Freight knowledge for global trade

A freight forwarder is a licensed intermediary that arranges international transport on your behalf — booking carriers, preparing documentation, managing customs clearance, and coordinating door-to-door delivery. They typically do not own vessels or aircraft; they use their carrier relationships to move your cargo.

Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) are ICC rules that define who pays for shipping, insurance, and customs, and when risk transfers from seller to buyer. Using the wrong Incoterm — or none at all — is a leading cause of unexpected freight bills and border delays.

FCL (Full Container Load) means you book an entire container for your cargo alone. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your goods share a container with other shippers. FCL is usually cheaper per unit for larger volumes; LCL suits smaller shipments that do not fill a container.

Port-to-port ocean transit varies by trade lane — for example roughly 14–18 days Asia to US West Coast, 28–35 days Asia to Europe. Door-to-door time adds export preparation, port handling, customs clearance, and final delivery — often 2–3 weeks beyond sailing time.

Most imports require a commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (bill of lading or air waybill), and customs declaration. Depending on the product and country you may also need a certificate of origin, import licence, or product-specific certificates.

Request the same Incoterm, origin/destination points, cargo dimensions, and service scope (port-to-port vs door-to-door) from each forwarder. Compare line-item charges including local fees, surcharges, and currency — not headline ocean or air rates alone.

Usually not. Carrier liability is limited by international conventions to a fraction of cargo value. All-risk cargo insurance is typically arranged separately — confirm coverage, exclusions, and insured value before shipping high-value goods.

CargoLinked is a global freight marketplace where shippers post structured quote requests and verified freight forwarders respond with comparable quotes — replacing opaque email chains with transparent, in-platform procurement and shipment visibility.

It depends on mode, volume, lane, and timing, so any single figure would be misleading. Ocean FCL is priced per container, while LCL and air freight are priced on chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight and a volume-derived figure. On top sit surcharges for fuel, terminal handling, and security. The reliable way to find out is to post your shipment details and compare all-in quotes from multiple providers.

In most cases yes. Carrier and forwarder liability is capped by weight rather than by the value of your goods, so for anything valuable the recoverable amount is a small fraction of the loss. Marine cargo insurance covers actual value, usually at 110 percent of invoice. Check whether the policy is all-risks under Institute Cargo Clauses (A) or a restricted named-perils cover.

A freight forwarder arranges the physical movement of goods; a customs broker is licensed to file customs declarations on an importer's behalf. Many forwarders hold brokerage licences and do both, but they are distinct regulated activities. Whoever files the entry, the importer of record remains legally responsible for the accuracy of the declaration.

Prepare customs clearance before the vessel arrives, negotiate longer free time at booking rather than paying charges later, arrange collection as soon as the cargo is released, and confirm the empty-return depot can accept the container before you unpack. Demurrage applies while the box sits in the terminal; detention applies once it is out and not yet returned.

For containerised cargo use FCA, CPT, or CIP rather than the sea-only rules FOB, CFR, and CIF. Beyond that, the choice depends on how much of the journey you want to control and who can practically handle customs at each end. Avoid EXW for cross-border sales, because it requires the buyer to complete export formalities in the seller's country, and avoid DDP unless the seller can act as importer of record.

On CargoLinked, quotes typically begin arriving within hours of a request being posted, because verified providers matching your lane are notified directly. Response speed depends on how complete your request is — shipments with packed dimensions, gross weight, Incoterm, and a clear commodity description get quoted faster and with fewer follow-up questions than vague enquiries.