What’s the Difference Between a Freight Forwarder and a Customs Broker

May 4, 2019 #customs broker, #freight forwarder

For every business owner, sustaining the stability of the supply chain is a must to keep up with the growing competition in the world of commerce. If a product needs to be imported to another country to reach a greater number of customers, one must undergo a series of long and complicated requirements that could consume more time and frustration in the long run. These situations can, however, be prevented through the help of freight forwarders.

Freight forwarders can be either a private individual or company that offer services such as facilitating the shipping processes of a product. Being experts in logistics, they utilize their wide network of connections with different carriers so that they can offer their clients the best deals for shipping available at the moment. They also ensure that your cargo will be safe and will reach its destination in time.

However, most people tend to mistake a freight forwarder with another profession that is just as highly related to the shipping industry: customs brokers. On the other hand, the term customs brokers are also often thought to be synonymous with freight forwarders. While freight forwarders and customs brokers work on the same field, they have pretty much distinct to each other in terms of duties and responsibilities. For example, a customs broker is a private person that handles all the requirements given by the customs authorities of either the home country or the receiving country. That’s why as the name implies, they are the “customs” brokers. They deal with the customs officials.

There are a lot of things that make both profession different from each other though it is very important for everybody to know that a good working relationship between the two is essential for the success of the shipment process.

The infographic below brought to you by Excelsior will discuss more about the difference between a freight forwarder and a customs broker.