Questions You Should Ask Your Ocean Freight Broker
Putting sea freight on a cargo ship may seem simplistic. However, you must consider the type of freight forwarding to use, know how to prepare freight for shipping, and understand the key parts of a freight quote. This will keep your costs low, reduce the likelihood of damage, and give you buying power. Using a third-party logistics company like LA 24-7 Forwarder will make things even simpler by unloading the huge burden of planning, handling and picking up your shipment all alone.
We have relationships within a large, global network of shipping companies that enable the average importer or even frequent exporter to get lower ocean freight rates. LA 24-7 Forwarder will do the negotiating of terms and price, oversee the packing of your chosen shipping container, and handle the in-port logistics.
Types Of Ocean Freight Forwarding
When choosing the type of freight forwarding that your company must use, keep the type of goods at the forefront of your mind. In the case of commercial goods, shipping rates and procedures are different than for household items and personal effects. Commercial goods are often shipped as Full Container Loads (FCL) meaning an entire container is dedicated to a particular product line. For goods that are boxed, crated or palletized, shipping as a Less Than Container Load (LCL) is the appropriate option.
LA 24-7 Forwarder certainly can manage your FCL, but we also specialize in consolidating packages to reduce costs for freight owners. By working with the large number of clients that we do, planning a single shipment is more cost-efficient than using smaller shipping companies, especially those geared towards small businesses.
Preparing Ocean Freight For Shipping
Ocean freight can be any size and in a box, crate or on a pallet. Initially, freight forwarders such as LA 24-7 Forwarder will arrange a pick-up and delivery to the sea freight port of origin. This can be done by land or rail. This is the beginning of the tracking process where you can trace the route of your sea cargo and cargo ship all the way to inland delivery from the port of destination.
Using LA 24-7 Forwarder’s expertise in packing, ability to consolidate loads for lower pricing, and handling of transportation to and from ports is a wise choice for even the most basic of international shipping needs. Companies gain visibility, security and flexibility by using our global network of shipping companies and logistics agents. More importantly, we do all the customs paperwork on your behalf, using our account number to expedite the process.
Key Parts Of An Ocean Freight Quote
Ocean freight rates are derived from several parts of the logistics process, including transportation, packing, freight forwarding and meeting foreign regulations. The transportation involves door-to-door service before and after travel on a cargo ship. Packing involves coordinating product in various forms for most efficient use of space. An agent’s time and expertise is part of the cost of using LA 24-7 Forwarder as your service provider. Freight forwarding is cost passed on, essentially like paying rent for an office in a building. The customs process, however, can be a show stopper if you don’t know what you are doing. Therefore, we create a complete ocean freight forwarding quote by incorporating the fees and time associated with getting your goods through the regulatory process in the country of destination. Together, this forms one price that covers every aspect of the shipping process for your peace of mind.
Let LA 24-7 Forwarder will handle all parts of your ocean freight packing, shipping and transport for a complete package that saves you time and money. So, call us today at (800) 648-9889 for your FREE Quote!