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.