International forwarding - what is it and what services does it provide? And what is worth checking and what should you check before cooperation?
Freight forwarding and transport, whether performed domestically or internationally, are part of logistics. But what is international freight forwarding and what services does it provide?
To answer that question, let's differentiate these concepts.
➡️ The forwarding service includes:
organization of transport - choosing the right car,
planning the whole route,
supervision of documentation
and tracking of the entire shipment.
➡️ Transport concerns only the safe transportation of goods.
That's why, forwarding is a comprehensive service, of which transport is only part.
What services does the forwarding company provide?
The forwarder handles the accurate analysis of loads, matches the right truck, takes care of the entire transport, and efficiently and quickly resolves any unexpected situations on the route.
Let's analyze these processes.
Load analysis.
The Forwarder considers what is:
weight and dimensions of the goods,
type of cargo.
This is essential information when choosing the right car.
It will depend on whether the forwarder will have to book a big truck with a semi-trailer, whether a simple tarpaulin bus or perhaps it will have to be a box van.
💠 Some loads will need to be transported at the right temperature - then you will need a Frigo van to maintain the right temperature, and others - a tail lift, which is not offered by every standard tilt van.
Route of passage.
What we consider this time:
type of goods,
the length of the route,
delivery time,
budget,
additional procedures.
All these things are important and affect the possibility of taking the transport and the safety of the whole route.
💠 Additional procedures on the route may be, e.g., customs clearance.
Some forwarding companies do not take care of clearance, but every reliable company in the industry should have basic knowledge of the subject.
Solving random situations on the road.
An additional forwarding service is handling possible unexpected situations along the route.
💠 Random situations in this industry happen almost every day, so the help of the forwarder for the Customer may prove invaluable.
What to pay attention to?
Insurance of transported goods.
Cargo insurance is not necessarily the same as liability insurance of Carrier and Forwarder. Before starting cooperation, checking the company’s insurance and carefully reading its terms is mandatory.
International freight forwarding involves meeting many requirements regarding the carriage of goods. It is important to have up-to-date knowledge of the applicable regulations, so it is worth checking the company before starting cooperation.
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