Licensed U.S. Customs House Brokerage855-888-0666 · www.jfschb.com
JFSCHB

Shipping & Logistics

Freight Forwarder

Also known as: Forwarder, International Freight Forwarder

A freight forwarder is a logistics intermediary that arranges the transport of goods on behalf of shippers, booking space with ocean, air, road, and rail carriers, consolidating cargo, preparing shipping and export documentation, and coordinating the many hand-offs of an international shipment. Rather than owning ships or aircraft, the forwarder leverages relationships and volume to obtain competitive rates and to stitch together door-to-door movements across multiple carriers and borders. Many forwarders also offer customs brokerage, cargo insurance, warehousing, and supply-chain visibility, functioning as a single point of accountability for complex journeys.

The JFS takeLicensed customs broker · Filer 82G

Worth understanding the licensing line. A forwarder arranges transport; a customs broker is licensed to transact customs business with CBP. Many firms do both, but where they are separate the forwarder cannot make your entry and does not carry your customs liability. Ask which license you are actually buying.

Where it matters for compliance

  • Only a licensed broker may transact customs business for another party, and only under a power of attorney.

Related terms

NVOCCA non-vessel operating common carrier is an entity that acts as a carrier to the shipper — issuing its own bills of lading and taking contractual responsibility for the cargo — while itself buying space from the ocean lines that actually operate the vessels.Customs BrokerA customs broker is a private individual or firm licensed by the national customs authority to act as an agent for importers in the clearance of goods, preparing and filing the entry documents, calculating and remitting duties and taxes, and ensuring that shipments comply with the full web of customs and partner-agency regulations.ConsolidationConsolidation is the practice of combining multiple smaller shipments, often from different shippers, into a single larger load — typically a full container or an air-cargo unit — to achieve the lower per-unit rates available to bulk movements.

Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.