In the present scenario, several businesses choose a freight forwarding service than doing the transportation themselves. Apart from saving time, they also can concentrate on what they do best rather than spending time on logistics. It is especially the case when it comes to shipping goods internationally. We look at what freight forwarding is and what role they play, and how their services are beneficial for businesses.
Freight Forwarding
A licensed company that allows businesses to use their services to send goods internationally is a freight forwarding company. Strategic planning of logistics to ensure that the goods are delivered in time is what these companies specialize in.
They are experienced professionals capable of handling documentation, customs, and other standard protocols to ensure seamless transportation. They also have the potential to do a variety of different things, which makes the entire process affordable.
Negotiating rates, tracking containers, freight consolidation, and customs documentation are some things for which freight forwarders are responsible. In simpler terms, freight forwarding is the transportation of commodities across borders internationally.
There are many FBABEE freight forwarder experts who do an excellent job when it comes to handling commodities for businesses. Some companies have a proven track record, which makes companies associate with them regularly for the services they offer.
Roles and Responsibilities of Freight Forwarders
We define the roles and responsibilities of freight forwarders below, but it is important to note that there are exceptions with different companies. Some freight forwarders take care of other things we have not mentioned here.
- Tracking of Shipment:
Using a TMS (Transportation Management System), the freight forwarders provide transparency of the shipment for businesses. This way, you can know which stage the cargo is in from the comfort of your desk.
- Customs Brokerage:
Importing and exporting the goods require extensive documentation and can be carried out only by a licensed broker. The freight forwarders are qualified and also experienced in handling documentation. Thus, they ensure a smooth transition of your goods across borders. Without this license, it would not be possible for any business to transport goods across borders in a legal way.
- Negotiating:
Another role of the freight forwarders is to understand the different variations related to the cargo. In addition to that, they have to understand the best transportation ways that are also cost-effective. It often depends on several factors: the type of cargo you wish to transport, its weight, and the time within which it should be delivered.
- Warehousing:
Although not all freight forwarders offer this service, it is an integral part of several companies. They will offer a facility where your goods can be stored in many situations: before shipping, after shipping, and during transit. This facility plays a massive part and may be located in different countries to suit businesses.
- Cargo Space Scheduling:
Managing cargo scheduling is not an easy task, even for skilled and experienced freight forwarders. It is a specific skill set that only a few companies like FBABEE freight forwarder possess. Planning this task is also something they do to ensure that goods are transported in the best possible manner for businesses.
- Cargo Insurance:
The other term used for this is freight insurance. It is used to compensate any involved party in case of loss or damage to the goods present in the cargoes. It can happen either during transit or while being transported. Weather is one factor that commonly affects commodities during the transportation stage. You have to be aware that damages caused by the container to the third-party property do not come under this insurance. It means the damage to the cargo that is transported will be the only thing to be covered by the freight or cargo insurance.
- Consolidating Freight:
Many businesses do not require an entire container to transport their goods. It often is the case for smaller consignments that take up only part of a container. LCL or less than container load is the term that is usually associated with the consolidation of freight. The cost of the container space is negotiated and shared among businesses. It depends on how much weight or space the cargo takes.
Conclusion
We have covered most of the roles and responsibilities that the freight forwarders generally handle. However, there are certain things that some companies do which we have not mentioned in the above list. These are often customized things that specific businesses seek from freight forwarders.
When you speak with a decent freight forwarder, you can put your specific requirements to them, and they can design a plan to suit your necessities. It may be a little costlier than usual. However, you can be sure that your cargo is transported properly.