5 Services Provided by International Freight Forwarders

Whether you are moving internationally to pursue a new job opportunity, or want to ship products for commercial purposes, the international shipping process can be the source of many headaches. When shipping internationally there are tons of regulation, tariffs and duties, not to mention coordinating with stubborn and uncooperative freight carriers.

An international freight forwarder can navigate this complex shipping process for you. They bring state of the art software and years of industry experience to achieve the fastest and safest shipping for the best possible price. Here are five services provided by international freight forwarders that might come in handy for your big move or business operation.

Freight forwarders usually serve a large number of clients for a high volume of shipments. Because they represent such a large proportion of a freight carriers business, they often can negotiate better terms and rates than a sole individual or single company ever could. Freight forwarders have the experience and the bargaining power to ship goods cheaply and protect your budget.

In order to achieve the best possible rates, a freight forwarder will consolidate shipments to achieve greater cost efficiencies. Carriers charge based on industry-standard storage container rates. Storage containers can be twenty to forty feet long, and if your goods don’t completely fill the container, you will still have to pay for the empty space being shipped within the container. A freight forwarder will consolidate your shipment with others so that collectively each shipment gets the best possible rate.

Clearing freight through customs is a process that is often fraught with red tape and regulation. A freight forwarder can help you make sure that your shipment has all the necessary documents to clear customs and arrive on time. Here are the top three shipping documents:

· Bill of Lading: This is a contract between the freight carrier and the owner of the shipped goods, i.e. you.

· Certificate of Origin: This describes where the shipment originated, which is very important for clearing customs.

· Commercial Invoice: This documents the sale of cargo from the exporter to the importer. It outlines the true assessed value of the goods shipped.