How to choose a freight forwarder

Maritime cargo transport is the main mode of international transport, international trade, about 90% of the goods are transported by sea. The carriage of goods by sea includes not only the contents of the process and a series of documents, but also the parties involved in the transport law. The freight forwarder is one of them. In the case of freight forwarding, it is important to be able to identify various procedures for shipping chimneys to provide good shipping services to shippers. As the owner, the appropriate choice of freight forwarders, means that the choice of the shipping business and the appropriate maritime transport and suitable for the contract of trade contracts, which can effectively fulfill the legal obligations of trade contracts, so as to protect themselves as the owner of the rights and interests.

 

Savvy shippers will choose those reputable freight forwarding, the choice of freight forwarding can usually consider the following factors:

 

First, the freight forwarders must be familiar with maritime geography common sense. First of all, as an international freight forwarder, because the ship access to different countries, it should be familiar with the world's geography and routes, the location of the port, transit and its inland distribution center. Second, the freight forwarding should also understand the mode of international trade and its development trend, the flow of goods, such as Western Europe and the United States, Canada, Japan and other countries with high degree of industrialization, a large number of raw materials from developing countries, and exports to these countries industrial system Finished product.

 

Second, the freight forwarders should be familiar with the different types of transport on the applicability of the goods. There are four modes of transport on the world shipping market: liner shipping, chartering, non-vessel carrier transport and multimodal transport. Liner transport is characterized by regular time, set the route, set the port order and the fixed rate. Charter transport that is irregular transport, that does not have a fixed route and timetable, in accordance with the shipping market supply and demand, can be engaged in any business routes on the route, tariffs can still be negotiated, suitable for bulk cargo carrier. A non-vessel carrier is a carrier engaged in the regular operation but does not own or operate the ship required for maritime transport. The NVOCC is the carrier as opposed to the actual shipper, but is also the shipper identity of. For shippers or shippers, choose the appropriate means of transport, depending on whether the freight forwarders are skilled in the following areas:

 

1, the transport costs, when the transport time and transport speed is not the shipper or the owner to consider the main factors (such as the goods to be shipped in a fixed time should be selected liner transport; 2, 4, the reliability of transport, the choice of freight to be entrusted to the shipping company should be investigated before the strength of credibility to reduce maritime fraud and become the possibility of victims; 5, operating conditions and responsibilities , The owner of a ship on the surface of the ownership of the ship, and in fact he will ship to the bank, and through the bank's business contract and become operators. This will have a negative impact on the interests of the owner of the goods in the future when the goods are transported to the court.

 

Third, freight forwarders should understand the different types of ships on the cargo owner of the adaptability. As a freight forwarder, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the ship, such as the vessel's registered country and the tonnage, gross registered t (GRT), net registered tons (NRT), bulk pits, packing pits, total dwt (DWT), load lines, And so on. The preferred freight forwarders should also be aware of several types of cargo ships, such as liner, semi-container ship, semi-pallet ship, bulk carrier, ro-ro ship and full container ship. The third generation container ship with 2000-3000TEU carrying capacity, able to pass the Panama Canal, it is also known as Panama ship. The fourth generation and ships with greater carrying capacity are not suitable for passing through the Bana Canal, often referred to as super-class ships.

 

Fourth, first-class freight forwarders should be familiar with shipping regulations. In addition to the "Hague Rules", the "Weisby Rules" and the "Hamburg Rules", you should also understand the shipping regulations or port operating practices of the country of export or port of destination.

 

5, first-class freight forwarders should be skilled in the operation of the ship's cargo documents, and to ensure that the base production is correct, clear and timely. The main shipping documents include bills of lading, sea bills of lading, manifests, invoices, bills of lading, packing list, port receipts, mate receipts and so on.

 

Six, the better freight forwarders should understand the customs procedures and port operations. In the import and export trade, customs clearance is a traditional function of freight forwarders. In the dual relationship between the freight forwarder and the customs authorities and their clients, the legal requirements of the freight forwarders vary from country to country, but the customs agent is usually authorized by the government. The customer (ie the shipper) shall consider the identity of the freight forwarder as a customs agent and, in the course of performing his duties, whether it has the capacity to protect both the client and the customs authorities. Freight forwarders have the ability to return to Hong Kong, bonded warehousing, inland customs clearance, and so on, the operation of the port program is very important. In addition, freight forwarders can provide a lower freight rate is also an important factor to consider, freight forwarders and liner rates are closely related. Of course, the inspection of freight forwarders, should also pay attention to credit and other factors. The operation of first-class freight forwarders is very important for the owner to complete the trade contract.