for it on his shore? That is where you need a freight
forwarder. An international freight forwarder is an agent for the
exporter and can move cargo from “dock-to-door.
That
is not all that he does.
Here
are 5 ways in which freight forwarders can help you with
international logistics:
1. Advice
on various costs involved:
You
can expect well rounded advice on exporting costs inclusive of all
hidden charges like freight costs, port charges, consular fees, costs
of special documentation, insurance costs and freight handling fees
from the freight forwarder. So, when you find a freight forwarder,
you needn’t think about what last minute charges and delays due to
these charges might occur during the course of delivery.
2. Documentation:
International
consignments require a lot of documentation. And freight forwarders
will help you prepare and file the required export documentation,
routing appropriate documents to the seller, the buyer or a paying
bank. He has a pre-planned list of documents that you can fill.
3. Advice
on mode of transport:
Freight
forwarders help you choose the most appropriate mode of cargo
transport and make arrangements to pack and load the cargo wherever
necessary. They take into account cost and time to come up with an
optimal plan for your cargo. And since they handle everything in
between, you can relax and no worry knowing that your freight
forwarder does everything through the journey. At no point, would
your cargo be unattended to.
4. Reserving
the necessary cargo space on a vessel, aircraft, train, or truck.
Your
freight forwarder reserves cargo space required for your package in
the necessary mode of transport. If there are several stops and
changes throughout the journey, the freight forwarder takes care of
all these reservations and can also manage last minute changes.
5. Compliance
with international regulations
International
freight forwarders are adept at making arrangements with overseas
customs brokers to ensure that the goods and documents comply with
customs regulations within the specific country. You need not worry
about compliance with the destination country’s legal regulations
with regard to your parcel. If there are issues, the freight
forwarder will let you know well in advance.
Also check out other related blog
https://blog.lateshipment.com/post/149649176865/3-biggest-freight-shipping-mistakes