Concept
A freight forwarder, or forwarding agent, is a person or a company who, for a fee, organizes shipments for the shipper (an individual/party that arranges an item for shipment) by liaising with carriers (an individual/party that transports goods). A forwarder does not move the goods but acts as an agent in the logistics network. The carriers can use a variety of shipping modes, including ships, airplanes, trucks, and railroads, and often use multiple modes for a single shipment. For example, the freight forwarder may arrange to have cargo moved from a plant to an airport by truck, flown to the destination city and then moved from the airport to a customer's building by another truck. International freight forwarders typically handle international shipments and have additional expertise in preparing and processing customs documentation and performing activities pertaining to international shipments. Information typically reviewed by a freight forwarder includes the commercial invoice, shipper's export declaration, bill of lading and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import, and/or transshipment. The FIATA shorthand description of the freight forwarder as the "Architect of Transport" illustrates the commercial position of the forwarder relative to its client. In Europe, some forwarders specialize in "niche" areas such as rail-freight, and collection and deliveries around a large port. Modern freight forwarders offer an end-to-end process i.e. shipping the goods from the place of origin to the final destination. Together with Freight Tracking Technology, freight forwarding agents can view real time freight information. One of the earliest freight forwarders was Thomas Meadows and Company Limited of London, England, established in 1835 According to "Understanding the Freight Business," written and published by the executive staff of Thomas Meadows and Company in 1972, the advent of reliable rail transport and steamships created demand for the fledgling freight forwarding industry.