Freight forwarder mainly accepts the entrustment of the principal, on matters related to the transportation of goods, transit, warehousing, loading and unloading. On the one hand, it and the shipper of the goods to enter into a contract of carriage, at the same time he signed a contract with the transportation sector, for the shipper of the goods, he is also the carrier of the goods. Considerable part of the cargo agent to master a variety of means of transportation and storage of goods in the depot, in the operation of its business for the transportation of goods, including air, land and sea. International freight forwarders engaged in the business are mainly:

First, for the consignor services

Freight forwarding instead of the consignor to undertake any one of the formalities in the transportation of different goods:

1, the fastest and most economical way of transportation, arrange the appropriate packaging of goods, choose the route of transportation of goods.

2、Suggest warehousing and distribution to customers.

3. Selecting a reliable and efficient carrier and taking responsibility for concluding the contract of transportation.

4.Arrange weighting and measuring of cargoes.

5.Cargo insurance.

6.Cargo consolidation.

7、Store the goods before shipment or allocation of goods at the destination.

8、Arrange the transportation of goods to the port, handle the formalities of customs and related documents, and hand over the goods to the carrier.

9、Burden freight and duty tax on behalf of the shipper/importer.

10, Handle any foreign exchange transactions related to the transportation of goods.

11, Obtain various signed bills of lading from the carrier and hand them over to the consignor.

12, through contact with the carrier in the freight forwarder's agent in foreign countries, to monitor the process of cargo transportation, and enable the shipper to know the destination of the goods.

Second, for customs services

When a freight forwarder acts as a customs agent for customs formalities relating to imported and exported goods, it represents not only his client but also the customs authorities. In fact, in many countries, he is licensed by these authorities to handle customs formalities and is responsible to the customs authorities for declaring the exact amount, quantity, and name of the goods in the documents issued early so that the government will not suffer any loss in these respects.

Third, for the carrier's services

Freight forwarders to the carrier in a timely manner booking, agreed to the consignor, the carrier are fair and reasonable charges, arrange for delivery at the appropriate time, as well as in the name of the consignor to solve and the carrier's freight accounts and other issues.

Fourth, for the airline service

Freight forwarders in the air transportation industry, acting as an agent of the airline. In the International Air Transport Association will be the purpose of air cargo, and the establishment of the rules, it is designated as an agent of the International Aviation Association. In this relationship, it utilizes the airlines' freight forwarding tools to serve the cargo owner and is paid a commission by the airlines. At the same time, as a freight forwarder, it continues to serve the consignor or consignee by providing a means of service appropriate to the degree of air transportation.

V. Service for liner companies

Freight forwarders and liner companies, with the business of different and different, by the freight forwarders to provide consolidation services, that is, consolidated cargo consolidation services have been established between them and the liner companies and other carriers (such as railroads) a closer link, but some countries refuse to pay commission to the freight forwarder, so they strive for a worldwide demand for commissions.

Six, provide consolidation services

With the growth of international trade in containerized transport, the introduction of consolidation and consolidation services, in the provision of such services, freight forwarders assume the role of the principal. Consolidation and consolidation of the basic meaning is: a shipment of a number of consignors to another destination of a number of consignees of small pieces of goods together, as a whole piece of transportation of goods to the destination of the freight forwarder, and through which a single ticket of goods to the consignee of each. Freight forwarder to issue a bill of lading, that is, a bill of lading or other similar receipt to the consignor of each shipment; Freight forwarding agent at the port of destination, with the initial bill of lading to the consignee. Consignee and consignor of LCL not directly with the carrier, the carrier, the freight forwarder is the consignor, and freight forwarding agent in the port of destination is the consignee. Therefore, the carrier issued to the forwarder is the whole bill of lading or freight bill. If the consignor or consignee has special requirements, the freight forwarder can also be engaged in the shipment and the destination of the pickup and delivery services, to provide door-to-door service.

Seven, multimodal transportation services

In the role of the freight forwarder, containerization of a more far-reaching impact is his involvement in multimodal transport which is he acted as the main carrier and assumed the organization of a single contract, through a variety of modes of transport for the door-to-door carriage of goods. It can negotiate and contract separately as a party with other carriers or other service providers. However, these subcontracts do not affect the performance of the multimodal transport contract, i.e. they do not affect the obligations of the consignor and his liability for damage to and loss of the goods in the course of the multimodal transport.