Freight forwarding basic concepts
1, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association teams will be shipped agent is defined as: according to the customer’s instructions, in order to embrace the benefit of our customers to take delivery of the goods, which I am not a carrier. Freight forwarding these conditions can also be engaged with the delivery of contract-related activities, such as cargo storage, customs declaration, inspection, collection.
2, China’s international freight forwarding industry regulations implementing rules is defined as: international freight forwarding companies can import and export goods as the consignee, consignor’s agent, but also as an independent operator engaged in international freight forwarding business.
International freight forwarding business as an agent engaged in international freight forwarding business, refers to the international freight forwarding companies to accept incoming and outgoing goods the consignee, consignor or his agent’s commission, as principal or transact such business in their own name, agency fees charged to or commissions behavior.
International freight forwarding business as an independent operator engaged in international freight forwarding business, referring to international freight forwarding companies to accept incoming and outgoing goods consignee, consignor or his agent’s commission, issuing a transport document to fulfill the contract and payment of freight transportation and service fees behavior.

Freight forwarding service objects

From the fundamental nature of international freight forwarders see freight forwarding mainly entrusted party commission, in relation to transport of goods, transport, storage, handling and other matters. On the one hand it is a contract of carriage with the shipper of goods, he also signed a contract with the transport sector, the shipper of the goods, he is also the carrier of goods. At present, a considerable part of the cargo agents master a variety of means of transport and storage of goods Treasury market, in conducting its business activities, including handling, including air and sea freight. Are engaged in international freight forwarding business are:

One for the consignor Service
Forwarding instead of the consignor assume different transport of goods in any one procedure:
1, with the fastest mode of transport most provinces arrange for appropriate packaging of goods, selection of goods transport routes.
2, warehousing and distribution to customer suggestions.
3, the election of reliable, high efficiency of the carrier, and is responsible for the conclusion of the contract of carriage.
4, arranging cargo weight and measurement.
5, for cargo insurance.
6, assembled goods.
7, prior to shipment or distribution of goods at the destination before the goods warehousing.
8, arranging the transport of goods to the port, and the relevant documents for customs formalities, and the goods to the carrier.
9, on behalf of the shipper / importer incurred shipping, customs taxes.
10, to handle the transport of goods to any foreign exchange transactions.
11, obtained from a variety of carriers out there to sign the bill of lading, and handed them over to the consignor.
12, with the carrier for freight forwarding agents in foreign countries, supervision of cargo transportation process, and to the shipper knows the whereabouts of the goods.

Second, the Customs Service
When the freight forwarder as a customs broker to handle the import and export goods customs formalities, it is not only on behalf of his clients, but on behalf of the customs authorities. In fact, in many countries, he got the permission of these authorities, customs formalities, and the Customs and Excise Department is responsible for the early onset of the documents given to declare the exact amount of goods, quantity, name, to enable the Government in these areas are not affected by the loss.

Third, the carrier service
Freight carrier in a timely manner to the booking, agreed on the consignor, the carrier are fair and reasonable fee, arrange an appropriate time delivery, as well as the name of the consignor and the carrier’s freight accounts for solving such problems.

Four for airline service
Freight forwarders in the air transport industry, the airline serves as a proxy. International Air Transport Association meeting in air cargo for the purpose, and the rules, it was designated as the International Air Transport Association’s agent. In this relationship, it means using the airline’s cargo services to shippers by the airlines pay commissions. Meanwhile, as a freight forwarding, air freight by providing suitable level of services, continue to the consignor or consignee service.

Five for the shipping lines
Freight forwarders and shipping companies relationship varies with the business in recent years provided by the LCL freight forwarding services, namely LCL groupage services have built their companies and other carriers with liner (such as rail) between The more closely linked, however, some countries refuse to pay commission to freight forwarders, so they strive for world-wide commission requirements.

Sixth, to provide LCL service
As international trade intermediate container transport growth, introduction and LCL groupage services, in providing such services, freight forwarding assume the principal role. And LCL groupage basic meaning is: the one shipped to certain shippers sent to another destination several small pieces of cargo consignee together, as a whole the transport of goods to the destination of freight forwarding, and through it all the single vote to deliver the goods to the consignee. Freight forwarding issue bills of lading, that points to the bill of lading or other similar receipts per consignment consignor; freight forwarding destination port agent, with the initial bill of lading to the consignee. LCL closing, the shipper does not directly contact with the carrier, the carrier, the forwarder is a shipper and freight forwarding agents in the port of destination is the consignee. Therefore, to the freight carrier issuing the bill of lading or waybill whole. If the consignor or consignee have special requirements, it can also be shipped freight forwarding and destination in the pickup and delivery service, providing door to door service.

Seven, providing intermodal services
On the role of the freight forwarding, containerized a more profound effect that he was involved intermodal which he served as a major carrier and bear a single organization under the contract, through a variety of modes of transport door to door transport of goods. It can be in a principal capacity with other carriers or other service providers were negotiated and signed. However, these contracts do not affect long intermodal distribution contract enforcement, that will not affect the obligations of the consignor and the multimodal process, cargo damage and loss of his responsibilities. As long intermodal freight forwarding business in person, usually required to provide all transportation and distribution process, including a comprehensive "package" of services, and its customers bear a higher level of responsibility.

Freight forwarder’s responsibility

1, the basic responsibility
As a carrier of cargo transportation and take responsibility (shipping documents issued by them, with their own transportation to grasp, or entrust others to complete the transport of goods and freight charges).
As a carrier of cargo transportation is not directly responsible for (shipping documents issued by others, the use of master conveyance or rented to others means of transport, means of transport or rented to others, or entrust others to complete the transport of goods, not directly responsible).
According to the agreement with the principal or contract, or in accordance with the instructions Principal business activities, freight forwarding responsibility should normally complete this commission, especially within the scope of authorization.
Truthfully reporting all important matters. In the business entrusted to handle the case to the commission to provide, information must be true, any concealment or false information provided by the losses caused by the commissioning party shall be entitled to recourse freight forwarders and revoke agency contract or agreement.
Negative obligation of confidentiality. Freight information obtained during leak to third parties. At the same time, nor the agent transferred to others.
2, the period of responsibility
Start from receiving the goods to the destination of the goods to the consignee, or until the placing of the goods according to the instructions indicate the location of the consignee has been completed and as to fulfill delivery obligations under the contract.
3, the contract responsibility
International freight forwarder responsible for their own failure to perform the contract caused by loss of goods liable.
4, the responsibility for the storage
In an interview with the goods ready warehousing freight forwarding, you should get the goods to the warehouse receipt or proof of the commissioning party and do their duty during the storage of goods, according to the characteristics of the goods and packaging, choose a different storage methods.
5, right
Principal shall be paid to the forwarding agent due to the movement of goods, storage, insurance, security clearance, visas, handling documents, as well as providing other services caused all costs, but also due to payment of the freight forwarder can not control reasons resulting contract can not perform other costs incurred. If the goods are lost or damaged lines insurer contracted within the scope of freight forwarder compensation, obtained from the owner of the goods where the right of subrogation, from other responsible person get compensation or repayment. When all of the goods freight forwarder compensation, ownership of the goods will be converted to all cargo agents.
6, exclusions
① As the commissioning party’s negligence or fault
② As the principal or other agents in the handling, storage or other operations during fault
③ As the natural characteristics of the goods or potential defects
④ Because the packaging of goods is not solid, flag unclear
⑤ Geological unclear because the goods delivered, incomplete, inaccurate
⑥ Due to the content of the shipment representations unclear, incomplete
⑦ due to force majeure, natural disasters, the causes of accidents
But if they can prove that the goods have loss or damage was caused by fault or negligence freight forwarder, or led to the loss of the goods, damages payable liability.

Freight Forwarders Liability

Freight Forwarders Association team also provides general terms the principle of compensation consists of two aspects: First, the principle of liability, the second is limitation of liability.
First, the principle of liability
Consignee received the goods found in the loss of or damage to the goods, and can prove that the loss or damage was caused by the negligence freight forwarders, namely freight forwarding claims, under normal circumstances, the proposed notice of claim does not exceed the number of days after delivery, Otherwise, it has completed the delivery obligations as freight forwarding. Forwarder basic principle of compensation:
1, if the market price of the goods or the transfer location determined by the difference between the current price and the invoice, but can not determine the difference between the stated invoice amount of compensation.
2, antiques, no practical value goods other special value, is not compensable. (Except for a special statement and pay the appropriate fee)
3, the team also legally living slander type of goods freight, customs taxes, and other fees to pay compensation. But no compensation for further losses.
4, partial loss or damage to the goods pro rata compensation.
5, if the goods are to be delivered at how many days remain delivery, constitutes a delay in delivery, freight forwarding, compensation for delays which may be caused by the direct consequences and reasonable fee.
Second, the limitation of liability
Look from the existing international conventions, and some use a single standard method of compensation, some double standards of compensation methods, international freight forwarder compensation methods should be equally true, but practice varies quite different.

FCL transfer process:

1, the consignor the goods in their own factory or warehouse configuration container stuffing location;
2, delivery people in their own factory or warehouse locations with cargo packing boxes, packing;
3, through the inland transportation, container cargo will be transported to the container terminal;
4, according to the yard floor plan on a temporary container cargo, waiting to be loaded;
5, according to the loading plan, the container cargo loaded on the ship;
6, through maritime transport, unloading the container freight to port;
7, according to the unloading plan, container cargo unloaded from the ship;
8, according to the plan in the yard within the staging yard container cargo, waiting for the consignee come pick;
9, through inland transport, the container cargo shipped to the consignee factories and warehouses;
10, the consignee in their own factories and warehouses box locations dig dig box;
11 empty containers to be returned.

LCL transfer process

1, the consignor responsible for their own goods to the container freight station
2, container freight station is responsible for equipment boxes, with boxes, packing
3, container freight station is responsible for loading the container cargo shipped to the container terminal
4, according to the container yard planned temporary yard, waiting to be loaded
5, according to the loading plan, will be loaded on container cargo ship
6, through maritime transport, unloading the container freight to port
7, according to the unloading plan, container cargo unloaded from the ship
8, according to the plan in the yard within the staging yard container cargo, waiting to come to pick up freight station
9, container freight stations dig box delivery
10 empty containers to be returned

Shipping container export business

A consignor in the export business of freight in
1, the entering into trade contracts
2, stocking
3, charter booking
4, the declaration
5, packing and shipping of goods
6, the insured
7, pay for shipping and issuing bills of lading
8, to the consignee (buyer) issued a shipping notice
Two shipping companies in the export business of freight species
A master of supply and transport
2, equipped with container
3, to accept consignments
4, to receive the goods
5, shipping
6, the system to send the main shipping documents
Third, export freight container terminal yard in the business
1, the transfer of containers
2, the development of yard work plan
3, the container shipping
4, the special container handling
5, and the shipping company’s business relationships
Fourth, export freight container freight station
1, for cargo transfer
2, stowage packing
3, packing list
4, will be transported to the loading dock container yard

Import freight business

First, the shipping company’s business in the import business
1, do preparatory work unloading
2, and send the relevant documents produced
3, unloading and delivery
4, the issuance of bills of lading
Second, import freight container terminal yard’s work in
1, container unloading preparations
2, unloading and stacking
3, delivery
4, the fee charged
5, making delivery reports and non-delivery report
Three, standing container freight import business operations
1, good delivery provision
2, issued a notice of delivery
3, from the terminal yard laden containers
4, unpacking Delivery
5, the fees charged
6, making delivery reports and non-delivery report
Fourth, the consignee in the import business of business
1, the entering into trade contracts
2, charter booking
3, for opening letters of credit
4, the insured
5 to obtain a relevant shipping documents
6, to obtain bills of lading
7, the goods
8, claims