*Sea freight forwarding* = A freight forwarder manages your entire ocean shipment from origin to destination so you don’t deal with carriers, ports, and customs yourself.
Think of them as your logistics agent for sea cargo.
*What a sea freight forwarder actually does:*
*1. Booking & carrier selection*
- Picks the right shipping line: Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, etc
- Books space: FCL or LCL depending on your volume
- Negotiates rates and chooses best transit time/port rotation
*2. Documentation*
- Commercial Invoice, Packing List review
- Bill of Lading: Master B/L with carrier + House B/L from forwarder
- Export customs clearance, shipping bill filing
- VGM declaration, ISF for US, other country-specific filings
*3. Cargo handling*
- Arranges pickup from your factory/warehouse
- CFS stuffing for LCL, container loading for FCL
- Port handling: THC, carting, customs examination
- Tracks container and gives ETA updates
*4. Destination services*
- Import customs clearance via destination agent
- Pays destination THC, DO charges, delivery order release
- Arranges trucking to final warehouse/buyer
- Handles duty/tax payment if DDP
*5. Extras you can add*
- *Insurance*: Marine cargo coverage
- *Warehousing*: Storage at origin/destination
- *Consolidation*: Combine multiple suppliers into one shipment
- *Door-to-door*: End-to-end control vs port-to-port
*Why use a forwarder vs going direct to shipping line:*
- *No minimums*: Lines won’t talk to you for 2 CBM. Forwarders consolidate.
- *One contact*: They coordinate trucker, CFS, customs, carrier, overseas agent
- *Better rates*: They have volume contracts with carriers
- *Problem solving*: Port strikes, customs holds, transshipment delays — they handle it
*FCL vs LCL forwarding:*
- *FCL*: You get dedicated container. Forwarder books, clears, tracks. Faster, less handling.
- *LCL*: Forwarder consolidates your goods with others. Cheaper for small loads, but +5-10 days extra.
*Key docs you’ll get:* Booking confirmation → Shipping Bill → Bill of Lading → Arrival Notice → Delivery Order.
