/ By TJ China Freight / Logistic

How To Choose A Good Freight Forwarder?

When you engage the services of a freight forwarder for your global shipping and business needs, what you expect to enjoy is the relationships they already have with various carriers such as ocean liners, truck companies, airline carriers. You should also benefit from their intricate knowledge of how export and import work in different countries. Moreover, they will be able to smoothly handle customs clearances for your goods, and track the status of the shipment as it makes its way from the supplier/manufacturer to you.

What is a Freight Forwarder?

A freight forwarder is an agent or business within the international trade industry that handles the shipping and transport of goods from one part of the world to another either by land, sea, or air. They are involved in the process of getting goods from suppliers and manufacturers, storing them, and facilitating the transportation logistics to end-users and consumers or some other distribution point. For instance, if you wish to ship freight from China, your best bet will be to hire a China freight forwarder to help you handle the daunting and complicated process of moving your freight either through ocean shipping,air freight, road or rail transport, or some other means.

Tips On How To Choose A Good Freight Forwarder

Nowadays, there are so many agents offering freight forwarding services. So, it may be difficult to find the best freight forwarder for your business. To that end, here are tips on how to choose a good freight forwarder that’s perfect for you.

1. Do Your Homework And Know What You Need

The very first thing that will help you secure the services of the best freight forwarder that will move your goods across international supply chains and trade routes is to do your homework. This means knowing what exactly you need. Ask yourself what kind of freight you want to ship in terms of volume and size. You should not expect exactly the same procedure when shipping goods like automobiles when you’re shipping commodities like foodstuffs.

You would also have a preferred mode of transport you wish to use, so it’s good for you to figure that out before contacting a freight forwarder. Moreover, some goods are fragile and require special handling procedures while others don’t. So, for such special shipments like dangerous or hazardous goods, you would expect the shipping process to be slightly more complicated.

When you clearly identify all your internal requirements, then you will be prepared for the hunt for the right freight forwarder to make the process smooth.

2. Consider The Freight Forwarder’s Experience And Network

This is non-negotiable!

The years of experience that the freight forwarder you’re looking to hire has is very crucial to the success of your business relationship. If they’re experienced, that means that they would have dealt with different situations that come up during the shipping process.

Examples of common situations are cases of port shutdowns, strike action by dockworkers, customs issues, cargo rerouting, warehouse problems, etc.  Here is where TJ China Freight comes in with more than a decade of handling and promptly and effectively resolving international shipping and logistics situations for customers all over the world.

With experience also comes an expansive global reach and sustainable business relationships. This manifests through good connections with various suppliers, local handlers and experts, trucking companies, and agents at numerous destinations. That’s how you can be sure your DDP shipments, FBA shipments, or any other freight will be handled well when they arrive at the destination country.

3. Find Out The Services They Offer

By now, you know your shipping needs. However, you don’t want just any freight forwarder with experience. Instead, you need the best freight forwarder that offers the services that will meet handle your shipping requirements. That’s why you have to confirm the services that the freight forwarder offers. These services can range from preparing import and export documents, booking shipping space from air and sea carriers, packing and storing shipments, customs clearance, freight consolidation, tracking shipments, insurance, and many more.

When you know the services that the freight forwarder provides, then you will know if they can make your international shipping process go smoothly.

4. Inquire About Their Permits, Credentials, And Certifications

Before shipments can be transported from one part of the world to another, the freight forwarder in charge of the logistics requires permits and documentation to show that they can handle the cargo. Your company may wish to ship sensitive products such as hazardous materials. To handle these shipments successfully, the freight forwarder will require special licenses. This is why you need to verify if the freight forwarder has these credentials. It will show that they have taken specialized and required training to do the job well.

Another important consideration is whether the freight forwarder is a member of reputable associations such as >WCA. To be a member of such bodies, freight forwarders are required to be financially stable, operationally efficient, have integrity, and pass many other strict vetting requirements. The best freight forwarder will always ensure they are part of such associations to stay in touch with the latest developments in the profession and remain relevant and valuable to customers.

5. What Risk Management Procedures Do They Have In Place?

It is not uncommon for problems to arise during the process of international shipping. There are lots of conditions that can destabilize the transportation of your cargo, whether at the origin, during transit, or at the destination country. So, it’s important for you to verify whether the freight forwarder has procedures in place to manage risks. Freight forwarders that are proactive are the best in handling any issues and proffering solutions to problems as they arise.

A common risk management procedure that you can ask about is cargo insurance. The insurance cover is valuable if anything happens to your shipment, whether it’s a case of loss, damage, or theft. Your mind will be more at ease during the entire shipping process if you know that you’re covered by insurance or any other valid risk management policy. Your freight forwarder should be your partner when there is a crisis.

6. What Is Their Customer Service Like?

Good customer service is the backbone of any business! All the credentials, experience, network and connections in the world amounts to nothing if a freight forwarder does not treat their customers well.

Imagine going through the process of securing your shipments from the supplier or manufacturer only for you to be unable to reach the freight forwarder handling the logistics and transport. If you have inquiries about freight rate or any other issues related to international shipping and the freight forwarder takes forever to respond to your inquiries, would you be willing to do business with them? This is why it’s important to verify what the freight forwarder’s customer service looks like.  You can ask about who the contact person is, who to talk to when a problem arises, how you will be contacted, and also check the reviews from previous customers.

Because international shipping can be tricky, these details are important, which is why clear communication between you and your freight forwarder is very crucial to the success of the endeavor. Great customer service even extends beyond when your shipment arrives. TJ China Freight is a tested and trusted China freight forwarder that offers unbeatable service to all its customers.

What About Pricing And Rates?

You may be wondering by now why there was no mention of pricing and rates in the tips on how to choose the best freight forwarder for your international shipping needs. Yes. It was deliberately left out. Why? Because deciding which freight forwarder to hire based on price alone is misleading and often has dire consequences.

For example, going with a freight forwarder because they offer the lowest rates on a shipment may lead to you having to pay more on subsequent shipments. This is because the freight forwarder would want to make up for the low price that they offered initially. Another possibility is that such freight forwarder that’s offering a low rate may have hidden some charges in the terms and conditions. All in all, low prices are often linked to dishonest dealings. You don’t want to fall victim, do you?

What your main focus should be while you are in search of the best freight forwarder for your business is whether your professional shipping needs will be precisely and promptly met. This is not to say that price is not important. Rather, it should not be your deciding factor on who to choose.

How To Ask For Shipping Rates From Your Freight Forwarder

Now that you know what you need to do to hire the best freight forwarder to handle your shipments, you should know the details you require to get the accurate quote and shipping rates for your products. This will help you prepare adequately and also help the freight forwarder serve you well.

To request for a quote from TJ China Freight, the information required include:

1. Product Name.

The name of the product is required. Also, is the product with or without battery? Is it magnetic? Is it liquid? Are they dangerous goods?

2. INCOTERMS Or Terms Of Sale.

Incoterms refer to your International Commercial Terms with the seller, supplier, manufacturer or factory. Are your incoterms EXW (Ex works), Free on Board (FOB), or Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF)?

3. Weight And Volume Information.

If you have the goods packing lists, that’s the most preferred. Alternatively, you can send the gross weight and volume information of the shipment.

4. Address Of The Supplier Or Factory.

If your contract price term is EXW, then we have to arrange the pick up from your supplier or facotry, so the address of the supplier or factory will be needed for us to check the pick fee.

5. The Destination Address Or Port Of Destination.

For Express shipping or any type of door to door delivery, we will need your exact destination address and post code to check the exact cost, and for Air freight or any type of shipping to Port only, then your port information will be required.

6. Your Preferred Shipping Method (Air Freight, Express Freight, Sea Freight, or Train Delivery).

The shipping cost is very different for the air freight, express freight, sea freight or train delivery, so pls let us know which shipping method do you prefer.

7. Your Preferred Time of Delivery – How Quickly Do You Want The Shipment To Be Delivered.

If you don’t know what shipping way is more suitalbe for you, pls let us know your preferred time of delivery, we will try to recommend the best shipping method that can meet your demands.

TJ China Freight, Your Best Freight Forwarder In China

As a leading China freight forwarder that specializes in shipping goods from China to other parts of the world, TJ China Freight offers a broad range of freight services like express shipping, warehousing, drop shipping, FBA shipping, and many more. We partner with many reputable organizations such as DHL, UPS, Emirates, etc. to make sure your shipments arrive on time and in good condition. Contact us today for a quote and open the door to an amazing business relationship.

/ By TJ China Freight / Shipping

Best Freight Forwarding Services Providers in 2020

When goods are transferred around the world, they rarely go from departure to destination locations in one step. In fact, they may switch between air, ocean, land, and rail carriers before they reach their destination.

Freight forwarders do the work of organizing, planning, and optimizing global trade routes and logistics solutions to facilitate the movement and storage of those goods. They rely on an expansive network of transport vehicles, warehouses, and intermodal points to streamline the movement of goods and cargo across the whole world.

Freight forwarders and logistics companies gather information from shippers, warehousers, truckers, and more to plan the route cargo will take. When they need to incorporate a shipment, an optimized route is already available and ready to utilize.

International Freight Forwarding Services
International freight forwarding services helps ensure an uninterrupted supply chain for international shipping partners. International logistics include foreign customs, duties, regulations, and fees, that are constantly changing and being updated.

It is important for freight forwarders and logistics companies to carefully handle such processes and stay up to date on issues related to global transport. These things can change from day-to-day, and shippers should be aware of cost fluctuations, new regulations, or procedures at both destinations and departure points.

Cost
A shipping company handles transportation services for you, but an industry-leading freight forwarder can help you optimize your time and money. Freight forwarders incorporate your supply chain into an existing and strong network of shipments.

Asiana USA provides door-to-door transportation and logistics services that are meant to reduce overall costs. Our advanced and integrated shipping network allows us to optimize the movement of goods around the United States and the world.

Services
Freight forwarding services include tracking inland transportation, document preparation, warehousing, negotiating fees, insurance, cargo consolidation, and shipping. These services greatly improve shipping for the shipper, receiver, and freight forwarding company.

Ideally, you should seek a partner who can perform all of these services. If you use more than one or all of these services, this will optimize your supply chain and shipping experience overall.

Mode of Transport

The best freight forwarding service providers make use of all modes of travel. Optimizing shipping routes using land, rail ocean, and air freight allows for an extended network of travel to and from multiple intermodal drayage points.

Drayage shipping means that cargo is moved between major intermodal points using high-volume transport such as a ship or train. Then, smaller vehicles will move them to the cargo to its final destination.

Trucks are an efficient way to move cargo and single containers between drayage points. While long-haul trucking has often been used to transport containers long distances, this practice is being replaced by drayage trucking, and other modes of transport are used for longer transport.

This is a safer alternative and more efficient, as truckers can make multiple trips daily. Additionally, truck companies have been incorporating new technology to further optimize the trucking experience, such as automatic transmissions and multiple cameras.

Rail transport is a far more efficient way to move multiple containers long distances. Instead of one driver per truck per container, a train can move over 200 double-stacked containers, use far less energy, and require far less personnel to operate.

It’s a safer, more effective way to move large goods long distances. Using one train where 100 trucks would have been needed also creates less pollution.

Air freight is used for more time-sensitive shipments. As transporting cargo by air poses weight and size restrictions, it is better used for smaller cargo. Due to high demand and higher fuel costs, air travel may be less suitable for heavy supply chains.

However, when cargo needs to travel far overnight, air freight can usually be the best option. Other situations where air freight is preferable is if you are shipping perishable, sensitive or hazardous items where special handling is required.

The majority of shipping occurs via the ocean. Ships carry large container loads and optimize shipping routes between major global trade ports. Transporting large amounts of cargo between major ports all over the world by ship allows for the rest of the shipping industry to flourish.

Over 11 million containers arrive yearly at different ports in the United States, many of which continue their journey by land to different parts of the country.

Final Thoughts
Choose a freight forwarding service that helps your business perform better by optimizing your supply chain, reducing your shipping costs, and deals with complicated international paperwork for you.TJ China Freight provides the best solution and the timely feedback for all kinds of shipment from every city in China by sea, by air and by railway, and we can provide the competitive price based on the best service, meanwhile we can also provide the other best service, including customs clearance, pick up & delivery service, shipping to Amazon FBA, warehousing & Distribution, cargo insurance, container loading supervision and Express,In a Word, everything you want to ship from China, TJ China Freight can always help.

Contact Info

Tel: +86-755-25117540
Fax: +86-755-25117540
Phone:+86-18928445749
E-mail: info@tj-logistics.com.cn
Website: www.tj-chinafreight.com
Address: 7/F,Cunjin building,No.3005 Dongmen south road,Luohu district Shenzhen,Guangdong,China

/ By TJ China Freight / Shipping

Why and When Your Ocean Freight Shipment Would Require a Bonded Warehouse

Customs regulations are a necessary, but challenging part of international shipping. Clearing customs increases costs, paperwork, and time-delays. Customs-bonded warehouses help reduce this friction and are an integral part of the global supply chain.

What is a bonded warehouse?

A customs bonded warehouse is a secured building or area where merchandise can be imported and stored for a period of time, without any import taxes (duties) being charged. Duties are only paid when the goods are removed for domestic use.

No duties are charged If the merchandise is re-exported, destroyed by customs, or withdrawn for use on an international vehicle or aircraft. The United States permits eleven types of bonded warehouses, where imported goods can be kept for up to five years.

While in bonded storage, merchandise can be handled and manipulated as long as the processing doesn’t change its essential nature. All types of products can be kept in bonded storage, including animals and restricted materials.

CALCULATE OCEAN FREIGHT

Customs bonded storage is a smart option for long-term financial planning and resource control. Using bonded warehouses to defer taxes on imported items can improve cashflow management, reduce financial liabilities, lower expenditures, and protect against political risk.

Long Term Bonded Storage

Bonded warehouses can be used to manage the financial burden of import taxes. If imported dutiable merchandise will not be sold immediately, inventory can be kept in bonded storage to avoid a large upfront tax payment.

Importers can then retain control over those monies and have them available for other purposes. Since applicable duties are only paid when the goods are removed after being sold, cash-strapped importers can fund their duty payments from the sale of the goods.

Customs bonded warehouses can also be used to hold merchandise that has low or fluctuating demand. If demand increases the merchandise can then be withdrawn for domestic use. If it doesn’t, the products can be re-exported without duty charges.

Right now, the global supply chain is in disarray due to Covid-19. Shutdowns and demand disruptions created supply chain bottlenecks and inventory build-ups. Luxury items like perfume are experiencing much lower demand. Bonded storage is being used to store excess product and let enterprises avoid paying customs on those items.

Restricted Specialty Item Risk Management

Bonded storage can be a preferable choice for storing restricted goods. Since customs bonded warehouses can store imports for up to five years, shorter time regulations for the storage of restricted products do not apply to them.

Importers who need extended time for processing paperwork or legalities to clear customs can use bonded storage to bypass these regulations.

Political and Economic Risk Management

Bonded storage can be used to protect against political instability and policy fluctuations. If merchandise is imported during times of high tariffs, bonded storage gives the chance to wait for more favorable economic conditions. Customs bonded warehousing has proved a highly effective strategy in navigating the tariffs of the Trump administration.

Exporters, importers, and manufacturers sought approval to establish their own bonded warehouses and storage areas. While the nation experienced rapidly changing foreign policy, these facilities became stable domestic zones for production and trade. Manufacturers and retailers were able to continue engaging in commerce while mitigating potential fallout.

Handling and Prepping for Market

If merchandise needs to be immediately prepped for market, this can be done in special customs bonded warehouses. Taxes are then determined on the final product when it is withdrawn from storage. This can prevent extra duties from being charged on material that does not make it to market.

For example, if food is brought in which needs to be sorted or processed, importers can avoid paying tax on discarded product.

Logistical Streamlining

Goods are also imported into customs bonded warehouses, simply to help smooth out the logistical process of clearing customs. Having goods placed in secure, duty-free storage gives peace of mind and more time for paperwork to be done.

How does bonded storage work?

Customs bonded warehouses can be owned either directly by the government or by licensed private enterprises. Some privately run bonded warehouses are for the proprietor’s use only, while others are available for public use.

Merchandise kept in privately operated warehouses, is under the joint supervision and joint custody of Customs Border Patrol and the warehouse proprietor. Customs retains full authority over the goods in the warehouse, but generally maintains control through periodic audits.

Private operators will take out a warehouse bond under which they incur liability for stored merchandise. This liability is discharged when the goods are exported, destroyed by Customs, or withdrawn domestically after duties are paid.

Customs-bonded warehouses are generally located at or near ports. Shipments are received directly to them. Many privately owned, public use warehouses will offer complementing services such as freight forwarding, logistics, distribution, and deliveries.

Certain classes cater to niche needs, such as livestock management, food handling, or receiving regulated products.

Once goods are withdrawn, importers will need to pay merchandise-processing fees in addition to duties. These fees should be negotiated carefully by evaluating different freight-forwarding services to find the best deal.

Supply Chain Resilience

Customs bonded warehouses are a key asset for global economic stability and security. Businesses rely on customs bonded storage as a core resource for financial control and risk management. Beyond cash flow management, this also creates economic confidence for trade to continue in uncertain conditions.

The recent China-USA tariff wars and Covid-19 supply chain chaos have proven their continued relevance as a stabilizing measure for international trade. Bonded storage is well integrated into freight shipping logistics. Enterprises looking to streamline and optimize the process of ocean freight shipping should take advantage of these secure, managed facilities.

Customs bonded warehouses are proven ways of mitigating the costs of heavy tariffs and regulations.