What is Freight Forwarding?

Management or an agency that works for the transportation business as well as takes accountability of cargo movement by freight companies on account of the proprietor is called Freight Forwarding. 

Freight forwarding is basically a service that transports the goods from their manufactured place to its ideal destination by an importer of goods or export service. The freight forwarding service is not doing shipment service of goods by itself, this service transports goods with the help of various transportation processes which include: air freight transportation, sea freight transportation mode, road transportation mode, and rail transportation mode. Freight forwarding services take care of shipping service, customs clearance sector, and strategic logistics sector, and inspect the global movement of freight. 

Why Work with a Freight Forwarding Service?

Freight Forwarding serves as a transportation service, and pickup service, basically responsible for the transportation and delivery of cargo to its desired location. Government agencies and public sectors generally associated with freight forwarding services,  Non-Governmental Organizations, and companies engaged with international trade and shipping business are working with freight forwarding services because adhere to the rules and regulations of regulatory bodies these agencies and organizations also have knowledge of what is the weight limitations in terms of transportation or which type of cargo will be the best for transporting goods. Freight Forwarders basically handle and transport the goods but they have no power of access to the freight. In simple terms, this service mainly takes up cargo from one location to other location. 

Some key advantages of freight forwarding service:

Cost Efficiency

Companies, organizations and agencies which are involved with international trade in that case these companies have to do shipping procedures of goods but due to high volume of shipment these businesses can not deliver the clear route of shipment process and freight forwarders are capable of better deliberate consultation with the carrier to transport freight. Without the involvement of  freight forwarders exporters and businesses that are linked with international trade are not able to process well to move their goods as they have lack of connections. Freight Forwarders in this way saving additional high expenses of shipment. 

Reduce Expenditure 

There are a lot of stages to follow in the freight handling sector such as complex paperworks, documentation, consultation with carriers, and the logistics aspect. But uniformed businesses are not able to process these steps as a result they have to face difficulties in freight movement but a freight forwarding agency comes in aid to handle these difficult stages of freight movement and is successfully able to move freight globally or in the domestic sector. So the businesses are assured knowing the fact that freight forwarders are aptly managing the difficult cargo moving process. 

Resilience and Mobility

An expert freight forwarders are known for their capability of completing important tasks in tight timelines and cope with emergency situations while transporting freight globally. When an international trade associating business connects with freight forwarding service it helps these companies by using their own resources and using their long connections so that they can handle the delayed process of freight movement and take the freight in other ways for transporting freight movement as a result the goods are delivered on time to their ideal destination. Without a freight forwarder the goods are usually stuck in a delaying process and exporters have to bear huge losses because of the stuck freight process. 

The Role of Freight Forwarder

Freight Forwarders have mastery and craftsmanship over handling the challenges of transportation and trade on a global scale and make sure that freights are transported seamlessly. Freight forwarders mainly pick up cargo from its origin location, look after cargo insurance and handling documentation process, and ensure on time secure delivery of goods.

Here are some important role of a freight forwarder

Tracking of Shipment

Freight forwarders use advanced tracking modules to better track the movement of shipment of goods. They use the TMS system ( Transportation Management System) to track every stage of shipment so they can assure that the shipping goods are safe and securely inclined towards its delivery location.

Custom Documentation

One of the important roles of the freight forwarding system is managing the required documentation process that includes packing lists, bill of lading, commercial paperworks, permits, invoices. By handling a critical custom clearance process they assure that cargo movement is ongoing and it wont get stuck due to the custom clearance process. 

Logistic Management Process

Freight forwarders help businesses by taking control of logistics management processes which include supply chain management, inventory management process, warehouse handling. By helping logistics process freight forwarders handle insurance claims, managing storage space of goods.

Manage License

One of the key role of freight forwarders is to manage custom brokerage license because shipment of cargo requires some specific license without an freight forwarder organizations and companies can not timely provide  specific license and freight forwarders have spreading connections with experienced licensed brokers and they are responsible for providing important license in terms of importation of goods. 

Arranging and Scheduling Storage Space for Goods

Finding a storage space for cargo is not a general process when it comes to large volumes of goods then companies without the involvement of freight forwarding service they can not arrange storage space. On the other hand freight forwarders have expertise in alliance and scheduling with storage space. Scheduling and arranging cargo storage space is an important area in logistic management and freight forwarders have experience in this sector. 

Transportation Handling

Freight forwarders have efficiency and knowledge over which transportation mode should be used on the basis of goods. They also handle transportation routes of freight. There are different mode of freight forwarding service such as; 

Sea freight forwarding : where freight forwarding services have expertise over sea based transportation of goods it is a time consuming process as well as cost efficient freight forwarding mode.

Air freight forwarding : where forwarding services have expertise over air based transportation of goods. This freight forwarding transportation mode involves other shipment services such as parcel deliveries, machine freight. This is a costly freight transportation mode. 

There are other transportation of freight forwarding transportation services such as rail freight forwarding, truck freight forwarding. 

Risk Mitigating

When a company or business takes the help of freight forwarding service that means they get a relief from potential risk factors that can affect the transportation process. Freight forwarders are known for their foresight for identifying risk factors such as delay process, complex documentation and audit process. They are managing these risk factors so well and ensuring smooth transportation of goods. 

Conclusion

Overall freight forwarders are excellent in managing and coordinating with the global shipment process as well as internal transportation process. They also work on cost saving as well as taking care of cargo insurance, understands the importance of  custom reports, proper packaging and labeling of products, optimize supply chain management procedure and make sure that goods are reached to their destination and streamline transportation process.