Freight Forwarders

Customs Brokerage is a profession that involves the clearing of goods through Customs barriers for importers and exporters (usually businesses). This involves the preparation of documents and/or electronic submissions, the calculation (and usually the payment) on behalf of the client of taxes, duties and excises, and facilitating communication between the importer/exporter and governmental authorities. Customs brokers in the U.S. will often prepare and submit documentation to notify or obtain the clearance from other government agencies such as the Food and Drug administration (FDA), The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Fish and Wildlife service, and many others.

In the United States as is the case through much of the world, Customs brokers are licensed by the local Customs authority. In the United States, this authoriy is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection.

A freight forwarder is an individual or company that dispatches shipment via asset based carriers and books or otherwise arrange space for those shipments. Common carrier types could include waterborne vessels, airplanes, trucks or railroads.

Freight forwarders typically arrange cargo movement to an international destination. Also referred to as international freight forwarders, they have the expertise that allows them to prepare and process the documentation and perform related activities pertaining to international shipment. Some of the typical information reviewed by a freight forwarder is the commercial invoice, shipper’s export declaration, bill of lading and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import or transshipment. Much of this information is now processed in a paperless environment.