Big complexities are involved as regards the international trade. It requires fulfillment of important paper work, laws governing the business activities and other key aspects that need to be adhered to in strict manners. The ordinary tradesmen may not be as competent as most of them are the laymen without sufficient knowledge about international trade regulations. A freight forwarder may be defined as the firm that specializes for making viable arrangements for shipping and storage of merchandise on behalf of the shippers. Services like preparing the export/shipping documents, tracking inland transportation, booking cargo space, warehousing, freight consolidation and negotiating freight charges, insurance of cargo and filing of the insurance claims etc. are generally expected by the shippers. Own bills of lading or air waybills are generally used by freight companies for shipping of goods while their counterparts or agents known as the overseas freight forwarders arrange document-delivery, freight collection and deconsolidation etc. In short, the freight forwarders like European freight companies arrange the importing and exporting of the requisite goods.
What do we expect from a freight forwarder – Making the international shipping to move in smooth manners requires these guys to do lot of work. It may be understood that the freight forwarders do not actually move freight on their own. They are the guys that act as intermediaries between the shippers and varied transportation services like ocean shipping on cargo ships, expedited shipping by air freight, trucking or moving the goods through railways. Best possible prices are negotiated by the freight forwarders that enjoy cordial relations with air freighters, carriers, trucking companies, ocean liners and the rail freighters. Shipper’s’ goods get moved along the most viable and economical route with the sincere efforts of European freight companies and other such prominent concerns that choose the best which is able to ensure cost, reliability and rapidity. Handling the considerable logistics of shipping goods from one global destination to the other are also the expectations of the shippers.
To put it the other way, the freight forwarders may be considered as the shipping agents as regards shipping requirements / documents. Exporters avail the services of these worthy guys that advise and help their clients about movement of goods in efficient manners. Extensive knowledge on the part of these persons/companies about the regulations, requirements, documents, costs of transportation and banking practices go a long way in dealing with the goods that are to be moved by them.
It is the following significant tasks that are handled well by the freight forwarding companies:
- Handling of ancillary services including the ones associated with international shipping business. It involves insurance and customs documentation.
- Facilitation of Bills of Lading, Risk assessment / management, non-vessel operating common carrier documents and warehousing to the consolidators and the individual shippers too. Methods of international payments, satisfactory interaction and great customer services are expected from European freight companies and other forwarders.
Those needing the valuable services of the freight companies must consider the above that are usually expected by the importers/exporters.