What Is a Freight Forwarder?
By Jay Blue

A freight forwarder is someone used by companies that deal in worldwide or multi national export and import services. A freight forwarder doesn't actually move the goods itself but rather acts as a third party between the customer and the transport of the goods whether it be by air freight, ocean or sea liners or road haulage distribution. Rail is another type of transportation, however, this is rare in Western Europe. The client seeks a freight forwarder who they see can take care of the all the necessary requirements to get the freight to the clients proposed destination.

The best freight forwarders in the world usually guarantee an agreed time slot for when the goods should arrive and also to make sure the goods arrive in the same condition as they were shipped. The freight forwarder organises the best possible solution for moving the freight and chooses this by going along with the best balance of cost, reliability and speed.

The client is usually given one or two estimates of costs by the freight forwarding company. Special requirements could effect the price however such as potentially hazardous materials or refrigeration cargo. Once the client revises each cost he or she has received, they go along with the best one and arrange for their goods to be shipped. The freight forwarding company then organises the transportation of the goods from point of origin to destination.

There are a lot of advantages of using a freight forwarding company for the reason that it handles all the necessary documentation that is required and part of the international shipping business. Examples of these are customs and clearance documentation and insurance. The freight forwarding company, as a consolidator, might also provide Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) documentation or bills of lading. Usually with international shipping there are other services provided such as warehousing, management and risk assessment as well as methods of international payment are also common services that the freight forwarding company provides the client.

A professional freight forwarding company that is good at it's job can save the client a lot of stress while at the same time providing a reliable transportation service of the goods at competitive rates. Any company that deals with the international transportation of goods, a freight forwarder is always an asset and is especially helpful when their own in-house resources are not versed in international worldwide shipping procedures.

Jay Blue is Operations Manager of AA Economy Freight an Irish based freight shipping company which was established in 1988 and operate a successful international freight forwarding department for transportation of goods worldwide by air, sea and road.

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