Freight Forwarder
A logistics company that arranges shipping for importers and exporters, booking carriers and coordinating documents, customs, and delivery.
TL;DR: A freight forwarder organizes the movement of goods on your behalf. It books space with shipping lines, airlines, and trucking companies, and coordinates paperwork so your cargo gets from origin to destination.
Most forwarders do not own ships or planes. Instead, they buy capacity from carriers and combine it with services such as warehouse pickup, export declarations, consolidation of LCL cargo, cargo insurance, and delivery. Many work with or include a Customs Broker to handle import clearance. Some forwarders also operate as an NVOCC and issue their own house bills of lading.
Who appoints the forwarder depends on the Incoterm. Under EXW, FCA, or FOB, the buyer usually chooses and pays the forwarder for the main freight leg. Under CIF, DAP, or DDP, the seller arranges the main carriage, often through its own forwarder.
Many overseas buyers prefer to use their own forwarder, because it gives them control over routing, costs, and communication. A good forwarder will ask for the Packing List, gross weight, and CBM early, and will send a clear quote showing which charges are included at origin and at destination.
When comparing quotes, check whether local charges, customs fees, and final delivery are included, not just the ocean or air rate. For heavy or fragile goods such as glass mosaic crates, confirm that the forwarder can arrange forklift unloading or a liftgate truck at the delivery address.