Freight forwarders participate in many activities related to freight transportation, which can be summarized as follows: choose the most suitable transportation mode for customers; choose the most suitable carrier for customers and sign transportation contract; organize cargo assembly; prepare relevant documents; assist customers Reach the relevant regulations and letters of credit requirements; on behalf of customs clearance; advise the user on the packaging; charge d'affaires insurance; charge warehousing, distribution business; supervision of goods in transit.

A brief description of each of the above aspects is given.

1. Advise the user on the best mode of transportation.

The ultimate goal of the freight forwarder is to best match the requirements of the shipper and the requirements of the commercial transaction with the various modes of transport. To do this, freight forwarders must have knowledge of the various modes of transport and have an understanding of the goods and markets. Only in this way can we make the best choice and combination among the following various modes of transportation: trailer service, regular shipping service, parcel service, ro-ro transportation service, container consolidation service and so on.

The economics, speed and suitability of various modes of transport are different, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The freight forwarder should proceed from the interests of the users and strive to have the lowest freight rate; and the carrier should strive for the highest operating income from its own interests. In the business negotiation, freight forwarders must pay attention to this and find a balance point.

2. Select the most suitable carrier and sign a transportation contract.

After selecting the mode of transport, the next important step is to choose the right carrier. Shipping time, frequency of delivery, arrival time, nationality of the ship and boat are all crucial factors. After the agent determines the actual carrier on behalf of the customer, he can sign up for the booking. When the normal transport route is affected by strikes, downtime or traffic jams, the agent may change the mode of transport as appropriate, which is different from the carrier.

In order to successfully complete the task, the agent must be familiar with the 1990 International Chamber of Commerce's Incoterms, such as EXW (factory price), FOB (FOB for ship-side delivery), CIF (cost plus insurance). The actual application of international shipping in the cost of landed freight. A good freight forwarder must understand the requirements of the customer and the characteristics of the goods, and must be able to select the most suitable trading conditions for the customer based on the business knowledge.

3. Organize the assembly of goods.

With the development of the trend of “multiple batches” of multinational operations and freight transportation, sometimes the source of goods and the destination port are scattered, and another mode of transportation must be adopted. Sometimes there are no ready-made modes of transport available, so special transportation arrangements are needed to bring small quantities of goods together for LCL transport.

Freight forwarders organize the assembly and mixed transport of goods. At this time, his identity is similar to that of the carrier or NVOC, and he can no longer sign as a proxy (ceasetobeanagent, butactasacar-rier). When the members of the British International Cargo Transport Association encounter this situation, they usually issue FIATAbillsoflading, which can be accepted by the bank.

4. Prepare shipping documents.

In the process of arranging transportation, freight forwarders shall prepare freight forwarders and documents suitable for relevant modes of transport according to different modes of transport and commercial transactions. Such as bills of lading, air waybills, Fiatab bills of lading or international road transport orders (CMRnotes), generally have some special provisions and statements in their content.

5. Assist users to meet the requirements of relevant regulations and letters of credit.

In the process of transportation, after the violation has occurred, the reason is found, which will pay a heavy price. The freight forwarder has the responsibility of arranging the whole process of transportation. It should be familiar with the transportation business process, and carefully guard against it beforehand. If necessary, it is necessary to know the specific requirements and restrictions on certain goods.

The reason for the delay in the documentary credit is often due to textual errors, unclear expressions or non-conformity requirements for consular visas. When preparing a certificate of origin, a packing list or other documents, the freight forwarder must comply with the requirements of the relevant regulations, the terms of the contract and comply with commercial practices.

6, on behalf of the inspection and customs clearance.

Goods shipped from one country to another are subject to careful inspection by the customs. In terms of cargo transportation between the countries of the European Community, in order to prevent drug smuggling, illegal entry and violence, the Customs must also conduct certain inspections of the goods of the member states. As for the import and export of goods between the general countries, it is naturally more stringent. The freight forwarder or its office should carefully carry out the inspection and customs clearance of the goods on behalf of the customer.

7. Advise the user on the packaging requirements of the goods.

The packaging requirements of the goods must conform to their own characteristics, but also to the risk prevention of different modes of transportation. Moreover, the laws of various countries are not completely consistent. For example, cardboard boxes are bulky in containers and are not allowed to be shipped from Singapore to Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia. Some goods that have no problem on the surface, such as touch-up paints and aerosols, should be treated as dangerous goods. Freight forwarders should bring their own International Code of Conduct to provide constructive advice to users on the packaging of goods.

8, charge d'affaires transport insurance, warehousing and distribution business.

International transportation has more transfer links than domestic transportation, and the risk of cargo damage, cargo delay or delay is greater. The freight forwarder shall determine the insurance coverage on behalf of the user according to the possible risks and handle the insurance application. According to the relationship between the office and the agent network, the freight forwarder considers and decides whether the goods to be delivered are immediately allocated or temporarily warehousing.

9. Tracking and supervision of goods in transit.

Delays or other problems in the transportation of goods, whether it involves customs, banks, insurance or carriers, freight forwarders are responsible for tracking supervision and handling on behalf of customers.

A mature freight forwarder should incorporate all of the above aspects into its own business and assume its corresponding responsibilities according to the contract. Although there are already 1,400 approved international freight forwarding enterprises in China, the scale is not large, and the service means are generally backward. The regulations of China's international freight forwarding industry are still not perfect, and the strength of industry management is insufficient. China's freight forwarding industry, especially the international freight forwarding industry, still has a long way to go.