If your company is looking to expand into international imports/exports, then sourcing yourself a good freight forwarder is going to be within your best interests. To those new to freight, essentially a term to describe the cargo being loaded on to a transportation vessel, freight forwarders will make all the difference to your logistic needs.
A freight forwarder acts as a middleman between your business and the cargo ship, plane or train that your goods will be travelling by. Rather than expect you to organise all the travel, put together all the paperwork, make sure that there’s someone at the other end of each leg of the journey to move your items to the next step, a freight forwarder will take care of everything for you.
Better yet, with their years of experience and long-term relationships with transportation companies, freight forwarders can negotiate the best prices by finding room on ships going to the right destination or by organising a dedicated vessel to move your cargo. Going to the professionals to get the logistics sorted for you can mean freeing your business from the time consuming need to do it yourself, and they’ll get it done much faster than you can.
Moving goods internationally generates an awful lot of paperwork as national governments regulate what enters the country and between the commercial invoice, bill of landing, shippers export declaration and so much more, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and confused by everything you’re expected to complete in order to move your items across the world. Freight forwarding companies, with the extensive experience, are perfectly placed to complete or oversee all necessary paperwork, ensuring it’s completed properly and on time.
Choosing the right freight forwarding company for your business is vitally important, helping to keep costs down while getting the maximum efficiency in moving your goods as possible. So don’t be afraid to do background checks on companies that have caught your eye to check references or if any lawsuits have been opened, and ask people you know who’ve used freight forwarders for recommendations.
Your goods will need to be properly packaged as required by your freight forwarder to ensure maximum safety not only for the items you’re transporting but also for the crews moving them. Costs are usually based on a variety of different factors made up of density (pounds per cubic feet), stowability, ease of handling and liability. Delivery Quote Compare can help you get great prices with our online form that allows registered freight forwarders to bid for your business, helping to keep your costs low.