Since China is the world's largest exporter, the demand for freight forwarders in China is correspondly huge and continues to grow each year. Therefore, the question on the minds of many entrepreneurs buying from China is: How does freight forwarding from China work?
According to the World Bank, Mainland China is the most efficient country in freight forwarding. This is followed by Hong Kong and Singapore.
One reason for China's efficiency is their dense network of airports and ports. This allows them to move goods around the country quickly and efficiently. Additionally, they have a large and efficient workforce that is willing to do the difficult and dirty work of freight forwarding.
Here are some of the service aspects that a China-based Freight Forwarder can offer entrepreneurs looking to ship internationally from China:
1.Container Delivery
First of all , it depends on the trade terms. FOB, CIF, DDU, DDP & EXW trade terms are the common ones used in international trading. Under EXW terms, the factory/manufacturer is only responsible for producing the goods and having them sent to the freight forwarder for international shipping. Under the FOB, CIF , DDU & DDP terms, the shipper/factory is responsible to deliver the container under FOB, CIF , DDU & DDP terms. Under FOB terms, shipper/factory 's duty is to deliver the container into the courtyard of the shipping lines. But under CIF, DDU & DDP, their duty is to deliver the container to destination ports or even all the way to door (full door to door service) depending on the customer's needs.
2.Packing and loading
All the packing and loading should be done by either the manufacturer or the freight forwarder
3.Local charges
After packing of the cargo and loading the container, the shipper should deliver the cargo into the courtyard. There would be trucking charges , terminal handling charges , document charges,custom clearance charges and seal of the container charges. For full door to door DDP service, these charges are included in the shipment.
4. Pallets and Palletization
Palletization (using wooden pallets) may be necessary for large shipments involving fragile items. The dimension of the pallets is dependent on the size of the cargo ,container size and weight of the cargo.
5. Trucking
As a matter of fact , logistics / freight forwarding companies (like CNXtrans) have their own their truck teams. They can provide pick up and delivery services to and from the factory before shipping internationally.
6. Demurrage
Normally, 7 days free demurrage are provided at port of loading.
7.Duties/Taxes
All exporters in China need to apply for an export license from China Customs. Every license has its own unique tax & duties code. If your supplier does not have an export license, freight forwarders like CNXtrans can act as the sender on the seller's behalf as we have own our own export license.
If the shipment is sent out on a DDP basis, then any applicable customs taxes and duties in the destination country will be borne by the freight forwarder. Customs clearance will also be handled on behalf of the consignee/recipient.
Freight forwarders can specialize in a number of different areas, for example:
Oversized or irregularly shaped cargo
Rush or overnight shipping
Domestic trucking
Refrigerated and highly perishable cargo such as fresh seafood
Medical materials
Hazardous / dangerous cargo
Industrial machinery such as oil drilling equipment
Shipment to and from a specific geography remote areas such as Alaska or Hawaii in the US
How to choose the best freight forwarder in China?
Your freight forwarder should be able to handle all kinds of goods and ship from any port of China to world.
Your freight forwarder should provide the best shipping solution possible.
Your freight forwarder should provide competitive rates and a good service.
Your freight forwarder should be able to communicate smoothly with all your suppliers.
Searching for the right freight forwarder in China can often be challenging. Many China-based freight forwarders work directly with suppliers and manufacturers in China instead of international customers. They only offer service in China and only accept payments in Chinese Yuan, making them incompatible with many international customers.
This is where a China-based freight forwarder like CNXtrans can be ideal for your needs. CNXtrans offers customers full native-level English service and accepts payments from around the world in all major currencies such as USD, Euros, GBP, AUD, SGD and more.
Furthermore, CNXtrans offers free storage and warehousing in China, allowing you the ability to take your time to make all the orders you need to make before consolidating and shipping together internationally from China.
Looking for a China-based Shipping Agent/Freight Forwarder to help you consolidate and ship internationally from China?
