It is quite likely that you know what an intercontinental forwarder is and what they are largely engaged in. But what do they do exactly and what added value do they provide? Why would you engage a forwarder to handle the transport of your goods and all the work that comes with it?
What is an intercontinental forwarder?
A forwarder can be characterised as an agent who makes sure that your goods are shipped from A to B most effectively and efficiently. This does not only involve the physical transport of your goods. The forwarder will try to find the best prices for each part of your transport. He will draft contracts and arrange for the necessary documentation. Apart from this, the forwarder stands surety, amongst other things, for the import duties which must be paid. The forwarder gives advice and is able to arrange for the transport of goods from door to door (depending on the terms of delivery) as well as customs formalities. Moreover, the forwarder deals with insurance and storage of goods. In short: a forwarder takes the entire logistics process off its customer's hands. The difference between a forwarder and an intercontinental forwarder is that a forwarder is in charge of domestic transport (or within Europe), whereas an intercontinental forwarder is engaged in transport to other continents by ocean and air freight, for example.
