Freight forwarding is the planning and coordinating of the movement of commodities across international borders, on behalf of shippers. Other tasks involved include, but are not limited to: warehouse planning, supplying cargo insurance, and customs brokerage.

Freight forwarding consists of strategic logistics planning and execution for the international movement of goods, on behalf of shippers. Specifically, a freight forwarder will carry out freight rate negotiations, container tracking, customs documentation and freight consolidation, among other tasks.

Importing and exporting creates lucrative opportunities for businesses with the wherewithal to execute strategic logistics plans. But the logistics of international shipping is complicated, to say the least. 

It requires:

• Expert knowledge of customs standards and protocols, which vary country to country and even port to port
• Agile problem-solving, for when the weather, technology or human nature fail to cater to timely travels, as they are all wont to do
• An instinct for network building, because in many ways, a supply chain is only as strong as the parties propelling it. 

And you also need a license to do it.

International supply chains are an inevitability of the globalized marketplace. In fact, they define it. Wherever customs brokerage, warehouse planning, cargo scheduling, and cargo insurance are needed is where freight forwarders can be found.