CargoLinked is a freight marketplace: shippers describe a shipment once, freight forwarders respond with quotes, and the two contract directly. This page explains the mechanics on both sides, including the parts we deliberately do not do.
For shippers
- Post a request. Origin, destination, mode, cargo details, readiness date and any special requirements. One description, not five phone calls.
- Receive quotes. Forwarders who serve that lane respond. Quotes are structured, so you can compare charges rather than reconciling five differently-formatted PDFs — what to look for is in how to compare freight quotes.
- Ask questions. Message quoting forwarders in-thread before deciding.
- Accept one. The accepted quote opens a shipment workspace with messaging and document sharing.
- Contract with the forwarder directly. The carriage contract is between you and them.
Posting is free for shippers, and you are under no obligation to accept any quote.
For freight forwarders
- Create a listing in the directory — company details, services, and the countries you serve.
- See matching requests where your HQ country matches the shipment's origin or destination.
- Quote. A number of quotes are included free; the Connected membership adds unlimited quoting and listing prominence — see pricing.
- Win and deliver, with messaging and documents in one place.
Which countries you list determines which requests you see at all — the reason is explained in the countries you serve.
What we do not do
Being explicit here matters more than being flattering:
- We are not a forwarder. CargoLinked does not move cargo, issue bills of lading or hold cargo liability. Your contract is with the forwarder you choose.
- We do not set or guarantee prices. Quotes are the forwarder's own, on their terms.
- We do not pre-vet every listing. Directory listings are self-published — company details and links go live without prior review. A Verified badge is separate and optional, awarded only after a listing submits documents for review, and it appears only on listings that hold it. Do your own due diligence either way; the checks are in how to choose a freight forwarder.
- We do not provide carrier tracking — see how to track an international shipment for where that data lives.
Why post a request rather than email three forwarders
| Emailing forwarders | Posting a request | |
|---|---|---|
| Describing the shipment | Repeated per forwarder | Once |
| Finding candidates | Your own research | Forwarders on the lane come to you |
| Comparing | Reconciling free-form replies | Structured, side by side |
| Turnaround | Serial — a few days | Parallel |
| Who you contract with | The forwarder | The forwarder — unchanged |
The category-level explanation is in what a freight marketplace is, and the distinction from a broker in marketplace vs broker.
Getting started
Shippers: post a freight request — it takes a few minutes and costs nothing. Forwarders: create a listing and start quoting on your lanes. Browsing first is fine too — the directory covers providers in 194 countries.
