International freight forwarding provides peace of mind, visibility

 The advantages of identifying the ideal solution

 Shippers are always searching for the greatest deal on their freight expenditures since international freight forwarding is a spot-driven market with rates that fluctuate from week to week and month to month. They are also looking for a single source of information, easy customs clearance, and more visibility.

Lowering the Cost of Freight

According to Brian Kenney, vice president of brokerage for We Movers Logistics, shippers frequently prioritize lowering their freight expenses. We Movers uses the combined volume of all its clients to negotiate lower pricing with all import and export suppliers. “We negotiate in bulk by looking at the volume of one customer plus the others we carry,” he stated. “It is less expensive to purchase anything when you have more of it.”

Costs are strongly impacted by mode choice, thus we movers concentrate on freight visibility to make sure clients may ship by sea, which is more economical, as opposed to being forced to utilize air freight. “We’re putting in the proper lead periods and supplying information about when freight is expected to be ready. One significant aspect of cost reduction is the removal of air freight, Kenney stated.

Reducing expenses is another benefit of freight optimization. “We advise combining into a full container load rather than shipping a pallet at a time if they have multiple suppliers in a country,” Kenney stated.

Shippers can frequently employ air for the bare minimum required if expedited freight is required. Kenney stated, “We’ll encourage them to put some on the ocean and some in the air when they try to book a container or freight by air.”

When sourcing, shippers are also taking freight costs into account, particularly since businesses left China because of COVID-19 lockdowns. Kenney stated that “we are in a window right now where shippers are asking about rate information and transit times,” adding that “now that the lockdowns have stopped in China, companies are asking if they should go back.”

Getting Noticed

A common request from shippers is for greater visibility. According to Kenney, who said that We Movers is electronically linked to shipping lines, airplanes, and customs, “they want to know if it is on the water, customs cleared, or on the road.”

All of the supporting documentation related to a shipment, including packing lists and customs paperwork, is also visible. “The sector is dispersed. Several parties may be engaged in a shipment, Kenney added, “so they want to bring it all together in one environment to have a go-to place for that information.” “You may have a shipping company handle shipment and a customs broker handle customs. It is a smooth transaction since we do that jointly.

Additionally, We Movers gives shippers access to personalized reports, statistics, and analytics.

              

Getting Through Customs

We Movers provides a proactive start-to-finish approach that satisfies the various needs of various nations because any hiccups in the customs clearance process might result in major freight delays. We must be extremely flexible about what is required for specific sources. Europe is very standardized. China and India are not the same,” Kenney stated. “We must be cognizant of both the nation and the commodity.”

For maritime freight, We Movers can proactively “customs clear” 10 days before to arrival to help expedite the procedure. We Movers does a wheels-up customs clearance for air freight, and Kenney stated, “We’ll clear the shipment while it is on the water, so we’re not stopping the movement to customs clear.” “That cargo can go directly to a vehicle or warehouse as soon as it leaves the ship or the flight.”

If questions come up, there may be delays if information isn’t supplied beforehand. “Customs may have a question after reviewing the seller’s pack list and commercial invoice,” Kenney explained. “Steel pipes” on the invoice might refer to scaffolding or shotgun barrels. It may sit on the dock for a week or ten days if you wait for the shipment to arrive before asking that query.

If customs officers choose to check the freight, shippers can also make plans by working with customs beforehand. Kenney stated, “It allows us to proactively notify the customer that it is scheduled for an examination, so they may want to modify their production line.”

Locating the Appropriate Resolution

Customers should be aware of who they are and are not, according to Kenney. “You can concentrate on your core competencies and avoid hiring a team to handle that by using a freight forwarder to provide shipping solutions and be proactive on your behalf and on your freight spend,” he added.

In order to assist choose the best channels and services for international imports or exports worldwide, We Movers’ committed team of international freight forwarding specialists, headed by the director of international brokerage, is knowledgeable about the nuances of international freight solutions. For additional information or a quotation, get in touch with us.