What services do freight forwarders offer?

Daniel Kasif|Oct 21, 2022|No Comment

Freight services

Freight forwarders play a critical role in transporting goods around the world; they help businesses streamline the process of shipping their products to the end destination. For any business wishing to ship cargo domestically or globally, a forwarding agent is essential as they have all the necessary knowledge and skills to provide your company with peace of mind for all your needs.

Freight forwarding can quickly become very expensive, time-consuming, and confusing for manufacturers; freight agents can help companies with the complex processes of importing and exporting. Air, sea, and road transport are essential freight forwarding services, and each serves a different purpose depending on your company's needs. Forwarders have contracts with multiple carriers to move goods from one country to another, access to competitive rates and better transportation options.

Your company must choose the right forwarder; some of the fundamental factors to consider are what are your shipping needs? What logistic services are offered? How much experience does the agent have? And much more.

Selecting the ideal forwarding agent for your company is a crucial decision all business owners must make. Once a company decides they need a forwarding agent to move products, they will agree on various incoterms and conditions. The freight forwarding process is exceptionally complex; before items are even picked up from the consignee, all export documentation must be prepared by your company.

The cargo will be picked up from the shippers' location to the port of origin or the freight forwarders' warehouse. Before items can leave the country, a customs clearance check from the country of origin is required. Once the goods have been cleared, they are ready to be sent out.  Upon arrival in the destination country, another customs check is needed; the agent must get clearance before the shipment arrives. The final stage involves transporting the cargo from the warehouse to the final destination; depending on the agreed incoterms, the responsibilities at each stage will vary. 

Air Freight

Air freight is one of the key logistic services that involve moving cargo from the point of origin to the destination via aircraft. There are many things to consider when choosing the transport option for your shipment, including:

  • Transport times 
  • Costs 
  • Size of your shipment 
  • Reliability of the service 
  • Freight restrictions 

Depending on your needs, you can choose air, land and sea freight or even a combination of all three. Once you've considered all options and decided that air freight is the best option, you can begin to organise the shipment. A freight forwarder will help negotiate with overseas suppliers and carriers to meet all air transport requirements.

Benefits 

When deciding which transportation method is best for your shipment, you must consider various factors, including delivery time, security, and costs. There are many key advantages to using air freight, including shorter transit times, better reliability, greater access, and more security. The quickest way to get your goods around the world is via air; there are fewer delays caused by traffic, roadworks, and many other unforeseen issues. Air Freight also gives you access to more countries; some locations can't be easily accessible by sea or road transport. 

Disadvantages 

While many advantages come with air freight, there are also many downfalls. Air transport comes at a much higher cost, size/weight, and weather restrictions and has more significant risks. Most freight forwarders find that air freight isn't as popular as sea freight unless the shipment is urgent or can't be transported via sea. Aircraft have a small capacity and it’s not suitable for carrying bulk and heavy goods. 

Air Freight with TGL

TGL is one of the most trusted logistic providers in Australia and New Zealand, with years of experience in transporting goods by air. We can help manage any shipment by air, whether domestically or internationally. Our team of experienced logistics experts understands that each client has different requirements regarding location, timing, size, and many other factors. Our expert air freight specialists will work closely with you to ensure your cargo is delivered on time.

TGL understands the planning that goes into air freight; we have a global network of contacts and relationships with airlines to bring you personalised cargo freight services. By having access to these networks, we can provide a better selection of timings and pricing.

We are accredited by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and can now deal directly with airlines to ensure your cargo is quickly shipped.

Whether you need air freight from China to Australia or need domestic air cargo, TGL has you covered. Our team offers specialised freight services to help small, medium, and large businesses achieve optimal logistics solutions. Some of our air cargo services include international forwarding, customs clearance, domestic air cargo, dangerous goods transportation and much more. 

Sea Freight 

Sea Freight involves transporting goods from point A to point B via sea; it is one of the most available forms of transportation. Over 90% of the goods are transported via sea, and most companies go with ocean freight unless their product requires a fast turnaround time.

When shipping via sea, a container load can be either a full container load (FCL) or a less than container load (LCL). Your chosen forwarder will help you decide the most cost effective and convenient way to transport your goods to the port of destination.

Benefits

Many benefits come with shipping via sea, including better pricing, more safety, environmental friendliness, greater space, convenience and efficiency. Ocean transport is more than 50% cheaper than air freight, making it the most popular option for most companies. It also provides greater flexibility with what you can ship; cargo ships can hold oversized, heavy, or bulky loads.

Sea Freight is now becoming much more ecological compared to previous years; it is the most carbon-efficient mode of transportation compared to other forms and produces fewer gas emissions. As technology develops, more eco-friendly options are becoming available. 

Disadvantages 

One of the biggest downfalls of using sea freight is the time it takes; instead of a shipment taking a few days, it may take a couple of weeks or even months. There also may be more possibility for delays; containerised cargo requires more handling and processing and therefore requires more time.

Other factors that may cause delays are bad weather, port congestion, schedule changes, customs issues, etc. Overall, sea freight is cheaper and more efficient when shipping bulk goods.  

Sea Freight with TGL

At TGL, we aim to take the complexity out of transporting your goods; our services ensure efficiency to give you the highest level of satisfaction. We offer specialised freight services to manage any necessary requests from clients, including direct or transhipped cargo and intermodal transport.

Our global network gives us access to agents worldwide, so we can answer any question, no matter what country you are shipping to. Our dedicated team will always provide reliable service when arranging deliveries; whether transporting LCL or FCL shipments, we will deliver your cargo on time. 

We can import and export in all major global and domestic regions and operate out of all major Australian ports to guarantee a smooth process. 

Our knowledgeable team will guarantee that your delivery conforms with the export regulations and inform you of all necessary export documents. No matter where your cargo is being delivered, we will find an option that works for you.

Domestic Freight

Domestic freight covers air, sea, road and rail options within one country; it would be the most reliable way to transport your goods interstate. 

Benefits

Domestic transport is highly beneficial for importing and exporting goods, it is usually the final aspect of transporting good to desired areas. An advantage road transportation is speed and flexibility, the transit times is often less compared to rail, sea or air domestically. In terms of rail freight is that it is a cost-effective solution for long distance transits and can handle bigger loads.

Disadvantages

Some downsides of rail shipping include accessibility, lack of flexibility, and is not suitable for short distances. Some regions may not have access to railways, and most of the time will need to add road transport to get to the end location. When transporting by road, accidents break downs are more likely to happen. Trucks also handle less capacity than trains, so it’s not suitable for transporting heavy or oversized items. Domestic air and sea services are also a lot more expensive compared to other forms of transport and therefore are rarely.

Domestic freight with TGL 

As a leading logistics company in Australia, TGL offers flexible solutions to get products from point A to point B. With our very own TGL truck sand well-established delivery networks around the world, we can transport any shipment to its end destination.

Our expertise and global network of agents ensure we can cover rail, road, and domestic air freight solutions. A one-stop shop for all logistic solutions across multiple modes of transport; no matter what transportation method is needed, we can help.

Our dedicated solutions specialists understand that each company's freight requirements vary, and we strive to provide a tailored service that suits your business. When it comes to road freight, there are a variety of delivery options depending on what you require. Another form of domestic transportation is rail freight; It allows for integrating other forms of haulage to deliver products in the most time-efficient way.

Air freight isn't only used for international shipments; domestic air freight is sometimes needed for interstate transport. We also offer air freight services domestically. Our team is highly skilled in managing air transportation demands and will ensure that your delivery is effectively planned to meet deadlines or tight schedules. Whether you are looking to use air, road, rail shipping or a combination of multiple methods, our experienced team will find a solution that suits you.

Other logistic services 

TGL offers 3PL services and customs clearance solutions, making us a one-stop shop for all your shipping needs. We have our very own warehousing facility based in Sydney and can organise your orders' storage, order fulfilment, picking, packing, and dispatching.

Other services typical forwarders include customs clearance and 3PL warehouse, along with all three transport methods. Customs clearance is an essential part of the process; without it, shipments may be delayed or even banned from being exported/imported. Critical customs clearance documents include a certificate of origin, commercial invoices, shipping bills, and more.

Final thoughts

A freight forwarder is your one-stop shop for all cargo needs; they have the knowledge and expertise to give your business peace of mind. When working with an agent to organise a shipment, it is essential to consider the cargo size, the kind of item being transported, the location, and the transit duration. Depending on your load, the type of transport will vary and, in most cases, require intermodal services. A typical international freight forwarder will provide air, ocean and land freight, customs clearance and 3PL warehousing. 

 



At TGL, we offer business to business logistics services, including sea freight, air freight, domestic freight, warehousing, and customs clearance to all industries. Get a quote today.
If you require further information about us and the services we provide, book a free no-obligation consultation session with our logistics professionals.