Major ocean freight forwarders provide comprehensive logistics solutions that extend far beyond simply booking space on a vessel. They act as intermediaries between shippers and carriers, streamlining the complex process of international trade by offering an integrated suite of services designed to manage the entire cargo journey from door to door.

Core Ocean Freight Services

The fundamental role of a freight forwarder is to arrange the transportation of goods across the ocean. This involves several key services:

Booking and Documentation: Forwarders negotiate rates with various steamship lines and book the necessary cargo space. They handle critical documentation, including the bill of lading (BOL), which serves as a contract of carriage, receipt of goods, and document of title.

FCL and LCL Shipments: They manage both Full Container Load (FCL) shipments, where a shipper's goods fill an entire container, and Less-than-Container Load (LCL) shipments, where multiple shippers' goods are consolidated into a single container to optimize costs.

Carrier Selection and Route Planning: Drawing on their expertise and network, forwarders select the most reliable and cost-effective carriers and plan efficient routes to meet specific delivery deadlines and budget requirements.