Freight forwarders represent shippers in negotiating freight rates with ocean carriers, booking cargo spaces onboard ocean-going vessels, arranging commodities, and organizing transportation and manpower. They would require a solid communication mechanism with the government from both exporters and importers to accomplish this objective.
Freight forwarder services include negotiating freight charges with ocean carriers on behalf of shippers, booking cargo space onboard ocean-going vessels, arranging cargo, organizing transportation and labor, inland trucking of goods from a customer’s warehouse to a port, cargo centralization, preparation of shipment and customs documentation, as well as export papers.
It may also be essential to contact other government agencies depending on the type of cargo being exported, such as prohibited commodities, certain types of food, and so on. The rules, standards, and regulations of the importing nation should also be kept up to date by freight forwarders. To achieve this, they’ll need a strong communication mechanism with the government, both from exporting and importing countries.
Export-related documentation
The freight forwarding procedure necessitates the submission of certain papers, the requirements of which vary by nation. The information that must be provided is largely the same, regardless of the structure or name of the document.
The following are the primary documents required for freight forwarding:
- Commercial bill
- Packing checklist
- Shipping bill of lading for export
- Certificate of origin – if applicable – Letter of credit
- Hazardous cargo notification – if applicable – insurance certificate
Customs brokerage services assist importers in complying with federal import regulations into the United States. Private individuals, partnerships, groups, or businesses that have been licensed, regulated, and approved by US Customs and Immigration are known as brokers (CBP). Transactions involving customs entry & admissibility of commodities, product classification, customs valuation, payment of duties, tax, and other charges, and the administration of refunds, refunds, and duty drawbacks are handled by brokerage services in Manila. There are around 11,000 licensed customs brokers in the United States.
The majority of brokerage services also are non-vessel-operated common carriers (NVOCCs). The Federal Maritime Organization licenses and regulates both freight forwarders and NVOCCs.
