Individuals or companies engaged in international cargo transportation are defined as freight forwarders. A freight forwarder provides transportation services through four main modes: air, road, sea, and rail transport. Many people frequently ask the question, “What is a freight forwarder?” In Turkish, the term can be translated as “nakliye şirketi,” meaning a transportation or logistics company.
A freight forwarder organizes the transportation of goods on behalf of individuals or companies, managing the process of collecting products from the manufacturer and delivering them to the market, distribution center, or end customer. Freight forwarders are known as companies that coordinate and manage the entire transportation process. Within this system, they facilitate the movement of goods from one country to another, often involving multiple contractual arrangements. Freight forwarder companies also arrange import and export procedures for cargo shipments.
Freight forwarders are specialized companies with expertise in cargo organization and management. In many cases, they provide a wide range of supply chain services and play an active role in both sea and air cargo transportation. They professionally handle processes such as documentation preparation, warehousing services, and customs clearance operations.
When asked “What does a freight forwarder do?”, their activities offer a clear explanation. The first transportation methods that typically come to mind are ships and aircraft. However, freight forwarders utilize multiple transportation options within a single shipment. For example, cargo may first be transported by truck from the production facility to the airport using road transport. It is then carried by air to the destination city and finally delivered to the customer by another road vehicle.
Freight forwarder companies also play an active role in organizing international shipments. They ensure the preparation and processing of customs documentation and continue their operations by working professionally with commercial documents.
The responsibility of transporting goods from manufacturers to national or international markets lies with freight forwarder companies. They also manage transportation from the customer to the final point of distribution. Freight forwarders handle organizational processes for shipments belonging to both individuals and companies, and all related responsibilities are managed by these firms.
As service providers, freight forwarders are known for their advanced expertise in the logistics field. They actively use various transportation methods such as air, road, and sea transport. Shipments over international distances may be completed using a single mode of transport, although combining multiple transportation methods for the same shipment is also common.
Freight forwarding operations involve numerous details, including customs formalities, taxes, and tariff regulations. For this reason, expertise is one of the most critical criteria. Freight forwarders play an effective role in ensuring a safer and faster transportation process while preventing potential issues in both local and international logistics operations. These examples clearly explain the answer to the question “What does a freight forwarder do?”
Freight forwarder companies do more than simply connect carriers and cargo owners. They also undertake several additional responsibilities, including shipment tracking. Freight forwarders monitor cargo from the point of departure to the final destination, ensuring transparency throughout the movement process. This transparency plays a crucial role in building trust with customers.
Another key service is warehousing. During shipment and delivery processes, freight forwarders provide suitable storage solutions for goods. Additionally, loading and unloading operations are managed more efficiently. A significant responsibility of freight forwarder companies is negotiating with carrier firms on behalf of their clients. They obtain quotations from multiple transport providers and develop the most suitable transportation plan based on cost and efficiency.
Freight forwarders operating in sea, air, and road transportation ensure that logistics operations are carried out as efficiently as possible while giving special attention to organizational processes. There are different types of freight forwarders, as each company may specialize in a specific transportation area.
For example, freight forwarders specializing in sea transportation organize shipments carried out via maritime routes. They select the most suitable shipping company, prepare the required documentation, and arrange container bookings for port locations. They also plan road transportation for inland cargo transfers.
Another freight forwarder type specializes in air transportation, acting as an intermediary between airlines and customers. These companies handle cargo insurance, customs documentation, and other related processes.
Road transportation freight forwarders are also among the available options. In this model, truck drivers are not required to deal with administrative procedures. Customs documentation and transport operations are completed by logistics experts, ensuring that transportation processes comply fully with legal regulations and industry standards.
The scope of responsibilities for freight forwarder companies is broader than commonly perceived, as these responsibilities vary according to the services provided. Numerous processes are involved, from transporting goods to ensuring their delivery at the destination point. As a result, decisions regarding transportation methods and documentation requirements may differ depending on the shipment.
In general terms, freight forwarder responsibilities include selecting the most suitable carrier for the goods to be transported and monitoring the entire process on behalf of the client until delivery is completed. Additionally, it can be stated that the range of freight forwarder responsibilities continues to expand in today’s evolving logistics environment.